The Hospital

Lucas

Metal scrapping.

Glass shattering.

A heart-wrenching scream

In those three simple steps, my entire world came to a grinding halt. Time seized, breathing stopped, and the only thing evident in my brain was the sickening crunch echoing through the phone.

Then painful, gut-knocking, heart-gripping silence.

My knees buckled, and I faltered a step back as the line disconnected. "Chris!" her name broke free from my lips, a plea, a prayer that this was not really happening.

This could not be happening.

Yes, it is and it's all your fault.

I had been too engrossed in tackling issues back in Diego to keep an eye on my family. To keep an eye on Chris.

I felt the blood drain from my body when I came down five minutes ago to the news that no one had seen Chris—oh except the gaurd that had let her leave despite my instructions. I already fired the bastard.

"What's going on?" Someone asked, snapping me from the horror of my thoughts. I had almost forgotten I was not the only one worr