The Last Laugh

Chapter 6 - Why?

***

The day went on smoothly. After aunt Christina had gone outside looking for a certain Rob, she

returned minutes after, looking less panicked. I wondered why.

-

We watched TV for a very long time while aunt Christina cooked. I was okay with watching only TV

because the cartoons were interesting and plus, I could stay with Heather. We were secretly holding

each others' hand throughout, without Sawyer or Aunt Christina seeing.

At around four PM, after we'd eaten and returned to our TV, uncle Ken to our surprise came into the

house. He was with three other men who were his friends. He looked at me.

"Hey Sheridan, where's your dad?" he asked.

The question surprised me.

"M– my dad?"

"Yes."

At that moment, aunt Christina came in from the kitchen.

"Honey, you're back so soon?" she asked. He turned to her.

"Christina, where's Paul? We waited for him and when I tried to call, his phone was off."

I got confused. Everyone was.

"But daddy, he left since morning." Sawyer said.

"Yes." Heather added.

Uncle Ken frowned, confused.

"Left for where?" he asked.

"Well, to join y'all for the hunt." Aunt Christina answered.

Uncle ken looked at the other three men in confusion.

"I haven't seen Paul since after I left him this morning."

I began to feel uneasy.

"What? Are you sure?" aunt Christina asked.

"What sort of question is that? I'm telling you I haven't seen Paul."

"We didn't even see him on our way back from the woods either." one of the three men said.

My heart began to race.

"But he– he was supposed to join y'all." I stammered in a trembly voice.

Uncle Ken looked at me.

"Don't worry, Sheridan. He's not lost. You're dad's a strong man, okay? Maybe he had other plans. Let's

wait till this evening."

"Okay."

I prayed silently for my dad.

***

It was 8 o'clock in the night and my dad hadn't returned yet. Uncle ken tried to call again and again. His

phone was off. It soon began to rain. Heavily. I was panicked. Uncle ken still tried to console me. Telling

me my dad would be forced to return because of the rain and that his phone was probably off because

of a low battery. That calmed me down.

An hour later, he still wasn't back and the rain was still heavy. Uncle Ken decide to get his truck and go

look for my dad in the dark.

"Honey, under the rain?? Can't you wait for tomorrow?" aunt Christina had asked, worried.

"Tomorrow?? It isn't just anybody that I'm going to look for Christina, it's Paul." was his firm reply before

leaving.

I ran up to my room where I cried all tears from my body. I had a horrible feeling. I had some heavy

doubt on my conscience. I tried not to think of the worst. I prayed for my dad to return and for uncle ken

to find him first. I prayed and sobbed continuously.

As I sobbed silently, I heard a low knock at my door. I knew it was Heather. I didn't answer. I was too

sad and angry to answer. She soon went away. I looked at the time, 11:00PM. Neither uncle Ken nor

my dad were back.

*

It was soon midnight and uncle Ken wasn't back. I heard two voices downstairs. There were

murmuring. My curiosity got the greater part of me.

I left the room tip toeing in the dark of the house. I wasn't afraid of anything. The girls had gone to bed

a long time ago.

The murmuring came from the kitchen. I tiptoed to the kitchen door which was closed. I placed an ear

against it to listen. One voice belonged to aunt Christina. The other belonged to someone I didn't know.

I noticed there was a little crack as the door wasn't completely closed. I peeped through it. I saw her

chatting with a young man of about 24. I'd never seen him. They laughed. I couldn't make out his face

very well because the door crack wasn't big enough.

They discussed about something. I listened carefully. What I heard shocked me. It scared me. I felt

goosebumps take over my skin and I felt my eyes begin to prickle as tears threatened to flow. My heart

beat increased crazily. I assumed the guy she was speaking with was Rob. I suddenly felt weak and

out of breath. I tried to listen more but something hit my head hard and the next thing I saw was black

everywhere.

***

I woke up the next morning with a serious headache. I looked around. My dad wasn't there. I was alone

in the room. I touched my head in pain. I tried to remember what had happened the last night. All I

could remember seeing was aunt Christina laughing with someone. I didn't remember them discussing

or anything else. I just remembered laughter and then darkness everywhere.

I sat up in bed trying to get my thoughts back together. At that moment, uncle Ken entered my room. I

looked at him. He was dressed as the day before and had a gloomy expression on. He sat close to me

on the bed.

"H– have you found dad?" I asked immediately. He looked at me hesitating. "Have you?"

"No, son."

I gasped, my heartbeat increasing.

"Wh– what??"

"I spent the whole night under the rain and only returned at six this morning. Son, I– I didn't find him."

Goosebumps took over me. I looked at uncle Ken in disbelief.

"Wh– what?"

"I informed the sheriff this morning. Son, it seems your father is missing."

"What?! Noooo!" I screamed, tears rolling down my cheeks, "No! No!" I screamed endlessly, crying out

my lungs.

Uncle Ken quickly wrapped me in his arms. I cried even more, holding on to him.

"Nooooo! Nooooo!" I cried against him, feeling like I had to die. I just wanted to die!

"Daddy! Nooo! Where is he??" I cried angrily, beginning to kick my legs and now struggling to get out of

uncle Ken's grip. He wouldn't let me as he begged me to calm down.

I cried so much that I was out of breath. If uncle Ken had let me go, I would've probably hit my head

hard against a wall or broken something. I was furious as I screamed my agony against my uncle's

chest. He held me tight in his arms.

"Please, son. I'm begging you to stay strong, please." he begged. He too wasn't okay. I could hear the

pain in his voice. He was as desperate as me. He was clearly as hurt as me. As I cried, I looked up at

his face once, his eyes were shut tight as tears rolled down his cheeks.

"We'll find him, Sheridan. I promise." he sobbed.

Heather and Sawyer stood at the door watching. I saw clear pity in Heather's eyes. Sawyer just

watched impassively. Uncle Ken asked aunt Christina to take them away so they would not assist at

the scene. It was a very sad one. I was broken and furious like never before.

After about an hour, uncle Ken succeeded in calming me down before leaving to freshen up and

continuing with the researches along with the sheriff and other officers.

I lay silently on the bed, my face red and my eyes swollen from too much crying. I was half dead. I

didn't want to move, do or eat anything. I simply lay there, my mind far away while I stared at the

ceiling. Where was my father? What had happened to him?