Erica

×44×

"Get me some ropes." Sorin ordered the guards that were escorting them.

He knew that both he and his father needed closure. They needed to find her body and give her the proper burial that she deserved. She needed to be given a final resting place where she could finally be at peace.

The Count's gaze still remained locked in on the wreck below. He could not have imagined how frightened Erica must have been in that moment. It must have been overwhelming. The pain, the fear, the cold and the darkness. A horrible way to pass on.

Sorin along with another guard made their way to the edge of the dangerous cliff tightly secured with the ropes in makeshift harnesses. They were going to the wreck.

The report stated that it was impossible to retrieve Erica's body. Perhaps that would be true in unfavourable conditions but as the Count stood watching his son drop down, he felt angry.

It was clear that when the report was made, little to no attempt had been made. Yes it was a very dangerous climb, but it certainly was not impossible. The Count vowed to take the necessary action to those incompetent individuals who dared to lie to him. 

As Sorin and the guard that was accompanying him reached the ledge where the scattered remains of the carriage lay, they were immediately greeted with the smell of death.

The smell of death in this case was rather more of a feeling. A cold feeling that makes one uncomfortable. It was eerie and unpleasant.

However, a real smell, the smell of rotten flesh, was not as strong as one may assume for a few weeks had already passed and many carnivorous birds such as vultures had already taken their fair share at the two dead horses.

Sorin did not even waste a moment before running up to what was left of the carriage body and ripping the mostly broken door off its hinges.

She was not there.

She must have fallen out in a desperate attempt to escape. He started frantically searching the area and wreckage for any clue. He was beginning to get desperate.

Moving to the edge of the ledge, he noticed another drop, although not as far, that led to a gentle stream. Judging by the rock formations and erosion, he could tell that the stream flooded in stormy weather.

What was more was there were more parts of the carriage lining its banks. Sorin knew that he needed to get down there. 

With the help of the guard, he was lowered down once again and landed with a soft thud. The guard remained on the ledge as per orders that Sorin gave.

Sorin's eyes followed the wooden pieces in hopes of anything.

Nothing.

They were just pieces of the carriage and what appeared to be a wooden chest.

Sorin ran his hand through his hair and pulled at it in frustration.

Where was she?

Why was there no sign of her?

He was stumped. He had been down here for over half an hour and there was nothing. It was like she was never in the carriage to begin with...

Sorin paused at this thought.

How had he not noticed sooner? Throughout the wreckage there was no sign that Erica had been in it at all. There were no personal belongings or anything that could have indicated that she was even there to begin with. In fact, there was nothing that indicated that anyone had even been in the carriage at all.

Something was very wrong with this whole situation.

Sorin's immediate thought was that they had gotten the wrong carriage, but this was dismissed. His father would not make a mistake like this. This was definitely the wreckage that his sister was reportedly killed in.