Losing Bella

Chapter 4

1 DAY, 43 minutes and 6 seconds.

"Ms Kazis."

1 day, 43 minutes and 7 seconds.

"Ms Kazis?", the officer tried again, with the same desperation and slight tones of impatience.

1 day, 43 minutes and 8 seconds.

"Ms Kazis. Please try to cooperate. You need to tell us something. Anything."

His words fell on deaf ears. She continued to count, her eyes glazed over as though she was in a world of her own.

The only person who she spoke to or acknowledged was Darcy, and unfortunately, Darcy was not in the police station presently. She had left to get something to eat with the promise to return soon, and Leila had nodded in silence.

Truth be told, Leila didn't care anymore. She had tried to sleep, but sleep would not come. She had tried to force down the muffins Darcy had lovingly made from scratch and brought over to the station for her, but the smell made her sick to her stomach. It was like the world had slowed down entirely.

Nobody understood how she felt. No one had lost their child before, and as much as they tried to empathize, they could not feel a fraction of what she felt.

After more useless questions and a frustrated groan, she heard the officer leave the room. The events of the night before flashed through her mind, interrupting her mental timer.

"Leila, the police are here now. You need to go with them." Darcy spoke, gently, as though a single word would break her friend entirely.

How could she know that Leila was already broken?

Strange as it was, the sight of Scott's bloody body being lifted onto a stretcher by masked paramedics wasn't enough to garner any sort of reaction from her as she left her apartment, a police officer on each side of her. 

Unfamiliar faces watched as Leila was led out of the building, curiosity etched on each one. She didn't know who those people were. Fraternising with her neighbours hadn't really been a priority, and she simply didn't have enough time. Between her waitressing job and looking after Bella, it would be a miracle if she even got any time for herself.

Oh! Bella! Where was her sweet little girl? Leila was sure that they had forgotten her back at the apartment, how daft of her! 

"Officer, my baby, she's back home! We need to go back!" Leila exclaimed, frightened and panicked.

The officers looked at each other, and then looked back at her. The pity in their eyes came across as ingenuine. She was almost certain that it came naturally to them in this line of work, and that they had been desensitized to everything and everyone they were forced to interact with. She didn't want their pity. 

She wanted her baby. 

Leila still remembered the disbelief she experienced as she was half-dragged into the station, and dealt with the harsh truth. 

Scott was unlikely to survive, and her child had been kidnapped.

The same child who was somewhere, with the same monster who had so brutally assaulted her best friend and left him for dead.

1 day, 45 minutes and 27 seconds later, and they were nowhere close to figuring out where Bella was. 

Bella. The one she had sworn to protect with all her life. The one she had poured every ounce of love she had into. Her daughter was a part of her. Without her, Leila was nothing. Just like before she had Bella. Purposeless, meaningless, worthless.

Suddenly, Leila felt the weight of the world on her shoulders, pressing down on her with each breath she took. Her hands shook, her stomach churned, and the burning in her heart increased tenfold. Her breathing became more rapid, more shallow. Her limbs froze as her face grew tight, the room spinning.

It was too much. It was all just too much.

A cover of darkness passed over her, her eyes threatening to close forever as she staggered to her feet, the chair scraping against the cold floor deafeningly.

"Oh my god! Leila!" 

She could very briefly make out the sound of cups falling and smashing into pieces as Darcy ran over to her, hands firmly placed under her arms, holding her up as best as she could. 

Leila felt them both move to the ground, Darcy's arms wrapping around her as the woman kissed her head, whispering that everything would be alright though they both knew that was untrue. 

But a beautiful lie was still better than the ugly truth.

"Where's Bella? Where's my baby, Darcy?" Leila pleaded, her stifled sobs eventually replaced with great heaving cries of anguish.

Darcy said nothing as she held her friend, exchanging a glance with the visibly distressed detective who had returned to the disaster of a room, running a hand through his hair as he surveyed the damage that had been done.

"I-I don't know Leila, but that's why we're here love. That's why you need to answer the detective's questions. He's going to help us find her."

There it was again, the gentle, soothing tone a mother might use while putting her child to sleep.    Leila sniffled into her sleeve, red-eyed and pink-faced as she got up onto her feet shakily with Darcy's help.

She was blessed with a friend who stuck with her through it all. Darcy could have left hours ago, she didn't need to be here. Yet, she stayed, checking on Leila constantly. She made sure that whatever it was, Leila wasn't going through this terrible time alone.

This time, with Darcy by her side, Leila wasn't so alone anymore. She had a bit more courage in her heart and the smallest spark of hope that she would find her baby.

The detective approached her cautiously and took his seat opposite the pair, pen and paper at hand.

1 day, 58 minutes and 33 seconds.

"Ms Kazis, my heart goes out to you, truly. I would like to give you some time to compose yourself, but that is time we simply do not have. So I'll ask you again. Is there anything at all you can share with me?"

Leila looked to Darcy for reassurance, and the woman gave her hand a gentle squeeze, smiling encouragingly. 

With a deep breath and a slightly calmer heart, Leila relayed the events that had transpired with a single thought helping her to power through the gruelling investigation.

I'll find you, Bella. I promise.

***

i'm sorry this chapter took so long! writer's block + major exams in four days = stressed af 

How did you like this chapter?

Who wants Scott to survive?

Darcy is starting to become my fav gal?!

Any thoughts on who has Bella?

thank you for reading guys! feel free to leave a like, comment and share! i probably won't be writing for another month or so, so i really hope this chapter was good!!

<3 Viharika