Mila's Hunt

Chapter Two

I knocked off work late today, around 9pm. Luckily I only live a couple of blocks away from the Stu's Diner, so it never takes long to get home. As I go to cross the road, there's a loud bang as the door to Marco's swings open and hits the wall. A group emerge from the bar, singing loudly and stumbling down the steps. They had their arms around each other as they meandered down the street. As they passed me, two things stood out. Their pale white skin and ragged appearance; and a girl named Jenna, a couple years older than me who I knew through working at the diner, wrapped in the arms of one of the males.

Although i didn't recognise them immediately, there was something familiar about the group. A flicker of unease shivered up my spine. Without stopping to think, I stepped in front of the group.

"Jenna, hi, how are you?"

The group came to a stumbling halt, and I noticed that while Jenna was clearly drunk, her companions did not seem as affected as she was. Jenna looked up and squinted at me, clearly having trouble recognising me.

"I'm ... I'm sorry, do I... do I know you... at all?"

"Jenna, it's Mila. We work together at the diner. Are you ok?"

Jenna frowned again and glanced to the guy holding her up.

"Do I know you too?"

The guy laughed and his friends joined in.

"Of course you know me, we've been seeing each other for a couple of weeks now. You ask me this everytime we drink. You'd think I'd be used to it by now!"
This last part was directed to me, but I didn't comment. I look closely at Jenna and asked her again.

"Jenna, are you alright?"

Jenna smiled suddenly and laughed along with the crowd.

"Yes Mila, I'm fine. Just a bit tipsy I guess! My friends will help me home now."

I frowned slightly. Somehow her answer didn't convince me.

"Are you sure Jenna? I don't mind taking you home."

"She said she's fine!"
A second guy stepped forward, glaring at me as he stood in front of Jenna.

"Ok, I was just asking."

I leaned around the second guy to see Jenna and tried to catch her attention again.

"See you tomorrow Jen!"

The crowd pushed past me, sheltering Jenna in the middle of them, so I couldn't even see if she heard me. She didn't seem upset though, and as the walked around the corner I could hear them start laughing and singing loudly again. She must be alright.

I shrugged and kept walking home.

By the time I got home, only Mum was still up. It seemed Michael had had one too many already and had fallen asleep snoring in the couch. Mum was enjoying the peace and watching re-runs of Friends. I snuggled up next to her like I used to as a kid. She absent-mindedly wrapped her arm around me and waited until the ads came on before turning and smiling at me.

"How was work, kitten?"

"It was ok, I guess. But I saw something odd as I was leaving. One of the girls from work, Jenna, she was leaving Marco's with a group of people I didn't recognise and she seemed really out of it. When I asked her if she was ok, she didn't even recognise me. Then the guy she was with said she was fine and they were taking her home, but it just didn't seem right."

Mum sighed and turned back to the television.

"Sometimes its best to stay out of things Mila. I'm sure this girl will be fine. Her friends said they were taking her home anyway."

I looked at Mum, shocked she could be so blase.

"But Mum, they could have..."

Before I can finish, Mum pulls her arm from around my shoulder and sits up.

"Mila, that's enough. Stop speculating about things you don't know about."

The ads finished and she went back to watching her show, but I sat there staring at the screen blankly. How could she not care? What if it had been me in Jenna's shoes? Would she be worried then?

I got up, grabbed a bottle of water and went to my room. Maybe I was just the victim of an overactive imagination or something. I settled in my bed, switched on my bedside lamp and began reading The Shining. Maybe if I lost myself in Danny, Jack and Wendy's world, mine wouldn't seem so complicated.