The Odyssey Of The Devil

23. The panic setting in

The market was lively. The buzz was clearly in the air as people sauntered in different directions trying to get to the stall they needed. The stalls for fruits, the stalls for clothes, the stalls for jewellery, toiletries, you name it and there was a stall for it.

"Where can we find such an exigent thing in this torrent of people?" Lorra asked poker-faced.

The spot where we were standing, it was diverging into three different directions. Elrod had his hands in his pockets as he scanned around with his shades on. It didn't take him long before he faced us again,

"We need to split," he answered.

"But what do we look for, Mr Elrod? We don't know what it looks like, we don't know anything about it." Kevin complained and I had to agree with him. The only thing we know was the fact that we had to get our hands on this portion and it was to be found in this market, far from where we lived.

"Just look for the board with a Harry styles' picture that says, 'we cut hair like this'. That's the place." Elrod told us before pointing towards the east, "Avery and I will go in that direction, Lorra you'll go towards north and Kevin, you will go west. Am I clear?"

"Yes." We nodded in agreement.

"Give me a call if anything happens or if you find it," Elrod said lastly before making everyone go in their respective directions.

I walked along with Elrod. From the corner of his shades, I could see his gaze moving around, in search of the Harry style's board.

"I could have gone alone in search too," I tried to speak on top of the people bargaining with the seller, a child crying at top of his lungs while his mother tried to calm him down before losing her calm and yelling back at him. I cleared my throat, "It doesn't seem so dangerous for anyone to attack me in the open."

He sighed through his nose before removing his shades and making them hang on the top button done of his shirt. Then looking down at me with no interest he asked,

"Avery?"

"Yes?"

"Could anyone see Kevin beside you that day on the street?" I listened to him before shaking my head in denial, "could anyone see Alice that day in the dungeon except us?" I shook my head again, "I don't think I need to explain further." He muttered before trying to avoid a few people who bumped into him.

I just followed him for he lead, the sea of people increased with time and it just became difficult to take notice of any boards or even Elrod at this point. The only way I could spot his movements was from the back of his head— it stood out because of his height. A man bumped into me and didn't even apologise before walking in the opposite direction. I looked around with bafflement and one thing was for sure— I hated crowded places.

I tried to keep up with Elrod but his damn long legs made him already ten feet ahead of me.

I tried to push the people away while a seller came and put his products in my face, "Ma'am, why don't you try this? This will suit you." He didn't have the best clothes on and it didn't seem like he had showered in a while. For a moment I contemplated buying from him too but when I looked ahead, I could feel the panic set in me.

"No, thank you," I declined politely and tried to stand on my tip-toes to look for the jet-black slick hair but despite my trials, I could not find him.

I was left alone in this overcrowded market, I cannot believe it. I cannot believe I lost him. I could feel my heart picking up its pace as I felt like the ocean was engulfing me.

I moved around the stalls and into a corner where I would not be squashed under people.

"Wha d'you want, miss?" I looked up and a person who had his stall set up next to me was looking me up and down. I took a step back before shaking my head and pasted a smile on my face,