Genesis

Honest Gameshows

     Say hello to stressed-out Quinn. Nervous foot-tapping, lip-biting, glancing right and left every few minutes before checking her watch for the gazillionth time, Quinn. Just in case it wasn't already obvious, that was me.

     So why, pray tell, was I so stressed out? 

     Here's your answer: fourteen. 

     Fourteen what? 

     Here's another answer: fourteen hours. That's the time I had been waiting for Dorian by the pond.

     And do you know who was sorely lacking answers? The nervous, foot-tapping, lip-biting, glancing-left-and-right, checking-her-watch-for-the-gazillionth-time girl sitting like an idiot waiting for a boy by a pond. 

     Hello there. It's nice to meet you.

     I stood up again and started to walk again. I wasn't really walking in any direction. It was really more pacing than it was walking.

     Where is Dorian?

     The million-dollar question of the past fourteen hours that no contestant could really know the answer to. Gameshows wouldn't make money otherwise. They'd actually be honest like they seem, at first glance, to be. The same kind of honest that would make good of their promise to meet you by the pond when they said they'd meet you by the pond.

     I yelled incoherently as I threw a punch at the closest tree.

     That's not fair. The tree didn't deserve that.

     It was when I found myself apologizing to said-tree out loud that I realized I had been there alone for far too long. I grabbed my coat and chose a direction to walk in as I paced all the way to camp.

     At the treeline, I locked onto a familiar face. My pacing was now redirected towards Lucius.

     "Lucius?" I muttered, "Where's Dorian?"

      He furrowed his eyebrows at me, "How would I know where he is?"

     "Well, you usually stick close to him," I stated, biting my lip once more.

     "I don't know where he is," Lucius told me.

     I nodded quickly, pacing past him before he grabbed my arm.

     "Quinn," he said cautiously, "Are you alright?"

     I yanked my arm back, "Yes. I'm fine."

     There wasn't time for him to reply as I stormed off as quickly as I could, the hunting party's truck that had just pulled in to camp having caught my eye. I saw Colt climb out on the right, about to head to the back of the truck to pull open the door. Then he saw me. His expression changed from casual to serious as he approached.

     "What's wrong?" he asked me, his solemn expression unchanging.

     "Have you seen Dorian?" I asked him quickly.

     "No," he replied, "Why? Did something happen?"

     I didn't take the time to explain as I brushed past him, feeling my heart beating faster and faster with each passing second.

     Danny, Kit, Xander, and the rest of the hunting crew jumped out of the back of the truck then, laughing amongst themselves before I approached. Danny was the first to notice me.

     "Quinn? Is something wrong?" he asked, a look of concern covering his face. The rest of the crew soon turned to see me and followed suit.

     "Quinn," Xander said softly, opening his arms and accepting me into a tight embrace. I took a heavy breath as I drew outwards.

     "Have any of you seen Dorian?" I asked, on the verge of tears.

     I drew my palm to my forehead when all I could see were shaking heads.

     Xander drew my palm into his hands, "Tell me what's wrong."

     Before I could breathe again, I said, "I can't find Dorian."

     Danny stepped forward, "What happened? I thought you two were going on a romantic birthday getaway."

     "We were," I replied, "He told me to wait for him by the pond but he never showed up."

     "He didn't show?" Kraig asked, emerging from the back of the animal-prepping tent.

     "No," I whispered with a quick intake of air, drawing my palm to my forehead once more.

     "That doesn't sound like him," Kit said, "I hung around him in juvie, and--."

     "He was never late to anything. Ever," Kraig finished. Kit nodded.

     "I know that," I stated, "Which is why I'm freaking out!"

     I knew as well as the boys did that something wasn't right. Dorian wasn't the type to be late, and he certainly wasn't the type to lie about meeting me. The truth is that I wasn't angry. The anger passed after the second hour, and the sadness passed after the fourth. The thing consuming me beyond a doubt was a tidal wave of worry, and I was drowning in it without Dorian to keep me afloat.

     "Oh God," I whispered, pulling my other hand to join the first in covering my eyes, "Do you think he's okay?"

     I drew my hands down just in time to catch the last of the boys' nervous glances to each other. Danny spoke up.

     "I'm sure he's fine. You know him, he's a tough guy. There's nothing he can't fight his way out of."

     I started to pace again, "Oh my God... what if he ran into a bear? Or a rager?! What if he's bleeding out right now at God-knows-where and he's dying because I waited fourteen FUCKING hours for him to show up?!"

     I was disoriented when I felt someone grab hold of my forearms and twist me around to face them.

     "Listen to me," Colt said calmly, "I'm going to find him. Okay?"

     I released the breath I didn't realize I was holding.

     "Okay," I replied. After a moment of staring into my eyes, he twisted me around and pushed me into Xander's arms.

     "You, take care of her," he commanded before turning tail and storming off, going on a mission to find Dorian. I noticed Maya approach us then, shooting a confused glance at Colt before she noticed me.

     "Oh, Quinn. Honey, no," she spoke softly, taking my hands into hers, "What happened?"

     I breathed deeply, "Dorian's missing."

     She took me into her arms before I could say any more.

     "How about we go sit by the firepits so we can wait until he gets back?" Maya suggested. Xander nodded in agreement as Mayanna placed her arm around my back and guided me to a place to sit.