Secret Jewel of the Ocean

Chapter 11

I spent my night on the beach.

When the next morning came rolling on, I found myself lying in the sand beneath the dense clouds, rain drizzling and chilling right to my bones. I couldn't remember what had happened. Where was Jewel? Why was I on the beach? What went down last night?

Then it hit me; Like a ton of bricks, it hit me.

Jewel was gone. She disappeared. I had searched all night with no luck.

I had to have been dreaming...Or so I hoped with all of my heart.

Once every fact was recollected and whirling throughout my mind, I jumped up and looked around, searching for anything - anyone. There was no one on the beach yet and the sun was hidden in the darkness. Frantically, I searched for my phone, my stomach lurching. So many problems lead to so many disasters.

I didn't know what I'd tell my parents, and that was the least of my worries. They'd be furious we snuck out in the first place, but now that Jewel was gone...It was all of my fault. I never should have let her go out there in the middle of a horrible storm so late at night! What kind of friend am I?

How would I even begin to explain this to my mom and dad? Everything was such a mess. I just wanted to go home. I wanted Jewel to come back, and I wanted to go home.

When I finally found my phone, I noticed that the time is 6:14 in the morning. Considering the fact that my mom is an extremely early riser, I knew it is time to head back. And it killed me to leave Jewel out there, even for just a few minutes.

My body was numb. My eyes were swollen. My stomach was lurching. I had never felt so alone. Half of me was missing, and I couldn't even begin to express the loss I felt inside of me.

As soon as I got back to the beach house, I ran upstairs to find my mother and father still sleeping. Resting my lifeless body against the door frame of their room, I began to cry. I slid down to the floor, covered my face in my hands, and sobbed.

Suddenly, I felt a gentle touch on my shaking shoulder. "Sweetie?" my mom asked softly and bent down to my level on the floor. "What's the matter?" I couldn't face her. I couldn't face the truth. I couldn't face anything or anybody right now. I just wanted to crawl up in a bawl and stay there forever.

I tried answering my mother - I really did. But my words lost direction amongst my ongoing cries. Helplessly, I gasped for air and shook my head, desperate and tired. "What's going on?" my dad asked in a coarse voice. Once he spoke I knew that I didn't have much time before I'd have to spill the story to my parents. My dad has a way of getting me to talk, no matter what. He always has. Maybe it's the cop in him, since he is an officer in my town back at home, but I just think it's because he's my daddy and knows me too well.

I took a long, deep breath and pushed myself up from the ground, feeling woozy as ever. "I don't know how to say this..." I said, attempting to control my cries.

"What is it?" my mother asked, her skin pale and full of worry.

My father's eyes were darting in every direction possible. probably searching for Jewel. "Where is-"

"I DON'T KNOW!" I finally screamed, cutting off my father. I was bursting with anger and sadness and hopelessness - all at once. "We snuck out late last night to go to the ocean and then a storm came and Jewel wanted to swim and then the waves grew wild and before I knew it I was yelling for Jewel to come back but she didn't answer and I spent all night out on the beach searching for her and crying and...and..." My parents were frozen in shock. I took deep breaths, attempting to calm myself down and to put an end to my hysteria.

My dad stared at me. "Jewel is missing?" He asked it so simply as if Jewel wasn't a person, rather an article of clothing or a tube of lipgloss.

"YES!" I hollered. "How can you be so calm!? My best friend is missing and it's all my fault!" I fell to the floor and began to hypervenilate. I felt as though there were no tears left inside of me to cry, but somehow my eyes were still uncontrolably leaking.

My mother started panicking. She grabbed her cell phone from her purse and called the police to report the occurance, pacing back and forth while tugging at her thin, shoulder-length hair. "Honey," my dad whispered to my mother. "It has to be a full 24 hours before they can conclude that Jewel is missing."

My mother waved off my dad and walked downstairs, away from us. "I better call your grandparents," my dad told me as I layed there, motionless. "Get up. We're not going to wallow in self pitty. Jewel is missing. We're finding her."

Slowly, I lifted myself from the ground. I could barely catch my breath. I knew my eyes were puffy and red, but I didn't care. I knew my hair was a crazy mess, but I didn't care. I knew that I was completely covered in wet sand, but I didn't care. All I cared about was finding Jewel.

But I was way too afraid that there wasn't a possibility of doing so.