In the other side of the forest, Mary stood with the lantern clutched in her fingers as she searched for her brother tirelessly.
With frustration starting to set in, she was about to give up and go back to Aurora but decided to wait some extra time to be sure everything was done by the time she got there.
"Where is Aurora?" a voice said from behind her, startling her and causing her to step backward. Raising the lantern to illuminate the path, she realized it was Adrian, and she breathed out in relief.
"What are you doing here?" he asked, stepping closer to where she stood.
"I was searching for you," she responded, followed by a scoff.
"I forgot my coat," he stretched it out.
"I knew it," Mary responded with a chuckle, but Adrian still had a neutral expression. "How long does it take to get a coat?" she raised her brow.
"I had some company and got distracted," he responded with a side smile that immediately disappeared as fast as it came.
It didn't take long for Mary to register her brother's words and realize what he meant, causing her to scrunch her face.
"Where is Aurora?" Adrian asked again, glancing back and forth in search of the lady he left with his sister, but she was nowhere to be found.
"I left her back where you left us."
"Alone!" Adrian half-yelled, wearing a horrified look. The forest was almost pitch black, and although she had a lantern, he knew it still wasn't safe for her to be alone all by herself.
"Yes, alone. She's no longer a child. She can handle herself," Mary replied, slightly getting irritated by this side of her brother. "Why do you care so much about her? I was also out here alone, and I don't see you getting worried," she blurted out in a fit of rage, though her expression remained calm. One could tell just by looking into her eyes that she was upset.
"Why wouldn't I? She's your friend after all. You two grew up together; she's basically part of the family."
"And I was also as worried about you as I was about her. That's why I left you two together, so it would be easier to get back safely to you two," he said.
His words didn't register in Mary's head; they brushed off her back like a gust of wind. Now she was sharing her brother, she thought to herself. Her face red with annoyance, hidden in the darkness.
Adrian noticed the look in his sister's expression, which she had been wearing all through the night, thinking he hadn't noticed. "Why are you acting like that?" Adrian couldn't help but ask.
"Like what?" Mary responded and began walking on the path that led to where she had left Aurora.
"Your face. Whenever I mention her name, you seem to get upset," Adrian said, following her slowly from beyond as she led the way. He recollected the time he scolded his sister at the bar. "Is something going on between you and Aurora? Did you two have an argument? One that I am not aware of?"
Mary paused in her tracks, prompting Adrian to do the same. He noticed how her left hand, which was by her side, folded into a tight fist from behind. Her jaw clenched, but she didn't turn to face him. Instead, she breathed out, trying to calm her nerves. "Nothing happened between us. I am just tired. It's been a long night, and I just want to go home," she said and continued walking. Her head was still hurting, and the mention of that name made her feel much worse.
Adrian's lips parted to say something, but his words were swallowed down his throat when he heard a scream coming from a distance. At first, his heart began to race as panic started to set in, with Aurora being the first person that came to mind.
"Did you hear that?" he said to his sister, and judging from the look on her face, she had heard it too. They both listened attentively for the sound, anything at all, but were left with nothing but Adrian's heavy breathing breaking the silence.
"Ahh!…" they heard it again, this time clearer. It was the sound of a man screaming. Although that provided a bit of relief to Adrian, he was still uncertain, knowing Aurora was out there all alone. Without thinking, he ran in the direction of the sound.
"Wait for me," Mary said, holding up her dress as she followed him from behind.
Adrian searched through the forest path. "Aurora!" he called her name, panic starting to set in. His hands ran through his hair roughly as he frantically shifted his gaze from one path to another.
His brow furrowed as he stared at a particular tree, noticing a shadow darker than the rest in the shape of a human. Breathing heavily, his gaze shifted in that direction, and he began walking towards it.
When Mary came to stand by his side, the light from her lantern illuminated brightly, clearing the darkness. Adrian's eyes widened when he spotted Aurora sitting on the forest floor, her back resting against the tree bark, her eyes closed shut.
"Aurora," he muttered and ran towards her as fast as he could, kneeling beside her. He shook her gently, but there was no response, so he patted her face multiple times, but she remained unresponsive.
Mary had a terrified expression as she watched her brother try to wake her friend. Her once steady heartbeat began to race rapidly against her chest.
She watched keenly as Adrian carefully examined Aurora's body, from her legs to her hands, and then back to her face, looking for any sign that she was hurt. All he found was a scratch on her right hand. He placed his finger under her nose. "She's breathing," he said, those words enough to put Mary at ease as she breathed out in relief.
Adrian wrapped his hands around Aurora and carefully lifted her off the ground. "We will take her home," he said, and Mary nodded as she led the way.