finding wanda: a tale of discovery and trust

"the compound"

Waking up, I found the bed beside me empty. I slowly sat up and looked at the side next to me, frowning at the absence of Wanda.

Thinking she might be in the bathroom or preparing breakfast, a nagging feeling of worry began to creep in as I searched the hotel room and couldn't find her.

As time passed, waiting became unbearable. To distract myself, I kicked the table, growing more bored by the minute. Hoping Wanda wouldn't mind, I made myself a cup of tea, sipping it slowly.

Strangely, my stomach allowed me to drink without any issues now. The unexpected recovery made me wonder why, since I was pretty much sick last night.

Frustration started to grow within me as I stood up from the couch. I had waited long enough for Wanda to return, and I was running out of patience. I checked the rest of the hotel, but there was no sign of her anywhere.

Worried, I decided it was best to head back home. Maybe she's at the market? But knowing Wanda, she would've surely woken me up if she was going out.

As soon as I got back home, I was welcomed by the sounds of loud music and laughter.
"Oh right, I had completely forgotten about the neighborhood party," I mumbled to myself, but as soon as I saw that Lucas was back from our mother, I ran over to him.

He might be a total idiot, but he was still my brother. "You're back idiot," I teased. Lucas chuckled. He knew I was glad to see him.

While Lucas trew popcorn into the air, we sat on a small hill, giggling. He tried to catch popcorn with his mouth while I glanced at a boy, chatting with some girls nearby. Lucas playfully nudged me. I chuckled. "I wasn't staring, okay?" I lied.

I knew he was attractive, but he wasn't my type. Yet it didn't matter, as my thoughts kept drifting back to Wanda. Concern and confusion gnawed at me as Lucas asked what I was thinking about.

"Nothing, Lucas," I replied, irritated

Looking at my sudden outburst, I sighed. "Sorry," I mumbled. "I'm just a bit tired, that's all."

Later that night, I decided to sneaked out of my window and went to see if Wanda returned. Even if she didn't want to see me, I could always return home. Walking towards the hotel, I hoped to find her there safe and sound.

As I nervously whispered, "Wanda, are you here?" I heard no response. The doors had been left unlocked, which surprised me. It didn't seem like her at all to leave the hotel unattended. Despite my confusion, I entered the hotel, whispering her name again, hoping for an answer that never came.

Worried, I sat into a chair, wondering if Wanda was on a secret mission or something. Even then, she would have left a note. Sitting there, my tired eyes closed for a moment. I thought. I closed them, only to suddenly be awake the next morning by a loud sound.

"Wanda?!" My voice was filled with hope but, as soon as I discovered it was the woodpecker, I groaned. I had enough.

My mind racing with worry, I could no longer ignore the nagging feeling in my gut. Knowing Wanda still hadn't returned, I realized it was time to act. The anxiety was consuming me, and I was determined to find her, no matter what. With that decision in mind, I headed outside.

Despite knowing Wanda had warned me to stay away from the compound, here I was; Hiding behind the trees, watching in awe at the colossal building before me. "Holy sh- Steve" I muttered, my eyes widening further as I spotted Steve, the towering Blondie. Deciding to secretly follow him inside, I moved silently, hopefully he could help me.

Hiding behind a corner, I tried to get Steve's attention by silently waving at him. When he didn't notice, I began to quietly call out his name, "Steve ... psst ... Steve! Hey, Steve!" I whispered.

Finally, he saw me and his expression shifted from confusion and puzzled to a serious one. He excused himself from the room and approached me. My heart pounded in my chest, filled with hope and anxiety. Even though he snapped at Wanda that one time, I knew they had a close bond.

Steve's stern voice echoed in my ears as he led me into a guest room, questioning my presence. Struggling to find the right words, I stumbled on my sentence, "I'm really sorry, I know I wasn't allowed to do this, but-" My heart bounced crazy. "But?" he said with his arm crossed and an impatient tone.

With a heavy sigh, I dared to ask, "Have you seen Wanda in the last 24 hours?" A glimmer of hope flickered within me as I waited for his response, desperately hoping that Steve had some information.

Steve's irritation turned to concern, his expression softening slightly. He nodded slowly, acknowledging that he had seen her. "Yes... I saw her," he replied, his voice calmer than it was before.

As my face let up with hope that he saw her, Steve continued to speak, his tone turning serious once again.

"But that was almost 48 hours ago now..."