INSIDE THEIR MINDS

Worried

DEREK

Even when she was worried she looked beautiful. Her bright blue eyes twinkled and sparkled whenever she looked in my direction.

One second she looked frustrated as she talked to the police about what was going on, the next second she looked at me and a small smile appeared on her face. I answer her back with one of my own then again her face turns sour.

I look over to Kate as she makes several calls as well, first to his work, then to his doctor, even to his mother, trying to figure out what has happened or where he could be.

Even though I wasn't a huge fan of the guy I still felt worried. There wasn't much to dislike about him, at least to most people, with me things were different.

I can't help but feel that he has the life that I was supposed to have. He is successful, happily married and a father, a father to Erica's baby. For months and months Erica was all I dreamed about and hoped to have. I wanted her all to myself but instead I had to share him with the man that I am now trying to help.

But then Alex turned to me again and signed to me that she would like some water and I answered her with a head nod.

I knew water bottles were in the fridge in the garage and figured that would be the best bet, no glasses, no clean up.

I walked briskly through the kitchen, down the hallway and back through the door leading into the garage.

Laying next to the "extra" fridge was a stack of boxes and I couldn't help but notice the words Wedding MEMORABILIA written in Erica's handwriting on the side.

I quickly look back through the open door and into the house, instinctually checking to see if anyone was coming before I opened the precious cardboard flaps.

Then just as swiftly as I had opened them I shut them. What am I doing?
Why do I care about Erica?

I literally shook the thoughts away, grabbed three water bottles from the fridge and headed back down towards the girls, wishing that they wouldn't notice what I hid in my pocket.

PHIL

The sirens started again and I tried to look around for what was causing them but everything was dark, too dark.

There were no street lights, car lights, or anything, just pitch black darkness.

Then instantly there was light.

30 feet to my right a small lamp flicked on and as I squinted towards it I saw several people hovering in its softened rays.

One. Two. Three. Four? Four men?

"Very Nice." A male voice echoed strangly.

Why is there an echo? Where am I?

Do I say something back?

I instead try hopping but I knew I wouldn't get very far.

"Now, now how does it feel, Phil?"

I reach down and try to pull at the ties again as they continue to stare me down.

"Tisk, tisk. You are NEVER going to undo those yourself, maybe Jeremy could help you." He said laughing at his own words. "He was so weak, for your sake I hope you aren't."

"WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?" I screamed at them tugging at the cords so hard I can feel my fingers prickle from the pain.

"Oh Phil, there is nothing you can give me that I want, it was your actions, or rather inactions that got it taken away from me in the first place."

Do I recognize his voice? I feel like I have spoke to him before.. somewhere... think, Phil, think.

"I can give you money, I can I don't know um, I can give you...." I say shaking where I stood hunched over feeling as if I will fall with all of the blood rushing to my head.

"Money won't bring her back you idiot! Now Peter go get Phil and do what we discussed." He said looking to a vague shadow beside him.

I continue to pull at one of the lines feeling it slightly loosen around my skin.

I try running and fall. I get myself up and try again this time I can feel the wires untangle just enough for me to slide my left foot out the ropes still tied harshly to my right.

I hear them start to scramble and I see a few of them dart toward me their shadows blending into the darkness.

As I run the opposite direction of them, the rope trailing behind me, and into the darkest corners, where I knew I would be the safest, I couldn't help but try to take in my surroundings.

Then I heard it. It was almost silent at first but then it grew louder and louder until finally it drowned out even their voices as they yelled at each other in hopes of finding me. Rain. The rain had saved me. As it hit the presumably metal roof harder and harder it presented me with a chance of escape, one I had to take.

KATE

It's been nearly eight hours since Phil's interview on the news and it wasn't until now that officers deamed the situation neccessary enough to come to our house.

Two male officers sat beside Alex and Derrick in the living room as I tried, unsuccessfully to rock Nora back to sleep.

It was as if Nora knew that Phil was gone and without him her tears wouldn't stop flowing.

"Shhh, shh, shhhhhh." I repeated to her as I rocked her in my arms.

Exhausted I got out a tablet from our bedroom and decided to give that a try. I placed it on its stand on the table beside her crib and selected one of Phil's older episodes for her to listen to and thankfulky almost instantly she fell asleep.

"Phil, where are you?" I whisper to myself.

I half stumbled to the kitchen to grab some water and then slowly meandered to the living room to join Alex, Derrick and the police.

I could feel my eyes close as I sat in the arm chair beside Alex, feeling absolutely and utterly both mentally and physically exhausted.

"Kate. Kate. They might have some news." She said slightly nudging me.

I could feel myself almost instantly wake up. My body reacting to her hopeful words.

"Did they find him!?" I ask everyone loudly with wide eyes.

"Sorry we haven't yet, but we are doing everything we can." The older of the two officers interjected. He had kind eyes that sunk into his face just a little too much.

"Then, what have you found?" I ask trying to calm myself, stopping myself from yelling.

"An officer found the car he was last seen in about 30 minutes away." He says with a small smile.

"It's a car, I don't care about a car!" I yelled, now regretting it. "I'm sorry, I just.."

"It's understandable m'am." The younger officer said, his mustache bouncing on his upper lip.

"We just need to find him." I said feeling tears sprout from my eyes.

Alex's hand wandered over to me and started to rub soft circles on my right shoulder, as she tried to comfort me.

"Is there anything we can do?" Derek asked them.

"Just have one of you stay near the phone, in case he tries to contact you." The older officer stated then began to cough.

"We will be filing a missing persons report once we head back to the station." The younger man said talking loudly over the other officers coughing, something that seems to happen frequently.

"You're leaving?" Alex asked them.

"There is not much we can do here. We would be much more helpful at the station." The younger officer said looking over his partner making sure he was okay after the several minutes long coughing.

Alex almost begins to start to speak again but I hold a hand up and stop her.

"Just please bring him home, that's all I care about."