Page 101 of All Your Bloody Lies

“Rhysie…” I step away from the wall and move to Sydni. “I can’t get logged in, which is surprising. I’m sure I can with some more time. But look…”

She’s holding a folder with the name ‘Xeraphine’ on it. It’s small, but I’d suspect it’s because everything about her is on the walls. When she opens it, several photos fall out, and I immediately place my hand over her eyes.

I wish I could do that to myself.

“Put the file down,” I request softly, and she does so without hesitation.

I pick up the first photo and I’m nearly physically incapable of staying upright. In it is my little demon, chained up in that shipping container. Bloody, beaten and crying. I never imagined the first time I’d see tears in her eyes would be in a photo. I’d always hoped it would be from laughter or finding some happiness in something. Not like this.

I flip the photo over and grab the rest, which are no better, and place them into the folder. A single piece of paper rests in there, and I take it out before closing it and releasing Sydni.

“Thanks…” she murmurs.

“Mhmm.” I flip over the paper and read a toxicology report.

“I have no idea what the rest of this means, but I think what’s important is that this was the day before she was moved from the shipping container to being buried.”

“Look,” she pulls my attention from the paper, and I lean down to look at the locked screen. “Do you see the background?”

“Looks like a cabin, very generic butterfly.” My tone is dull; none of this is getting me closer to my girl. “Grab the laptop and let’s go. I sense if we can’t find anything in this room, the rest of the house will be of no use.”

She hums, “This was taken by a phone; you can see a finger in the corner.” That is in fact, true, a sharp nail pointed into the frame. “Those mountains, they look familiar.” When she stands, her phone is already in her hand, and after a few taps, it is turned to face me. “I think that’s Bearsted Mountain Range.”

The peaks are similar, but the range of those mountains are hundreds of miles long. They are also four hours outside of the city. “What are you getting at?”

“Call it a hunch,” she tucks her phone into her pants and grabs the laptop, “but typically my background is something important. It’s why I have Mister on my lock screen and Phiny when it’s open. This place is important in some sense. Maybe we can get another clue there, but we are at a dead end here. It’s worth trying while I work to get into the laptop.”

I hesitate, looking into her baby blue eyes.

Eight hours. Four there, four back. Plus, who knows how many hours searching and driving that windy road. Except, she’s been on the right track so far; at least it is a direction to go.

“Okay.” I take a breath and lead her back to the car quickly.

We are on the highway, heading East within fifteen minutes, when Sydni speaks for the first time since getting into the car.

“When did you know you loved her?”

Her bluntness catches me off guard—she doesn’t even ask if I love her, she just assumes. I sneak a quick peek at her; she’s got the chair laid back, my jacket over her like a blanket, even though I’ve got both the seat warmer and the car heater on.

“What makes you think I love her?” I suppose I need to know that answer first because if she just assumes it, I’m not going to call myself out.

She laughs softly, “The way you are acting about finding her. It’s irrational—” I’m offended. “You don’t care about anything else but getting her back. You were willing to burn down Sidence and probably everything else to find her. If this was just about you stalking her or an obsession, you would see this as a game. Just another hunt.”

Okay, I’m no longer offended.

“This is more than that to you.” When I sneak another look at her, she’s crying. “Thank you… I couldn’t do this without you. I may be able to find her location, but I can’t fight to get her back…” Her hands pull up my jacket to hide her face. “She means everything to me, and I love her too.”

I look forward and take a deep breath. My chest tightens for Sydni; the pain in it is strong, but no more so than the ache in my heart. “I know, butterfly.”

Confessing to her how I feel is wrong. I can’t tell her how I love Xeraphine because it should come out first to my little demon, not to her best friend.

“We will get her back,” I reassure her and put my hand down onto her leg, over the jacket. “Get some sleep; when we get to the park range entrance, I’ll wake you.” She had tried to get into the laptop the moment we sat in the car, but closed it minutes later—she’s tired, and I didn’t want to push her.

I put some wordless music on the radio, and it drowns out her soft sobs until she passes out.

Please let this drive be worth it. At least give me some more information on where to go.

You aren’t glass, little demon; you’ve got this. I’m coming for you.

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