ARIA
After searching high and low with no sign of Erin, the sinking feeling in my stomach grew heavier. The sky painted itself in shades of orange and purple as evening crept upon us, whispering that it was time to retreat. As much as we dreaded it, Alex and I knew we had another difficult task ahead - facing Ivy without her mother.
Walking back to where we started felt like admitting defeat. The silence between us was filled with unsaid worries and fears. “We should check on Ivy,” I finally broke the silence, my voice sounding more composed than I felt.
Alex nodded, his face drawn with concern. “Yeah, she must be wondering about Erin.”
The air grew cooler as we made our way to Ivy’s room, the hallway stretching out like the day's long shadows. My heart pounded, not ready for the innoc
