The Hunted

Chapter 19

Present Day (photo is of Alexander)

Alexander walked the busy city streets as he held a freshly made hotdog in his hands. He cursed as mustered began to drip down onto his white button up shirt. He did his best to get out of his apartment every now and then because he knew just how consumed he could become in his studys. Hunting was all he lived and breathed for now ever since.. Her.. Sometimes he'd find himself going a whole day without eating because he simply forgot. Time for him seemed to jumble together, and often he would find himself lost. He Blamed himself of course. He had no social life to speak of and other hunters he knew were not exactly chatty. However As he did his best to keep his hotdog from falling apart, he regretted coming out of his apartment today in the first place. Just then he slammed into a broad object as his hotdog flew out of his hands entirely. "Shit!" He cursed.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't see you there!" He heard a male voice say. Alexander looked across to see that the man who run into now stumbled to pick up all of the papers that got knocked out of his own hands. Alexander straightend his shirt as he took in the mans appearance. He looked to be in his mid 40s with aging black hair that obviously began to gray. He looked ragged, not in a homeless way but one that suggested that whatever he was doing consumed all of his day. Once the man finished gathering his papers he turned back to Alexander, His deep brown eyes awaited the younger man's reaction.

He glanced to the sidewalk where his now ruined hot dog lay. He had ruined yet another shirt and didn't even have a full stomach to show for it. 'Never leaving the apartment again,
He promised himself. He looked back to the apologetic older man in front of him. "It's fine." He said as his tone became more relaxed. "I guess It just wasn't meant to be." Alexander joked as he pointed to his squashed lunch on the street.

"No, please let me buy you lunch. This was my fault." The man said. "That's completely not necessary." Alexander said as he smiled. It was rare In a big city to find someone who was actually kind. "I insist," the man said as he glanced down at his hands that were filled with dozens of black and white missing persons flyers. Alexander immediately felt sorry for the man I'm front of him. Obviously someone he loved very much has gone missing and he spends his days passing out pamflets in the hopes that his loved one would be returned, or come home safe. "Besides I could use a break," he finished as his expression saddened.

Alexander nodded as he thought The man definitely looked like he needed the company. His empty apartment could wait. He stuck his hand out In a greeting "Alex," he said his own shortened name as the older man shook his hand. "David Penn."

~
"Thank you." David spoke up to the waitress as she handed them both coffees.

The bubbly girl smiled as she pulled out her notepad. "What can I get you boys?" She asked.

"I'll just take a cheeseburger with some fries." David said as he closed his menu and handed it back to her.

"The meatloaf special please." Alexander spoke as his stomach hurt from hunger.

She jotted the orders down then walked back to the kitchen.

David did his best to shove his crumpled flyers back into his folder as Alexander couldn't help but try to read them out of curiosity. David noticed his actions so once he completed putting them all back in he pulled one out and placed it in front of Alexander.

He gasped as he took in the picture of the missing girl out in front of him. She was young and beautiful. Her hair was jet black and pulled back neatly into a ponytail as her brown eyes shined brightly at the camera. It looked to be a resent graduation Photo. How could this incident girl in the photo be the same that he vanished in the ally way a week ago?

Davied starred wideeyed at Alexander as he watched him examine the photo. "Do you recognize her?" He asked hopeful "Shes my daughter," David said as his voice cracked. "she's been missing for a week now."

Alexander shook his head as he did his best to hide his shock. He continued to read the flyer.

MISSING TEEN!
Name: Faith Penn
Hight:5"5
Hair color: "Black
Last seen on: downtown strip Boulevard
Please call the sheriff's office for any information regarding her disappearance or whereabouts. $20000 reward for any info leading to her return

"I'm sorry," Alexander spoke but found his voice horse. "I have never seen her." He lied as he slid the flyer back to David who shrugged in disappointment. "Of course not," he said after a pause. "What are the chances of me physically Bumping into someone who knows what happened in this huge town anyway."

More then you realize.. Alexander thought as He picked up his coffee mug and took a sip. He didn't understand why a Witch would even keep in contact let alone be loved by this human who obviously looked lost without her. Hadn't he thought that she spelled herself with a disguise to look so youthful? Had she been tricking her father? Or maybe he were under a spell that she cast as we speak? Maybe he was not her father to begin with. No.. he thought. It would have faded the second he vanished her. His head began to pond as he didn't understand how to process any of this. He wanted to simply push himself up from the cafe table and go on with his day. He would return to his apartment and drown himself once again in his studys. He could pretend that he had never ran into this greving father. Wouldn't that be easier? He watched David pick at his food, not interested at all in eating but simply trying to survive long enough to get his baby girl back. Alexander shrugged as he knew that he would not do any of the previous things he thought of, no. He was going to get to the bottom of this! Little did he know he was on the verge of discovering a lot more than he bargained for.

~~

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