Finding Jaime

Chapter 19

Jaime POV

I woke up disoriented for a second. Where was I? Oh. Yeah. That clearing. The sun was much lower in the sky and it was cooling down. I checked my watch. I had forgotten to charge it. I felt my pockets for my phone and rolled my eyes remembering that I'd left it in the kitchen at lunch.

My stomach growled. It had to be close to dinner time. Shit. Pete and Meagan are probably pissed I've been gone so long.

I sat up and looked around. I smiled to myself. This was the exact sort of spot Mom would have loved to have a picnic in. Surrounded by trees and brush, but soft grass in the clearing. Quiet and private so you feel like you're miles away from the city, but really, it was just down the hill. Or up? I couldn't remember which direction I came from. I'd gone up and down so many different hills and such.

I got up and started walking. I thought I'd come from just to my left, so I walked that way into the trees. It was so quiet. Peaceful.

I kept walking, but then I realized I didn't recognize anything. I remembered I'd passed a big rock at some point on my way into that clearing because I'd sat and rested on it. But I didn't remember it being this far. And I hadn't come across it yet.

I frowned and thought about turning around. But I wasn't sure that was the right way, either.

I decided to try climbing higher. Maybe I'd find a lookout or something where I could see some houses and figure out how to get back towards Pete's house.

I kept walking uphill.

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Pete's POV

By 5:30, everyone was back at our house. No one had found or seen any trace of Jaime. We had no idea which way he'd gone when he left the house. Saint and Bronx had gone along one of the trails we hiked, but they didn't find anything. They'd gone up to the reservoir and back and said they didn't see him, either.

Meagan was getting worried. I was worried.

Ashlee was sitting in the living room, looking sick. I think she's finally realized what she'd caused. I was having a hard time looking at her right now.

Andy said he'd gone to the pier and scared a few teenagers when he asked them if they knew Jaime. They said they didn't.

Patrick and Joe had checked the east and west side of our neighborhood, as well as the next neighborhood over.

Marvel was devastated. She'd fallen for Jaime and now he was gone. And she didn't understand what was happening. She clung to either Meagan or me.

I'd found Jaime's phone in the kitchen. He had a passcode on it, so I couldn't even call myself from his phone.

"I think we need to call the police," I said. "It's going to be dark soon, and it's getting colder out."

Meagan nodded.

I called 911.

"911, what's your emergency?" The calm voice on the other end said.

"My son ran this afternoon. He doesn't know the area and we haven't been able to find him."

"What's your address?" She asked.

I gave her my address.

"How old is your son?"

"Fifteen. He just lost his mom, and he's really upset. He had an argument with my ex-wife and took off. I know he's hurting but I also know he doesn't know the area at all. If he went into the reservoir, he could easily be lost up there."

"Does he have a phone? Have you tried calling it?"

"He does. But he left it here at the house," I said. "Please, we need help looking for him. It's getting dark. It's getting cold, and he doesn't know the area. He just moved in with me."

"I'm sending police to your location now."

"Thank you," I hung up, and slumped into a kitchen chair.

"The police are on their way. What if he did go into the reservoir, but wandered off the path?"

"Hopefully he didn't," Patrick said. "It's a lot of trees and brush and not much else up there."

"How long can a person survive without food and water?" I asked to no one in particular. No one answered.

The doorbell rang and I jumped up to go answer it. Two police officers stood on the porch.

"Mr. Wentz?" They asked. I nodded. "We're here about a missing child?"

I invited them in and we all sat in the kitchen.

They asked questions about Jaime, what he was wearing, his state of mind, which made me glare at Ashlee, his height and weight. I had to guess at that. He was about my height, and just a little slimmer than me.

The cops listened, took notes and then called back into their dispatcher that this was a missing child case and they needed search and rescue.

It was already dark. How would they find him in the dark?

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Jaime POV

It was dark now. I'd been climbing higher up the hill, but I couldn't see anything beyond the trees. I was cold and I was tired.

I kept walking along the hill I was on. I couldn't even see any of the paths anymore. I had no idea where I was.

I found a bunch of rocks and bushes that looked like they were some kind of useable shelter. I had no idea how to light a fire to keep warm, but maybe curled up in the little space between the rocks would help.

I curled up as tightly as I could and fell asleep. I was hungry, tired and thirsty.