Michelle

Chapter Seventeen: Lost In The Dark

(REVISED VERSION)

🥀

KEVIN was restless, pacing back and forth in the living room while Nathan sat on the sofa, arms crossed. Kevin stopped abruptly and turned to Nathan, his eyebrows knitted in concern.

"Do you think Clyde can help us?" he asked, his voice tight.

Nathan shrugged. "I don't know, but we don't have many options. We have to trust him."

The silence in the room was deafening as they both pondered their situation. Suddenly, a knock on the door interrupted their thoughts. Nathan stood up and opened the door to reveal the detective, standing on their porch.

As they welcomed Clyde into their home, he took a glance at their worried faces and chuckled. "I know that look," he said, taking out his phone. "Can I have her number, please?"

Kevin nodded and handed him Michelle's number. Clyde dialed the number and turned on the loudspeaker, and suddenly, they heard her ringtone coming from her bedroom.

Without wasting any more time, they rushed inside her room, searching for the source of the sound. Kevin's eyes landed on the messy bed, and he approached it, groping the blanket. His eyes widened when he touched something.

"I found it!" he exclaimed.

They all turned to him and walked over. Clyde ended the call and took the phone from Kevin, scrolling through it for any clues about Michelle's disappearance. He eventually landed in her message inbox.

"Well?" Kevin asked, his voice shaking with emotion.

Clyde cleared his throat. "Based on the last message here, Nathan asked her to meet up at the nearby park. Sent at exactly eight in the evening."

Kevin turned to Nathan, his eyebrow raised in suspicion. "What's this, Nathan?"

Nathan shrugged. "I don't know. I never planned to meet her at the park. I could just come here."

Clyde nodded. "And he also said that his phone was broken, so..."

Nathan took out his phone from his pocket and showed them. "It's my old cellphone. I've been using it for two years."

The detective chuckled. "No need to prove anything, Nathan." He started calling the number.

After about ten rings, the person on the other end answered.

Meanwhile, Michelle stumbled through the deserted streets towards an abandoned gas station. Zach's phone rang, and she frantically answered it, hoping it was her brother.

"Hello? Kevin is this you?!" Her voice trembled as she struggled to hold back tears. "Oh God, please help me... I'm in front of an abandoned gas station, and I don't know where I am."

Her eyes darted around, scanning the area for any sign of Zach. "The whole place is deserted, and I don't see anyone around. Just..." Her words trailed off as she saw headlights in the distance. Her heart sank as she recognized the car - it was Zach's.