Whispers In The Wind

Chapter 20

As soon the sun rise, Jillian and her husband Michael went on house to house. They questioned every parents of Latacia's friends while calling her daughter. Her heart won't stop beating so fast. Her maternal instinct is telling her that her daughter is in danger, and she's certain about it.

None of her friends' parents heard from them, not even an update on their social media since the day they left. Their parents may be acting relaxed, but in truth, they are also worried about their daughters. No one more than Mrs. Valdez.

"I told you, we have to find our daughter! There's something wrong! Now, do you believe me?" Mrs. Valdez said to her husband. Jillian and Michael are in the living room with them, she can't stop dialing Latacia's number.

"It was just a bad dream, honey. Fine, let's go to the police. What are we going to tell them? That Mrs. Lance had a bad dream so they should search for our children? Or that you don't feel good and it means something bad is happening to them?" Her husband replied. He's starting to get frustrated that his wife is making like he doesn't care about their daughter.

"Dad, I think mom's right. None of them has posted anything in their social media accounts. If they're really having a good time, they should have been posting pictures nonstop." Samantha, their older daughter intervened.

"Romulus, please. Let's just at least go to the police. They never told us where they would go. Aren't you at least a bit worried?" Michael asked in a pleading tone.

"Of course, I am worried. That's my baby girl we're talking about! What do you want to do? Be illogical and shame my daughter in front of her friends when we found out that they are all fine and they just simply don't have signal?" He responded angrily.

"And what would do if I am right, and it's already too late for us to save our children?" Jillian then said. The look of centertainty in her eyes cannot be hidden by the tears that will not stop falling from her eyes.

"Please, Romulus. I can't sleep, I can't eat, I don't know what to do anymore." His wife begged.

"We will pay for the private investigator to help us find them." Mr. Martin said after coming into the living room unannounced. "We saw the front door open, so we came in. We want to know if our daughter is safe too. We know that the police will not really do anything unless our daughters would contact us asking for help, or there's an actual threat of danger. That's why we're willing to handle the cost of a private investigator."

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Keisha and her group has been walking nonstop, searching for Gaia and Sierra. It's already eight in the morning, and they haven't slept at all. Keisha noticed that among her companions, Only Fiona and her looked tired. The rest of them looked like they don't even care that they've been walking for hours, but everything around them still looks the same.

"Wait! Stop! I can't walk anymore. Besides, I think we're lost. We've been circling this same spot for hours. Let's just sit here first and rest." Fiona exclaimed with both her hands raised as if surrendering.

Her friends stopped and simply looked at her except Keisha. She's looking at their surrounding as if she's trying to see if there's anyone following them. Fiona kept her mouth shut, but she's observing. And the one thing she noticed is that Keisha was restless the entire time. A moment later, they all heard a scream.

"Gaia? Gaia!"

Keisha didn't waste any minute and run, following the direction where the scream came from. Not having another choice, Fiona and their friends followed Keisha shortly after. They heard the scream one more time, and thought Gaia and Sierra are in grave danger.

"Where the hell are they?" Keisha exclaimed when she stopped running. They've a run a good distance and judging by the clarity of the scream, it was not that far away.

They can't find Gaia and Sierra, and they don't know where they are anymore. Keisha began to cry out of frustration and exhaustion. They have no idea what's happening to their them or to their other friends. Then the ground started shaking. At first, they thought it was an earthquake, until the very soil they're standing in got swallowed by the ground. The noise of rocks caving in covered the sound of their scream as they fall under.

"Aw!" Kristine and Dianne groaned in unison.

"Is everyone okay?" Keisha asked. Concerned for her friends' safety.

"Yeah, fine." Fiona responded weakly.

"Latacia's not moving, guys!" Lina screamed. Fear is imminent in her voice.

"Latacia! Oh, my God!" Keisha exclaimed when she saw Latacia's bleeding forehead. She's motionless and unconscious.

"She's not moving. Oh, my God!" Lina said hysterically.

'"What are we going to do?" Fiona asked, scared for their friend's life.

Keisha doesn't know how to answer Fiona's question. She doesn't know the first thing about applying first aid. Her tears fall from her uncontrollably, as fear and panic finally swallow her whole. Latacia is badly hurt, and they don't know how they can get out of that dark place.

"Wait, can you hear that? Sounds like water dripping, right? It's not that far from here." Dianne said. She sounded normal right now. "We have to check it out."

"We can't leave Latacia alone here." Keisha said.

"But, we have to get out of here too. We can't save Latacia if we will die here of starvation." Kristine said, agreeing with Dianne.

"They're right, Kei. We need to get back to our friends so we can get help for Latacia. We can't help her here." Fiona also agreed with them.

Keisha stared at Latacia's still body. She tried to check for her pulse, and realized that it's already too weak. They can't leave her alone. Something bad might happened to her.

"I'll stay with her. You guys go ahead and try to find the way back to our friends." She finally said.

"Actually, guys, no one is leaving this place." Even Keisha scampered away from Latacia when she spoke up out of nowhere. When she turned to look at her, she's already standing up like nothing happened to her.