Jukai

Chapter J U K A I Part 2

Terry Richmond

As the night dragged on, I found myself at a bar down the street, nursing my third beer in a worn-out booth.

The search for Nicole had led nowhere, and the more time passed, the more I started to believe she was truly gone.

Days had gone by, and I still had nothing—no clues, no leads. Just an empty glass and a sinking feeling that I was too late.

I remember the day Nicole went missing. I had left for work that morning with a nagging feeling that something was off—but lately, things had been tense, so I brushed it aside.

But the moment I stepped back into our home that evening, I knew. Everything was still, eerily quiet.

I rushed upstairs to our bedroom, expecting to find some sign of her—her clothes, her belongings—they were all there.

But she wasn't. At first, I assumed she was at her cousin Amber's house. But she wasn't. She was just... gone.

Two days passed before we filed a missing person report. We searched everywhere, and followed every lead, but came up with nothing.

That's when I finally told Amber and Joseph the truth—the suicidal letter, everything Nicole had been struggling with. And suddenly, the weight of it all felt even heavier.

I couldn't shake the feeling that it was my fault. I should have done more—been there for her, listened better, paid closer attention.

I tried, I really did. But in the end, it wasn't enough. And now, she was gone.

As the bar's music drifted through the dimly lit room, I sat alone in a booth...

The worn notebook Amber had given me lay open on the table, filled with phone numbers and addresses—possible leads in my search for Nicole. I traced a finger over the inked names, my mind racing with what-ifs.

Everyone back home thought I was losing it. They told me to let go, to move on.

But I couldn't. Not until I brought her home—one way or another. Even if all I found were her remains.They told me to stop chasing shadows.

But they didn't understand. I couldn't let go. Not while there was still a chance—no matter how small—that I could find her. Even if all that was left of her was a name on a headstone.

I exhaled sharply and took a sip of my beer, the bitterness grounding me for a moment. Then I flipped to the next page, my pulse steadying with purpose.

I wasn't giving up. Not yet

Every call I made led to a dead end—wrong numbers, people who barely remembered her, vague answers that left me more frustrated than before. It was like chasing a ghost.

 staring at the notebook, its pages now smudged with coffee stains and desperation.

The names and addresses blurred together, each one a reminder of how far I'd come and how little I had to show for it. I felt lost. Like I was sinking into something I couldn't climb out of.

Nicole was out there—somewhere. I just had to keep looking.

Because if I stopped now, I'd have to accept the one thing I wasn't ready to face. That maybe she was gone for good.

The life we built together—it wasn't just a dream. It was real.

I had waited so long for us to get to that place, to have something solid, something worth holding onto. And then she was gone. Just up and disappeared, like none of it had ever mattered.

I couldn't sleep. I couldn't eat. Every moment without her felt like a slow unraveling like I was coming apart at the seams.

I needed her. More than air, more than anything. And she was out there somewhere.

And now that she was pregnant, the need to find her burned even deeper. It wasn't just about us anymore—it was about our child.

The thought of her out there alone, carrying our baby, haunted me.

Was she safe? Was she scared? Did she even want to be found? None of it mattered. I couldn't let go. I wouldn't.

From the information Amber gave me, she had to be close to her due date by now—if she was still alive.

The thought sent a cold chill through me. I wanted to believe she was out there, that she was safe, but doubt gnawed at the edges of my mind. Too much time had passed. Too many dead ends.

As the bar closed the last echoes of laughter faded into the night.

I found myself wandering back to my motel room, my heart heavy with fear and hope tangled together in a cruel knot.

I kept searching, but nothing led me any closer to finding Nicole.

Every lead felt like a dead end, every clue slipping through my fingers like sand. The frustration gnawed at me, but giving up wasn't an option.

Once inside the motel room, I sank onto the edge of the bed, the weight of exhaustion settling over me.

I stared at the book of information Amber had given me, hoping—desperately—that something inside would lead me to Nicole.

Reading the name Benjamin sent a jolt through me—I'd heard that name before.

But was it the same person? Uncertainty gnawed at me as I hesitated for a moment, then, taking a deep breath, I dialed the number.

Please comment and vote. Who is Benjamin, and will he provide the answers Terry has been seeking? What does Benjamin know?