THAT DARK NIGHT

Xavier

The helicopter banked hard to the left , its rotors whipping the air into a frenzy as I scanned the dense jungle below . My eyes strained against the glare , searching for any sign of Crisel . We'd been searching for days , but the endless sea of green seemed to swallow all hope .

"Anything?" I barked at the pilot , my frustration boiling over.

"Nothing sir, " he replied

His voice tight with concern .

"These jungles are some of the densest on the planet .It's like looking for a needle in a haystack."

I slammed my fist on the console , the sound echoing through the cabin .

"We can't give up! She has to be down there somewhere."

The pilot's expression softened.

"Sir, we'll find her. We just need to—"

" keep looking ," I cut him off , my voice raw with emotion .

"We keep looking until we find her."

The helicopter swooped low over the treetops , the wind buffeting us with turbulent air .

I squinted against the glare, my heart racing with desperation. Where is she ? Was she okay ?

As the sun began to set , casting the jungle in a golden glow , I felt a sense of dread creeping in .

Another night was falling , and we still hadn't found her .

The thought of Crisel alone and scared somewhere in this unforgiving environment was unbearable .

"Let's keep going," I growled , my jaw clenched . "We can't stop now."

The pilot nodded .

His eyes locked on the horizon .

"We'll keep searching , sir. We'll find her ."

As the sun dipped below the horizon , casting the jungle in a dark , emerald hue ,the pilot's voice came over the comms system , laced with a hint of urgency .

"Sir, we're running critically low on fuel . We need to head back to base immediately or risk not making it through the night."

I gritted my teeth ,the thought of leaving Crisel behind was unbearable .

I was returning to home without crisel for 3 days

" Just a few more minutes ,"

I pleaded , scanning the ground below with desperation .

"Just a little longer."

The pilot hesitated , his voice firm but laced with concern.

"Sir, I'm telling you ,we're pushing it .We can't afford to –"

" Look!"

I shouted , pointing frantically.

"Go back ! Go back now !"

The pilot's eyes followed my finger , and he nodded , his expression grim.

"Alright, let's take a closer look ."

The helicopter banked hard , swooping over a particularly dense section of jungle .

My eyes scanned the ground , and suddenly , I saw it – a flash of color , a glint of light .

As we drew closer , I saw it clearly

The dense underbrush , the trees parted to reveal a sprawling mansion , its façade covered in vines and moss .