Running, and Running, and Running

2. Garden

The house felt too empty. Priscilla ate her breakfast cereal the next morning in her quiet dining room. Miss Brenda had offered to make her a more elaborate and nutritious breakfast, but frankly, Priscilla felt like her stomach wouldn't be able to handle it. Both her parents had already gone out to work, and Miss Brenda was probably somewhere maintaining their garden outside. Priscilla could easily put on a show to watch or play some music, but it wouldn't be the same.

She felt a choked cry work its way up her throat, but she forced it back down with a gulp of her cereal.

Since they were waiting for university to start, Delia and Priscilla used to hang out all the time here in the big empty house. It was full of laughter and excited chatter as they were excited to start university together and move into the dorm together. That was something that couldn't be replaced. Even if it could, it was something that Priscilla couldn't bear to do. She knew that she would feel guilty if she started replacing elements of their relationship while no one knew where Delia was.

Priscilla scooped another spoonful of soggy cereal into her mouth, forcing herself to eat. She kept her head down, staring straight into her floating cereal the entire time. Memories of her with Delia were all over the house, and it hurt too much to think of now, while also remembering that Delia was still yet to be found. She rather keep her head down and not see anything else. Her hurting heart couldn't take anymore blows.

Going back up to her room, she shut the door. The sound echoed throughout the empty house.

This won't work. It was too quiet.

Fears easily crept up on Priscilla if it was too quiet. Horrible thoughts like... What if the captor came back to try and get her again? What if- if Delia isn't alive anymore? Priscilla slapped herself on the hand for even daring to think such a thing. She shouldn't lose hope, not until they find the body. Sitting in silence wasn't going to do anything for her. Priscilla knew that she had to distract herself before she spiraled down the endless scary possibilities living in her mind.

Perhaps she should find Miss Brenda and help out around the house. It would give her something to do at least. Huffing, she forced herself back onto her feet, her head spinning briefly from the fatigue, and headed towards the back door.

The sun was out, looking awfully cheerful given the current situation that they were in. Why was the sun out to begin with? It is currently the rainy season. Shouldn't it be all gloomy as fuck? It hurt even more to see the weather be so cheerful while she was grieving and still unknowing of how her girlfriend was doing. Cursing under her breath, Priscilla slipped her shoes on. This only further convinced her that she needed to do something around the house to distract her from cursing out the weather of all things.

Shielding her eyes from the sun, Priscilla stood on the tips of her toes and tried to look out for Miss Brenda. Hmm. It looked like she wasn't here. Well, nothing too odd. Maybe she was in the greenhouse. Taking a small path that led to the side of the house, Priscilla tilted her head to the side as she saw through the transparent walls that Miss Brenda was most certainly not in the green house as well.

Pausing at the shed, Priscilla wondered if Miss Brenda was inside. Perhaps she had gone in to retrieve something. Keying in the numbers, she pushed the door open easily.

"Oh! Priscilla, dear! You scared me. I was just looking for our roll of twine for the young plants, and I have no idea where it is," Miss Brenda asked, smiling as she watched her come in.

"Twine?" Priscilla echoed, looking at an empty spot on the shelf. "It should be right here. Did we run out?"

Miss Brenda shook her head.

"I'm quite sure that I had bought enough for the season. Young plants always get abused by the rain at this time of the month," she muttered. Her voice brightened again as she addressed Priscilla. "I'm surprised you even knew where it was! Do you come in here often? I didn't even know that you knew the passcode here."

Priscilla paused. She scratched her head, wincing as one her nails brushed against her scar. Miss Brenda was right. She rarely came in here. Let alone come in here enough to know where items were in the shed. Priscilla frowned.

"Maybe it was just a lucky guess," Priscilla decided. "I'm sure Dad brought me in here a long time ago. I guess items here don't change."

Miss Brenda chuckled. "Indeed, they don't."

Hours later, even after Priscilla got to work on helping young plants have a support to grow on beside Miss Brenda, the missing twine rope bothered her more and more. Wiping at her sweat as they packed up under the rays of the setting sun, Priscilla realized that more questions were popping up in her mind. It just felt too strange. Or maybe she was thinking too much over a casual comment about something missing in the shed.

There was always a chance that Miss Brenda had remembered it wrongly. Maybe she didn't really check on the amount of twine rope beforehand, but only thought that she had. However, something in Priscilla's gut told her that that was not the case. Miss Brenda might be getting along in age, but she always remembered and hasn't made such a mistake. In fact, there were times that made Priscilla feel as though Miss Brenda's memory was far better than hers.

The twine rope was not something she could let go, even as she sat down for her call with the therapist.

"I think... I might have found a clue," Priscilla said in a soft voice.

"What did you find?"

"Missing rope from our shed. Rope... Could it have been used for kidnapping? Did they possibly take it from our shed?" Priscilla asked. "Can you ask the police to come down and check?"