Fragments - Book One of the Missing

Chapter 33 - Rowan

Stars. Could she feel more alone? More lost? Nothing about the past few months made sense. How could she finally feel as thought she was getting her life back together again before it all fell apart? And after everything with her family, she had thought at least she had Taniel. Now she didn't have him either.

She must have misinterpreted their friendship, their connection, how much he cared. She felt so stupid. She was getting wrapped up in his careful disposition, his heartfelt laughs. His beautiful brown eyes pulled her in every time she caught him staring at her. He warmed her to the core.

All of this silly infatuation distracted her from the fact he never really cared. He didn't even take Rowan in for her own benefit. Even that was selfish. He saved her so he wouldn't be alone, so he could study her gift, to help him understand his own dreams.

Used. Such a stupid girl.

But she wouldn't be stupid anymore. Olive was gone, and she had to do something. She wracked her brain for anything she may have learned since meeting Taniel that could lead her to Ollie.

The Officials. They knew about her gift, about her family. They could have something to do with this. But Rowan didn't know anything of substance about the Officials—not where to find them, unless she went to Hamza for a clue. No. Hamza was close with Taniel, too. And while the Officials may have something to do with Olive's disappearance, she needed something more immediate.

Taniel was connected to the whole mess, and so was the Underground. After all, didn't he know the man who took her? Wills? If he was from the Underground then they definitely know something.

She sorted through everything that happened that night. Stars, she could barely remember it. Rowan rubbed the back of her head. Still sore from hitting the wall.

But then Scooter had found this tracker. Twitch. Could it all be related? Frustrated, she leaned against a building and looked around. She had made it to Point Lookout Park. Where it all began. She couldn't stand to be there, and turned around.

The buildings surrounding the park must have been beautiful once, with views overlooking the only green for miles, and classic brick facades. Higher up, the apartments even had balconies overlooking the park. How glorious it must have been. Rowan put her hands against the brick building and watched the past come to life. To hear the laughter of children in the park, people filling the streets, of so much life. When she pulled away, the stale city air returned. Things would never be the same.

Her shoulders sagged. She was close to giving up for the day. Though the last thing she wanted was to return to the loft. She walked along the buildings until she stood in the middle of Garner Way and looked downtown. Old shops for the rich and famous had long since closed their doors. Long gone were the days she could care about anything glamorous. Rosie would have loved this place during it's glory days.

Rowan resigned herself to the fact the Underground was the best lead. For now. Both Taniel and Scooter would be helpful, but she wasn't ready to go to them about her plan yet. Searching for Olive was something she could do on her own. She didn't need them, she didn't need anyone. Even if she did, how could she trust Taniel again?

Determined, she forgot about the store fronts and kept walking. What did Scooter say about safe, dangerous and borderline neighborhoods? Safe wouldn't get her close enough, but if she could just find an abandoned neighborhood, maybe she could enter the old subway lines with no one watching her back.

It would have to be Cliffton, a recently abandoned neighborhood. With no other choice, she swallowed her fear and headed to Pennsy's Station, a place closer to her old home than she would care to think about. There was no real plan, but she might as well do something rather than sit in the loft all day, moping. No, the cold, bitter air was better for her.