Stuck in quarantine

The mystery

Joe's eyelids fluttered open, and he squinted at the alarm clock on his nightstand. The illuminated digits sent a surge of adrenaline coursing through his veins as he registered the time. It was already Monday afternoon?

Disoriented and groggy, he struggled to comprehend how he had slept through most of the day. Why didn't Taylor's alarm woke him up as usual?

Confusion etched across his face, Joe's gaze instinctively darted towards the empty space next to him. A wave of alarm washed over him when he realized that Taylor, was nowhere to be found. They had fallen asleep together the night before, so her absence was perplexing and disconcerting.

A jolt of panic shot through Joe's body as he swung his legs over the edge of the bed and took in his surroundings.

His eyes widened as he realized that some of Taylor's most essential belongings were missing. Her phone, usually perched on the nightstand, was conspicuously absent. Clothes that she typically left strewn around the room were nowhere to be seen.

As Joe scanned the apartment in a desperate search for answers, his gaze settled on the empty space where his university sweatshirt used to hang.Taylor frequently wore it, and its absence only deepened Joe's growing concern.

A sense of unease gripped Joe as he pondered the implications of Taylor's sudden disappearance. Thoughts raced through his mind. Did something happen to her? Why would she leave without her belongings? He fought to suppress the rising fear within him, but the questions multiplied, leaving him grasping for a logical explanation.

Every corner of the apartment became a potential hiding place as Joe meticulously combed through the rooms. But no matter where he looked, he found no trace of Taylor. The silence of the empty apartment amplified his confusion and intensified his worry.

The walls seemed to close in on Joe as he grappled with the uncertainty and the weight of Taylor's absence. Anxiety gnawed at him, and a sense of loss settled heavily on his shoulders.

Desperate for answers, he could only hope that some clue, some sign, would reveal itself and offer a glimpse into the mystery surrounding Taylor's sudden and inexplicable disappearance.

Joe's hands trembled as he reached for his own phone and dialed Taylor's number. His heart pounded in his chest, his anxiety mounting with each passing second. The call connected, but his hopes were quickly dashed as he heard the automated message informing him that Taylor's phone was switched off.

Panic surged through Joe's veins, and he felt a tightening in his chest. A flurry of thoughts raced through his mind as he desperately tried to come up with a plan. He needed to find someone who might know where Taylor was or provide some explanation for her sudden departure.

His realization hit him like a punch to the gut. He didn't have the phone numbers of Taylor's parents or her friends. They had never exchanged contact information, and in that moment, it felt like an oversight that weighed heavily upon him.

Joe's mind raced as he frantically tried to recall any other potential sources of help. He considered mutual acquaintances, but Taylor had always been a private person, keeping her social circle small and intimate. The few friends he knew of were merely acquaintances at best.

The only person that connected him and Taylor was the person who introduced them. The person who started it all. Cara!

Immediately Joe dialed her number and thank goodness the girl answered, in her husky voice, apparently a little tipsy

"Joe! What did I do to deserve such an honor as your call, huh, asshole?" she said in her standard mocking tone.

"Do you know where Taylor went?"