APOV
I open my eyes and sigh. I've just closed my eyes and already I have to get up again to get another day behind me. I go to the bathroom and brush my teeth, knowing that there isn't much time left before the boys are going to wreak havoc again. So I hurry up and get myself ready. Then I go to the children's room to wake them up and open their door. Strange, their beds are empty. Are they already up?
I go downstairs into the living room but it is empty, too. It is unlikely that the boys went through it as it is still tidy. Despite this I go at first into the kitchen and afterwards into the garden but they are not there as well. Angst-ridden I scream their names. No reply. I run upstairs once again but they are not there. I feel sick and my stomach turns while I desperately try to come up with a place where they could be. I run back and forth as I don't know what to do before I grab my jacket and run over to Ray's. I ring the doorbell but there is no reply and I start hammering my fists against the door. Nothing. I swear to God I'll bite of their heads if the three of them went on a trip without telling me beforehand!
I sit down on Ray's porch and decide to wait for him. It feels like an eternity has passed when I finally hear a car approaching. Full of hope I look in the direction of the noise and indeed, I can see Ray's car coming my way. He parks in his driveway and as soon as he gets out of his car I can see he's wearing the clothes he had on yesterday. I shake my head trying to concentrate on the relevant things. I run over to Ray and his car and look at the backseat.
"Annie? What are you doing here?" Ray questions me while I'm staring at the empty backseat. I feel like I'm going to throw up.
"The children!" I pant and start hyperventilating. Ray's expression turns serious.
"What about the children?" he asks me unsteadily, and I simply stand there, staring at him with my eyes wide open. "Annie?" But I cannot answer as I bend over and throw up directly in front of Ray's car. He softly pulls my hair out of my face, holding it securely. My knees buckle as soon as my stomach is empty and I fall down right beside Ray.
"They are gone," I gasp.
"What do you mean with 'they are gone'?" he asks me, composed.
"For fuck's sake, they are gone, Ray! I don't know where they are! They weren't in their beds this morning!" I scream frightened.
"Let's think once again about where they might be! Come on, we'll phone around!" he says. Then he helps me get up and pulls me inside.
One hour later we've called anyone and everyone asking for my children but nobody has seen them. I cannot stop crying since the third call and I'm starting to loose all hope.
"Annie, let's go to the police station! They are more experienced with such situations!" Ray suggests and I nod in reply.
Ray has to support me as we leave the police station. The police officers filed the missing person's reports for us and promised us to get as many officers as possible on a searchteam for my boys, but that's not enough for me. I want them back by my side right now and not sometime later – or maybe never.
Ray takes me home and makes me a cup of tea. I can't even think about eating and even the tea isn't easy to stomach. I'm kicking myself for not taking enough care of my children. Ray tries to build me up but anyway you look at it I feel both helpless and guilty.