How hard could it be? • LM / SS

Chapter 78

                         "I promise you this,
                          I'll always look out
                                  for you."

"I swear to God he's here," Lydia nodded confidently, her eyes bearing into Noah's. It was like she was trying to tell him without letting out too much information, due to two deputy's standing right behind him.

The gates to Eichen House creaked open as the group of teenagers and law enforcement made their way up the steps. Their walk quickly turned to a jog and then to a sprint, no one quite sure who had started it, but not wanting to be left behind all the same.

They pushed open the double doors that led into a large room with barely any furniture. For a mental health facility, Jade had the idea that being stuck in here would make you feel even more depressed than what you did when you entered. There was a white desk that had a pane of glass with an opening so things could be passed through.

The receptionist was slumped in his chair, tapping away on his phone as if he didn't have a care in the world. When he heard the fast approaching footsteps, he sat up quickly, waiting to see what the hurry was about.

"I need access to all basement rooms in this facility," Noah demanded, anxiously wringing his hands while he waited for the man to return. The set of keys were barely in his hands before they were off again, stumbling down flights of stairs.

Jade grabbed onto the back of Lydia's coat so she wouldn't hit the ground after all of them had stopped suddenly. She had no idea how Lilith or anyone for that matter, could run in heels and not break an ankle. She'd nearly fell over her own feet nine times when running down the stairs and that was in boots.

"It's right here," Lydia wildly looked around, as if Stiles was going to jump out of a corner screaming 'surprise!'

Noah quickly fumbled with the keys in his hand when Lydia nodded, her gaze turning back to the door they were trying to open. He flicked on the flashlight as they ran down the few steps that led into a room, their voices blending into desperate calls for his son. Their shouts eventually faded into nothing, the silence clouding in the air.

"Lydia?" Scott put down a blanket that he had picked up, everyone expectedly waiting for an answer from the strawberry blonde.

"I don't get it," she whispered, wetting her lips slightly before speaking again. "This has to be it."

"This is it. This is what I saw when I tapped into Stiles' head!" Jade confirmed, nodding along. It was the exact same room. The boiler was in the same place, right next to the rocking chair. She rounded a corner, bending down to the exact spot where he was meant to be. But he wasn't.

"Then where is he, huh?" Noah asked. Jade straightened up, returning to the main group when she noticed how dangerously low his voice was. She jumped back, digging her nails into her arm and immediately feeling tears well up in her eyes when she had hurt her burnt arm. "Where is he? Where is he!?"

Noah took a step back when he realised how much the girls had recoiled away from him, seeing the genuinely confused and slightly scared looks on their faces. "I'm sorry."

"I don't understand," Lydia was more so talking to herself, not expecting anyone to answer but just feeling like she needed to hear herself say it out loud. All she wanted to do right now was sit down on the floor, curl herself up into a ball and cry. Why wasn't he here? He had been right here!

Noah led the way out of the room, his feet dragging as his body became heavier. He was having to push himself to even stay standing, let alone go and lead another search party. Dread was starting to twist it's way into his head, like he was stuck in quicksand and was being swallowed whole. And the one question that he really didn't want to have to think about was starting to form.