Fall Through

Chapter Six: The Search

"Where could she have gone?" Gale asked, scared loneliness aching in her innocent eyes. Her dark hair ruffled down the back of her wool coat and cascaded in front of her vast eyes. The dress she had been so desperate to have, since it was "expensive" was a pretty green and suited her hazel eyes. But it was a bit too large, from where it appeared under her long wool coat, the garment pooled a little over her booted and stockinged feet. If it wouldn't have offended her and possibly hurt her feelings— he would've teased her.

Eugene looked to Edwardo, almost expecting him to have an answer even though that pig knew very well he couldn't. No one knew the whereabouts of his elder sister. Not a soul.

Ed blinked and shyly smiled at the little girl, a reassurance in his voice to help himself feel more confident, and hopefully Gale, "She's here. She has to be. There's no way she could've made it very far. Suzy doesn't like to hike around. It's not her thing. Most likely she's sitting against a tree, feeling sorry for herself."

Although, the image of Suzy against a tree, moping, didn't bring any comfort to Ed. She could be freezing to death. And each minute they didn't find her— was a minute she could be hurt, or worse; dead. She hadn't taken a coat before she left. Why hadn't she seized a coat? Why had they let her go out alone?
He might never get to ask her why she fled.

He guided Gale and Eugene down another path, this one tumbled with upturned roots and uncoordinated vines, leaves, moss, and strewn fallen twists of wood. The air held a damp, wintry chill and smell to it, inviting the snow to soon show itself.

Eugene snorted, his whiny voice rising, "Hear me out. I'm just as worried as you all are about Suzy. But this is abhorrent." He gestured to the wildlife, the dirt nestled in with the dried fallen leaves, the erratic and broken stumps of wood.

Ed and Gale collectively rolled their eyes. Why couldn't Eugene have gone with Matthew and Petero?

They could've switched.
Lucinda was much better company.
Why hadn't they switched?
They should've switched.

Groaning, Edwardo met Eugene's grey-eyed stare, "If you want to go home. Be my guest, go home."

Eugene muttered something Ed hoped Gale hadn't heard under his breath.

A sly grin crossed Ed's lips, "Good luck finding it." The less the merrier in this case. Especially with Eugene nagging them every second he could. He was obnoxious and Edwardo wouldn't mind "accidentally" losing him on the habituated footpath.

The other man crossed his arms and pouted his lips, "Look—"

Oh boy, here came something that never needed to come out of Eugene's mouth.

Gale attempted to stop them, "Edwardo, Eugene—"

But the pig continued, "—You might be a filthy, little, uneducated farm boy, but I'm above all this. I don't do dirt. I can feel the germs invading my body." Eugene squirmed and shivered in disgust.

He'd been right. There was no need for those words. Nor the ones he retorted back. "Then go home, 'Train Boy.' "
Edwardo shot him a challenging gaze.

Eugene's already flared nose doubled in size, "Why—"

"Guys!" Without either Edwardo or Eugene noticing, Lucinda had come from where they were just headed, Petero and Matthew not far behind. Her lilac coat fit snugly around her, keeping every inch of her warm and covered. Besides her nose— which was red with cold.
She cocked an eyebrow, "What are you two doing?"

Ed growled and moved away from Eugene.

Gale stood next to Petero, who had moved away from Luce, "I tried to get your guys' attention, but you didn't listen." The young girl crossed her arms.