Gray nodded. “To my knowledge, yes.”
“You’ve searched the grounds, the buildings nearby, and nothing?”
“Right.”
“Didn’t you use Celeste to find her when she was Josie? Can she do it again?”
“We did. She hasn’t been able to help,” Gray confirmed.
Damien ceased his pacing, standing in silence for a moment. “We’re missing something.”
“Obviously,” Gray answered.
“I’d like to speak with Celeste,” Damien requested.
“Fine,” Gray answered. “But as we said last night, you can’t go alone.”
“Agreed,” Damien replied.
“We’ll go as soon as the sun sets,” Alexander promised. “I’ll accompany you.”
“Great. Until then, we’ll have a look around the property. Meet you back here at sunset,” Damien said. “Come on, Michael.”
“Be careful!” Gray called after them as they exited.
Damien and Michael pulled on their jackets, returning to the wooded path. “What’s the plan?” Michael asked.
Damien shrugged. “I’m not sure, but I couldn’t just sit there. Even if we just wander the paths and search for clues, that’s better than nothing.”
“Clues?” Michael inquired.
“Yeah, clues. Like her phone laying in a clump of leaves or her ponytail holder wrapped in a pine branch.”
Michael scrunched his face up. “Ah, Damien…” he began.
“Don’t say it. It’s a long shot, I realize that. But at least we’ve covered the grounds. We would have done it anyway when she went missing.”
“True. Okay, any particular place you want to start?”
“No. Perhaps we should try the places she had those painful memories. I’m not sure why, but I just feel those are connected to her disappearance.”
“All right. You were with her for one of them, right? Lead the way.”
Damien and Michael began at the cliffs, where Celine experienced her first sense of foreboding. They spent over an hour searching the area but found nothing. They proceeded to the area just outside of Celeste’s daytime hideaway. Before searching, Damien ensured Michael exhibited no ill effects from being within a close proximity of Celeste despite it being daylight.
After Damien was satisfied Celeste posed no threat to Michael, they searched the area. Celine had experienced two episodes here, one of them severe. No evidence of Celine existed in the area.
They moved to the opening in the woods, the sight of another severe episode. After another careful search, they turned up nothing. Damien lingered here despite the absence of any traces of Celine.
Michael allowed him some time before speaking. “Sorry we didn’t find anything,” he stated, hands on his hips. Damien shook his head. “Should we head back to Alexander’s? Grab some dinner before you meet with Celeste?” Damien didn’t move. “Damien?”
Damien shook his head again. “Something’s here,” he murmured, staring at the ground.
“What?” Michael questioned.
“I… I feel something. Like something’s here.”
Michael glanced around. “We’ve already searched the entire area. We came up with nothing.”
“Yeah, I realize we’ve searched, but…” His voice trailed off. “But I can’t shake this sensation.”
Michael humored him. “Okay, let’s take another look around. Hey, try calling her phone, see if we hear it ringing.”
“Good idea.” Damien dialed Celine’s number. The line rang a few times, but they heard no ringtone. “Nope, nothing.” They spent another hour searching every inch of the space, kicking leaves around, examining branches and searching under limbs.
“Nothing’s here, man,” Michael finally said. “And it’s almost dark.”
Damien sighed, shaking his head. He stared at the area. What was he missing? Why was he plagued by this sense? What was it about this space that called to him? He stared at the trees. A slight breeze rustled the branches. The needles on the pine tree danced. The scent of white pine overwhelmed him. Colors faded from vivid to gray scale. His eyes lost their ability to focus.
Without warning, his body jolted. He blinked several times. “Damien!” Michael yelled.
“What?” he responded.
“You okay?”
“Yeah, why?”
Michael stared at him, confusion written on his face. “You were standing there, staring ahead. I was talking to you and you were totally unresponsive. Like you couldn’t hear me.”
“Must have been lost in thought.” Michael stared at him another moment. “Should we go?”
“Sure,” Michael agreed.
They hiked the path to Alexander’s. Alexander and Gray insisted they eat before visiting Celeste. Damien gulped his food, wanting to meet with Celeste as quickly as possible. He set off with Alexander after dinner.
“Hey,” Damien inquired, as they walked to the abandoned house Celeste’s coffin lay in, “did you find anything at the clearing in the woods? The spot where Celine had that severe painful memory?”
“No,” Alexander informed him. “Why?”
“We searched there earlier. We didn’t find anything either. But I had a strange sensation there. Like something was calling to me.”
“Hmm,” Alexander answered.
“I’m not crazy,” Damien countered.
“I didn’t say you were. But I’m not sure what to make of it.”
Damien shrugged as they approached the abandoned house. “Hope Celeste is home,” he said as they climbed the stairs.
They entered the structure. “Celeste? Celeste!” Alexander called.
Celeste emerged from behind a bookcase, closing it behind her to hide the secret room where her coffin lay hidden. “Good evening, Alexander. What brings you by? Oh, Damien, hello.”
Damien refused to acknowledge Celeste, his dislike of her still fresh from his encounters with her in the past. “We told Michael and Damien the unfortunate news about Celine when they returned last night. He desired to hear the story about your meeting with her firsthand.”
“I see,” Celeste replied, stalking toward them. She focused her crystal blue eyes on Damien. “There isn’t much to tell, I’m afraid. I met with Celine around ten.”
“Where?” Damien questioned.
“Here,” Celeste answered. “We spoke for about fifteen minutes. She took the path back to the main house when she left. That’s the last I saw of her.”
“What did you discuss?”
“My condition. Her desire to reverse it. I told her I didn’t hold her responsible. That we would work together to resolve the situation. I hoped the conversation helped to ease her nerves.”
“And that was it?”
“Yes.”
Damien stared at Celeste. “Something wrong, Damien?” Celeste inquired.
“I find it suspicious you were the last person to see her.”
“If
