Killing Joy

I didn’t sleep a wink. I cried all night long knowing that I just lost my virginity. He raped me although he was my husband, but sex without willing was raping. I broke into tears on and on. But then, after I was sure, Caleb was in deep sleep, I weakly removed his hands away from me.

My body was still shaky, but I had to determine myself to get away from him even if I was scared to death. I jumped off from the bed and gathered my clothes that were piled at the corner of room and easily wore them all.

I glanced to the bed finding Caleb as I tried not to disturb his sleep process. I had to escape. I wore my clothes very quickly and then ran quietly toward the door as I slammed it.

I ventured in quick pace into the woods without caring that it was in the late midnight. Forest in late midnight is scary, but I didn’t bother it much. I kept crying even though I already felt my eyes were swollen as if they were burnt.

My breath was uneasy when I was running. I ran into the deeper woods which I didn’t know about, it seemed I would leave everyone behind. I didn’t care about anyone again that time, all I wanted was escaping.

My mind kept forcing me to run deeper and deeper until I lost my breath as if my lungs were going to blow up. I was in nowhere and it was very far far away from the camp. The outlook turned blurry and spinning around.

Last thing I knew was I stumbled on the forest floor and then lost my conscious.

And I guessed, No one would find me.

XXX

***GENERAL POV***

“KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!” Zach was knocking on the orange RV’s door with smile appeared on his face. He was going to see his lover that morning and was about to have the breakfast together. Everyone had gathered on the table enjoying the meal. He could hear Haley’s chortle from the door and everyone’s chatter.

Everyone was having their meal except for Caleb and Nicky that might be still sleeping. So this time, Zach decided to wake them up especially Nicky.

“KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!” Zach repeated and then he called out, “Nicky? Caleb?? Wake up!” he thumped his fist lightly on the creaked door.

Soon enough, Zach heard a thumping feet toward the door as the person finally opened the door. It was Caleb; he rubbed his eyes roughly and groaned when he saw Zach was standing on the doorway.

Zach observed Caleb who was only wearing his boxer and had a messy hair.

“What do you want, Merry?” Caleb snapped annoyingly resting his right palm on the door.
Zach exhaled and rolled his eyes to him and then crossed his arms over his chest.

“Everyone is up for breakfast. They call you and Nicky. Is she up?” Zach asked peeking through Caleb’s shoulder into the RV trying to find a petite girl’s figure.

Caleb frowned a bit, “Nicky? She’s not here. I dunno where she is” he shook his head

“So where’s she? Is she showering or something?” Zach asked again

Caleb tilted his head cockily and made his eyes lit up to the ceiling pretending to think. “IF I know where she is, then maybe I’d tell you where she is” he snapped arrogantly.

“Well, okay..” Zach replied quietly. “Hmm… if you still want to have the breakfast, everyone is up for it” Zach never wanted to prickle fire between him and Caleb, so he tried his hard to be nice with Caleb. But ironically, Caleb never received his kindness and chose to hate Zach.

“Yeah.. yeah.. later” Caleb replied and slammed the door immediately.

Caleb walked to the drawer and yawned widely when he stripped off his boxer. He wore his green hoodie and simple jeans for the morning. When he was zipping his jeans, his eyes were darting at the RV’s floor and found a sparkling thing near to the bed’s legs.

He furrowed his eyebrows and then bent down to reach it. It was a beautiful ring that he gave to his wife in the altar three weeks ago. It was Nicky’s and Caleb had the ring too on his left ring finger. He then fisted the ring tightly on his palm.

“Shit!” he muttered when he finally reminded something that he did last night. He didn’t know what forced him to sleep with Nicky, something that really strong forced him to, but he didn’t notice it. and ironically, he seemed possessed when he did that so he was a bit forgetting that in the morning until he saw the ring.

It was like maybe he was jealous at Zach who officially dated Nicky. But he wasn’t sure about it.

“Oh God, what did I do!” he yanked his ginger hair in frustration, then he ran to the door. He opened it and hurried to the table trying to find Nicky. All he had to do was apologize even he’s sure his apologize wouldn’t be accepted.

“Hey mate!” Kyle greeted spreading his blinding smile to Caleb.

“Does anyone know where Nicky is?” Caleb asked and swallowed hard. Nicky seemed getting Caleb’s nervous.

“I thought, she’s with you?” Alex said munching his pancakes

“No..” Caleb shook his head and turned to the girls. “Did you see her?”

The girls stopped chortling and shook their head.

