Once again, Damien's sleep is disturbed by nightmares, visions of his sister being kidnapped and brutally tortured flashing behind his eyelids and terrifying him to his very core. As a detective who has seen multiple crime scenes of varying levels of gore, his imagination is quite vivid in depicting any and all ways that Tally could possibly be harmed by her abductor. Unable to continue sleeping after such horrifying scenes playing in his head, Damien tries to soothe away the consuming feelings of helplessness and pain. A cold shower and some hot coffee are the only two things that can lessen the sting even the slightest bit right now.
After preparing himself for the day with what little energy his body maintains after the restless night, Damien heads into work early, hoping to get a jumpstart on the day's workload. Perhaps a productive day at the station will offer enough distraction to ease his mind. Damien is slightly discomforted, however, when he arrives at his desk to find there isn't much work to distract him from his reality today.
That's a great thing--Damien knows this. It means there are fewer unsolved criminal cases than usual; unfortunately, he can't help but wish that he at least had a mountain of paperwork or something to keep him busy. It would be nice to have at least some kind of busy work to keep his mind from reminding him of the excruciating images of Tally being hurt that seem to have been burned into his eyes. To give him something to occupy his head other than the gruesome ideas that have been festering there over the last eight years.
Struggling to focus on the minimal work he does have, Damien excuses himself from his workspace for a few minutes, stepping outside to take in some fresh air. He breathes deeply, allowing the cool air to fill his lungs. The gentle breeze feels nice against his skin; it's almost calming, just crisp enough to cool his skin from the fiery intensity of his thoughts but not cold enough to chill him. It's kind of perfect, in a way. Maybe even a little beautiful. Sure, that's probably a strange thing to think--that a simple gust of wind can be beautiful in a world filled with so much suffering. But to Damien, anything that gives him even a second of relief from his burdens is just that--beautiful.
Work seems to drag on with not much to do, so the chief agrees to allow Damien to leave early to head out into the woods. As sure as Chief Davis is that the detective won't find anything while searching today, he likes that he can offer him at least the small comfort of trying. He's known Damien for years and knows he's always been a good kid. He understands how much Damien misses his sister and how profoundly her absence affects him. Chief Davis has personally witnessed how Tally's abduction has turned Damien's entire life upside down. He feels for Damien and wishes he could do something-- anything-- to ease his pain even a little. Davis knows that's not possible, though; there isn't a way to magically erase his trauma or the lingering effects it has saddled him with.
But he can allow him to venture into the woods on what is likely a wild goose chase if that's what he needs to do. And as the God-fearing man that he is, Chief Davis prays that there is even the tiniest sliver of possibility that Damien will find his sister someday--preferably alive.
As Damien enters the now-familiar area once more, his brain shuts off entirely, as if by habit. His body proceeds on autopilot, allowing him to focus only on his designated task. His eyes search through the tall grasses, bushes, and tree trunks, taking in every detail they land upon, and his mind processes everything as quickly as it can. At times like this, Damien feels as if he were made specifically for this purpose; the thought makes him feel sick to his stomach, however.
If it weren't for Tally's disappearance, he never would have discovered quite how persistent and thorough he could be at this kind of thing.
Lost in his search, Damien hardly even notices how much time passes as he buries himself in scouring the woods. Even the darkness that settles upon him doesn't deter him from his mission; that is, until his tired and overworked eyes begin struggling to see properly in the poorly-lit grove of trees.
With a heavy heart, the detective reluctantly decides to retire for the evening, turning back in the direction of his vehicle. The weight of his failed inspection lays upon his shoulders like a ton of bricks, his chest constricting slightly under the pressure. As he walks, Damien almost misses the reflective glare of a degraded path marker as his flashlight shines over it. His heart practically stops in his chest as he stares at it, sending up a silent prayer that he has finally found the clue he's been so desperately looking for. Slowly and with incredible caution, Damien approaches the marker, his shaking hands pushing aside the overgrown brush that had kept it so expertly hidden all this time. As he does so, his breath catches as the now-flattened overgrowth suddenly reveals a not-so-easily-seen narrow footpath that appears to head farther into the woods.
Damien was sure he'd left not a single inch of the area untraveled in his many, many attempts to crack the case of his sister's disappearance. However, he is confident he has never seen this path before.
Taking a deep breath, Damien's eyes roam over the darkened trail before him, the previously undiscovered terrain causing an unexpected rush of emotions within him. Knowing that it would be best to investigate the path and its destination in the daytime with adequate lighting, he saves the GPS coordinates of the damaged marker on his phone, keeping them for his next search.
His mind whirls with unanswered questions as he walks back to his vehicle, his stomach doing somersaults as he tries not to become overly excited about the possibilities this new discovery may uncover. Could this be a long-awaited clue? Hope flutters in Damien's chest at the thought. Could this previously unseen path lead him to Tally? Or at least to information about her whereabouts? Will Damien finally learn what truly happened to her? Making his way back through the woods, a positive feeling settles in his stomach. After eight long years, he finally has what might be the first piece of the puzzle.
Damien feels as if he's one step closer to finally solving the case of his missing sister.
With hope filling him for the first time in years, Damien actually manages to get a few hours of uninterrupted, nightmare-free sleep.
YOU ARE READING
I'll Find You
Mystery / Thriller**This story is currently under construction. Damien has spent the better part of a decade searching for his sister, who was abducted from a nearby park when she was fifteen. Devoting his life to finding her, Damien hasn't had much time for anything...
