Keep me afraid

C H A P T E R - E I G H T

D I S A P P E A R E D

It was about 8 pm and I just finished my history homework, where I had to write an essay about the second world war.

The whole time when I was doing my homework, I glanced at the drawer where all my painting utensils were stocked. Finally having some motivation to paint again.

I took out a canva, brushes, a glass of water to clean the brushes and the colors that I needed to draw a sunset, the sunset I saw when I was together with Cooper.

I squeezed the colors out onto a new color palette, which was still white and clean since I've never used it before.

I still had the beach and the colors of the sky remembered in my mind.

At first I thought it would take me a while to start with the painting, since I haven't done it in months. But to my surprise my hand swung the brush over the canva, creating colorful lines. I didn't have to think about anything, I could finally shut my brain and thoughts off. It all happened automatically, just like it used too.

I dipped the brush into the water, cleaning it. Then I dunk the brush into the next color, a darker one. So I could create the next level of the sky.

After a while I got bored of the silence and decided that I needed some music.

I unlocked my phone and played on my playlist with all of my favorite songs on it.

I continued with my painting and sang along the songs that were playing loudly in the background.

Suddenly a message on my phone popped up. When I glanced at my phone, I saw that it was our group chat. With its ridiculous name: The half-dozen. The name got changed when I joined the group, so now we were six which makes us the half-dozen.

I opened the chat, expecting a funny video or a meme but instead it was a message from Cooper.

"Has anyone heard anything from Mason? He was supposed to come to me about an half hour ago and hasn't responded to any messages."

I didn't know Mason that good but it seemed weird for him to just disappear.

I quickly stopped the music and went back to the chat. Rereading his message again. And this time my mind was filled with thoughts and worries.

What if something happened to Mason?

The killer was still on the loose and with no trace left behind. Or maybe his phone just died or he got interrupted by something, but the thought of him being in danger didn't leave my head.

"I haven't heard from him." Jules already replied when I looked back at my phone.

"Me neither." I texted and it got read instantly by Cooper and Jules.

"Have you tried calling him?" Cara joined the conversation after two minutes.

"Yeah, he didn't pick up." He replied.

"Do you guys think something happened to him?" Jules asked combined with a worried looking emoji.

At first nobody replied to the text, probably because we were all asking ourselves the same question, with no answer to it.

"Cara is typing..." Said the top of the chat.

"Maybe we should look for him...?" She suggested after a few moments.

Again we waited for the first to reply, this time it was Cooper.

"Okay, meet me at my house in 15 mins." he texted shortly after I got a private message from Cara. Telling me I could walk with her, since I didn't know the way.