Black Magic

Chapter 83: Missing Child

ELEANOR'S POV

I trudged through the cold winter morning, my eyes fixed on the shelter shop in front of me.

My daughter, Alice, was clinging to my hand, her bright blue eyes sparkling with excitement.

I was determined to make her birthday, just a few days away, one to remember. I pushed open the door and stepped inside, the warm air enveloping us like a hug.

"Okay, Alice, let's find you the perfect dress for your birthday," I said, scanning the racks of colorful clothes.

But as I began to suggest dresses, I noticed people staring at me. Not just glancing, but staring.

It was as if they couldn't believe their eyes. I felt a surge of irritation and snapped at them, "WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM? CAN'T YOU SEE WE'RE TRYING TO SHOP?"

But it seemed to have no effect on them. They just kept staring, their faces twisted into uncomfortable expressions. I shook my head and focused on Alice once more.

"Hey, sweetie, look at this dress! It's so pretty, don't you think?" I said, holding up a sparkly dress.

But as I turned back to Alice, my heart skipped a beat. She was gone. I scanned the room frantically, my eyes scanning the racks of clothes and the shelves of toys. But she was nowhere to be seen.

"Alice!" I shouted, my voice echoing off the walls. "Alice, where are you?"

But there was no response. I spun around, my panic growing by the second. The people who had been staring at me earlier were now staring at me with a mixture of concern and suspicion.

I felt a cold dread creeping up my spine.

Where had she gone? Why had she left me? And why were these people still staring at me like I was some kind of monster?

I took a deep breath and tried to calm down, telling myself that Alice would turn up soon.

But as I looked around at the empty store, my heart felt like it was shattering into a million pieces.

I ran through the streets, my eyes scanning the crowded sidewalks, my heart racing with every step.

I called out Alice's name, my voice hoarse from screaming, but there was no response.

I spun around, my gaze darting from one face to the next, searching for any sign of my daughter.

But she was nowhere to be found.

I stumbled and fell, my knees scraping against the rough pavement.

I screamed her name again, over and over, but there was no answer.

The guards finally arrived, their faces stern and unyielding. They asked me questions, but I couldn't form coherent words.

I was consumed by a desperate panic, a sense of helplessness that threatened to crush me.

Did she run away because she hates me?

I knew they didn't understand. They didn't know what it was like to lose your child.

They didn't know what it was like to feel like your entire world was crumbling apart.

And then, something snapped. I lost control. I felt myself spinning out of control, my emotions spiraling out of control.

I began to scream and cry and rant, my words spilling out in a jumbled mess. I was a mother, I was a mother, I had lost my child and no one understood.

The guards tried to calm me down, but I was beyond reason. I was a wild animal, trapped in a cage of desperation and fear.

I stumbled through the streets, my eyes scanning every face, every corner, every crevice. I was convinced that if I just looked hard enough, I would find her. I would find Alice. But she was nowhere to be found.

I felt like I was drowning in a sea of despair, my panic and fear threatening to consume me.

I couldn't breathe, I couldn't think, I couldn't see anything except for the endless expanse of uncertainty.

And then, something inside of me snapped. I felt like I was losing my mind, like I was slipping away from reality.

I started to scream, my voice echoing off the walls as I tore through the streets, desperate to find my daughter.

The people around me scattered, frightened by my antics. The guards tried to catch me, but I was too fast, too furious. I was a force of nature, unstoppable and unrelenting.

I don't know how long it lasted. I don't know how long it took for me to exhaust myself. But eventually, I collapsed to the ground, my body wracked with sobs.

I lay there, surrounded by the chaos and destruction of the streets. I lay there, surrounded by the echoes of my own screams and tears.

And still, I couldn't find her. Still, I couldn't find Alice.

I don't know how long it took for me to come back to myself. I don't know how long it took for me to realize that I was lying on the ground, surrounded by strangers and chaos.