My fingers trembled as I dialed June's number for the third time, then the fourth.
Nothing.
Straight to voicemail.
"Come on June. Pick up, please," I muttered.
I tried again and again. Still, nothing.
I switched to texts, my thumbs kept hovering the screen as I typed with trembling hands.
Hey June, I've been calling. Just got a call from the hospital that Alia is missing and I'm leaving now. I think she got kidnapped. I'm so scared. If anything happens to her, I won't survive it.
I didn't wait for a reply. I just shoved the phone back into my hoodie pocket and stepped outside.
Rain was pouring heavily….of course it was.
I didn't bother to look back.
Didn't care that I was soaked or freezing.
I started running.
I didn't stop. I couldn't stop. My brain was replaying it all on a loop….The nurse's voice saying "We can't find her, we've searched everywhere."
Alia was gone.
And every second I wasted felt like I was failing her again.
