Chapter 322

The hot water cascaded over me in the bathtub, washing away the grime and exhaustion from a day that seemed endless. Timothy had insisted on preparing dinner for us after my long soak, claiming he had a few recipes up his sleeve that would tantalize the taste buds. As the aroma of his culinary prowess wafted through the air, I decided to make a call to my friend Aria. It had been too long since we last spoke, and curiosity gnawed at me.

I grabbed my phone, water droplets falling from my fingers, and dialed Aria's number. The call went straight to voicemail. Strange, I thought. Aria was usually glued to her phone. She had a penchant for replying within minutes, even seconds, if she wasn't entangled in some adventure or work. I left a message, trying to sound casual while secretly feeling a pang of unease.

"Hey, Aria! Just checking in on you. It's been ages since we caught up. Call me back when you can. Love you!"

Dinner was almost ready when I finished the call, and Timothy had set the table with a rustic charm. Still, the uneasy feeling lingered as I poked at the salad on my plate. I couldn't shake off the worry for Aria. What if something had happened to her?

As we ate, I decided to reach out to Lucas, another close friend of ours. If anyone knew what Aria was up to, it would be him. I excused myself from the table, stepping into the living room to make the call.

"Hey, Lucas, it's Evie. Have you heard from Aria lately?"

A brief silence followed, then Lucas sighed on the other end. "Yeah, I did. It was a short conversation. She seemed distant, and before I could ask anything, she hung up on me. I've been trying to reach her since then, but no luck."

My heart sank. This was unusual for Aria. She was sociable, always in the loop, and never hesitated to share her plans. The ominous feeling intensified, and I couldn't ignore it any longer.

"Lucas, something doesn't feel right. I can't get hold of her either. Do you have any idea where she might be?"

“I don’t. Have you seen her at all today?”

“I haven’t.” I bit my lip and looked around. Timothy met my gaze, his expression curious.

“Aria’s missing?” he asked, and I nodded rapidly.

Over the phone, Lucas hesitated for a moment before suggesting, "Have you tried locating her phone with the app? Maybe she left it somewhere, and we can find her that way."

“That’s brilliant!” I said, and I navigated through my phone for the phone locator app. A small glimmer of hope ignited within me; perhaps Aria had misplaced her phone, and we would find her safe and sound.

As the app worked its magic, displaying a location, relief washed over me. Aria's phone was traced to a house not too far from the city.

"We found her!" I exclaimed. "She's at a house somewhere. We need to get there."

Timothy, who had been pacing anxiously, looked up. "I'll drive."

Without hesitation, I gathered my belongings, and Timothy grabbed his coat before snatching his keys of the counter.

Lucas, who was still on the line, stated, "I can meet you there. It'll be faster that way."

I hesitated for a moment, my eyes narrowing in concern. "Are you sure, Lucas? It might be dangerous."

Lucas scoffed. "I'm sure. Just get there as quickly as you can. I'll meet you at the location. We don't have time to waste."

The gravity of the situation sank in. Time was of the essence, and every second counted. As we rushed out the door, Timothy took the wheel with a sense of purpose, and I sat beside him, gripping my phone tightly.

"Let's hope she’s safe," Timothy said, his voice filled with determination as the engine roared to life.

The drive was tense, the car slicing through the night like a determined arrow. Timothy navigated the streets with a focused intensity, and my mind raced with thoughts of Aria. Was she okay? What had happened?

Lucas's voice crackled through my phone’s speaker. "I'm on my way. Just keep going. I'll meet you there."

"Got it," Timothy replied, his eyes fixed on the road ahead.

As we neared the location, the anticipation grew. The neighborhood changed, and the houses took on an unfamiliar quality. The app guided us to a seemingly ordinary home, standing innocuously among its neighbors.

"We're here," Timothy announced, pulling up in front of the house. It looked so innocent, but everything felt off.

He cut the engine, and we sat in the car for a moment, exchanging uneasy glances. "This is it, Evie," he said, his voice a low murmur. "Do you want me to go in, and you wait here?"

“I can go too,” I said. I took a deep breath, steeling myself for whatever awaited us inside

The front porch light flickered ominously as we approached the door. I raised my hand to knock, but a sudden surge of fear paralyzed me. What if we were walking into a trap?

The seconds stretched like eternity, and with a shared understanding, Timothy and I abandoned the idea of polite knocks. He jimmied the lock with practiced ease, and the door swung open, revealing an eerily quiet interior.

We stepped into the dimly lit foyer, a chill settling over us. The air felt thick with tension, and the silence was deafening. The house seemed frozen in time, as if the world outside had ceased to exist. As we ventured further inside, a sense of foreboding intensified.

The liquid on the ground caught my attention. It glistened under the dim light, and a knot tightened in my stomach. My eyes scanned the room, taking in the abandoned furniture and random items scattered about. The home, once a sanctuary, now resembled the aftermath of a storm.

"Timothy, do you see this?" I whispered, my voice barely audible.

He nodded, his eyes narrowing as he surveyed the scene. "Something's not right, Evie. Stay close."

We followed the trail of liquid, a sick feeling settling in my gut. It led us to a closed door, behind which the ominous glow of a single lamp seeped through the cracks. I hesitated for a moment, a wave of apprehension washing over me. Timothy nodded, his jaw set with determination. We opened the door.

The room unfolded before us like a macabre theater. Aria lay on the floor, unconscious, bathed in the surreal glow of the lamp. Relief flooded over me as I rushed to her side, the liquid around her revealing itself as a dark pool of blood. Panic clawed at my chest as I checked for a pulse, my trembling hands finding the faint throb of life.

"Aria!" I called, my voice desperate. "Wake up, please!"

Timothy was on the phone with Lucas, updating him on the situation. Aria stirred, her eyes fluttering open with confusion. As reality seeped back into her consciousness, she looked around, disoriented and frightened.

"What happened?" she mumbled, her voice weak.

"We found you like this. Do you remember anything?" I asked, my concern tinged with anger at the unknown assailants who had left her in such a state.

Aria winced, pressing a hand to her head. "I...I don't know."