The Hidden Bodies of Sun Valley

Chapter Fourteen

Opheila was in front of both Quincey and Aurora, frantically searching for Iris.

When the group split up, the three of them took off towards the back of the house while Nick and Giovanna were searching the dock and near the shore.

"Iris!" Ophelia shouted, aiming the flashlight everywhere. "Baby if you can hear me, say something." She continued to shout at the top of her lungs.

Quincey and Aurora looked at each other helplessly.

"Where could she have gone?" Aurora asked Quincey in a quiet voice.

"I have no clue," Quincey looked into her eyes. "If it was Grant, she may end up like Leo."

Quincey's chest tightened at the thought that something bad happened to Iris.

Opheila and Iris have been together since high school. The Fa'afiti family were extremely supportive of both Quincey and Ophelia's sexuality. Iris's family however, wasn't so understanding. As she is Polish, her family comes from a strong background and is against LGBTQ relationships altogether. Iris's parents found out about her and Ophelia her senior year of high school, kicking her out of the house. They cut off all communication with her.

The Fa'afiti family welcomed Iris with open arms. This brought Opheila and Iris closer together and they haven't been apart in almost nine years — their relationship started as a friendship and blossomed into something more.

"I will kill Grant if something happens to Iris." Aurora felt vexed.

She had no idea that Ophelia and Iris had been through so much together at such a young age. She didn't want to believe that Grant would be hunting down her friends. And for what? To get her back?

If it came down to it, she knew what she had to do. She would sacrifice herself to save anyone of her friends.

"We shouldn't have split up," Opheila stopped walking, turning around to catch her breath. "How would we know if Nick or Giovanna found her?"

Quincey reached his arm out to Opheila to comfort her, but she put her hand up.

"Quincey please," she had tears in her eyes. "I love you big brother, but I need to find her."

"I know," Quincey pulled her in for a hug despite her previous comment. "We will find her."

Aurora looked at her two friends in admiration. She loved the relationship they shared — that's how she felt about Giovanna. Giovanna and Aurora have known each other since freshman year of college. Now they live together, it's been six years of knowing each other.

Giovanna is the sister Aurora never had. They fight and care for one another like sisters, like family.

"You're right, Opheila. I think splitting up wasn't a good plan," Aurora huffed, interrupting her and Quincey's embrace. "Why don't we go check out the dock, maybe they found Iris and brought her inside to warm up."

"That's a good idea, Aurora." Ophelia weakly smiled as she wiped her tear stained cheeks.

"Then we have no time to waste, let's go." Quincey said, taking off in a jog.

Opheila and Aurora quickly caught up, matching Quincey's pace.

"Just keep your eyes peeled in case." Quincey was on high alert.

As soon as the three of them met up to where they all split as a group — three bodies caught their attention in the distance. They all quickened their strides, taking in their surroundings.

The air suddenly felt thicker, it became harder to breathe. It's like the oxygen was ripped out of the atmosphere and there was nobody else there but them.