The Girl with Cat's Eyes

C H A P T E R 30

Always assume the

Worst but how

When there is still hope

C H A P T E R 30

'Josh?'

'What.'

'You need to prepare yourself for if, you know... If he isn't found...'

'Don't say that. He will be found... He... he has to be...' He wiped his eyes quickly, he hated crying in front of the others, and me as well, I guess. I knew that already though.

Josh had been more closed off from everyone than usual. He would barely talk to anyone anymore, and every night he went out to search for Daniel. After the first few nights, the rest of us had stopped; we needed sleep and we were getting nowhere anyway. But Josh, he just kept on, kept at it, pretending that the worst hadn't even touched his mind, telling himself Daniel wasn't dead, that he couldn't be.

If anyone even mentioned what could have happened he just got up and left, or shouted at them.

Yeah, Josh took it hard.

I was at home a few nights after we found out he was missing, while Sarah was out. Jess was in the kitchen, doing a math paper, and so was I. We were sitting at the table, and kept sharing looks. We knew that right now, we couldn't be together, but that didn't stop the occasional kiss, or look. I was glad. I needed him right then.

Anyway, I was sitting at the table when the post came, and I went to pick it up off the mat. The strange thing was that the post usually came on a Sunday, but it was a Wednesday. There was only one envelope, and it was addressed to a 'Rosa Evans' .

I opened it slowly, sand inside was a small slip of white paper, with three words written on it, in my fathers familiar handwriting.

I am back.

I ran to Jess, shoved it under his nose. He read it, slowly and then said:

'Who's it from?'

'My- my dad.'

'You'll be fine, I won't let anyone near you...'

'I...' I pretended not to be scared. 'Okay...'

But I was. I was so, so scared.

'Jess?' I asked a few seconds later. 'Don't tell anyone about this, okay?'

'Okay...'

The days passed, letters became more and more frequent, and they all said similar things: I am watching, or I am waiting. Things like that. Things that sent shivers down my spine.

Every day.

Sam and Lilly, had won a 'Get away for the weekend' and were ecstatic, but I couldn't join in with their happiness, because the notes kept playing in my head over and over in my head. James was taking Emma on a date. But I couldn't be concentrate or focus on it, I couldn’t wonder where they were going, because the notes were still there, in the back of my mind.

And then on Friday night, another, different note came in the post.