The Art of a Pickpocket

Chapter 8: Akira

It's been almost two months now since I started working as Mr. Cameron's personal assistant/secretary. I don't really know. They're the same thing right? But life has been good. Well comparing to how it was before I began work, it's been okay.

After the meeting I started work with Mr Cameron, with Eloise assisting me here and there for sometime. She stayed longer than 3days, a week actually but I didn't mind. After her time was over, I was left alone with Cameron. I was taught how to handle different weapons, specifically a gun, and marshall arts for reasons I still don't know. But I liked it.

At least I got let out my frustrations on Saturday nights. I usually waited till Akira had slept and quietly slipped out to go and came back when I'm done.

It was one if such nights, around 9:00pm when thoughts of Max had led me to the shooting range. It was way after 11:00pm now, a few minutes to 12 and I decided to head home to call it a night.

I hadn't seen Max around after his encounter with Akira, and I was relieved. At least it helped in believing that he was dead.

I neared the curb that lead to our house when I noticed something was wrong. The lights, it was on and the front door slightly left ajar. I quickened my pace, jogging a little till I finally got there.

I pushed the door wider and entered, everything was as it was, no tables turned, couch in place, books neatly stacked and....

The door.

The door that led to our room was opened. Widely.

Akira!

I run quickly to the room and pushed the door wider to find an empty bed. My face grew pale, my heart raced and.... my blood? I don't even know what was happening to it.

I moved closer to the bathroom and checked inside. She wasn't there. I began panicking. Beads of sweat slowly forming on my forehead, trickling down my face.

"Akira," I called, my voice a little shaky.

No response.

"Akira," I called out a little bit louder this time. Moving to the kitchen.

Second attempt. No response.

" Akira!" I shouted through the house, expecting something, her tiny voice, a response, noise, something!

I moved outside, the cold weather hitting me in all right places, my palm sweaty now, I moved down the block, knocking on the doors of surrounding neighbours, asking.

It's a pretty stupid thing to do you know, moving to one house after the other, knocking on doors, asking for a missing daughter in the middle of the night. I mean, who would you expect to open the door at that hour to entertain guests? But I did, I was far from thinking properly right now.

My heart hammered in my chest, my thoughts raced, You've got to get it together Lyla, I pep talked myself, trying to calm down, as I left the doorstep of one old lady.

"What a mother," muttered the old lady under her breath as she shut the door, and I stopped.

What a mother.

The statement tore through me like glass through skin.

What a mother, mocked a voice in my head and I shut my eyes tightly, my jaw tightening, resisting the urge to cry.

"No, no, no, Lyla, now is not the time. Now is not the time to be weak", said a voice in my head and I shook my head.

Definately not the time.

I pushed back the urge to cry and wiped the few stray tears that had ran down my cheeks as I made my way to the streets. I continued my search from door to door, constantly being yelled at in the face.

Who knew I had Akira? I thought.

Mr. Cameron?

No.

Eloise?

No.

Neighbours?

N-

Then the thought struck me, like a plague and I crambled to the floor, from the immense shock right in the centre of the street.

The cold breeze hit me ... hard, whipping my hair which had somehow managed to come out of the bun I'd kept it in.

Max.

Like cold steel through flesh, it dawned on me, silently, gnawing at my heart, laughing at my misfortune.

All at one I felt suffocated, my heart constricted inside my chest, I could feel something, something draining the life out of me slowly, I knew i had to fight it but i was too weak.

Weak, mocked a voice in my head.

What were you expecting Lyla? All the notes, anonymous visits, what were you expecting?, It continued.

For some unknown reason, it was right. What was i expecting?

Nothing.

I was expecting nothing.

She's gone Lyla. You'll never find her, came a rather silent voice.

"No". I said, shaking my head, tears pouring out freely.

"No."

"No!"

"NO!" I screamed out loud into the night with the last bit of strength i had left and everything went dark.

A/N. Finally! New chapter updated. I know it's been really long, came across and few challenges with the book, I'm sorry :( . Please vote, share, comment and follow at deterii.

Love.♡