These Streaks of Blood

9

Daniel walks through the streets in a daze, trying to clear his head in the pre-dawn light. Olivia kidnapped, by a person who's capable of killing girls without hesitation. And he can't help but blame himself. If he had only tried harder... looking back on it, he hardly tried at all. He should have fought to keep her safe; the feeling in his heart now tells him so.

"Dan?"

Daniel turns, slowly. He doesn't really care who this is, what they want. Why should he care about anything anymore, except for finding Olivia?

"Dan, are you alright? I know this must be tough on you," Patty says, eyeing Daniel as if she thinks he's about to fall over. He must look pretty bad.

"I'm fine," he grunts, turning away.

"Well, I wouldn't have bothered you, but... you're sort of in my yard."

Dan wakes up enough to glance around him, and sure enough, he's invading somebody's property, one foot in their garden, squashing a plant. "Whoa. Sorry, I didn't notice."

Patty laughs, though it's a hollow sound. "It's alright. My parents just sent me out to check if you're okay, or if you need a place to stay. You look a little lost. And I told them that Olivia was your--"

"Don't say 'was'. Please don't say that," Dan interrupts.

Patty bites down on her lip. "Sorry," she says. Then, "I really hope that she and Natalee are okay." She goes pale when she says Natalee's name.

Daniel looks closer at Patty. He knows her, yes, but only by name; their town is large enough to hide a killer, it seems, but small enough that most people at least recognize each other. He doesn't think they've ever spoken before, but he knows that she's always been good friends with Natalee. Seeing the pain in this girl's face, Dan decides that it doesn't matter if they know each other well or not. This is a time where the whole community has to come together, work together. They're all facing the same situation, though some have worse luck than others.

"I do, too. Everyone does," he replies.

Patty nods and turns her face away from him, probably hiding tears. "Come on," she says, her voice slightly suppressed, "Come inside."

Dan shakes his head. "I can't just intrude like that--"

"No, really, my parents want to have company. Want to try to... distract themselves."

Daniel hesitates a moment before nodding. "Alright, I guess. But just for a minute."

Patty wipes her eyes and gestures for him to follow her. They walk right through the garden and up the front steps. She opens the door and they enter a large, decorative foyer. She guides him through this room and the kitchen, where they head up a flight of stairs, through a hallway, and into what seems like a game room at the end of the hall.

A man who must be Patty's father is sitting in a large bean-bag chair, eyes trained on a flat-screen hanging on the wall that's just starting the news. Patty's mother is sitting straight-backed in a wooden chair, reading something amidst a litter of papers that take up the whole table and floor area surrounding her.

They both look up as Dan and Patty walk in. Her mother stands up and immediately envelopes Dan in a warm hug.

"I know we don't know each other, but both you and my family have lost people dear to us," she explains softly. "We should be there for each other until they return."

Dan is touched, but still feels slightly awkward. Patty's father sticks out a hand, saying nothing, and Dan shakes it. Patty curls up on a nearby couch, fixing her gaze on the news, like her father.