73: My Helper
Hayley’s POV
“I whispered with tears as a single droplet slid down my cheek.” Please go find him and make sure he is alright.
Cara squeezed my hand, reassuring me that they would do everything in their power to help. She added, “For the time being, let’s stay calm.”
Jack came back into the room, looking ready for it. A brisk little not through Cara’s leaving “I am departing and returning shortly.”
Cara warned, obviously concerned in her tone.
With Jack leaving, Cara only now turned back towards me, asking about my place of origin and how I got involved in this.
I took a breath before replying. I started softly because I was from a little place hours away. Ryan and I left for that weekend adventure with plans to do no work but expect the unexpected-just want to get out of town.”
Cara waited in silence, her eyes fixed on the air as she seemed deep in thought. She murmured contemplatively, “You would think I’d learn my lesson about how tricky this town can be, but it seems every time a surprise like this comes around, Well, as bizarre things I have experienced in my days, werewolves are a new one.
Looking into her eyes, I asked, “You really don’t even question if I still trust you?
“I do,” she said simply. I have learned to trust my intuition, and it is telling me you are being truthful. Moreover, your fear seems real to me, which is good evidence.”
This lady had no reason to believe in me or help me; nevertheless, I felt grateful to her. It was a sign of hope amid the stormy waters.
_____________
In the room, me and Cara sat in dim light while the noisy bar outside ebbed away. With her gentle inquiries, I tried my best to provide further insight into what had transpired earlier, although my thoughts frequently wandered off towards Ryan and our precarious circumstances.
“After a while, Cara inquired, ‘What brought you to this bar? Out of all the possible places, what drew you here?'”
“I need to admit, this was where I saw the light first,” I said. “I was in a hurry to find somewhere safe, and this place looked like a good bet.”
Her pride was apparent in Cara’s voice while she said with a smile, You make me so glad that you could locate assistance from us. Mostly now, it is your safety that matters the most to us.
Cara, thank you. Discovering this place put me a bit more at ease, despite the looming fear. If it weren’t for your assistance, I wouldn’t know what to do.”
“Rest well, Hayley,” she said with affection. “We’ll handle everything from this point forward.”
Resting on the shabby leather couch, I let my body sink in. Shutting my eyes tight, I concentrated on acknowledging that solitude was not what enveloped me anymore. Comrades who were eager to provide assistance surrounded me-a favor beyond imagination.
Even though doubt and anxiety captured me, I felt a flicker of optimism inside me. I then fell asleep, keeping this in mind.
“She is awake,” Cara shouted yet again, preventing me from going off into oblivion. I squinted at her while trying to shake off the mist around my head.
Jack barged into the room, an expression of worry written all over his face. “Hayley?” he hissed. The Ryans were nowhere to be found in that apartment complex you told me about.
Again, terror crept into me as raw as it could be, and my heart felt like dropping. I sat up straight and shouted suddenly, with an agonizing tone of voice, “He must be here; otherwise, he is just absent.”
Glancing at each other, Cara and Jack turned back to me with an offer of help-helping track him down. But he asked me to be honest with them about my provenance and check that I was from a small town in Tasmania, only five hours away or something.This belongs to NôvelDrama.Org.
I felt my eyes open wider in surprise. “How did you figure it out?” I mumbled, The sense of being exposed, naked, and insecure.
Jack sat in his chair in front of me and took a deep breath. He mentioned an apartment complex over yonder, a couple blocks away, and asked how I knew about it; this type of information might not be accessible to outsiders. He also alluded to the blood on our clothes, as if we were already… right??
I felt queasy nausea as my heart raced, and I struggled to answer his question. That combination has been infectious for four previous titles, but my very grudging corroboration is: “I concur. I am from there and am lying to keep them at bay.
So Cara changed her mind. “We understand you, Hayley. However, if we are going to help you, there must be full honesty from your end.” I inhaled deeply and resolved to admit it.
Ryan is my friend,” I said, a few steps ahead of you. The truth is that I was looking for someone, Aiden. It’s important that she knows our status here since we are outsiders and definitely got caught up in something bigger than ourselves. In addition, the awful werewolf had been tracking us in an attempt to find out what had happened to Aiden.”
Jack’s expression turned serious as he nodded his head in agreement. “I totally get it now. In the face of such slyness like a werewolf that destroys everything, what else is there to your family?
My legs shook as I inquired, “Will you help me find Aiden?”
Well,” Jack pronounced with determination, “but we need a plan, node type, or workflow. Is it the same as going back out there without one being a suicide?
“I can help,” Cara offered. Some folks in town might have seen Aiden or know something about the werewolf. On second thoughts, you go lie down… Stay here. That is no good if you are going to be tired of discovering him.
Though I was not surprised that his dating skills did not extend beyond food stamps, it was with a mixture of relief and frustration when I nodded. I mean, thank you for trying and all, but anything that makes me lose him would break me.
Cara said, unerringly confident about the matter. We will go all out to help you.
Jack put a reassuring hand on my shoulder as he said, “Let’s start by canvassing the areas where you and Aiden might have been. Any advice on what to do?
I paused and thought, “We went through the archives in the library, and we looked at all those derelict buildings downtown. Aiden could have gone back to any of those places.
Jack nodded. “Ok, fine-tuning works. Cara will remain behind with you while I take some regulars to help in the search.
Cara took a seat beside me, her familiar presence making my nerves company as Jack left to gather his men. Hayley, you are not in this by yourself, she assured. “We’ll locate him.”
I whispered thanks, and a tiny light of possibility appeared in the fearful night. I would have responded that way if it had not been for you two.
Cara softly said, “You and I will get through this together. Hold on tight.”.
I was exhausted and lay there again. I squeezed my eyes closed, clutching Cara’s words to me as though the odd sanctuary in the darkness would lead us back together and stop our hunted wandering.