To The Stars And Back - Jack Dawson

Chapter 26 - The Disappearance

My vision was cloudy as I lay on a wet moss-like surface. I ran my fingers through the wet grass before my eyes finally focused on the environment around me. I didn't recognize where I was, but it was dark.

It looked like some sort of swamp, and I was on an island of sorts. I stood up on shaky legs and looked around to see the murky water surrounding me.

The black figure was nowhere to be seen, but I did see a small piece of paper with my name on it, floating in the water nearby. I reached out and grabbed it, bringing the wet paper to my eyes. It read;

I have placed you somewhere you can never leave.

You don't know where you are.

I do.

That's why you can never leave.

Face it Elizabeth, nobody loves you. Nobody is coming to save you. You're all alone in this world.

Live here until you starve or die of other things.

There is no escape. The caves surrounding the swamp are a labrinth that you will only get lost in.

I am not going to help you. I am not going to talk to you. You are truly alone.

For the rest of eternity.

I screamed and ripped up the note, throwing the pieces in the lake. A fucking demon was writing me letters. In a different context, that would've been amusing. I sat in the lake, the ends of my maroon dress in tatters.

So I was going to be stuck in a locationless swamp until I died. This was going to be worse than death. At least death is an escape. There is no escape from solitude.

I felt like the world was closing in on me as I lay on my island, the bottom half of my dress soaking in the lake. The sky was so bright, but I felt so cold.

At least Jack was happy. At least he was with the girl of his dreams. But I still felt alone. So alone.

Jack's POV:

When I heard that Beth had left, it didn't surprise me. We had a really big fight. What did alarm me was the telegram that I received from Luna two days later.

Dear Jack,

Where is Beth? She said she would be back by yesterday but she still isn't here. I'm getting worried. Is she with you? Is she okay? Please let me know.

I had no idea. Beth was missing? That doesn't make any sense. I simply told Luna to come to California.

Five days after Beth's disappearance, Luna and I sat in the parlor with Rose, drinking tea.

"Where could she have gone?" Rose asked, trying to be a part of a situation that she wasn't welcome in.

"No idea." Luna replied. "Did she send any letters?"

"No." I said.

"Well, I'm just tryin' to think. Maybe she ran away." Luna said.

"Why would she do that?" Rose asked. Luna and I exchanged a glance. Then a horrible thought racked my nervous system. I caused this. If Beth ran away, if she did something drastic, it was my fault. How much of an idiot am I? Jesus Christ.

Feeling overwhelmed, I vaguely excused myself before leaving the parlor and going outside, lighting a cigarette. I wasn't suspicious as I assimilated in clothing, wearing fancy stuff like all the other people in Rose's class. I hated it. This wasn't me.

I leaned against a pillar as I smoked, looking out onto the city.

"You're really unhappy, aren't you?" Luna asked as she walked out onto the balcony. I nodded slightly. "I thought so."

"We need to find Beth." I said.

"You love her?" There was a long pause.

"Yeah I do."

"I miss her. Her stupid annoying smart ass personality. Do you wanna know what my greatest fear is? Regarding this."

"Sure." I replied.

"Basically, Beth didn't tell you, but she wasn't supposed to use her powers. She's cursed, you see. And since she started using them again, it's only brought her closer and closer to the downside of her curse." Luna cleared her throat. "Beth is bound to a demon. This demon wants her soul, wants her to suffer. So since she's been using her powers so much, on you, she only brought herself closer to the demon. So... her demon probably is what caused her disappearance."

The air suddenly felt very thick. "What? She-she risked her life so that I could be happy?" I breathed out.

"Yeah." I tried to speak, but I had no words. Beth, someone who I loved so much, had not only been risking her life for me, but doing so willingly. "Did she ever tell you about any emotionally specific place?" Luna asked.

"What?" I asked, still too flustered to breath. "Why is that important?"

"Demons feed off of human misery."

"Well, she said there was a lake swamp thing near her childhood home." I recalled that conversation beside the river. She was wearing that pretty scarf and she smelled so good. "It was behind this bakery called Miss Lamey's."

"Where did she grow up?"

"Sacramento." I said.

"We have to go there now." Luna said. I nodded, feeling slightly better. But I couldn't wrap my head around the idea that she sacrificed her safety for me and I emotionally tormented her. I stubbed out the cigarette and turned to see Rose standing at the doorway.

"Shit." I said.

"You're leaving?" She asked me.

"It's Beth. She could be in danger."

"You're in love with her, aren't you?" She asked, tears in her eyes. I sighed.

"Yes I am." She walked over to me and placed her hands on my arms comfortingly.

"I won't force you to do something that you don't want to. But really consider it. What could she give you? I could give you everything." She said.

"She can give me a relationship that I actually want. I'm sorry Rose, but I'm a different person now. I really appreciate everything that you've done for me. But you didn't even trust me when we were dying together on a ship. And if you can't trust me, I'm sorry but I can't trust you either." I said.

I gave her a halfhearted smile before Luna grabbed me and we walked away from the hotel. I really hope Luna's right. 

But most of all, I hope Beth is okay. 

A/N: Hey guys!!!! Sorry for taking so long to update, just...writer's block ya know?? Anyway, the next part should be out sometime next week! Between school and dance I don't have a lot of time sorry! But the next chapter will be the last one of the book fyi. Wow, that went by fast ik.

Thank you so much for reading!

-Charlotte <3