The hospital room felt suffocating. The walls were too close, the air too thick. And all I could think about was Ethan. His absence was a constant ache in my chest, an unbearable emptiness that refused to leave. I kept asking myself: Where is he? Why can’t I find him?
Each passing hour without any news felt like a crushing weight. The doctors and nurses tried to distract me, but nothing could pull me from the black hole of fear that consumed me. It had been days since Ethan disappeared, and with each second, I felt myself slipping further and further from the world around me.
I was lying on the hospital bed, staring at the blank ceiling, my mind a jumbled mess. There was nothing but a constant hum in my ears, like the world was moving on without me. I should have been there for him. I should have known something was wrong. Why didn’t I protect him?
I hugged my knees to my chest, trying to hold on to some sense of reality, but it was slipping away. I couldn’t hear anything over the screams in my mind. Where is Ethan? The question echoed, louder and louder, until it felt like it was crushing me from the inside.
********************
The door to my room creaked open, but I didn’t look up. I barely registered when the nurse came in to check on me. She spoke to me softly, but it felt like her words were lost in the noise inside my head.
“Emma, you need to eat something,” she said gently, placing a tray on the small table beside my bed. “You haven’t eaten in days. It’ll help you feel better.”
I nodded without responding, too exhausted to argue. Eating seemed pointless when my mind was consumed by fear and uncertainty. I just wanted to know where Ethan was. I just wanted him to come home.
The nurse left after a few moments, and I was alone again.
**************
Hours passed in a haze. I tried to sleep, but every time I closed my eyes, all I could see was Ethan’s face-his smile, his laughter. And then it would fade, replaced by the terrifying image of him lost and alone somewhere. I should have been there, I thought again. I should have done something more. I’m failing him.
The thought was unbearable. I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think, couldn’t feel anything except the crushing weight of guilt. I wanted to scream, but I didn’t have the energy. I wanted to fight, to search, to find him, but every time I tried, I felt like I was sinking deeper into a dark abyss, unable to escape.
*****************
Outside the room, Harrison and Rachel had just received a call from the hospital. Harrison’s voice came through the phone, tense and filled with concern.
“Emma… it’s bad,” the nurse had said. “She’s not responding. She’s completely withdrawn.”
Rachel’s heart sank, and she immediately turned to Harrison, her face filled with worry. “We need to go to her. Now.”
They rushed to the hospital, each step more urgent than the last.
****************
By the time they arrived at the hospital, the air felt thick with tension. Harrison couldn’t shake the fear gnawing at his gut. Emma had always been strong, always the one to hold everything together. But now, the person he loved was unraveling, and there was nothing he could do to stop it.
As they entered Emma’s room, they were met with a sight that made Harrison’s stomach twist with dread. Emma was lying on the floor in the fetal position, her body trembling. Her face was pale, and her eyes were hollow-empty, like the light inside her had been snuffed out.
“Emma!” Harrison rushed to her side, kneeling down next to her. “Emma, please, talk to me.”
At first, she didn’t respond. Her eyes were unfocused, staring into nothing. But then, slowly, they shifted toward him, though it took a moment for recognition to flicker in her gaze.
“Harrison…” she whispered, her voice fragile. “Where is he? Where is Ethan? I heard him… I heard him calling. He needs me. He needs me, and I can’t get to him.”
Harrison’s heart ached as he gently lifted her from the floor, cradling her in his arms. His voice was soft but firm, trying to reach her through the haze of panic and despair. “Emma, listen to me. I’m going to find Ethan. I’m doing everything I can. You’re not alone in this. You have to hold on. For him. For us.”
Her eyes filled with tears, her body shaking with sobs. “I can’t, Harrison. I can’t do it anymore. Every time I close my eyes, I see him. I see him begging me to save him, and I can’t. I’m losing my mind. I’m failing him.”
Rachel stepped forward, her voice gentle but full of conviction. “Emma, you are not failing him. You’re not alone in this. Harrison and I-we’re going to find him. We won’t stop until he’s safe. You just need to stay strong for him, for all of us.”
Emma’s sobs grew louder, the tears streaming down her face. She was slipping further away, her thoughts tangled in confusion and grief. “I don’t know how much longer I can keep going like this,” she whispered, barely able to speak through her tears. “I just want him back. I want my son back.”
Harrison wiped the tears from her face, his heart breaking with every word she said. She was slipping further into despair, and he needed to pull her back-to keep her grounded until they could find Ethan.
“Emma,” he said gently, his voice steady despite the storm raging inside him, “I’ve found something. There’s a lead. I’m going to go and check it out. I promise you, I won’t stop until Ethan is safe. But you have to stay strong for just a little while longer. Can you do that for me?”
She looked at him, her eyes filled with fear and desperation, but somewhere beneath it, there was a flicker of hope. She nodded weakly, though doubt still clouded her features.
“I’ll be back,” Harrison promised softly, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “Stay here. Rest. Let us handle the search.”
Rachel took a seat beside Emma, giving her a reassuring smile. “We’re not going anywhere, Emma. We’re right here with you.”
****************
After ensuring Emma was as comfortable as possible, Harrison and Rachel stepped outside into the hallway. Harrison ran a hand through his hair, trying to keep his emotions in check. Seeing Emma like this-broken, helpless-was unbearable. He had to find Ethan. For her. For their family.
“We can’t waste any time,” Harrison said, his voice filled with determination. “I have to find Ethan. I need to do this for Emma.”
Rachel nodded, her face serious. “We’ll find him, Harrison. Together. We’re not giving up on him, or on Emma.”
***************
They quickly left the hospital and made their way to the estate. As they neared the building, the shadows seemed to stretch longer, as if the place itself were waiting for them. The abandoned mansion loomed before them, a dark, silent reminder of the danger they faced.
Harrison’s pulse quickened, his mind racing with possibilities. Was Ethan here? Were they getting closer to him, or was this another dead end?
They entered the estate cautiously, their footsteps echoing through the empty halls. The silence was oppressive, thick with the weight of uncertainty. They moved through the rooms, searching for any sign of life, but the place felt deserted-empty and lifeless.
After a long search, they came to the conclusion that they had hit a dead end. There was no sign of Ethan here, nothing that could point them in the right direction.
Frustration bubbled up inside Harrison. He had promised Emma he would bring Ethan back, and every step they took felt like they were getting further from that goal. But he couldn’t give up. He couldn’t let her down.
“This isn’t the place,” Rachel said quietly, her voice filled with the same frustration Harrison was feeling. “If he’s here, they’ve hidden him well.”
“I don’t care if they’ve hidden him,” Harrison said, his voice hard. “I’m not leaving until I find him. Emma needs him. I need him. We won’t stop until he’s safe.”
Rachel placed a hand on his shoulder. “We’ll find him, Harrison. We won’t stop until we do.”