LOST HIM, FOUND YOU

THE SEARCH

CHAPTER 6

Zara was still struggling to breathe properly.

Her chest rose and fell unevenly, as though her body couldn’t accept what her mind had already understood.

Caleb Collins was missing.

The words kept echoing inside her head, louder each time she tried to push them away.

Missing… Caleb is missing…

Her fingers trembled slightly as Ella held her tightly, guiding her away from the crowded hallway and into a quieter room. Zara didn’t resist. She couldn’t even think clearly enough to resist anything.

Her legs felt weak, almost useless, like they didn’t belong to her anymore.

Ella gently helped her sit on the bed.

“Stay with me,” Ella said softly. “Just breathe, Zara.”

But breathing was the hardest thing in the world at that moment.

Zara’s eyes stayed open, but they weren’t really seeing anything. The ceiling above her blurred into nothingness. All she could see was her brother’s face—Caleb’s voice, his laugh, the way he always annoyed her when she was angry.

And now… he was gone.

⸻

Thirty minutes passed.

The room was quiet except for the occasional sound of Zara’s uneven breathing. Slowly, her body began to calm, but her mind didn’t.

She sat up slightly, then stopped moving completely.

It was as though she was afraid that if she moved too much, reality would become even worse.

Ella stayed beside her, not speaking much, just being there.

But Zara wasn’t really with her.

She was somewhere else entirely.

A place filled with fear, silence, and unanswered questions.

What if something happened to him?

What if I never see him again?

Her nails pressed gently into her palm without her noticing.

⸻

Then the announcement came.

The school needed volunteers.

A group was being formed to help search for Caleb.

Most students hesitated. Some whispered. Others looked away. No one wanted to be involved in something that already felt dangerous and uncertain.

The atmosphere in the room changed instantly. Fear spread quietly, like smoke.

But Ella didn’t hesitate.

She turned immediately to Zara.

“I’m going,” she said.

Zara finally blinked, as though waking up from a long, heavy silence.

Then she stood up.

“I’m going too.”

There was no doubt in her voice. No hesitation.

Only urgency.

She quickly changed her clothes, her movements sharp and rushed. Her hands shook slightly as she pulled on her jacket, but she ignored it.

She grabbed nothing else.

She didn’t need anything else.

Caleb was the only thing that mattered.

⸻

She rushed downstairs.

Ella followed closely behind her, trying to keep up.

The building outside felt colder than before. The air was heavier. Even the students gathered around looked tense, uncertain of what they were stepping into.

Zara didn’t care.

She moved straight toward the meeting point.

⸻

When she arrived, Ethan was already there.

Standing beside the head teacher.

Talking.

Planning.

Thinking.

Zara saw him, but her expression didn’t change. She didn’t stop walking. She didn’t acknowledge him.

At that moment, Ethan was just another person in the room.

Nothing more.

Nothing less.

All that existed in her world was Caleb.

⸻

The head teacher spoke first.

“We believe Caleb is still inside the park,” he said firmly. “Security has confirmed that no one matching his description has left the premises.”

That brought no comfort.

Only pressure.

A tight, suffocating pressure in Zara’s chest.

Because “still inside” didn’t mean safe.

It only meant lost somewhere closer than expected.

⸻

Then the discussion continued.

They talked about routes, checkpoints, and security limits.

But Zara barely listened.

Her mind kept replaying everything.

Then something surfaced.

A memory.

The night before Caleb went missing.

She remembered seeing someone.

Daniel.

It was brief. Unclear. Dark.

But he was there.

She hesitated before speaking.

“I… I saw someone last night,” Zara said slowly.

Everyone turned slightly toward her.

“A man. Daniel.”

The name hung in the air.

She continued, “I’m not sure it was him… it was dark. But I saw someone near the park.”

There was a short silence.

The head teacher nodded slowly, but it didn’t feel urgent to him. “Daniel is not a student here. This is a public park. Anyone can be around at night.”

And just like that, the moment lost weight in their eyes.

But not in Zara’s.

⸻

Then Ethan spoke.

His voice was calm, controlled.

He explained what he had seen the night Caleb disappeared. Every detail he could remember. Every movement. Every direction.

Zara listened for only a few seconds before something inside her snapped.

“You left him alone,” she said sharply.

Ethan paused.

Her voice rose.

“If you hadn’t left him, he wouldn’t be missing right now!”

The words came out like fire.

Ella immediately stepped closer, sensing the shift in Zara’s emotions. The head teacher frowned.

Ethan, however, didn’t react the way she expected.

He stayed calm.

Too calm.

“That’s not what happened,” he said quietly.

But that only made Zara angrier.

She stepped forward again, her voice louder now. “Don’t you dare try to explain this away!”

The tension rose instantly.

Ella quickly grabbed her arm. The head teacher raised his hand.

“Enough,” he said firmly. “Right now, we are focusing on finding Caleb, not blaming each other.”

But Zara wasn’t hearing it.

Her emotions were too loud inside her head.

Too heavy.

Too painful.

She tried to pull away again, but Ella held her firmly.

⸻

After a few seconds, things calmed slightly.

But the damage was already done.

The group moved toward the security personnel next.

The plan was simple.

Zara would describe Daniel.

Ethan would describe Caleb and the man he saw him with.

It should have been easy.

It wasn’t.

⸻

Zara spoke first.

She described Daniel carefully, forcing herself to focus.

Tall. Dark clothing. Unclear face. Night visibility low.

But when Ethan tried to speak, Zara interrupted.

“Wait—no, that’s not right.”

Ethan stopped.

He tried again.

But she cut him off again.

“No, that’s not how it happened.”

Again and again.

Her voice grew sharper each time.

Frustration built in the room.

The security personnel began to look irritated.

“Miss, please let him speak,” one of them said firmly.

But Zara didn’t stop.

Her fear was louder than reason.

Her anger was louder than logic.

And her desperation was louder than everything.

“Just listen to me!” she snapped.

The room went silent for a moment.

Then the security officer raised his voice slightly.

“Enough.”

The word cut through the air.

Zara froze for a second.

But only for a second.

Then she exhaled sharply, anger still burning in her eyes.

Ella quickly stepped in before it escalated further.

And Ethan quietly apologized to the security team, ensuring they still got the information they needed.

Once it was over, Ella gently pulled Zara away from the group.

They walked for a few minutes in silence.

Only the sound of footsteps filled the space between them.

Then Ella finally spoke.

“You can’t keep doing this,” she said softly,

Zara didn’t respond.

Ella continued, “I understand you’re scared. I understand you’re angry. But you have to work with Ethan if you want to find Caleb.”

Zara’s jaw tightened.

Ella stopped walking and faced her.

“And remember,” she added, “Caleb was the only real friend Ethan had here.”

That statement lingered.

Zara didn’t answer immediately.

For the first time, her anger didn’t respond instantly.

Something else was there now.

Conflict.

Uncertainty.

⸻

After a moment, they walked back.

Ella apologized to Ethan for Zara’s behavior.

The air between them was still tense, but quieter now.

Zara finally spoke again.

Her voice was lower this time.

“I’ll try… to cooperate.”

It wasn’t perfect.

It wasn’t warm.

But it was a beginning

And in that moment, the search for Caleb truly started.