"Yes, ma'am"

#6 - Lunch

Vivian's POV

My plan of befriending Carter Deimos was so far going smoothly. Or as smoothly as it could with someone as panicky as he is I guess. He has accepted my trap of luring him in with food.

After dropping Carter off, I spent the rest of the evening listening to music and making beads until Emery called me down for dinner. Over dinner I got her and Liliana's - my mothers - approval for Carter to come over for dinner tomorrow and sleepover, I just have to somehow rope Carter into agreeing to that last bit. The only condition was that I had to cook and clean up the kitchen afterward, and that was entirely doable.

I fell asleep listening to Earth, Wind, & Fire I think, and planning tomorrow: counseling, pick up Carter, take him to lunch, bring him home, and trick him into having a sleepover. Easy.

————————————-

Ok, maybe today won't be as easy as I thought.

The day started as a normal Saturday morning, but now I'm standing in the middle of Carter's apartment at 1:42 P.M. with no sign of Carter or even any of his belongings.

I woke up per usual and made myself a bowl of cereal. Liliana then brought me to my weekly session with Celine. I talked to her about my week and then we got to Carter. She smiled and nodded as I talked about him. Giving small bits of input on how to help others if they're having meltdowns in case something like this past week happens again. She also told me maybe he's not always like this and it may have been a rough week for him.

After counseling, Lili and I went to Emery's café to pass time until it was about one, but we got distracted having a very deep debate about whether ghosts were real or not.

Now here's where the problems started. I was walking up to Carter's door when this feeling hit me in my gut. I didn't like it, at all. I quickened my pace slightly to reach the door sooner. As I walked closer, a man brushed past me and we both tried walking through the narrow hall. Hm, he looks familiar, I thought to myself, but my mind was preoccupied as something was telling me something was wrong.

I finally reached the door. The door was cracked ajar just a bit. I knocked hesitantly and then called out for Carter. No response. I walk in and notice it's a bit chilly, the window near the stove is open, letting cooler air in. I walk into the small apartment and glance around. It felt empty. The furniture and everything was still there, and there wasn't much in here yesterday but it just lacked any presence now. I go into the bedroom and look at the dresser. Empty. I walk back into the kitchen-living room area.

1:43 P.M.

I feel my phone buzzing in my back pocket and I take it out and answer it.

"Hey," I hear Emery on the other end, "I thought you and Lil were picking your friend up?"

"Yeah, we're here right now."

"Well, he is currently sitting in our dining room so..."

Now I'm thoroughly confused. I don't even have any theories on what's happening.

"Ok, I guess we're on the way back then."

"Alright. Love you."

"Love you too."

With that, I hung up and went back out to the car.