Author's Note: My greatest apologies for the long wait. Generally, life has taken over, and writer's block hasn't helped. Hopefully, I'm breaking through it, but I'm sorry to say that you won't see that in this chapter! This chapter, though incredibly short, was difficult to write. But I needed to get this out in order to set up things to come. I plan on having the next chapter out tomorrow evening, so hopefully that will make up for it. Once again, feel free to e-mail me at AngelSDP@aol.com with questions, comments, thoughts...Thanks!
Disclaimer: I'm in no way associated with Higher Ground...
Better Days
"I have walked too long in darkness/I have walked too long alone/blindly clutching fists of diamonds/that I found were only stones"
-Barbra Streisand, "Higher Ground"
Chapter Four
The door clicked gently shut behind them as the three distraught counselors gathered outside the Cliffhanger's dorm.
"Peter, we have to do something. We have to find her."
The man only ran a hand through his thick hair as he gazed at the dark woods ahead of him. Under the lamplight, two desperate faces exchanged glances and turned to him, waiting for an answer.
He sighed and shook his head. "It's late, and it's dark. We'd never find her now."
Sophie immediately began to protest. "But it's dangerous out there, Peter! And it's getting cold. She's out there all alone..."
Finally Peter turned around, raising his eyes to them while his voice filled with authority.
"We'll begin searching at dawn. I'll notify Curtis immediately and tomorrow I'll get a group out in the woods. Jeff, I'll need your bike."
The man nodded and replied quietly, "of course."
Peter nodded his gratitude and continued, "I'll get Roger to drive around town in the morning, but I don't think she'll get too far tonight." He sighed as his voice softened. "Let's go tell the others."
As they started towards the lodge, Sophie followed Peter's gaze. Her blue eyes were filled with deep concern as she glanced at the woods.
"We have to find her Peter. Who knows what she's feeling right now? Are we just going to let her remain lost?"
"She's already lost, Soph." He replied, his brows furrowed in perturbation. "She's been lost for years, and her running away hasn't changed that."
"But I don't understand it. She's never tried to run away before."
"She's never had to. Horizon's been her sanctuary, her haven. After all that time on the streets...it's like a break for her. She's never had a reason to run away -until now."
This caused the young woman to stop walking. She stared at Peter, her eyes wide. "Wait, what are you saying?"
Peter turned away from the woods and slowed his pace. His brown eyes met hers as he looked back, and he hesitated slightly before speaking. "I'm saying that it's probably the only thing she knows how to do." He broke the troubled stare and glanced towards the lodge. "Come on." He said quietly, "I need to call Curtis."
Three pairs of eyes stared at the ceiling in wondering silence. There was nothing to see, for the cracks were barely visible in the late night, but the three knew that they were there, hidden in the darkness along with their thoughts. Lights-Out had been called hours ago, but each of them was wide-awake. They had crowded around the door earlier, listening to the counselor's conversation, but still they didn't understand.
"Why do you think she ran?"
It took awhile for anyone to answer, for all of them had been wondering the same question for hours.
"I don't know, Jules. Shelby has never run before. I'll bet she's never even thought about it." The young girl shrugged as she shifted in her bed. "Maybe something happened."
On the other side of the room, Daisy smirked. "Come on. We all know that Peter's lectures are bad, but it couldn't have been so traumatizing that she had to run...Could it have been? Anyway, who knows? Maybe she's just trying to get out of kitchens again."
"Or maybe she's trying to get a head start on the quest tomorrow." The brunette joined in the laughter.
But Katherine's tone was serious as she spoke, "well whatever the reason, she's out there alone right now."
The other girls' smiles faded as they shifted their gazes. Daisy nodded to herself as the moonlight illuminated the neighboring bunk. "And I think she'd rather have it that way."
Silence spread throughout the dark room once again as all laughter died.
"It's late." Katherine finally uttered softly, "maybe we should go to sleep."
They shifted in their beds, letting sleep take them to a safe haven away from their troubled thoughts. Only Juliette lay awake, her gaze lingering on the empty bed...
Disclaimer: I'm in no way associated with Higher Ground...
Better Days
"I have walked too long in darkness/I have walked too long alone/blindly clutching fists of diamonds/that I found were only stones"
-Barbra Streisand, "Higher Ground"
Chapter Four
The door clicked gently shut behind them as the three distraught counselors gathered outside the Cliffhanger's dorm.
"Peter, we have to do something. We have to find her."
The man only ran a hand through his thick hair as he gazed at the dark woods ahead of him. Under the lamplight, two desperate faces exchanged glances and turned to him, waiting for an answer.
He sighed and shook his head. "It's late, and it's dark. We'd never find her now."
Sophie immediately began to protest. "But it's dangerous out there, Peter! And it's getting cold. She's out there all alone..."
Finally Peter turned around, raising his eyes to them while his voice filled with authority.
"We'll begin searching at dawn. I'll notify Curtis immediately and tomorrow I'll get a group out in the woods. Jeff, I'll need your bike."
The man nodded and replied quietly, "of course."
Peter nodded his gratitude and continued, "I'll get Roger to drive around town in the morning, but I don't think she'll get too far tonight." He sighed as his voice softened. "Let's go tell the others."
As they started towards the lodge, Sophie followed Peter's gaze. Her blue eyes were filled with deep concern as she glanced at the woods.
"We have to find her Peter. Who knows what she's feeling right now? Are we just going to let her remain lost?"
"She's already lost, Soph." He replied, his brows furrowed in perturbation. "She's been lost for years, and her running away hasn't changed that."
"But I don't understand it. She's never tried to run away before."
"She's never had to. Horizon's been her sanctuary, her haven. After all that time on the streets...it's like a break for her. She's never had a reason to run away -until now."
This caused the young woman to stop walking. She stared at Peter, her eyes wide. "Wait, what are you saying?"
Peter turned away from the woods and slowed his pace. His brown eyes met hers as he looked back, and he hesitated slightly before speaking. "I'm saying that it's probably the only thing she knows how to do." He broke the troubled stare and glanced towards the lodge. "Come on." He said quietly, "I need to call Curtis."
Three pairs of eyes stared at the ceiling in wondering silence. There was nothing to see, for the cracks were barely visible in the late night, but the three knew that they were there, hidden in the darkness along with their thoughts. Lights-Out had been called hours ago, but each of them was wide-awake. They had crowded around the door earlier, listening to the counselor's conversation, but still they didn't understand.
"Why do you think she ran?"
It took awhile for anyone to answer, for all of them had been wondering the same question for hours.
"I don't know, Jules. Shelby has never run before. I'll bet she's never even thought about it." The young girl shrugged as she shifted in her bed. "Maybe something happened."
On the other side of the room, Daisy smirked. "Come on. We all know that Peter's lectures are bad, but it couldn't have been so traumatizing that she had to run...Could it have been? Anyway, who knows? Maybe she's just trying to get out of kitchens again."
"Or maybe she's trying to get a head start on the quest tomorrow." The brunette joined in the laughter.
But Katherine's tone was serious as she spoke, "well whatever the reason, she's out there alone right now."
The other girls' smiles faded as they shifted their gazes. Daisy nodded to herself as the moonlight illuminated the neighboring bunk. "And I think she'd rather have it that way."
Silence spread throughout the dark room once again as all laughter died.
"It's late." Katherine finally uttered softly, "maybe we should go to sleep."
They shifted in their beds, letting sleep take them to a safe haven away from their troubled thoughts. Only Juliette lay awake, her gaze lingering on the empty bed...