When Darkness Falls

Chapter 54: Missing?

Ramona POV:

Charon tossed the coin in the air, and I watched with anticipation as it twirled continuously, my heart beating in my throat. Then, finally, the coin landed on the wooden boards with a thud, spinning for what felt like an eon before coming to a stop. I stared down and laughed almost hysterically when I saw it was tails.

His face turned sour, and his nostrils flared angrily before he stooped down to pick up the coin. Charon huffed with annoyance. "A deal is a deal." He said in a snide tone, displeased that he had lost the toss.

I smiled victoriously as he stepped to the side and gestured toward the boat calmly floating in the river. I walked past Charon with my head held high, which seemed only to anger him further, and I chuckled internally, or so I thought.

I made my way to the end of the dock and was surprised at how well-maintained the boat was, appearing as though it had been built just mere hours ago. I stepped inside, the wooden boards creaking beneath my feet, and Charon joined me, taking his place at the front of the boat.

He looked back, a sinister grin on his face. "Hope you're ready because this won't be pleasant," Charon said, and my face fell, eyes widening with concern.

I opened my mouth to ask what he meant by that but was thrown back as the boat swiftly left the dock. We floated down the river at a fast pace, the rapids splashing violently against the outside of the vessel, and water pooled around my feet.

The path ahead was dark and dreary, causing the concern to fester inside my churning stomach. Suddenly, the waters became calm, and the boat nearly came to a stop as it slowed down. I furrowed my brows and leaned over the edge, squinting my eyes to look ahead of us.

I gasped with horror when I saw the edge and quickly realized we were headed for a waterfall. I sat back up and looked to the front of the boat, seeing that Charon was gone. I couldn't catch my breath, and panic rose in my chest.

Before I even had the chance to react, the boat drifted off the edge, but instead of falling down a cascading stream of water, it was nothing but a pool of darkness.

I fell into the black chasm, and it swallowed me whole like a hungry beast. I couldn't see anything around me, and I had no idea what to expect once I reached the bottom or if there even was a bottom. Then, suddenly, I collided with a hard surface, and for a brief moment, it felt like every bone in my body had been shattered. I screamed out in pain before blacking out, the darkness consuming me like its last meal.

I sat up abruptly, gasping for air and looking around frantically. The room was dark, except for the dim lighting that lined the floor, and I wondered where I was now. But when I inhaled deeply, I got a whiff of flowers and instantly knew where I was.

I put my feet on the floor and slowly stood up from the bench, my legs slightly unstable. Tears pooled in my eyes, and I couldn't help the smile from spreading across my face as I came to the realization that I had made it back. I casually made my way out of the atrium, running my fingers along the vibrant green leaves.

I left the atrium and began roaming the familiar hallways, a feeling of comfort wrapping around my body. I made my way toward the stairs but stopped when I heard a noise from the other room and wondered if Darius was there.

I stepped into the room, and Devon rounded the corner, stopping abruptly when he saw me. His face fell, and Devon took a cautious step back. "What the fuck?" He blurted out, and I chuckled.

I raised a brow. "Missed you too," I said with a cheeky smile, and Devon shook his head in disbelief.

The weariness was etched all over his face, and he stared at me like I was something from out of this world. "You died. How the fuck are you standing here? Wait..." He quickly trailed off, taking another step back and tilting his head to the side. "Are you a zombie?" Devon asked me, and I couldn't contain the laughter.

I scoffed and rolled my eyes. "No, Devon, I'm not a zombie," I told him, and his shoulders slumped as if he was disappointed with my response.

Devon took a few leary steps toward me, his eyes scouring every inch of me. "Then how are you back?" He asked me curiously, and I pursed my lips.

I peered down at the floor for a beat before turning my attention back to him. I opened my mouth to answer him, but the words caught in my throat when I heard his voice come from behind me. "Ramona?" Darius said softly, and I turned to face him with a broad smile.

Darius POV:

Ramona had been gone for nearly a week now, and with each passing moment, the pain increased tenfold, consuming me like a relentless tidal wave. I had barely left my office, and the smell of food churned my stomach. I stared down at the mountain of paperwork and, with a heavy sigh, turned in my chair, once again ignoring my duties and stared out the window.

I watched as the birds flew past, their black wings gliding through the thick clouds, and I wondered briefly if her soul rested among them, flying free in the sky.

Grayson had been on me for the past two days to bury her body, especially before she started to decay, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. In all my years on this earth, I had never felt such strong emotions as the ones I felt toward Ramona. She had changed everything the moment I saw her, and I would give anything to have her back.

Suddenly, Grayson burst into my office, a worried look on his stressed features. Even though he wouldn't admit it, Ramona's death had a significant impact on him and left a painful mark. The other night, I was walking past the atrium and saw Grayson standing next to her body, whispering how sorry he was. That was when I realized she had a hold on more than just me.

I turned in my chair, facing him and raised an irritated brow. "So we don't knock anymore?" I questioned him through gritted teeth.

He shook his head. "Apologies for the intrusion, but we have a situation," Grayson said hurriedly, and I squeezed my eyes shut.

I pinched the bridge of my nose. "What now?" I asked in a clipped tone, not needing the added bullshit right now, especially when my head wasn't in the right place.

Grayson cleared his throat with hesitation, his eyes shifting around the room. "Ramona's body is missing." He said in a low voice, fear clutching to each word.

My eyes shot open, and I rose abruptly from my chair, causing it to crash into the wall behind me. "Excuse me?" I asked him in a dark tone, the beast inside rising rapidly at the mention of Ramona.

He stepped back and swallowed roughly, his Adam's apple bobbing jaggedly. "I found Dahlia in tears outside of the atrium, and when I asked her what happened, she said that she snuck into the atrium to see Ramona, but her body was gone," Grayson told me in a rush, worry evident in his voice.

I narrowed my eyes with disbelief, and my arms trembled with fury as my fists rested against the cool surface of my desk. Panic and sheer rage battled inside of me as my vision blurred. The idea of someone taking her body made my insides recoil with disgust, and I would search every inch of this fucking house until I found her.

I burst out of my office, the door bouncing off the wall, and ran down the stairs, determined to figure out what was happening. Finally, I reached the bottom and turned the corner, walking toward the atrium.

I pushed the door open with so much force that the glass cracked, but it was insignificant in importance at this moment. I practically ran over to the bench and abruptly stopped when I saw that her body was no longer there.

My eyes widened with horror, and my muscles went taut with a burning rage. I spun on my heels, leaving the atrium with a mindset that would scare the devil. I turned the corner, my fists clenched tightly at my side, but I was stopped dead in my tracks when I saw Ramona standing next to a horrified Devon.

The tension eased, and the fury I felt inside was washed away at the sight of her standing there. "Ramona?" I choked out, the words barely audible, and she turned to face me, smiling warmly.