Home to Avonlea

5. anne is missing

Gilbert stayed to help with the fire until it was under control, then he made his way as fast as he could to Green Gables.

He couldn't shake the terrible feeling that something bad had happened to Anne. Gilbert had to put his mind at rest. He remembered that Anne had lied to Marilla about how many hours she worked and the fact that she'd dropped out of school. Had she lied about other things too? Would Marilla even know where Anne was?

He approached the farm and was greeted by their farm hand who Gilbert remembered to be named Jerry. They'd only spoken a few times but Jerry seemed to have the Cuthbert's best intentions at heart. Maybe he'd be able to help Gilbert find Anne?

"Gilbert!" Jerry waved. He looked older and had grown a bit taller and broader while Gilbert was away. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm looking for Anne."

"She's not here. Mathew told me she was at Diana's today." Jerry informed him.

"Diana's? But doesn't Anne work on Saturdays? In the library?" Gilbert frowned.

"Sometimes." Jerry shrugged. "If you want to see her she'll be home soon. Or you could go by Diana's."

"Thank you. I'll go by Diana's, it's on my way home." Gilbert nodded his head to Jerry and went back the way he'd come.

...

Diana had no idea where Anne was.

As soon as she opened the door, Gilbert could tell that Anne wasn't there just by the look on Diana's face. Diana looked very confused when Gilbert asked to see Anne.

"She hasn't been by all week." Diana said.

"I went to the Cuthberts and they said she was here." Gilbert felt his heart sinking with worry.

"She must have gone to work today." Diana said, looking concerned. "But she always asks me first if she needs me to cover for her with the Cuthberts. Why would she lie to Marilla and Mathew and not tell me?"

"No, she wasn't at the library... I've been to town this evening. It was empty, it looked like someone had left in a hurry." Gilbert's mind was flooding with thoughts of what could have happened.

"Goodness, what if she's missing? What if something awful has happened?" Diana's eye widened. "Oh Gilbert, we must search for her!"

"It's getting late, won't your parents miss you?"

"They're in bed, they don't have to know."

Gilbert was surprised. He'd known Diana a long time and she'd never been bold or brave or reckless. Anne brought out the strangest traits in people. All aside, he was glad he had a friend by his side to look for Anne.

...

They decided to go back to the library in the end. It was the only place they could think of that there was a good chance Anne had been. Upon arrival they found it closed for the day. The fire next door has burnt out and the charred building was roped off, but the air smelt of ash. It was after dinner and most of the shops were shut so it wasn't a surprise the library was closed.

"We can't give up. This is our only lead." Diana said.

Gilbert set his jaw with determination. She was right. They knew if the situation was reversed, Anne wouldn't give up. Nothing would stop her. Gilbert boldly knocked on the door. It was a loud knock and he defied the owner to sleep through it.

They waited a few moments before Gilbert knocked again, even louder. As he knocked, the door swung open to a grumpy looking man in his fifties. He scowled at the pair of young people on his front step.

"What in God's name are you doing knocking on my door this late? After the day I've had -- with the fire next door, you should leave me be. I've had a lot of shock as it is. You should both be at home in bed." He snapped.

"It's urgent!" Diana implored.

"Our friend Anne... She's missing and we think this was the last place she was seen." Gilbert explained.

The owner of the library could see the solemn look of worry plastered on the two youth's faces. It was pure and terrible, so he decided to believe them. He recognised the girl as belonging to a high class family of Avonlea and their family would be shamed by her disrespectful behaviour. She wouldn't wake him up so late if it wasn't an emergency.

"Young Miss Shirley-Cuthbert was at work today. Young lass insisted. She gets ideas in her head and you ain't got a chance to change 'em." He sighed.

Gilbert on another occasion would have smiled fondly. That was Anne. Stubborn till the end. But he was too worried.

"She always insists on working Saturdays. I told her I had to go out and run some errands for a few hours and to mind the place till I get back. I was going to send her home for supper when I got back but after the fire everything was mighty hectic." He explained. "I weren't allowed in here for a good few hours."

"You didn't tell them that there was a young girl working in here?" Gilbert was outraged. "If the library had caught the flame, she could have died!"

"Calm yourself, boy. I told them alright, and they checked my library for themselves and there were no sign of your girl." The man scratched his head. "I assumed she'd seen the fire and run off home."

"That's not Anne." Gilbert muttered.

"She would have helped, she is clever with fires." Diana agreed.

"Was there nothing else?" Gilbert asked, feeling more desperate. "No sign of anything?"

The man thought for a moment. "Her thick warm shawl and her horse was gone. Plus, the wax on the floor - as though she'd been startled and dropped a lamp. Goodness know why she wouldn't clean it up! Floor is in a right state now."

"Her horse was gone?" Gilbert looked at Diana.

"She only uses it to ride home to Green Gables and back." Diana frowned. "You said she wasn't at Green Gables."

"What if she's left town?" Gilbert thought suddenly.

"She'd take the main road."

"We have to go check." Gilbert said. He turned to the man. "Sir, we need to borrow a horse. Do you have one?"

"I... I have one out back... She's a good horse, name's Coal. She's trusting with strangers so she'll let you ride 'er." The man told them gruffly. "You let me know if you find Anne."

"When we find Anne." Corrected Gilbert.

There was no doubt that they'd find her. Gilbert was determined. He had to find her or he wouldn't ever forgive himself. In what state or scenario they'd find her in, was another matter entirely. And Gilbert fretted a lot about that.

A/N Gil and Diana - the iconic duo you didn't know you needed! I hope you liked this chapter :D next one will have more drama like last chapter. This one was more of a suspenseful filler 😂😂😂 haha

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