Z A Y N -

Elena was gone. And everyone knew it by now.

As I walked up to the city hall building, reporters began to close in on me like vultures. I felt like I was in an episode of the twilight zone. This was just not real. It couldn't be.

Once the police station had made the press conference, other towns nearby caught wind of the story. It was the perfect headline - Town Sweetheart Missing. Unfortunately, that meant cameras from every angle, every news channel saturated.

Maybe it was good, maybe it would result in us finding her sooner. There was still hope, she had only been gone since Saturday, but still, two days without not knowing was killing me.

I didn't wanna think about the worst. I couldn't bear to imagine Elena trapped somewhere or crying for help. We were doing all we could, search parties and police were looking for her even in the woods.

It all seemed like a dream. The girl I had once wanted a family with was missing without a trace. I called her phone to hear her cheerful voicemail message, I must have texted her a million times hoping she'd get back to me.

As I walked through the lobby towards my father's office, I felt everyone's eyes on me. Blaming me, judging... as if burning me with their looks would help them find the truth about what happened. Everyone was visibly on edge.

It wasn't just the disappearance. It was who had disappeared. Elena was beloved by everyone in town. Her family was one of the wealthiest and still, so generous. They all were wonderful people, but everyone knew Elena was special. You could just tell by talking to her.

I went in circles trying to figure out where she could be. Because it was Elena, because she was so special to everyone in our little town, there could be someone trying to dim that light.

We had our issues. I wasn't the best choice, but I love her. I want her to come home.

Home.

All her things were in ashes.

All our memories in that house went up in flames.

"Hey dad," I greeted as I opened the door and saw him looking at some papers on his desk. I closed the door behind me.

He looked up at me and I could tell something was very wrong.

I sat down and got comfortable.

"The fire department released a statement," he simply said, "apparently they can't find any evidence supporting foul play. Neither can the detectives."

I frowned, I had already been notified of this. "Yeah, I know. I was told..."

He set the papers down and took his reading glasses off. "Son, I need you to tell me if you had something to do with this."

My stomach immediately was in knots. "How could you think that?"

My father looked at me calmly, but in his eyes I saw so much more. "I'm not blaming you. I don't know what happened but I would like to find out, immediately. You know that we love Elena, she has always been a member of our family."

"And if I did have something to do with it?"

For the first time, in a long time, he looked scared. "I would protect you."

It grew silent and I cleared my throat. "Well, I didn't. Honestly. Elena and I love each other and I want nothing else than to be with her. We wanted to get married, have a family. This is hurting me more than anyone else, dad."