Runaway Princess

CHAPTER 16

I OPENED my eyes and sat up. I rubbed my eyes to wake myself up and yawned, stretching out my arms and legs. I looked beside me but Isla wasn't there.

She didn't go home?

I stood up and went inside the bathroom. I took a quick bath and changed into new clothes before going out. Maybe she's already at the dining hall, I think I woke up late.

I went out of the house and went to the dining hall. I pushed the door open and stepped inside, getting a plate and glass and utensils before falling in line to get my food. While waiting I wandered my eyes around to see if I could spot her. I don't know if I didn't look properly but I didn't see her among the crowd.

When it was my turn I saw Holly in the front. She smiled at me and put four slices of bread on my plate and put some apple jam on one of the dividers while she placed some slices of cheese on the other one.

"Hey, have you seen Isla?" I asked her before I left. She shook her head and I thanked her. I went to the water jug and put some water on my glass and looked for Garrett.

"Hey, have you seen Isla?" I asked him and sat down beside him. He looked at me and shook his head and took a bite on the bread. I placed some cheese on my bread and folded it in half.

"Shouldn't you be the one who knows where she is?" He asked me and I clicked my tongue on the roof of my mouth and shook my head. Where did that girl go?

"She walked out of the house last night," I said and started eating. "She got mad at me."

Garrett smirked and swallowed the piece of bread he was chewing earlier. "Lovers' quarrel?" He said and I glared at him.

"I'm serious, Garrett. I don't know where she is. Holly said she didn't see her in here," I said and looked around once more in case I was just mistaken earlier or had she just arrived. But she wasn't really here and I'm starting to get worried.

I ate my food as fast as I can I almost choked on it. I just gulped down water continuously to push it down my throat. When I finished I placed the things I used on the sink and sprinted outside the dining hall.

I went to the clinic but she wasnt there and Ms. Charry said she didn't see her. I went to the barn but Al said that the last time saw her was yesterday when she fed the animals. I even went to the slaughter house even though I know that was the last place she'll be in but I didn't find her there, and I was actually surprised when Ms. Charry's husband, Flor, said that he last saw her yesterday when she helped clean the slaughterhouse. He said she even threw up because of the smell of blood.

I went back to our house in case she already went back there. My legs were getting tired from all the sprinting I was doing and I was catching my breath. Where the hell did she go?!

I went to Vivienne's house and asked if Isla went there or if she saw her. She said that she didn't. I thanked her and went outside to ask the other villagers in case some of them saw her.

They all kept saying they didn't. I'm now getting frustrated and worried as hell. I'm so stupid! Why did I let her go last night with anger dwelling inside of her?! That was a very bad idea, now I can't even find even a silhouette of her.

My last hope is the forest. That's the only place where she could possibly be, but the forest is so big I don't know where I'll start searching. Does she even know her way there?

I went to the weaponries first and took a spear with me just in case things get too complicated. I went to the back part of the village and used the path there to the forest. I decided to go first to the river to see if she's there. I just hope she doesn't start wondering off especially that she doesn't even know her way around here.

When I got there I immediately remembered what happened here the other night. My cheeks heated up as I stared at that specific rock where we shared an intimate night between the both of us. How she moaned and screamed my name—

Fuck it, Demian. You're here to find her. Do that another time.

I shook my head to get my bearings right at pinched myself. I looked around and saw the next part of the forest on the other side of the river. I told her that most of the wild animals are there so I hope she didn't get too reckless and go in there.

"Isla!" I cupped my hands over my mouth and shouted her name at the top of my lungs. My voice echoed through the whole forest and I started walking away from the river.

"Isla, where are you?!" I shouted and went back the way we came from when we picked some berries and mushrooms. I kept looking left and right but I couldn't see any single trace of her. It didn't rain so it would be impossible to look for footprints.

"Isla!" I shouted again. I turned right when I got near the entrance to the village. The longer I didn't manage to find her the more worried I got. What if she encountered one of the wild animals in here? What if she's in trouble right now and I'm not there to protect her?

Shit, Demian. Stop overthinking.

I cupped my hands over my mouth again and yelled her name. I started to walk aimlessly right now, going left and right randomly, hoping to come across her.

I suddenly heard a noise. Its like a snarl that sounds like the growling of your stomach when you're hungry, except that it didn't actually come from my stomach. I heard it again and I went to the direction where I heard it coming from.

The sound got louder as I got closer. My heart pounded loudly inside my chest I could hear it in my own ears. I tightened my grip on the spear I was holding and slowly walked.

I moved away from the trees a bit and saw what was causing the noise. It was a cougar that looked really hungry. Its tail was raised and it was slowly advancing towards its prey. I gave out low snarls like the ones I heard earlier.

I was about to slowly walk pass by and just leave the cougar to its business when I suddenly heard something else.

"N-no, please stay back."

Shit.