I just stood there speechless, disappointed, and heartbroken. I didn't even know what to say or think. All I could feel was the pain in my heart.
Tears started to fill up my eyes. My lips started to tremble and I had to stifle a cry that was about to escape my mouth.
Don't lose hope now Xena, don't cry.
I was bigger than this.
"I won't cry. I—" I stopped myself from speaking out. The cry was building up within me.
I just wanted to see my dad, my mom, and even my annoying brother. I wanted to see everyone. I was tired of being alone. I was tired of this sick prank or maybe it was a punishment.
"Maybe I'm being punished? What did I do wrong? I've done a lot of wrong things. What wrong was it I did that could make me deserve this?" I asked myself out loud.
They are all probably hiding somewhere out there. All I needed to do was find them.
Suddenly, a chair moved against the ground; breaking the silence of the hall.
I jumped and looked towards the vast hall that contained only chairs and the microphone stand on the stage which was at the far end of the hall.
"He— hello?" I called.
There was no answer.
Maybe I imagined it.
Another chair moved, this one came from the left side of the hall.
I jumped and my glasses fell off my face. I didn't blame them, I'd been jumping from fright all day.
My vision became blurry as I turned toward the sound.
"Hello? Is a–anyone there?" I stuttered and let out a shaky breath.
I'd better find my glasses.
I was about to go down on my knees when my eyes caught a dark figure in the middle of the hall.
My eyes went wide with shock. My teeth began to tremble and the hair at the back of my neck stood. A sudden cold fell over me. I ducked under the chairs on impulse.
With trembling hands, I felt around for my glasses trying my best not to make any sound as I searched. Fortunately, I found them and put them back on.
Then I carefully peeped above to be sure of its location and quietly plan my escape.
But it was gone.
There was no one there. I could swear I had seen a dark figure or had I just imagined it?
There was a little stain on my glasses. I carefully took it off, cleaned the stain, and was about to wear it when my eyes caught the dark figure again!
I panicked! I swiftly put my glasses back on and was about to hide when I realized it was gone, disappeared like it never existed.
When I didn't have my glasses on, I saw them. When I put it back on, it was gone. How was that even possible?
There was only one way to find out. I had to test the theory.
Still, in my kneeling position, I slowly took my glasses off but I made sure my eyes were shut. I let out another shaky breath and opened them.
This time, the dark figure appeared before my face!
I screamed in a mixture of shock as well as fear and fell on my back. I wasted no time putting my glasses up. I half crawled and half ran out of the hall. The moment I got out, I closed the doors behind me— in case it tried to follow me— and ran. My destination was the shore.
Yes! If they weren't at the meeting arena, then they had to be at the shore.
I ran nonstop, with shaky legs and a pounding heart. If my heart kept pounding at this rate, I was sure it would die from a heart attack.
The sun was blazing hard against my poor skin and I suddenly wished I was in the comfort of my home. That couldn't be possible because there would be no comfort for me until I found everyone.
I was getting closer to shore for I could already hear the dancing waves. The salty taste had gotten even stronger here. It was impossible to miss. Only trees were separating me from the shore.
I started to navigate my way through the trees, it had gotten even sandier here and I had to put more effort into running. I was so sweaty and I was sure my armpits stunk but I wasn't concerned about that. All I wanted was to find everyone.
I finally emerged through the trees and looked around expectantly at what was before me.
My expectant smile fell off my face at the sight before me.
Not only was no one on the shore, but all the boats were also gone!
My heart sank into the pit of my stomach and I started to tremble.
"I–if all the— the boats are g–gone then... then."
They left me!
"They left me... they abandoned me... they forgot me... they—" I couldn't continue lamenting.
The tears I had been holding back all day gave way. They were still flooding down my cheeks when my eyes caught someone at the far end of the beach.
He was rested unmoving on a huge stone on the sandy beach.
I almost cried out in joy. A person! I had been waiting all day to see a person and there he was, resting on the stone.
At least he could tell me what was going on. He could give me answers to all the strange things that had being taking place all day. He could tell me where everyone went.
I started to run towards me. My hope had come back full force. I was smiling again. I wasn't alone anymore.
"Hey! Mister!" I called out as I ran to him.
There was no answer, not even a movement.
The closer I got, the more my pace started to slow. There was something wrong with this guy, he hadn't moved once. Even a sleeping person always moved slightly in their sleep.
The moment I got closer. I understood the reason for his stillness.
What I saw was Evil...