Mason was slumped on his seat. The English professor was speaking since an hour, but nothing was getting inside his head. He was just staring at the middle-aged woman who was going on and on abouy someone from the Victorian era; the woman was extremely exicted about the lesson she was delivering.
Mason hid behind one of his classmate as he tried to make himself invisible. He had no concentration, how much hard he tried. Classes were become a burden for him nowadays. His last semester was important, but he couldn't bring himself to pay any importance to it.
His mind was filled with, worries, concerns and fear. He was worried about his family, concerned about those families who have lost their daughters; their innocent and young daughters who were ruined by a crazy, maniac. His worst fear was Lily. How is she? Was she alive? Was she already dead?
He could imagine the pain she must be going through. Mason rubbed his head slowly and waited for the stupid woman to finish with her lecture.
Mentally and physically exhausted, he just stared in to space. He was fruit of his mother's hard work, her sacrifices, her troubles, and he knew he had to build up his future. A strong future. For Prim, for his mom, for Lily...
The mere thought of Lily brought fear in his mind and heart.
Where was she?
When you lose someone you have given a special place in your life, you lose yourself too. Lily, for Mason was very important. He loved both his sisters equally but Lily was special for him. They had grown up together, and did everything together, and the fact that he was not there for her when she needed him the most, was eating him alive.
Every night, since the last two weeks he was having nightmare. Nightmares about Lily. About Prim. About finding their mutilated bodies in the city dumpster. Every night he would wake up, sweating and trembling and would rush to his youngest sister's room and check if she was fine or not. Paranoia had deeply instilled itself into him. He would reluctantly let Prim go school.
He had been visiting the police station each morning and evening, since the last two weeks, but there was no clue about his sister. He himself was trying his best to find out anything about this unknown figure, but it seemed that this man; whoever he was, was way too smart and evil to leave any trail behind him. He was cursing the useless cops and this whole system, who were unable to stop this terrifying man. A man who was spreading his claws like a plague.
Snapping back to reality he saw the professor wrapping up the lecture and she was telling the students about some test being held next week.
Quickly, grabbing his stuffs stuffs he bolted out of the lecture hall. He had to reach the station to know about any progress on Lily's case.
"Mason".
He heard his name being called. Spinning around he saw Rowen, one of his classmates, coming after him. Mason mentally groaned with annoyance. Rowen was a sweet girl and his classmate since kindergarten.
She was always interested in him. He was always trying to create distance between them. He knew she liked him and he knew he too felt something for him, as Rowen had always stuck with him. Even when he was rude and cold towards her.
But his life was not easy, especially not right now, and he had no intention on dealing with her today.
Almost everyone knew what had happened to his sister and they always tried to show him sympathy.
Rowen knew above all the things Mason hated pity and sympathy the most. She didn't show him any but always tried to cheer him up. Always spoke supportive words. Always tried to keep him sane. Mason in a way needed this and he appreciated it too but in the end he only had one goal and that was to find his sister. Soon. Before something dreadful happens.
Rowen had seen him from his best to his worst. She was always there. Admiring him from afar. Loving him from afar. She understood what Mason was going through and she just wanted to take his pain away. She wished Lily would be found soon. She wished to see the old Mason, a cheerful boy who loved helping others. Who gave everyone smiles and made others happy. The person now, is brooding and rude at points. After his father left, Mason changed. He stopped being happy. He stopped smiling. He stopped making friends. He stopped talking to his old friends.
He was now just a serious man with only one goal of his life, to make a good future for him and his family. Rowen was rich, but she was not a brat. She understood the hardships that Mason was facing and honestly she just wanted to help him, but Mason was always creating distance between them. He was always arrogant towards her. Always cold and stubborn. This only hurt the poor girl. Now at this time when Mason and his family was going through a rough phase, she wanted to stay with him. She wanted to stay with him till the time he felt at peace.
Jogging towards him, she gave him a small smile, Mason just nodded. Feeling a little awkward ahe shifted from one foot to another. Mason harshly opened his locker and shoved his books in it. 'She is wasting my time', he thought.
"How are you?" She asked softly. He turned his head and glanced at her. She was beautiful. Her soft brown locks, her blue eyes; so bright, so beautiful. But he cannot let her in. He was hardly confident about his future, he cannot let Rowen inside his messed up life. He had nothing to give her. Nothing at all.
"Fine". He simply stated.
She smiled again, but he remained neutral. Rowen felt a pang in her heart at his stubbornness. She wanted to burst at him, angrily. She was trying really hard to lessen his pain, but he was behaving like an insensitive jerk. Maybe she being rich was the main reason. The main reason why Mason created distance between them. She didn't felt, that he should bother about her being rich.
She was about to open her mouth to say something, but Mason's phone rang. Shoving his phone out he looked at the caller id. His face brighten when he saw who was on the phone. It was one of the officers from the station. Answering the phone urgently he spoke, "Yeah? Did you find anything about..." the officer cut him off.
"There is a couple who spotted her in Hudson Valley. We need you to come at the station as soon as possible. We need to leave. Your sister...is not in a very good condition". The lady officer spoke with a sympathetic tone at the end.
Mason gripped his phone tightly after hearing the last sentence.
"I am on my way". He hung up the phone and shoved it inside his jean's pocket. Shutting his locker loudly he was about to bolt, but again Rowen stopped him. Seeing his brighten face, she felt a rush of relief in her heart. She wanted to share his happiness.
"Did they find something about your sister?" she asked happily.
He nodded his head exicted.
"They found her. They found her, Rowen. They finally found her." he repeated again and again.
Composing himself he said again "Some couple saw her in Hudson Valley, and they helped her. I have to go." He smiled at her happily, which made her grin happily too. Finally, Lily was found. She hoped Lily was fine. She stood there and saw as Mason ran away out the corridor.
She hoped and wished that now this would stop. Now no innocent girl would die. Now that person or whoever they were would be caught.
Walking towards her locker with a smile she mada a mental note to visit Mason's house later tonight.
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Night. 1:50 p.m.
Dragging the now lifeless body he reached the main part of the city. Night was at it's mid, with no one in sight. Usually he would have dumped the body in regular spot : the city dumpster, but he wanted everyone to know what happens when they try to take him so lightly.
Throwing the body on the cemented path he smiled down at the body. His eyes showed how much of pleasure he withdrew out of this. Half eaten body, and eyes staring at him with nothing but emptiness.
She thought she could escape, she thought she could expose him to the world, she thought she will rid the world of him. He laughed loudly at that thought.
Sparing the lifeless body a last glance he walked to his car. Happily, smiling lile the animal he truly was.
Lily's mutilated body laid on the road in the heart of night in New York City, waiting to be discovered by the citizens in the morning.
Her now dead eyes stared at the empty sky with nothing by emptiness.
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I hope you guys will like it.
I just wanted to show Mason's conditions. His life and how he is coping with his sisters disappearance.
A surprising cliffhanger.
Lily's death will be explained in a much later chapter.
I will try my best to make this novel a thrilling and exciting one.
-NAIELA OMER.