The Avid Writer

Saved From The Clutches Of Death

Maja had just been about to relax. Yesterday's talk with Arvid had been reassuring. So after seeing Ebba out of the city, she returned home. When she did she figured she would talk to Penelope on the phone, who had bombarded her phone with over twenty missed calls.

That was what led to her, along with Arvid's two police friends- Mattias and Kurt, currently sitting in her living room.

Not only that in truth- there was a bit more.

Since the Brigue Press website was the safest way she could talk to Arvid, she dropped some messages, including a long prayer for his safe journey.

He hadn't replied to any of them- it had been a whole twenty four hours- exactly the same 4pm as when she dropped the messages yesterday.

All reassurance had faded away. All that remained was a bustling fear that she tried to subside.

A hand wrapped around her shoulder, drawing her near. Penelope gave her a comforting, thin lipped smile.

"It's alright, Maja. Don't lose faith, I just feel there could be an explanation to this," said Penelope. "You just told us he has a way out of Lund now. What if he's already left the city and hasn't had the time to check your messages?"

Penelope made a lot of rational sense. But Maja didn't know how to put it. It just didn't feel right, but she felt Arvid wasn't in a good place- call her crazy, but nothing could convince her otherwise yet.

"Look, ladies," Kurt finally spoke. "Despite how Arvid may be annoyed with us once he finds out- we filed for a missing person report."

Maja stared at Kurt before Mattias interjected.

"-It was on Miss Jansson's request."

Before Arvid had left the city, he had begged them not to ever take his case to the police. Technically, they had just put up a missing person report, which was justified because they had lost all means of contacting him- if it were temporarily or not, only time would tell.

"How does that help?" asked Maja. "Your station is here in Göteborg. We're looking for a man in Lund."

"We put in a word with station head- this is an interstate search," answered Mattias, bluntly. "Our fellow officers will try their best to find him...my fear is I hope it's not too late. The worst thing that could happen is it being a false alarm, which has very little consequences, seeing we have no true way to contact him at the moment."

"And after the break in at his home, we couldn't pretend anything wasn't happening," said Kurt. "I hope you can understand."

"There was a break in at Arvid's place?!" exclaimed Maja. She gave Penelope a side glance.

"I just found out today myself," replied Penelope calmly. "That's why I agree with them. We need to go through with that report for Arvid's well being."

Maja let out a breath. In the end, they were justified. The break-in was obviously by members of The Fountain. That alone would make the police investigate.

After seeing Mattias, Kurt and Penelope to the door, Maja had nothing to do but stare at her wall clock- a peacock styled clock etched into the wall, her heart beat attuning to every tick of the clock like they'd been wired together.

It was 4:25 pm already.

"Arvid, where are you?" Maja mouthed.

When he left the city, she had decided maybe her infatuation with him had been excessive. Maybe it was God's way of telling her they weren't meant to be together.

She intentionally didn't talk to him for the better part of the time he'd been away just to give him some space and understand herself. Maybe she never really liked him and acted that way because she felt lonely.