Lemuria: The City of Mysts

Chapter 7: Lost

In the end, she got her way. Sheila had cleaned the wound and covered it with clean gauze. All the while, Victoria shook like a leaf despite the blanket wrapped around her.

“There. All done.” She perched on the bed beside Victoria, who burst into tears. Sheila hugged her best friend, moving her hand in circles on her back.

“I…” Victoria had said something but it was too garbled for her to understand.

“What?”

“I – I think – I – k-killed someone.”

****

“Fred! Fred!”

Fred looked for the source of the voice. Louis was running towards him, his expression frantic. “I can’t find her”, Louis said, catching his breath. Sweat trickled from his forehead.

“Who?” Fred frowned. Victoria hadn’t attended the first day of exam week. Everyone was surprised that she was absent. But he had a bad feeling it wasn’t her Louis was referring to.

“She was there yesterday. She was better – wanted to go to the market. Told her I’d come – she said no and said she was fine – promised even she won’t stay long. She’s not back…” Tears streamed down Louis’ face. Fred sensed people were staring and brought the boy up to his room. Three guys on the bed looked from the board game they were paying to the new arrivals.

“Why are we here?” Louis demanded, desperation creeping in his voice. “There’s no time! We have to find my sister.”

He wanted more than anything to do just as the boy said but he had to be sure.

“I know.” Fred crouched to meet Louis at eye level and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Louis, has this happened before?”

“No – yes. This is different. She promised, Fred. She promised. Father’s not here”, the boy whimpered. “I tried calling him. I keep getting his voicemail. Please you’re my only chance.”

“We’ll help”, Paolo said. The other two nodded. They had sensed there was a problem when Fred entered with Mr. Roucan’s son in tow.

They split in two groups. Paolo and the gang would search the places Electra visited outside school while Fred and Louis combed the forest.

Three excruciating hours had passed, anxiety and panic rose steadily within Fred. Every time it reared its ugly head, he shoved it aside repeatedly. The forest was eerily quiet the minute they had stepped through the entrance. The animals barely acknowledged them. The ones who did were clearly upset. Their Lady was gone. They could not sense her.

The last one Fred approached was the deer Strago, who seemed to know more about the situation. He found the animal staring at a dead tree in the heart of the forest. Its reticence made Fred more persistent in his questions.

It relented after extracting a promise from the human not to share what he knew with Louis, who had stayed behind at Electra’s house after some persuasion.

 The answer was the same. However, there were only two reasons for it to happen: either she was mortally injured or dead.

“No. It can’t be.” He shook his head. “There has to be another explanation.”

“There is none.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“We have always known. We have felt our Lady’s presence ever since she was conceived. We would know…”

Fred raked his hair.  “I can’t go back to her brother and tell him—”

“You will do no such thing.”

“I can’t just sit here and let him suffer in ignorance.”

“You gave your word and you will keep it”, the deer said sternly. “There is still hope. She must be found. Return to the surface with her brother. We will send for you if she comes back.”

On the way to the house, his eyes blurred. Wetness trickled down his cheek. He wiped it away, wondering at it. Fred barely knew her. How could one girl make him feel like his whole world was about to end? At the back of his mind, Fred knew the answer. He didn’t want to admit it because it would make everything worse. He pushed it aside the way he had done to the panic he had felt.

Fred took Louis back to the surface and kept his promise. Paolo and the others met them at the tunnel’s opening. From their expressions, they hadn’t succeeded in locating Electra.

Louis sobbed.

“Hey”, Fred squatted down. “She’s still out there. We’ll keep looking. Right, guys?”

His friends agreed despite the doubt shadowing their faces. As children of wealthy and influential people, they knew what money and power can do and how quickly it can all be taken from you. They couldn’t act without exposing Mr. Roucan’s secret. The press would have a field day if that happens. Louis, Victoria and Electra would suffer the most.

A cough sounded behind Fred. James stepped forward. “I used my contact outside. I gave him Victoria’s picture to pass off as Electra. He’s inquiring in the hospitals as we speak.”

“Isn’t that risky?” Paolo interjected.

“He’s very discreet and efficient.”

“Are you sure he can be trusted?” Fred asked.

“I’ve used him before.”

“See,” – Fred turned to Louis – “everything’s going to be alright.”

Fred allowed himself a sliver of hope. He would try to be optimistic for the boy.

“He’ll find her”, James reassured.

“Thank you”, Louis murmured, wiping his eyes.

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A/N: Sorry for the long wait. It took me ages to type it because of personal commitments I had to do.

Poor Victoria. Has she really killed someone?

Hmm. Would you rely on a deer or trust a hired person to locate a missing person? Comments please. :)