Blazing with Fire

Chapter 26: Isabelle's Disappearance

Chapter 26: Isabelle's Disappearance 

Martha never looked so confused under Luna’s presence. “Huh?” she asked with her right eye brow rising.

“You said we’ll visit Aaron today?” Luna said quickly not hesitating at all.

Martha stared again and came t her senses. “Oh yes,” she remembered all of a sudden. “I think we’ll postpone that until tomorrow, I just remembered I’m busy for today.”

Luna nodded and exited the room and passed by Nel who was watching her every move.

“Nel,” Bobby called out.

“Yes?”

“Close the doors on your way out will you,” he ordered and Nel just obeyed.

Luna walked away from the room, away from Nel but he easily caught up in a heartbeat. “You shouldn’t be eavesdropping like that you know,” for the first time, Nel looked very intimidating; his eyes peered through her soul, looking over Pele.

“I wasn’t eavesdropping,” Luna defended. “I was merely there when they were talking.”

Nel was unimpressed. “Don’t do that again, its official business and you shouldn’t be messing around,” he walked off with such temper.

Luna was definitely intrigued, something was definitely on. She looked back at Bobby’s office, it was shut tight and the hardwood made it harder to listen to the conversation happening inside. Luna decided to leave it alone, there was no sense and she looked like a weirdo pressing her ears on the doors.

Training felt really empty, there was nobody insulting somebody. It was just quiet except for the gunshots that broke the silence. Jessica wasn’t in it either, she threw daggers on cardboard cutouts of a human figure but barely hit the critical points. Usually she was best with dagger throwing but today she was very off.

Hugh and Charlie sweat it out in one of three boxing arenas, switching out punches to each other but the absence of Isabelle really did have an effect on all of them but nobody was yet to admit it.

Four hours into training and Isabelle didn’t show up. Everybody started making assumptions but nobody really knows the correct answer until Martha showed up in their table dressed in radiant white silk dress and black fur scarf. Everyday looked like a party to her.

“Kids,” she addressed them awkwardly and it showed in her facial expression. “I’m happy to tell you that Isabelle took a vacation leave and will be back indefinitely.”

“Indefinitely?” Luna asked.

“Yes, Bobby did get a hold of her locations but she disagreed to go back until she cleared up her mind, so indefinitely.” Martha cleanly stated, almost scripted.

“Where did she tell she was going?” Charlie asked this time.

Martha stopped and was obviously thinking. “Well Bobby never did disclose it so even I don’t know about that. You could talk to him directly about your queries but for now I need to go. Ciao.” She said and walked away with two guards that followed her out of the canteen.

“Indefinitely.” Luna snorted out as she added a decent amount of hot sauce to her pizza slice.

“Weird,” Jessica said. “Usually her shoes went with her dress but that was just an awful match. And that fur, what era is it? Victorian?” She commented after noticing her silver stilettos was underwhelming.

 “I’m sure she’ll turn up,” Hugh said, he’s like the least person to care for Isabelle disappearance.

“Probably,” Charlie said and continued eating.

The four of them ate in silence. Life went on the Company even without Isabelle. After lunch, everyone was free except for Charlie who only took a two hour nap and resumed his work. But before going to work he went first on Luna’s room who was busy playing with Lonato, her pet salamander.

Lonato grew by a few millimeters but he was still the adorable salamander Luna had befriended but he also grew shy, disappearing after Charlie walked in the room.

“Hope I didn’t scare the guy,” Charlie came in and sat on the bed together with Luna. “Still worried about her?”

Luna sat next to Charlie and rested her head over Charlie’s shoulder which felt really nice, she dreamt of resting her head on somebody’s head after seeing it in posters and some movies, but she never knew how it felt so great. So perfect, but it became more intimate once Charlie took Luna’s arms and held it, it was warm and firm, it made Luna’s heart beat so fast that she felt excited, just excited and motivated.

“Yeah, I’ve only known her for a few days but she’s a friend now and I don’t think that she’s on vacation.” Luna said but part of her didn’t care that moment. She was feeling lightly near Charlie, something about him that makes her heart beat so fast. “How long until you go to work?”

Charlie inspected his watch was sterling silver with brown leather. “About three minutes.”

That was probably Luna’s longest three minute of silence. It didn’t feel weird, it just felt right that nobody moved nor speak.

“I need to go,” Charlie said after extending his time by two minutes. Luna didn’t let go until the very inch that he was out of the door.

“See you later,” she said and closed the door.

There was nothing to do in the Company. Jessica and Hugh went outside the Company, Luna was invited but she declined, she wanted to explore but more importantly, she wanted to know where the twins were. Their rooms were empty and nobody knew where they were, the only person who knew was Nel, and he was nowhere to be found.

Luna decided to call it a day, it was only five AM but she felt really sleepy already. She lay on her bed and for the first time, she was completely alone on a room. She didn’t feel scared just alone.