In The Blink Of An Eye

Waiting For The Call

I must not have realized how long I had sat there until I saw the sun setting over the water. It was getting late, and I still had to go and find a way to make my phone work. I was going to have to walk back to my hotel anyway, so I would find a place to get my phone working on the way back.

As I walked down the streets, I looked around me. One thing I couldn't help but notice was how much happier everyone seemed here. Even while just walking the street, I noticed that people seemed much happier and were always smiling. It might be the lifestyle people had here, or maybe it was something in the air because even I felt much happier, believe it or not.

Finally, I saw a little phone shop that wasn't actually far from my hotel. I entered and prayed that they spoke English because I needed a phone as soon as possible.

"Hello, do you speak English?" I asked.

"Not very good, but yes, I speak."

"That's perfect. I need my phone to work here so I can make phone calls."

"Okay, no problem. I will help you."

Wow, people were so kind here. Not that everyone was a total dick back home, but with everything going on, I haven't even had the time to actually notice. All I seemed to have done was run and hide or spend time at the hospitals and funeral homes.

"It is finished, you can use the phone now."

"Thank you so much. I appreciate your help."

After I was done, I walked back to my hotel, and I swear it's as if I fell asleep as soon as I laid down. I was feeling exhausted all day long, but with everything going on, I wasn't too surprised.

When I tell you I slept like a baby, I mean it. I haven't slept that good in such a long time. I felt free and safe. I was just at peace during my sleep that I didn't wake up once from a nightmare.

When I woke up in the morning, the first thing I did was call Jake. I let it ring a few times, but there was no answer. So, I kept trying. However, after he didn't pick up after I called ten times, I began to panic. I didn't want to, I wanted to believe that he was just busy or in the middle of the sky and didn't have a signal. I wanted to believe anything other than the first thing that crossed my mind. As hard as I had tried to avoid panicking, it was unavoidable. As each minute passed that he didn't call me back, I began to worry more.

What ifs filled my head. What if they got him? What if something happened to him? What if he got into some kind of trouble again? What if he was dead? I couldn't help but feel like no matter where I was in the world, something always tied me back to the place I least wanted to be.

"Snap out of it, Madisyn. I'm sure he's fine and just can't get to the phone. Why do you always have to be so negative? " I kept repeating to myself."

I tried to get it off my mind and went down to get some breakfast. I was hopeful that he would call. As I was eating my breakfast, I kept thinking about Lilli. I wondered what she was going and how she was. Was she sad? Was she having a good time? Was she missing me as much as I was missing her? She was the one thing that never got off my mind. Of course, I was worried about my brother and sister too. I kept thinking about what my sister said to me that one night in the room, after Evan died. She said she didn't know what she would do if something had happened to me and how she wasn't as strong as I was. I couldn't help but wonder about the new guy she was talking to? My brother always acted strong no matter what, but I knew deep down he was probably much more hurt than either one of us. It's not like I didn't care about what happened to them. My heart was breaking for my siblings every single day. They had lost everyone who they loved the most, and I couldn't even run to them and hold them in my arms.