The Vanished

Chapter 8

Natalia studied Mr. Yahontov surreptitiously, for some reason she believed him to be hiding something.

"Yes, that's correct", Mr. Yahontov said, as Chris finished telling him of that event. "Mr. Yahontov", someone called for him. With a sigh, he rose up from his seat and left the room quickly. Natalia wanted to have some fresh air, so she walked out right behind him. It was just the beginning of winter, but the wind was already cold and it was making Natalia shiver. She looked at her light clothing and cursed herself again, for getting herself into such a situation silently. "You will catch a cold", someone said from behind. Natalia froze at the sound, but once she recovered she tried to walk back inside, refusing to look at the person's face.

"Take my jacket", Chris offered, which Natalia immediately refused. He let go of it and then reaching for his pocket took a cigarette out and lit it. "Want one?", He offered one to Natalia, who refused again. "You have changed", Chris observed. Natalia looked at him, and let a huge breath "I won't say the same about you", she said, to which Chris laughed.

*Flashback*

After the first encounter between Natalia and Chris that was a mess. Chris had approached her the very next day after their work. Natalia and Lana were walking around the garden, late at night since they couldn't sleep. "I'm sorry", someone said, from the back which made both of them turn around. "I really didn't mean it that way", he apologized to Natalia. "It's okay", Natalia replied back with a smile and tried to continue her conversation with Lana. "I mean it", he said again. Natalia now stopped in front of him. "It's okay Chris", she said with a genuine smile now.

"Okay then", he said, trying to be cool. "So...what are you guys doing here? So late?" He directed at Natalia. "We could ask you the same", Lana told him. Lana and Chris were of the same age and so they have been conversing very comfortably since the beginning. "I couldn't sleep", Chris said. "Same", Lana replied. Natalia felt cold even through the layers and layers of clothes she was wrapped around in. Chris removed his jacket and wrapped it over Natalia. Natalia thanked him and they started walking around the garden together now. They had now reached the end, where the high compound wall stood before them boldly.

"I don't know how long I would be able to stand this", Natalia said, absentmindedly. "Stand what?", Lana asked. "Staying trapped here, isn't it"? Chris said before Natalia could even speak her mind. "Right", she said. They stood there silently for a long time. "You think we can somehow get out?", Lana asked, playfully. Natalia and Chris gave her a puzzled look. "Maybe one day, we will manage to pass through that gate and take a night stroll out", she said, laughing hard and starting to walk away. "Hmmm, I like her", Chris announced after Lana went out of sight. Not willing to stay out for long in the cold night Natalia decided to turn back in too. "Okay", Natalia laughed at him.

"Why do you work so late?", He asked her softly. "I know that whatever you said yesterday, you meant it jokingly. But I believe there are many here who share the same thoughts. They think that I don't belong here", she told him. "So you want to prove them. Prove to them that you deserve to be here?", he asked her, with furrowed brows. Chris leaned forward and tucked a strand of Natalia's hair behind her ear. "Never work hard to please anyone other than your own yourself", he had told her. Natalia started breathing heavily. "I...I think I am going to get in", she flustered and turned back, speedily walking back towards the building.

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"It was my mistake", Natalia whispered. Chris took a long puff of his cigarette. "No, what happened was unavoidable", He quietly mentioned. "What happened that night was unavoidable. It was not in our hands", he said. "How much of it are you planning to tell him?", He asked Natalia. She stood there silently, drowned in her own thoughts for some time.

"No, I won't tell him", she said, after a few long minutes. Chris took another long puff of his cigarette. "Okay", he replied back. He started to turn back and leave, but Natalia stopped him.

"Do you think things could have happened differently that night?", She asked him, suddenly. Chris exhaled hard and then spoke again. "I don't know", he said before walking back in.

She soon went back in, Mr. Yahontov was already waiting for her inside. She noticed that the others were not present there but. Individually she will be questioned, she realized.

"Ms. Jennings, I strongly believe that one of the missing individuals. Miss Lana Cleinfield and you had a strong companionship?", Mr. Yahontov asked her. "Yes we were good friends", she agreed.

"Okay", Mr. Yahontov said, scrawling something on his notepad. "How would you describe her? If I would ask you to do so", he asked her.

Natalia felt silent for a few moments. "She was the most enthusiastic and energetic one between us", Natalia painstakingly smiled. "She was always working hard. But there would be times when she would take a break. Lana helped me stay sane in this place", Natalia said, which made Mr. Yahontov raise his brows. "Research is not easy. It's very easy to lose your mind, especially when you have nothing else to think about since you are trapped with it for like forever", she reasoned. "We used to work all the time, and there were times when we used to get tired", she said, looking up at him. "Tired mentally. She was that energy and body that helped me out of my troubles always", Natalia said, her voice started to shake as she kept talking.

"What happened that night when she disappeared?", Mr. Yahontov asked her next. Natalia looked up at him and shook her head. "It's been too long. I don't remember anything clearly", she shook her head wildly.

"I want you to try", he said, encouraging Natalia to think. Natalia remained silent for a few more moments. "You won't understand", she said. "I don't understand it myself", she shook her head agitated.

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