The Lost Girls

Chapter 11

Half an hour later, I found myself sitting on the floor by my bed, listening to Cristian's quiet voice as he paid the pizza delivery guy at the door. I felt shell shocked and numb, the image of the blank spot above the fireplace branded into the back of my eyelids. Cristian had taken action immediately - he shepherded me back into my room, gently but firmly taking the gun from my hand, before going and searching the rest of the house. I'd listened to his quiet steps around my house in silent horror; my brain felt frozen, and it refused to fully comprehend what the missing photo meant.

I still had to check, but I was sure there would be nothing else missing from the house. Everything of value was still there from what I'd seen - the TV still sat staunchly in the living room, as well as the DVD and Blu-Ray player. I wasn't sure what else was worth a lot of money, but something told me that whoever had been here had gotten what they'd come for. The picture they'd taken was the most recent of me - it was my grade twelve school photo, the one they used for student ID's. I was posed stiffly, a wide smile on my face. I'd been satisfied with the picture - unlike past school photos, my hair had been cooperating that morning. 

My mind wandered, wondering why they'd take my picture of all the ones there. Why me? Dark thoughts circled, but I pushed them away desperately.

I looked up blankly as Cristian walked back in, a pizza box in one hand and a bottle of iced tea in the other. His face was expressionless when he walked in, but when his eyes met mine, his eyes tightened anxiously.

"Hey." He said, coming to sit next to me. The smell of cheese and marinara sauce wafted up to me, but I'd never felt so not hungry in my life. "Cheese pizza, as requested. I'm still amazed you like your pizza so boring."

When I didn't respond, my eyes on the generic pizza box, he sighed. His voice was weary when he spoke. "You have to eat, Zoe."

"Why?" I asked blankly.

"Cause that's what people in shock are supposed to do, or something." Cristian told me firmly, leaning forward to open the box. "You can't not eat or you'll pass out, I think."

I looked over at him dryly. "You kind suck at this comforting thing."

His eyes flickered again, but he smiled back at me humourlessly. "I haven't had a lot of opportunity to practice."

At that I looked away. The ghosts were there again. Sighing lightly, I reached forward and picked up a piece of pizza, biting into it before looking back at Cristian with a raised brow. "Happy?" I said around my munching. It tasted like sand on my tongue.

"You shouldn't talk with your mouth full." He told me, but he did look a little happier.

I didn't reply to that, and he reached out and grabbed his own piece. We were both quiet for several minutes as we ate. I looked around as I did, wondering what Cristian was feeling, eating pizza on the floor of a girl's room. I wasn't embarrassed or anything - there weren't any bras or underwear lying around, and I kept my room sort of clean. It was just that he so starkly didn't belong that it made me feel off balance even without the unknown intruder lurking over my head.

"So what are we gonna do?" Cristian offered me the iced tea, watching me as I took it from him.

I focused on the drink as I took a gulp. "Nothing."

I saw him raise an eyebrow at the corner of my eye. "Nothing?" He repeated.

"Yup." I handed the bottle back to him. 

Cristian took a sip, his eyes narrowed as he looked at me. "You're not gonna tell your dad about this?"

"God, no." I shook my head. "He'd freak out - I wouldn't be able to go anywhere without an armed escort."