Patient A-3

Chapter 52: The Vow

Wrath

I've waited. I sat there for hours- waiting. My eyes bore into the closed door with an intensity that could set it ablaze. Every passing moment felt like an eternity, each second ticking by with an infuriating reminder of my helplessness. I've waited in silence, staring at the door from where I sit on the steps ever since she left. And continue to wait even as Cierien's frantic cries and aimless pacing grate my nerves. I've waited, but enough is enough. I can't stomach being held hostage by circumstances beyond my control. I'm done waiting.

I scroll through the long list of unanswered messages. She's ignored all twenty texts I've sent, and all hundred Cierien has sent. I can't sit around anymore. I click open the tracking app on my phone, a tool I've never had to use before. It was there for emergencies, a precaution I never hoped to rely on. But with Avalyn's prolonged disappearance, I activate the tracker and set it to find her location.

The sense of unease grows as I watch the app work, tracing her phone's signal. It's a strange feeling not knowing where she is, especially when she's always been in reach before. The feeling has me ready to snap a few necks.

Sophie's house.

As the address registers on the tracking app, recognition instantly courses through me. It's a location I recognize well, just a thirty-minute drive away, or an even quicker run. The temptation to rush there immediately, to set out on foot and drag her back, is strong. But a surprising voice of reason whispers in the back of my mind.

I know that impulsively charging in and demanding a resolution won't fix anything. It's exactly the reaction Avalyn might expect from me. I can't fix anything if I can't fix my bad habits first.

Cierien's heavy footsteps echo behind me, accompanied by the sniffly sobs that threaten to consume him once again. Without turning around, I speak gently, my voice carrying a note of certainty meant to provide him with some measure of comfort, "She's at Sophie's. She's okay."

"No, she's not," he rapidly retorts. "Her stuff is gone."

My head snaps toward him. "What?"

His words come out in a rush as he begins listing everything. "Her closet. T-The clothes, she took them. Phone charger. Makeup. Toothbrush."

I force myself to take a deep breath, sinking back against the steps as I realize how badly my dear friend is overreacting. "All normal things to take when you're staying the night with a friend," I murmur.

"No."

"Yes," I bite back.

"No, no, no!" he shouts, hurdling his phone in my direction, nearly hitting me in the back of the head.

Always the theatrics with this one.

"She took nearly everything in that closet, Wrath!"

As I reflect on the bag Avalyn was carrying earlier, a sinking feeling settles in the pit of my stomach. It wasn't overly large, but it certainly had enough room to accommodate most of her clothes if she packed tightly. Now that I'm really thinking about it- she could easily use that bag for travel.

Screw my bad habits. I'll worry about fixing them tomorrow.

I spring to my feet, a sense of urgency propelling me forward. I don't wait for Cierien, ignoring his protests as I rush out the door, my mind consumed by a singular focus- to reach Sophie's house before it's too late. She may have taken the car, but I refuse to let that stop me. With determination burning in my chest, I set out on foot. Sophie's house may be on the other side of town, but I won't let distance deter me. Does she seriously think she can up and leave us? The mere thought of her leaving us behind, of not being able to see her every day, ignites a fire within me. I push myself to the limit, putting every ounce of energy I have left into the desperate race to reach her before she slips away for good. I'll be damned if I let her go without a fight.