Your my Only Hope (Sequel to JSUKM)

Cries for Help

It hadnt been only but a total of three months since Lilah's dissapearance. The weather seemed darker, the air drearier, and life more miserable for everyone. Lilah was what made everyone happier and more cheered up on most occasions, especially her parents. It was a friday evening when Michael came home to his wife watching TV but she was staring blankly at the screen. He frowned seeing his wife in this condition.

"Diedra?" he asked taking a seat next to her. There was no responce but he could see the tear stains that were left on her face. Michael placed a hand on her shoulder making her jump almost out of her skin.

"Oh, hey Michael." she whispered her voice sounding raspy. She had been crying but for how long? Michael engulfed his wife in a hug and sighed knowing the hell they were going through. Life seemed short enough and without their little girl safe in both their arms, it was getting shorter and time was ticking.

"We need to find Lilah. I cant stand the thought of something happening or even happened to my little girl, Michael--" Michael frowned as Deidra continued to ramble and he gripped her hand in his. Diedra looked into her husband's brown eyes. They showed determination but behind was sadness.

"Deidra we will find her. You know we will." he whispered before kissing his wife gently but quickly. Deidra smiled and hugged her husband's neck. Michael smiled and cuddled with his wife the rest of the night.

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The next day Deidra sipped at her coffee staring at the window. Michael was on a search with David and Adam while she stayed at home, waiting for Asia, Lea and Jenna to show up and do their own little search. Diedra sighed and pressed her hand on her pregnant belly; she was six months pregnant and had three more months to go. With a baby on the way, a child missing, It was stressful and Diedra wanted to pull her own hair out but she couldn't due to the fact her doorbell rang. She sighed and shuffled her way over answering.

"Hi Deidra." Asia gave her a light hearted smile. Diedra smiled back at her friend.

"You ready for today?" Lea asked. "We're gonna find Lilah and she's gonna stay home and be safe." Diedra was glad her friends promised words of comfort but were they real?

"Let me get my coat." Diedra muttered before grabbing her jacket. It was early spring and it was chilly outside. She didn't want to be getting sick. Diedra sighed and looked to her friends.

"Okay, lets go." on the way out the door they bumped into the neighbor, Margo Cook. Diedra furrowed her eyebrows but then smiled barely.

"Hey Margo." she greeted her neighbor.

"Hi Deidra. What are you and your friends up to this fine day?" she asked her voice seeming to not have a care in the world. Lea and Jenna exchanged weird looks before Lea narrowed her eyes at Margo.

"We're searching for Lilah so if you excuse us." Lea said curtly toward Margo. Diedra narrowed her eyes at Lea.

"Lea please." she said before turning to Margo. "Do you wish to help us Margo?" Margo shuffled her feet before shaking her head.

"Oh no. I can't. So much to do today but good luck finding Lilah." a small smile curled on her lips. Diedra thanked her before the four girls started walking uptown. Lea turned to Diedra and blew up.

"Diedra! How do you not see it!?" Asia and Jenna jumped a little as did Diedra who looked confused.

"What are you talking about?" she asked mildly confused.

"You know, Michael is probably right about her." Lea rambled. "I bet she had something to do with this. I mean dont you ever notice her suspicious behavior? And how her neice acts so skiddish and scared?" Jenna and Asia absorbed this information quickly and tried to convince Diedra of this but Diedra didn't want to believe it. Let alone hear it. She whirled on her friends.

"Just stop it! I dont want to hear it! I just want to find my little girl!" she snapped before turning on her heel and abandoning her friends. Tears welled up in Diedra's eyes. She hadn't meant to snap but she didn't want to hear such ridiculous information that couldn't possibly be true. Of all outcomes. She passed the police station and debated to stop in or not. She didn't. She didn't want an officer telling her bad news or saying they heard no word. Diedra felt the tears freely fall. Why her little girl?

It wasn't long before she saw Margo Cook wandering the streets. She furrowed her eyebrows and stayed hidden near a building. What was she doing uptown? Carefully she watched Margo and saw her go into a shop. She looked up at the name of the building.

Home Supply and Furniture

Diedra hmmed to herself. Margo never mentioned anything about refurnishing her house. Personally she never had gone into the store so she didn't know what was sold there. It wasn't long before Margo came back out with a bag. Something stuck out. It looked like rope. After Margo had passed and long left, she skipped over to the store and walked in. Inside were tools that looked like was used to put inside a shed; chains, rope, and more. The store frightened her.

"Can I help you?" the cashier asked her suspiciously. "You look like a newbie." Diedra jumped and walked up to the cashier.

"The woman who was in here what did she buy?" Diedra asked frantically. The cashier frowned.

"She bought some rope, nylon ties, and water bottles. Oh and she bought binoculars, pocket knife and a gun." the cashier rambled. Diedra's eyes widened. There was no way Margo could've done any of this.

"Thank you!" she said before racing out of the store and back home.

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Lilah squeaked in terror as she heard a door creak open and footsteps walk down the isle. She knew it was Margo and she hid in the corner of her bunkbed. She wanted to go home and she tried talking to Beatrice but she ignored Lilah. Margo passed Lilah but stopped at her cell and smiled down at her.

"Hello Lilah. How are you doing today?" she asked friendly.

"Go away! I want my mommy!" Lilah said with tears in her eyes. Margo chuckled before setting down her bag. Beatrice shook a little seeing the bag. Margo had told her that she was going to get some 'supplies'.

"Aunt Margo...what did you get?" Beatrice asked quietly. Margo chuckled before ruffling the child's hair.

"Some things dear incase Lilah doesn't behave." Margo started to pull out the rope, gun and water bottles. Margo then glanced at Lilah who was curled up on her side. She sighed in annoyance before saying to Beatrice,

"Beatrice be a dear and make Miss.Lilah some food. I dont need the little girl starving to death. Make her some soup or something." she said. Beatrice nodded.

"Okay." she whispered before hurrying off to another room. Margo huffed before tossing a water bottle inside her cell.

"Here so you dont get dehydrated." she snapped. Lilah let out a soft sob and Margo rolled her eyes. Children she thought to herself. Beatrice was enough to put up with. It was twenty minutes passed when Beatrice came out and slid a tray of soup and crackers inside the cell. Lilah sniffled and took the tray from her. Beatrice lightly smiled and whispered,

"You'll get out of here soon." she whispered real lowly while Margo was out of hearing range.

"But I wanna get out of here now." she cried. Beatrice only said nothing but walked away and back to her homework. Lilah hitched on a sob and began to eat her food. To her it tasted good and filling. She had been hungry for a couple days so it was well needed. She heard a phone ring and the sound of a distant hello.

"WHAT!" Margo's loud angry voice snarled. "Tony you bastard you're lucky I dont come up there with this gun and kill you right now." she snarled. The conversation continued a bit more before Margo cut it off.

"I'll take care of it." Margo snapped before snapping her cellphone shut. Both of the girls looked afraid before Margo turned to Lilah and Beatrice.

"I'll be back girls. I have something to take care of." she said before leaving them alone in the dark cellar.