3. GEORGE TURNS 18 (3rd and final ''George'' story)

Chapter 14 - RABBIT IN THE HEADLIGHTS

''So now both of them are missing?'' George exclaimed ''This is just weird now''

''Well, maybe Chloe went out to look for Julian?'' Jake suggested

''In the middle of the night when it was dark? And not even bother to tell us first? Sorry but I don't believe she did that''

A weird feeling suddenly came over George making him feel spooked

''Something odd is going on, I can feel it'' he said ''Julian disappears and then Chloe says she saw a face in the window, and then she disappears too. Something isn't right about all this'' 

The police came but they were not very helpful and kept saying there wasn't much they could do at this stage and that maybe they should wait patiently for Chloe and Julian to return

''They haven't been missing long enough and we don't really have much to go on do we'' the police constable told them 

Julie returned with the phone and George told her that Chloe was also missing

''So now two of them are missing, this really is very strange isn't it'' Julie said

''I just don't know what to do'' poor George said ''I know something isn't right here but I have no idea what''

''We're running out of food now'' Julie said ''I guess one of us will have to go to the supermarket and get more food in''

''I can't go now, my mind is on other things, I have to stay here and wait for Julian and Chloe'' George said

''I'll go to the supermarket'' Jake said ''You two wait here in case the others come back or if there is any news. I'll get what we need to tide us over for another week or so''

George hugged Jake and held him tight 

''Jake I love you so much'' he told him ''You just drive carefully and hurry back, I don't want you to be gone long''

''I always drive carefully and I'll only be an hour or so don't worry''

''Right now I can't help but worry, with Ju and Chloe missing I want you close to me Jake, I need you with me and I don't want you to go missing too''

''I won't go missing I swear, I just go and get some food for us and after that, I'll be with you all the time''

''Maybe I should come with you'' George decided ''we can stay together all the time''

''Don't be silly'' Jake said ''You should stay here you look shattered. Julie will look after you and I won't be long I promise''

And off Jake went

''He's a good guy my Jakey'' George said to Julie ''I love him so much''

''I agree he is a great guy'' Julie replied ''You are lucky to have him. I ended up with that rotten hound Harold''

Hours passed by and it got dark and Jake didn't return and George rang his phone and it was switched off and George started to cry and panic 

 ''I knew I should have gone with him'' he sobbed ''I knew it I knew it, now he is missing too!''

''That's not true he'll be back soon'' Julie said trying to comfort George

''Ju I know you mean well but don't you understand that something isn't right here? The three of them have disappeared. He said he would only be an hour and that was hours ago and it's dark now and he won't answer the phone and...SOMETHING MUST BE WRONG!''

And George was frantic now

''SOMETHING IS WRONG I KNOW IT. OH GOD, WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE AT THIS PLACE, THIS DEMON ROCKS!'' 

George phoned the police again and they rushed over

''And you must now see there are three people missing!'' George cried to the constable ''You must try to find them now, please. I will tell you what Jake's car looks like and the number plate and you can find him I know you can''

The police went away and came back a while later, grim-faced

''We found Jake's car abandoned along some clifftops'' they said ''it's a well-known suicide spot and there was no sign of Jake I'm afraid

And George's world turned to darkness. Julie and the police constables rushed to prevent George from hitting the floor when he fainted and Julie managed to catch him on time and put him on the sofa

''This is very stressful for him'' she told the policeman ''his father Quentin vanished the same way several years ago and this must have reminded him of that. Although Quentin was found alive it must have brought back those horrible memories''

''Well this is more serious now'' the constable told Julie grimly ''We will have to get the search and rescue out to search the coast for a body, dead or alive''

''And what about Julian and Chloe?''

''Well it is odd three of them going missing, I grant you, we will put out a description of all three of them and keep a lookout for them''

Julie and the two policemen hadn't noticed George waking up while they were talking and George heard Julie telling them about Quentin going missing too. After Julie had shown them out she returned to the lounge and noticed George sitting up awake

''Oh you've woken up I'm glad'' she said ''You fainted my dear, let me make you a hot drink of tea with lots of sugar, you've had a shock and you need it''

Julie went into the kitchen to put the kettle on and George followed her out there

''How did you  know about my father going missing?'' he asked ''I never told you about that''

''Oh, you did, you were drunk when you told me, you really don't remember? I guess you were so drunk you forgot''

George shook his head ''No I would have remembered if I had told you, I have never been so drunk that I have forgotten anything that I said. So, Julie, I'll ask you again, how did you know that stuff about my father when I know that I never told you about it?''

Julie looked like a rabbit in the headlights