All dares. No truths.

Chapter Nine

CHAPTER NINE

 

LAILA’S POV

 

Have you ever had one of those moments where you just stare ahead, at nothing in particular, and your mind goes blank?

That was me right now.

I was aware of the commotion around me, I could hear the officers speaking through their radios and the running of footsteps as they entered the woods, but I remained standing in my spot outside the house, with my mom’s arm around me.

‘Anything?’ I hear my dad’s voice ask someone as I break off my trance.

‘Not yet. We’re still searching.’ I raise my eyes and stare at the police officer in front of us.

I feel my mother’s arms tight around me as my dad nods and I sigh.

Fifteen minutes.

They have been searching for fifteen minutes and still haven’t found anything.

Anyone.

I close my eyes, praying everyone’s ok, so that some way, we can put this behind us; store it in the back of our minds and never look back.

‘Look!’ I hear Emilie yell as I whip my head around and follow her gaze, where an officer is walking out with someone in his arms.

I take a step ahead but stop when I see the persons face.

I feel my blood boil as I stalk towards her.

‘You!’ I yell pointing my finger at Lisa. ‘This is all your fault!’ I scream as I feel a pair of arms holding me back.

‘Let me go!’ I demand trashing in the officer’s arms. ‘This is all your fault!’ I yell once again as tears escape my eyes.

‘We found a body.’ A voice was heard from a radio and I turn my head towards a dark skinned man in a suit. A detective.

I freeze hearing the voice continue. ‘Female, in her early twenties. Blonde.’

Blonde.

I cover my mouth with my hands, trying to suppress the cry of pain that’s building inside of me as I go limp in the arms of the officer.

I hear Lisa scream in hysteria. ‘They’re coming for us. They’re coming for us.’ She keeps repeating in a small voice, her gaze lost.

I feel my anger slowly dissipate as I see her state.

‘Found her hiding in the woods, near the cabin.’ The officer says handing Lisa to a paramedic. ‘I think she’s still in shock.’

‘We’re sending the coroner.’ The detective says through the radio, walking towards three men in black with the words ‘coroner’ written at the back of their shirts.

I stare from afar as he talks to them and turn my gaze towards Emilie, who’s already staring back at me with teary eyes.

‘It can’t be her.’ She whispers softly and I give her a small nod, a small part of me hoping by any chance she’s right.

I shrug the officer’s arms from around me and walk towards Emilie.

She lets Leo’s arm go and I take her hand as we both stare out at the woods.

Waiting.