Daniel has just finished talking with one of his men before coming back towards Cedric to let him know whatever information he got. "The side of the mountain unexpectedly collapsed just a while ago, trapping one search team on the other side. My men are currently preparing for an immediate rescue since we don't know when another landslide would occur. It would be a problem if that happens."
Daniel then turned to face Veronica after talking with Cedric. "I've already sent in word and another search team should be here in a few minutes to carry on with the search of your parents."
He took out a sealed ziplock bag from inside the pocket of his jacket and showed it to her. "Anyway here's what we found earlier. Does it look familiar?"
Veronica shakily took the bag from Daniel's hand as she began to recognize the phone inside it. "Yes. It's my mom's."
The cracked screen and detached parts left the phone beyond repair. Her mom must have dropped it while talking to her. That should explain how their call was suddenly interrupted. "Where did you find this?"
"By the roadside near the cliff. Considering its state, it would make sense to think that it was thrown out of your mom's hands while she's holding it." Daniel explained.
"N-near the cliff? Y-you don't think t-they fell in there, right?" her voice cracks as she tries to hold in her tears.
Daniel shook his head, "We can't say yet but it is possible seeing that a piece of evidence is found there. Once the second team arrives, they'll begin the search from there. We'll notify you right away if we find something."
Veronica weakly nodded her head in response. As they get closer to the truth, apprehension ate up her whole being that just the thought of seeing her parents' lifeless forms already makes her lightheaded. No. They're okay. She convinced herself in her head.
A hand clutched her shoulders and she saw Lucas by her side with a small smile on his face. "Let me know if there's anything I could help you with."
"Thank you, Lucas. I will." She nods at him while unconsciously squeezing the bag in her hand.
After a few minutes, everybody started to get even busier as the first team begins their rescue of the people who got stuck because of the road landslide. Veronica stood alone by the roadside near the cliff where her mom's phone was found. Cedric had to go and talk to Daniel and Lucas was instructed to call one of the hospitals funded by Ford to keep them on standby for the rescued search team and in case her parents needed immediate attention once they're found. A helicopter was also ready on the side if anyone needed to be transported right away.
A strong wind passed by and blew her hair and umbrella. For a second, Veronica struggled to hold onto the open umbrella as it gets taken by the breeze while some of her hair covered her line of sight. At that moment a flicker not too far from where she is suddenly caught her eye. It was quick and faint that no one could have ever noticed it so she squints her eyes in hopes to see more clearly.
"Veronica, watch out!" was the last thing she heard before she felt something collide with her body.
***
The fall was so fast that Veronica barely had the time to register what was happening. After hearing Lucas shout to watch out, she felt her body being thrown forward into the air after getting hit by something hard. The moment she sensed the ground, she knew how she had to brace herself for a fall. It's going to hurt and might even break, if not all, some of her bones so she tightly closed her eyes hoping that it wouldn't be as much painful if she didn't see her blood ooze out of her skin and flesh.
Or just making it out of the fall alive would suffice.
Aching and hurt all over, Veronica slowly regained consciousness. She let out a painful hiss as she tries to move her arm. Is it broken? She tried to move it again and pain shot through it like an electrical current. Surprisingly though, only her arm hurt like hell, the other parts of her body didn't felt as painful as she expected. Unless her other arm and legs are still attached to her…
Damn it, Veronica. Stop thinking like that.
A deep groan sounded beside her and she struggled to turn her head to the other side where she heard it. To her shock, Cedric was lying on his back still unconscious. His one arm extended to his side and that's the only time Veronica noticed that his arm was under her head, cushioning it safely.
As she stares at him in confusion, Cedric let out another groan and his eyes began to open.
"Mr. Ford!" she called to him in relief as their eyes meet. It was hard to move but she was able to sit up and move to his side to take a closer look at him. "-are you okay?"
Looking at him, Veronica observed his current state. He has a small scrape on his forehead, the gray shirt he's been wearing is now muddy with the sleeves a bit torn, his hair is all over the place and there are a few cuts all over his arms. Thankfully, there isn't seem to be any big wounds on him. The blood seeping out of his cuts is bearable to look at so she can peer at them without fainting. Thank goodness.
His mouth opened to say something and Veronica move her face near his so she'd hear him. "L-Lucas is r-right," he started.
"What?" she asks him while confusion laced her voice.
"T-that you've been calling me, Mr. Ford instead of Cedric..." he utters in a raspy tone.
Veronica blinks baffled by the remark before unconsciously giving out a humorless laugh in disbelief. "Is that so important right now? You're injured, grubby, and stuck here with me and that's what you were trying to say?" she frowns at him.
_to be continued_