If It's With You

Nicklaus

Muna was standing in front of the elevator, visibly trembling and scared. She was biting on her nails like she always did each time she was nervous.

She glanced behind her with fear guiding her movement, and when the elevator door clicked open, her feet lingered in front of it as if she was going to change her mind.

But then, she moved right in.

Her finger lingered before it jammed on one of the buttons and while the elevator moved downhill, something in her phone caught her attention. It must be one of the texts from Carl on the day she was kidnapped.

It could also be mine which she wasn’t able to reply to. When she got to the parking lot, she headed to a Toyota car. The same car Neo hadn’t found any reasonable information on.

I was beginning to think that he knew nothing about his job. How was he the best, if he hadn’t been able to find out where Carl was keeping Muna?

She was two steps away from the car when the parking lot lights went off, followed by a squeal from her before she disappeared in the dark.

The video which was playing on my phone screen came to an end, leaving only the pain weighing on my heart and the blame congesting my chest. I was supposed to protect her from things like this, but I didn’t and that got me feeling like shit.

It had now been two days since Muna disappeared, and I had been a mess ever since.

Just like Neo, the police hadn’t found much information, and the only thing I had to hold on to was the video. A video I had watched a millionth time in search of even the tiniest clue, but I still wasn’t able to figure anything out.

The police had arrested Allison, and my father was taking care of it just like he said. After I tracked Muna’s phone to the parking lot where she dropped it on the day she was kidnapped. I figured the text supposedly sent by Allison to me, was actually sent by Carl. It was the same number.

Carl had manipulated Allison into being his accomplish, and that got me fucked up because how on earth were we not able to get a hold of him yet?

I hadn’t slept in two fucking days, I hadn’t been to work, and Muna’s disappearance had affected every one of us.

Her mom and best friend, who had been here since the day after she was kidnapped, hadn’t been having it easy either.

I couldn’t bear to watch her mom in pain, she had been crying non-stop. And even though I had assured her she would be found, I was just as miserable as she was. If not worse.

Today was me coming home to my apartment ever since she went missing, I had been out there trying to figure out what the hell happened to Muna. It felt like I was losing my mind. Everything happened so quickly. I had felt every degree of pain, loss, fear and anger. Right now, I was empty, numb and lost.

I lost myself ever since I lost her.

We had to find her. We had to or I wouldn’t have the will to live anymore. I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself for not protecting her.

I needed a clue. Just anything, and thinking about that, I clicked on the video again. But this time, Julia leaned across the kitchen island and snatched my phone away from me.

“You have to stop watching that,” she said, slipping my phone into her pants pocket.

“Give that back,” I warned.

After she and Andrew had endlessly texted asking if I was okay, I sent a text to Andrew when I returned. And hours later they barged into my apartment and didn’t want to leave ever since.