VD-49

Chapter 5: She's gone

Jude grabbed the drawing and the diary before heading downstairs. Damian stood in the middle of the living room, quietly watching Gavin. He looked up as Jude stormed into the room.

"What-?" Damian began but Jude cut him off.

"What's this?" he demanded, waving the blue diary and drawing the air.

Damian held up a hand. "Jude, calm down. What's going on?"

But Jude didn't look at Damian, he only had eyes for Gavin. The man was grey in the face, the unhealthy colour of his face made more so by the stubble on his face. The man stood up slowly and shuffled over to Jude, his eyes glued on the book and paper. He licked his chapped lips.

"Where'd you find that?" He reached for the book but Jude held it out of reach. "That's Rhonnie's diary, that is."

"Jude," Damian said. "What's that?"

Jude handed the book and paper to Damian and watched his friend for a reaction.

Damian slowly looked up after he read the diary entry and examined the drawing. "This must be some kind of sick joke."
"Why?" Gavin reached for the book but Damian didn't give it. "What's it say?"

Damian read the chilling entry out loud and Jude studied the man. "Do you know what it means?"

Gavin pressed a hand to his chest and clutched his shirt tightly. He stumbled back to his chair and rocked back and forth. "This-She-No-Can't..." He couldn't seem to form a coherent sentence and his breathing became harsh. Damian gave Jude a worried glance and walked to Gavin. He placed a hand on the man's shoulder.
"Gavin? What-" he was cut off when Gavin suddenly reached out and grabbed his collar. Damian jumped back in surprise but Gavin had a very strong grip. He shook Damian vigorously and Jude stepped forward. He paused when he heard the man's next words.

"She's gone. She ain't ever comin' back."

Damian gently but firmly pried Gavin's fingers from his collar. "You don't know that. We'll find her."

Gavin just shook his head. "You don' understand. She's gone." He sagged in his chair and tears rolled down his cheeks as he repeated the words over and over. "She's gone."

Jude and Damian stood on the porch of the house. They had left Gavin crying inside, clutching his pillow and Rhonwen's diary. Jude could tell that Damian was upset about leaving the crying man alone inside the big, empty house. And guilt flickered in Jude again as he thought about it but he pushed the thought aside. There was no definite proof that Rhonwen was gone.

(Though she went into the Fiorewoods by herself.)

(Though a blizzard was on its way.)

(Though every bit of forest and ground was covered in snow.)

He rolled his shoulders, as if to shake off the negative thoughts. Negativity wasn't helping. Jude grabbed Damian's shoulder and walked him off the porch to the car. "Come on. It's getting late.

Damian nodded. He looked at something behind Jude. It was a big greenhouse. Once again, he wondered what Gavin managed to grow in the cold weather. Then the words from the diary entry hit him in the face.

"The winter's harvest had been little and their patience is finished."

Jude froze in his tracks and Damian turned to him with a weary frown. "What now?"

"The greenhouse. I want to know what's in there."

"Why?"
"Rhonwen's diary entry had mentioned that 'the winter's harvest had been little'. And someone's patience was finished."

Understanding gleamed in Damian's eyes. "You think he's growing something in there?"

Jude shrugged. "I don't know. But I think that there's something going on here that Gavin didn't tell us about. And I don't think that he's going to open up about it anytime soon."

Damian nodded. "All right, then. Let's go take a look-see."