The Unseen

A year. It's been a year.

A year of emptiness. An ache so heavy it touches your soul.

A year of unanswered questions.

Everyday, I see the pitying glances of the townsfolk. The posters containing my sister's face...her cheerful smile and pretty eyes.

Janice Cullman.

Have you seen this woman?

...

The weather is cold and grey. The clouds heavy with impending rain.

An empty street.

I tug on Rocky's leash as we reach the pedestrian crossing. We walk quickly along the footpath that lead up to my apartment complex.

We reach the entrance in time, just as the skies opened and poured out heavy rain.

My fingers gripped around my shopping bag as we went into the elevator.

Level 4.

The elevator dinged and the doors opened up. Standing outside was my neighbor. I manage a tight lipped smile and stepped past him.

Jerry was a nice guy. But he tended to be a bit weird sometimes.

"See you, Lilac." He called after me.

A minute later, Rocky and I stepped into my apartment. I removed his leash and he wiped his paws on the rug before going into the living room.

I locked the door and made my way into the kitchen. While putting away the groceries, my phone rang. I peeked over the Chinese takeout and saw the caller ID.

I answered and immediately I heard a roaring noise in the background. I flinched and moved the phone away from my ear.

"Ma?"

I heard my mother laugh and say something inaudible.

Dad must be mowing the lawn.

"Yeah, hello?"

I leaned against the tabletop.

"Hey. How's it going?" I replied, knowing fully that I hadn't been calling home in a while.

"Excuse me? You haven't called in two days! Are we dead to you?"

I groaned and rubbed my temples.

"Sorry, I.. I've been busy, and—"

"Listen if you need a man, Logan is willing to take you out. Don't just rot in there, get out and have some fun. Your life will be over before you know it, let someone love you."

The sharp cry of a baby cut through the line.

My heart sank. It was Ruby, Janice's 10 month old. Since Jan had disappeared, her husband had been working two jobs to take care of their three children.

My parents offered to take care of the baby. The other two, Stanley and May, were old enough to take care of themselves.

"Listen honey, I've gotta go. Please consider what I told you. Love you, bye."

"Love you too." I said to myself as the line cut off.

I glanced at my wall calendar. I had a week left for my leave. I've just been at home.

I sigh and grab my food before joining Rocky in the living room. I put some dog food into his bowl and sat down to eat. A Japanese game show was airing on TV.

As the rain poured outside, I wondered to myself.

Did my sister eat well at all, before she disappeared?

...

Logan called me the next morning, asking if he could take me out to lunch during his break.

I begrudgingly agreed. I mean, my mother probably bugged him to call me. Before I knew it, I was sat at a local restaurant, across from a handsome man in a suit.

Logan gave our orders to the waiter and I just sat there, staring out the window.

It was silent for a moment before he spoke.

"So....how you been?"

I looked into his pretty brown eyes. He scanned my face and grinned. A dimple poked out of his right cheek.

He was a fellow church member of ours back at home. Charming, kind and smart.

I didn't even know he liked me until he started asking my mother why I wasn't visiting home on Sundays anymore.

I felt my shoulders relax under his soft gaze.

"I've been...the usual. Cooped up at home with nowhere to go."

He chuckled and leaned foward in his seat. The suit material around his shoulders strained with his movement.

Did I mention he was a big man?

"Your hair is pretty. I mean, it's always pretty because you're pretty and..."

He sat back and blushed.

I couldn't help a smile.

"You've always been." He said, looking down at his hands.

He looked childlike and adorable. I relaxed a bit more as a laugh escaped my lips.

He blushed again and covered his face in his hands.

"I'm sorry, uh. I just. I didn't expect you to say yes for meeting me today. I'm just excited."

"It's alright. I need to be out of the house. I just didn't have an excuse until now."

He smiled shyly and for a split second, I considered saying yes to him.

His eyes met mine, and emotion flashed in them. He let out a breath and pursed his lips.

"Knowing, with all that has...happened. I mean...it's been a year." He said carefully.

My heart sank and I felt the tears coming on.

"I know it's not easy—"

"Honestly, Logan. At this point we'll never know what happened to her. I think about it everyday, and..."

Before I knew it, the tears had fallen. Logan reached over and gently wiped them with a napkin. I couldn't stop the tears that followed in succession.

That dull ache in my chest came back to me, the pain feeling just as raw as the day we found out Janice wasn't coming home.

Not today, not tomorrow. Not ever.

We were supposed to go together.

Together.

I felt Logan pull me into his arms, and for the first time in a long time, I broke down.

"If only she waited for me, this never would have happened."

I always told her it was dangerous to go anywhere alone. She never listened when I told her about conceal carrying . The kind of person she was, she didn't believe there was such evil in this world, that required you to take a weapon for your protection.

At least, she believed it would never reach her...

But it did.

And now, her husband is without a wife, her children without a mother. We lost her to the very thing she believed she wouldn't have to escape.

That same evil that waits...

Watching.

I sank into Logan's arms and he held me so tight, it felt like he was the only thing holding me together.

Strange, how grief makes one feel.

Dependent. Vulnerable. Open.

After what felt like a long time, he released me from his hold. I struggled to wipe my tears away, but he was patient, waiting for to collect myself. His suit was drenched where I laid my head.

"I'm sorry—"

"Hey. It's alright. Lucy? It's alright..."

His eyes bore into mine with such genuine concern, that my heart skipped a beat.

He pulled me into his arms again.

"It's alright."

Soon, we were seated across from each other again, our food laid out in front of us. He smiled gently and squeezed my hand before he prayed over our food.

We ate and shared a relaxed conversation.

I was surprised at myself for letting my guard down so easily. I wasn't usually this way with people.

Maybe it's an in-the-moment kind of thing.

I was usually the one reading the room. I could feel the slightest shift of energy, and I knew when my gut told me not to trust somebody, it was always right.

But my gut wasn't screaming at me to get away from Logan. It told me I was safe.

That he was safe.

I felt content with that.

Soon, he was driving me back to my apartment complex.

A light drizzle sifted like flour from the skies. He pulled up in front and I thanked him for lunch. He smiled at me and again there it was. My heart skipped a beat.

"We should do this more often." He mused.

I smiled right back, to my surprise.

"Yeah, we should. "

His eyes softened as he scanned my face. A light blush appeared on his cheeks.

"Lucy?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm here if you need anything."

I held his gaze, and without warning he leaned over, his arm reaching towards my side. My heart jumped to my chest and I was about to say something when I heard the click of the seatbelt.

"Take care, Lucy." He whispered, his eyes never leaving mine.

I said my goodbye and got out. The elevator doors were about to close when I heard him call me.

I saw him round the corner in a jog.

"You forgot your umbrella."

I smiled, and he passed it over in time for the doors to start closing. I managed a small smile and waved.

"Bye."

He smiled and the doors shut. I sighed and pressed 4, then looked at my watch.

2.15pm.

Surely he's late? I wonder what excuse he'd give at work.

I thought of Jan. Surely, she had always hoped Logan and I would get together. I tugged at my coat as the elevator doors opened.

Maybe, one day.