“Hey.. where’s Nicky” Jack asked and stood up abruptly making a worried body language.

“Sh..sh.. she’s not with everyone then??” Caleb asked hinting a panic tone.

“What do you mean, Turman? She’s not with us. Where the heck is my sister?!!” Jack half yelled and looked at everyone. Jack exchanged look with everyone and then Beth interrupted.

“Maybe, she’s in the river..” she said

Caleb and Zach turned their head to Beth and agreed. Maybe she was really in the river.

“Let’s go to the river, then. Let’s check her” Jonathan said standing up from his seat.

“I’ll check her” Zach said walking away from the group as Jack joined him.

“I’m coming with you..” Caleb joined in.

“Me too, I’m worried about her” Beth chimed in

So Zach, Caleb, Jack and Beth strolled toward the river together, and the rest stayed in the camp. They walked silently until they heard a voice that came from the stream. The stream where they were fishing fishes.

“What’s in hell is she doing in river in this morning, anyway? She’s not a morning person” Beth asked when she almost stumbled with the rocks but Jack made good grabbed her forearm. Beth’s forehead crumbled a bit but then she forced to smile at Jack.

“Maybe she’s exercising there?” Caleb said

“What? Nicky do exercise? If she wants to burn all that calories, she chooses to have anorexia or taking pills. Exercise is not so Nichole Penelope Barakat” Beth snorted playfully but everyone didn’t buy her.

Beth just pouted because nobody bought her lameness that time. Everyone seemed so worried about Nicky, even Jack. Well, just because Jack was her brother.

“She’s not here” said Zach looking at the entire part of the stream there.

“Nicky!!?? Answer me or I’ll call mom here!” Jack shouted but there’s no sight of Nicky and everyone’s head turned to him.

“What?” Jack squeaked “I’m just trying” he shrugged. Beth rolled her eyes and poked his shoulder lightly.

“Shit.. where is she?” Caleb raked his ginger head and exhaled longingly as Zach watched him intently.

Zach squinted his eyes toward Caleb as if he’s thinking of something but then he arched his brows abruptly, “What did you do, Caleb?” he asked approaching Caleb’s presence.

“What?” Caleb puzzled at Zach sudden response.

“Something must be happening with you two. Last night we had a great night and she was really happy, but then now she’s disappeared like something just happened. Something bad” Zach’s intention was really right, he felt that. Caleb was swallowing hard when he was caught up, but he couldn’t tell him about the thing in front of people like that, especially when Jack observed him very very careful as if he could read Caleb’s mind.

“N-nothing.. happened” Caleb responded quietly.

“Then why is she disappeared?” Zach asked with a challenging gesture.

“I don’t know!” Caleb tightened his fist where the ring still wrapped.

Zach sighed and then turned to Jack. “So what are we going to do now? She’s freaking disappeared!”

“Well, let’s get back to the camp and inform everyone. And then, we will spill into groups so we could find her in the woods. Maybe she’s in the woods” Beth suggested. And soon enough, the boys agreed with her as they got back to the camp to inform everyone.

After they reached the camp, and asked everyone whether Nicky got back while they were in the river, they said no. so, after Jack told them that he didn’t find Nicky in the river, he decided to make groups to search Nicky.
Haley, Jasey, Alex, and Jonathan stayed in the camp. The group of Kyle, Annie, and Austin searched in the east part of woods. The group of Marc, Rian, and Jack searched for the west part of woods. And then the group of Caleb, Kent and Kiera went to the north part of woods where they would cross the river. And the last group of Zach and Beth searched in the hill part, the south part of woods.

They had been searching for the last two hours into the woods and they still couldn’t find her. They became frustrated especially Jack, he was really panic that his sister wasn’t found for like two hours. He was scared that Nicky would meet mountain lions.

Caleb felt bad about himself, he realized that it was his fault. Nicky was scared of him and she’s escaped. If something bad happening with her, Caleb wouldn’t be able to forgive himself.

Now, he just hoped and prayed, he would find Nicky before something bad happened with her. He walked 2 meters ahead from Kent and Kiera in panic gesture as his eyes watched the trees carefully hoping he would find a petite figure laid on some forest floor near to him.
When he might be finding her, he would hold her tightly and apologized wholeheartedly even he was sure Nicky would hate him already. At least, he could save her.

And it was if only he could find her still breathing.

He wiped his thought of finding Nicky was dead as he started shivered because of guilt that happened clouded his mind. He wouldn’t forgive himself if he found Nicky in that such condition.

XXX