the new year

eleven

E L E V E N :
ᴍɪɴᴏʀ ᴛʀɪɢɢᴇʀ ᴡᴀʀɴɪɴɢ

Despite the two words that Tom had greeted his sister by, he instantly pulled her into a tight hug that she returned. "Fuck you," Tom said again, he couldn't get to grips with her lack of contact, Oak was usually one to respond almost instantly and to hear deafening silence from her was sickening.

"I'm sorry. . ." Oak responded saying it to all of the people who cared enough about her to be here, Tom guided his sister inside as all six of the others followed behind, their mum had already gone to work, it was Tom's day off, he took them all to her bedroom so it was more homely for the girl. None of them had the foggiest idea of what had happened and neither did she.

The eight people were all sat around, either on her bed, windowsill, floor or chair waiting to hear what she said but no words came out of her mouth all she did was stare blankly at her city patterned bed sheets.

"Oak, where were you?" Alex asked softly as he was sat beside her, she looked up slowly to see all her beautiful family and friends and absolutely nothing came to mind.

"I-I don't know," she responded truthfully her voice cracking and her eyebrows furrowed tightly creating a crease in-between them.

"What happened after you finished work?" Charlie asked just as gently, Oak stood up frantically, her breathing getting heavier by the second as her mind was mainly full by a black cloud of nothingness.

"I don't know," She said frantically, her breathing still increasing "I don't remember. . ." She added, her eyes watering.

Charlie quickly pulled her into a hug "Shh. . ." He hushed her calmly to try and allow her to contain her panicking "It's okay, don't worry," He added with the same calmed tone. Whilst Oak was facing away from everyone else as she cried into Charlie's shoulder in comfort, Charlie locked eyes with everyone else, one-by-one them all holding the exact same expression of complete and utter concern.

Tom nodded in Seb's direction for them to step out of the room briefly so they could talk. Honestly, they both had the same haunting thought in mind, there was no other explanation for it.

"We have to take her to the police station," Tom brought up the second they were both out of the room, Seb nodded in agreement.

"I've never seen her like this," Seb said worriedly. Oak wasn't one to hide her emotions but they had never seen her react that way with such disconsolate behaviour, Oak never cried much but she was scared right now and Tom and Seb could both see that.

"We don't know what happened and she clearly doesn't either our best shot is to take her to the police and they can try and help her out," Tom said calmly, he wanted only the best for his little sister.

"Do you remember drinking anything last night?" Charlie asked softly as they were now sat on the bed, all of her friends huddling around her with solace. Oak was always the girl, notwithstanding her dark fashion sense and lyrics, that always brought the mood up, always made sure everyone was okay and helped them with all her might when they needed it; for them to see her like this broke all of their hearts into a million little pieces.

"No," She paused for a second trying to control her breathing "All I remember is finishing work and then making my way home but I didn't end up in my bed, I awoke in someone else's and I-" She told them, her confusion growing stronger and then she cut herself off by her eyes growing bigger and her heart rate ascending.