If Only it Was The Same (ON HOLD)

Chapter Seven

Aria's POV

The boys had been gone for a while, and the whole town was on edge. The kids disappearing didn't seem like a big thing. Almost like maybe they had just wandered off and would be back in an hour. But it had been a complete day. 

The kids were missing, and now so we're DJ, Grayson, Julian, and Colton. Clay was to the point of pulling his hair out as questions he didn't know the answer to, continued to be thrown at him. Ophelia and my mom had been working hard to help him, but it didn't stop him from stressing. 

I myself was stressed and worried. I didn't want to think about all the reasons the kids and the other group hadn't returned yet. Maybe a group of senseless had kept them from coming back. Maybe they were with the kids.

I sighed as I sat in my room, listening to the chaos in the other parts of the house. Thomas was crying, he had been all night, no matter what anyone did to try and comfort him. And it was putting everyone on more edge. 

He was probably only crying because of all the shouting. Clay was trying his best to keep everyone talking at a decent volume, but they were still shouting. At one point he had instructed them to go to the meeting hall, but no one had really listened.

"Everyone, please be quiet!" I sat up a bit at the shout that sounded like my brother. And instead of being another futile attempt, everyone did shut up. Even Thomas.

"I know what's happening right now is a scary situation, but shouting and being disrespectful is not going to get us anywhere. We need to head to the meeting hall. My house has and never will be an appropriate place to discuss town issues," his tone was no longer shouting but it was a direct and stern one.

In moments everyone had left and were heading for the meeting hall, including Clay. My mother had told me I could go, so I was walking next to him. The air had a slight chill to it so everyone was dressed in jackets.

Clay dropped me off in a chair off to the side of the stage as he headed to the center. After everything seemed pretty calm and in order, Clay started the town discussion.

Ideas of how to approach the current situation and concerns about it were being shared among the group. One common one being, what this meant for the entire group. If they had been attacked by senseless, had it meant more would be drawn towards town?

Clay was trying to talk through our next moves, but just as he started a loud bang of the doors slamming open interrupted him.

Hallyanna stood at the door with dirt covering her attire and her hair all disheveled. I didn't think I'd ever see a day where Hallyanna looked like a complete mess. But that's exactly how I'd describe her right now.

"Hallyanna?" Clay said as he quickly walked over to her through the aisle of chairs. He gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "Where have you been? Are you alright?"

Even though she was cruel to my brother, he still was constantly kind to her.

"Th-the...kids…" Hallyanna stuttered as she shook a bit, "I heard I scream….and I followed it...worried. When I got there...it was too late...the cliff…"

"What was too late, Hallyanna? What happened to the kids?"

"They fell." Hallyanna whispered as she started crying, "they fell! I got there too late...I should've run faster."

"Hey, hey, Hallyanna, it's alright. I need you to calm down a bit," Clay said as he glanced at the crowd who had horror written on their faces.

"The children are dead…" Hallyanna whispered, "they were near the cliff and they fell…"