Beyond the Flashing Lights

Chapter 26

12 hours- 11:30pm
Kami POV

"Kami ready or not here I come!" I hear Bethany's voice. "Aha! Gotcha!" We both laugh I always pick the worst hiding spot. "Girls it's time to come in and eat!" I hear Bethany's mom call us inside to eat... As soon as we get inside the smell of homemade apple pie fills our noses.
"Thank you Mrs. ...Michaels? Wait...You aren't Mrs. Michaels. Beth who is this lady?" Beth is giggling "sweetie it's me, Lily, what's gotten into you?"

What the fuck? My head hurts. My body aches and I think my mind is playing tricks on me. It's so dark and quiet. I need to stay awake. I have to focus.

What's the last thing you remember Kami? Focus. Stay awake. Staaaaay..awake....

12 Hours -11:30pm
Adam POV

"The fucking gallery is empty! She went there 12 hours ago and no one has heard from her." I'm pacing the room. I've been dealing with these fucking officers for 3 hours now.

The officer is in Kami and Becca's living room. "We can not report her missing until she's been gone for 24 hours. There was nothing at the gallery that suspected foul play. She could of just ran into some friends for all we know."

"Are you fucking kidding me. That isn't like her she wouldn't do that without letting me know. Something is wrong!" I yell in the officers face and it's taking everything in me not to snap.

"Sir, you need to calm down and stay here in case she comes home. We will let you know if we hear anything. We've let our on duty officers know to keep an eye out." The officer stands to walk toward the door.

"Thats not good enough." I say under my breath. The weight of the last several hours is starting to suffocate me. I sit on the couch with my face in my palms and begin to sob.

"Oh sweetie..." I look up to see... my mother rubbing my shoulder. I wipe some of the tears from my cheeks.

"Mom... what are you.." I look behind her and see Izzy standing in the doorway with... my father.

Izzy runs in with her own tears streaming down her face and wraps her arms around me. "Adam, I'm so sorry. I should have told you everything before and maybe this.."

I stop her right there. "Don't. Don't you dare. This and nothing that has happened is your fault." I pull back to look at my baby sister. "Do you hear me? It isn't your fault." She nods her head as I wipe the tears from her face.

I see my father walk toward me with his head held down and his hands stuffed in his pockets. In this very moment, I see the resemblance in the two of us.

He clears his throat. "Son, I'm s..so... I'm sorry. For a lot of things... I'm so sorry." He pats my back as his southern accent cracks. And it sets in again how serious this situation is.

Becca walks into the room. She looks terrible. Her hair is a mess her eyes are red and puffy. I hug her as she sobs in my shoulder for the girl we both love so much. "I still can't get ahold of her dad. I don't know what else to do. Jason is trying to get a flight back home but he's having trouble at the airport." She wipes her tears as I introduce her to my family. Immediately her and Izzy find comfort in each other.

16 hours- 3:30am
For the last 4 hours we take turns going out on the streets in groups to look for her. We've all come in to get some food and drinks when we hear a knock on the door.

My heart sinks.

I take a deep breath and open the door for my eyes to fall on the last person I ever expected to see. Amanda Peterson.