Page 73 of Jacob

I feel sick to my stomach again. It’s all because of me.

I ended up throwing up in an alleyway earlier when my anger turned to disgust. My thoughts visited a place I don’t want to return to.What does he want with her, what is he doing to her, is he touching her?

I can’t think about that again. It doesn’t change anything; I can’t exactly turn the clock back now, can I?

Everything feels impossible.

Pressing my fingertips into the back of my neck to relieve the permanent tension in my shoulders, I then give a small wave of appreciation to the last of the volunteers.

As they leave the hall, with fighting spirit, they all reassure Rhona and Seth that we’ll find her.

Violet plonks herself down beside me and starts babbling, “She’ll come home. She’s okay. I know she is. She’s fine. I can feel it, can you? I can. She has to come home, right? Who will I go to my dance class with? Who will laugh with me when I fall over? She’s been my one true friend since I arrived here. I love her like a sister and she’s so kind…” Drawing breath, she says so quietly, “We have to find her.”

My shoulders bounce up and down with the emotion I’ve been holding on to. Sobs escape my throat, fat tears soaking my black sweatshirt.

Leaning forward, my hands cupped around the top of my head to hide my sadness, I watch as my tears make a small puddle on the wooden floor. Like a river, they keep flowing and I can’t stop them.

Pulling me in tight to their chest, broad arms wrap around the top of my shoulders. “Let it all out, buddy.”

Lincoln.

Using him as support, my body falls into his, pain passing through my heart as tears flow one after the other. No words are needed as Lincoln holds me firmly, letting me weep.

Pulling the sleeves of my jumper down, I push the palms of my hands into my eyes to soak up the tears and move away from Lincoln. Head bowed, I flip the hood of my jumper up over my head to hide my embarrassment.

Violet kneels at my feet and passes me a handkerchief, her kind hands cupping both of my knees. “We’re here for you, Jay. We’ll find her.”

“Yeah.” I don’t know if I believe that anymore.

I use the tissue to blow my stuffy nose and exhale a deep breath. Crying hasn’t made me feel any better. I feel hot and my face feels swollen.

Skye’s mom pulls a chair by my side. A strained sigh leaves her throat as she falls into her seat.

Only the five of us left now, me, Linc, Violet, and Skye’s parents. I look around the empty hall.

It was bustling earlier, and the noise distracted me from our predicament.

The contrast of the silence of the hall is almost deafening to me now.

Lincoln and Violet pulled a twenty-strong team of staff together from their five-star hotel resort, having enough food delivered to feed an army. It’s just as well because hundreds of people showed up. It felt like a military operation.

My mom and dad left about an hour ago, along with my brother and sister.

The whole community came together for her.

She’s loved beyond measure.

Wherever she is, I hope she feels it.

An endless stream of news channels, reporters, and media from across the country have been out filming and interviewing local town folk and the search for Skye has taken on a life of its own with well wishes pouring in from around the world.

Lincoln holds his hand out for Violet, summoning her to give me some space.

“Still no word from Owen?” he asks.

I shake my head. “Nope. I gave up calling him. He’s never around when you need him, and he sure as hell doesn’t give a crap about the girl he spent the last fourteen years with or he’d be here.”

“I’ll try him again when I get home.” Lincoln lets out a long, drawn-out yawn.

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