The Legend Farm

My sweet, lonesome

As Jack and I searched the premises, he finally turned to me with a frown and messy hair.
"We can't find him, what're we gonna do?" He questions me. I sighed heavily as I let my eyes take in the shop, attempting to search for an answer in my head, until I did.
"Look, we have the about twenty-four hours until we can look for him."
"Then what happens after that?"
"Then he turns into another missing person, so we have to keep looking. Do you have cameras in here?" I inquired about the shop.
"Just one in the front outside and one in the back for the outside, in case of burglaries or wild animals who try getting inside at night." He shrugs.
"Well, take me to the footage. We should review it, to see if Dakota is on it." I explain to him before he rushes towards the back room with me behind him. While he sits down in the chair, he rewinds the footage and that's when we see a man, but he keeps his head down as he walks against the wall as if he didn't want to be caught by the cameras, or perhaps, something else.
"Is that Dakota?" Jack asked, before leaning into the screen. I did the same, while I squinted my eyes. His dark, short hair shined against the sun.
"I think so, he had asked me to give him a haircut earlier, so I did." I confessed.
Jack spun around in his chair to face me, "You reckon it was to do this? Sneak away again without being noticed?"
I shrugged my shoulders back, "I don't know. But in this footage, he walks off to the right. So, I guess I'll just drive around and see where he could be." Jack sighs heavily before he stands up once more.
"I hope you find him, oh, by the way, what Sawyer did to you wasn't right." Jack admits to me. I gave a weak smile before heading out the door to search more for Dakota with pacing thoughts. As my journey to get my dream job finally happened, it'd seem that there had been more questions than answers. Should I quit and just go back to home? No, I can't. I can't disappoint my sisters, my mother. This was not only for me, but for them too.

As I stopped outside of the hospital, I pick up my phone to call my mom and to my pleasant surprise, she had answered nearly immediately.
"Alana! I haven't heard from you in too long, how's things been?" She asked with a happy squeal. Smiling at her voice, a tear slowly slid out of my eye, sliding down my cheek.
"It's been going well, but things have been quite chaotic, I'll admit." I laughed before drying the tears off from my face with my jacket's sleeve.
"Oh, I'm so sorry honey. But know, it'll pass. We all have moments in life that we just wish we could fast forward, but once they are over, you'll come out stronger." She reassures me.
"Like with the divorce with dad?" I uttered out without thinking. First, I wish I hadn't spoken that, but when she answered, it wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be. No snap, no crying, no anger. It was a surprise change.
"Yes, just like that. He wasn't ready to be a father, nor a husband. That's okay, some people just aren't meant to be certain things. I forgive him, but we're all better without him." She confessed.
"I understand." I replied through a sniffle. As my eyes looked up, I see a man sitting inside of the hospital, holding his head in between his knees.
"I have to get going now, but we'll speak soon, okay?" I spoke once again.
"Okay my sweet, I love you very much." She replies before hanging up.

I open up the door to feel the strong windy breezes, seemingly coming out of nowhere. Fighting passed the winds, I made my way into the hospital and quickly realized who the man was. Dakota, crying.
"Dakota?" I called out and without even facing me, he stands up before swiftly throwing his arms around me, bringing me into a tight and warm hug. His crying eyes dug into my neck with sniffles.
"She didn't make it." Dakota's voice muffled into my neck and then, I hugged him tighter and closer.
"Oh, Dakota. I'm so sorry." I replied as my own voice broke, my eyes quickly became hot with tears right back.

As we drove to Red Mann's, Olivia informed me on what was going on as Dakota sat on a nearby bench.
"William said there was some girl, Gina Mill. She was looking for you and started causing a scene, all frustrated and the sorts." Olivia informed me.
"Gina Mill?"
"Yeah, she had platinum blonde hair, kinda short." Olivia described to me. The girl that drove in this parking lot that night I waited for Sawyer to pick me up. She kept looking for me, but why?
"That sounds familiar. If she comes by again, I'll handle it this time." I replied. However, Olivia kept her eyes occupied on something behind me. Once I looked back, I noticed she was looking at Dakota.
"I can't believe it. I can't believe she's actually gone." Olivia sniffed.
"How long did you two know each other?" I questioned Olivia with curiosity. And as an attempt at to keep her calm.
"We knew each other for about five years, but we got really close once I started working here." Olivia smiled as she remembered the memories they shared together.
"I'm so sorry." I spoke softly, rubbing my arm up and down. As we both walked up to Dakota, he quickly stands up.
"You ready to go, Dakota?" Olivia asked him as he nodded quickly.
I froze, "Wait, he's staying with you?"
"Yeah, Dakota and I spoke about it. I told him if anything bad happens to his sister, he could be my little roommate." She smiled weakly at him.
"B-but I just thought maybe-
"Alana, I'm going to be with Olivia. You have your own life, I'm going to have my own, alright?" Dakota interrupted suddenly with a snap, though, his face had softened up again.
I swallowed hard, "Yes, of course. I'll see you tomorrow Olivia." I smiled before they walked off to a vehicle, leaving the forest. I sighed heavily before I made my way to the parking lot, to my surprise, there was one more vehicle other than mine. A yellow Volkswagen, inside sat a platinum blonde haired woman. Keeping my head down, I got inside of my car before quickly driving off. A few minutes passed and I took notice that the yellow Volkswagen was following from behind as well.