Sadistically Sweet (Watty Awards Finalist 2012)

Three Weeks

Nathander's Point of View:

Bud sat across from me, urging me to eat some food. He knew that I hadn't truly eaten since Haitlin went missing. It still tore my heart to have to say that sentence; Haitlin's gone missing. 

"Nate, you have to eat. I know it is hard, but you need to be at the top of your game to find her," Bud continued.

"I know," I mumbled in reply.

Even though I knew he was looking out for me, I still couldn't help but pick at the burger in front of me. I couldn't swallow anything knowing that my baby girl was out there somewhere, and that know one knew where. 

"Dad," Gregory said, momentarily pausing my turmoil. 

Greg had been attached to my hip since I picked him up the night she went missing. He got up early to go to work with me and search for Haitlin. He even helped plan the search parties going on right now. Normally, Chief would never let someone else be so involved, but he knew Greg was the only thing standing between my fist and his face. 

"Yeah Mr. Brookes, you have to eat," Wyatt piped in.

I turned my eyes to the nineteen year old boy. This kid who I practically watched grow up, now sat in front of me when he should be in school. When Bud told him Haitlin went missing, he immediately came here to help find her. 

I felt bad for pulling the kid away from his studies, but he chose to help. Truthfully, I was happy to have another set of hands for the search. Plus, he kept Greg in line. When Greg wasn't allowed in the station, Wyatt took him out in his car and patrolled the roads. The two grew closer more in these past two weeks then in the past ten years.

"Dad," Greg repeated.

"I know, but I don't have an appetite right now. I promise I'll have dinner, but I couldn't stomach anything right now," I finally said.

All three of them looked away, not wanting to press the issue. I knew I was worrying them, but I could care less at that moment. All I cared about was my daughter. 

Two and a half weeks had crawled by since Haitlin had disappeared. Halloween had come and gone and trees had lost all their leaves. Soon winter would freeze over, and she wouldn't stand a chance if she was out in the wilderness. I knew she wasn't though.

After the rain water had resided, we found something that broke everyone's heart; Haitlin's book bag. At first, it looked like a pile of wet leaves, but upon closer inspection that observation was proven wrong. That simple object turned the case from a missing persons to a possible kidnapping. 

That word made vile threaten to rise up my throat. Kidnapped. My daughter might possibly be kidnapped, and I am sitting here debating to eat a burger? 

"I'm heading out," I said. 

I stood up, almost causing my chair to fall over, threw money on the table and quickly walked out of the tiny restaurant. Haitlin had her tenth birthday in that restaurant. 

"Hey, wait up!" Bud called after me. 

I ignored his protests and slid into the passenger seat of the car. Whether he came or not, I didn't really care. I wanted to get back to the search party that was sweeping the woods. We started from the beginning and were making out way back, but at the pace everything was going we wouldn't get nearly halfway by the first snow fall. Snow came very early in Willow Springs, and once it did it would hinder everything.

Bud slid in the driver's seat and looked over at me.

"Nate," he started, but I wouldn't let him finish.