Trails of Secrets

38. The Missing

He headed first towards Phin's house. It was the last place he saw her. So that morning, he set out early enough to avoid camping in the woods. 

The walk was extremely long. Which was sort of good since it provided him with plenty of time to think of what he would say to Phin when he saw her again. 

I'm sorry.

No. Not good enough.

I missed you.

No. That made him sound desperate.

How's it going?

No. Too casual.

I love you.

Woah.... how'd that sneak in there? Besides, he didn't love her. Not like that. Right?

It wasn't important right now. What was important, was finding Phin. 

That made Liam smile. He loved the name Persephone. It was so beautiful. He wondered what the name meant. 

But people weren't defined by their name. 

After several more hours of walking, Liam finally reached the road that Phin's house was on. All the houses on the road looked run down and demolished, but there was no doubt about which one was the worst: Phin's.

His steps were lighter the closer he got to the house. 

He really hoped that she was there.

Once he reached the front door however, he stopped. What would he say?

Liam knocked. 

The door swung wide open. 

Oh no.

"Phin? Are you here?"

Please be here. Please be here.

He came face to face with Noah.

"Who are you?"

The two stood, staring at each other.

"I'm just kidding, Liam. It was a joke. Don't get so worked up about it." Noah motioned for Liam to follow him inside. "Come on. Find a seat. If you can."

Liam shook his head. "I'm not here to sit down. I'm here for Phin. Where is she?"

Noah shuffled his feet and sighed. 

"I don't know."

                                                                        ~~~

Liam collapsed on the ruined couch and dropped his head into his hands. After Noah had told him that Phin went missing around a week ago, Liam ran into every room of the house searching for her. 

"I'm sorry, Liam. She isn't here," Noah sighed. "Right before you arrived, I was preparing to leave to look for her. I'm just as upset as you are. I should have tried harder to save her from whoever took her."

"Someone took her?" Liam looked up from his hands immediately. "She was kidnapped?"

"Well... yeah." Noah threw up his hands. "What else is new around here? Early this morning, Someone dragged me out of bed and stuck me with a needle. I don't remember anything else except waking up in the woods with Phin tied and taped up. She had this wild look in her eyes. Several men began to surround her and I knew I was next."

Noah hung his head.

"So I ran."

Liam closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "It's not your fault, Noah. If you hadn't ran away, then we wouldn't have any chance of knowing where she was or what happened to her. Do you know where she is or where she went? 

Noah sat and thought for a minute. 

And then another minute.

For half an hour, Noah sat and thought.

Finally, he responded.

"I remember something."