The sun is almost setting, but traces of Loralai has never been seen. It's like she disappeared from the world. No shadows, no footprints, no anything. It's been hours, and Acheros hasn't even got his sleep. He's waiting all night long only to find anything about her daughter. While Dayanara is asleep at the moment, Acheros is walking back and forth, still hoping that Loralai will knock on their gate at any moment.
"Still nothing?" Acheros panned his head at his just-awoken wife. Dayanara's still yawning at scratching her eye as she roamed her eyes around. "I'm really worried. I barely fell asleep."
"I have no time to sleep after knowing that my daughter is missing," Acheros mumbled, still have some hopes inside him. "I don't know what to do," he faced Dayanara, teary-eyed, knowing that Loralai might or might not be found. "I can't lose her."
Dayanara hugged her husband. "I can't, too. Let's just hope that she will be found."
At that moment, they realized what Loralai's role was in their family. Without Loralai, their house is quiet. But with Loralai, it's still quiet. Well, Loralai barely talks in the house. But her presence in the house screams. Her presence itself fills and buries the deafening silence in their house. And now that Loralai is missing, they felt like they just lost an important thing in their life that they haven't heed attention to, and now regrets not appreciating it.
In the meantime, Dayanara asked Acheros to sleep which the latter agreed to. He will not have the energy to worry if he won't get at least a few hours of sleep. While Callum, like the snob that he is, still attended school despite his sister missing. Though after telling her mother a point, Dayanara couldn't help but think why his son has that kind of attitude. He seems not to care, and only sees himself all the time. True to Dayanara's words. Callum was always busy with himself.
As the days pass by, the hope of finding Loralai was getting lower and lower. Acheros and Dayanara were hopeless. They have a hard time sleeping, eating, taking a bath, and caring for themselves. Their conscience is visiting them every time they are alone. It was a situation where like, someone just died, but she didn't really die. Her disappearance was inexplainable. Even the police have no clue where Loralai could be.
Days became weeks and they are on the verge of giving up, not until Dayanara's friend, the police, visited them at home to personally tell a piece of news about Loralai's case. The two warmly let the police inside their house, somehow excited by the news about Loralai's case. They're hoping for good news. They're hoping for the best. As the police landed on the seat, he started to stare at the two. The police noticed the hoping and pleading eyes of the two, asking him to tell them the good news, when what he brings was otherwise.
"I'll get this straight," The police cleared his throat before talking. "This is no good news," he stared at the two. "We recovered ashes from an open place near the city last night. Luckily, the clothes are still recognizable. I'm wondering if you can check and confirm if the clothes in the photo are Loralai's, or maybe another person's clothes."
The police handed his phone to the two who are having a hard time receiving it. They are hesitating to take it because that photo will tell if Loralai is already… dead, or is still alive and has the chance to be found. For a moment, the Acheros and Dayanara's eyes met like they are talking through vision. They're looking at each other's eyes as if asking themselves if they can really take a look at that photo and confirm something that they're worried about for a long time.
Acheros got a hold of the phone but refused to take a look. He doesn't know if he has the courage to look at the photo, knowing that those clothes might be Loralai's property. Something is telling him not to look because he might regret it later. Acheros' mind isn't stable for the past weeks, and he can't tell if he can still stay sane after looking at the photo. Not to exaggerate, but Acheros really loves Loralai from the moment it knocked on their door. He felt a connection between them that he can't explain. It was like a bond that tells him that something interesting is up to that girl.
Instead, Acheros handed the phone to Dayanara, leaving everything to his wife who seems to have a stronger spirit than him. Truth be told, Dayanara's power is stronger compared to Acheros. While Dayanara can enhance her strength at any moment she likes, Acheros' power just has something to do with copying someone's power. But it wasn't that easy. Acheros needs to kill and drink someone's blood to copy its power. And he can't do that. He might be a little brave, but his conscience and self-principles always stand out. He doesn't want to hurt anyone, what more for just power. He rather stays at home and does nothing with her power, than go outside killing people just for power he can't even use for his normal life.
Dayanara accepted the phone but didn't have the courage to take a look either. She's been mean to Loralai, and she's been regretting not making up with her. She should've asked for forgiveness, which she is about to do sooner or later. But then, this happened. Loralai went missing, and Dayanara can't think of her, and the things she has done that made Loralai suffer all her life. She may not say sorry to Loralai, but in Dayanara's mind, every night, before going to sleep, she is asking for forgiveness.
"Please take a look now," the police told. "I have some things to do at the office, so please…" The police gave them apologizing looks.
They just nodded, looking at each other's eyes before sighing.
"I'll let you see the photo," Acheros said. "I don't have the courage to look at it knowing that it maybe be the last and only photo of Loralai in our hands.":
"I can't take a look either, but it's the only choice we have," she looked at Acheros. "Whatever this photo contains, I hope that Loralai hears my silent apologies every night and forgive me for everything I've done." With that, Dayanara glanced at the phone in her hand. A photo of ashes and clothes welcomed her sight. Her forehead creased, not recognizing whose clothes are those. After staring at the photo intently and trying to remember if Loralai has those clothes, she concluded that those ashes aren't Loralai's. With a happy feeling, she showed the photo to Acheros who is curious and nervous at the same time. "I think it's not hers."