Zenon's Game Chapter 152

We walked back upstairs and Zenon gave his mother and Jake walkie-talkies as well. Mrs Albert placed it on the kitchen counter as she continued to prep lunch. She clearly thought this wasn't a huge emergency.

Am I overreacting?

But maybe it's because I don't have a cabin in the woods and I don't like to go on three-hour walks. What do fancy people call them? Promenades.

Maybe she's eaten some mushrooms and is out frolicking in the pastures.

"I'll go out looking too," Jake volunteered, putting on his sneakers by the front door.

"That's generous," Zenon said sarcastically, "Considering it's your girlfriend I'm going out to find."

"Two pairs of eyes will be better than one," Jake said glumly, grabbing his coat.

"You'll need your glasses then."

"They're reading glasses," Jake glared, "I can see fine."

Zenon threw open the front door. "Try to keep up. I'm not slowing down because you're out of shape."

"I don't work out fifteen hours a day but I can f*cki-"

"Language!" Mrs Albert called out.

Poor Jake. Zenon has been really ripping into him lately.

"Candy," Zenon lingered at the doorway, while Jake was already walking down the front steps, "If I don't come back..."

He pointed at Jake suggestively and then winked.

Finally, the boys walked out the front door.

Peace at last.

I couldn't help shake off the feeling that not everything was right.

Maybe something happened to Annika... and maybe the boys were about to walk right into it.

I felt like 007, wandering around the lake house with a giant walkie talkie.

"Zenon, did I leave my PJs in your bedroom last night?" I released my finger from the button and heard the rustle of static on the other end.

That's right. 007 deals with missing underwear.

I was trying to pack my belongings. We were meant to be leaving later today and I didn't want to be the hold up. I was also trying to take my mind off the situation.

"Candace," Zenon's voice came back through the static, "Everyone can hear you."

I pressed the button and replied: "Oops."

I forget that Zenon and I were not the only ones with walkie talkies. Everyone with a device on the same channel could hear me, and that included Jake and Zenon's mother.

I can't imagine a worse crew to overhear me discuss my missing sleepwear.

"But try my bed," came Zenon's slick response.

He knew his mom and Jake would react to that. I blushed in the middle of his empty bedroom.

Honestly, I was getting anxious for them to return. All these distractions were not easing my concern for Annika.

I was now fully packed and had cleaned the guest room two times. Anything to get my mind off more serious thoughts.

"Annika?" I knocked on her door.

Maybe, after all this time, she was just taking a nap in her bed. Eating nutella in private so she could scoop it straight out of the jar.

After no response, I peeked my head through the door and saw an empty room. Her clothes were scattered across the bed and left a trail to her bathroom.

She wasn't there. I didn't want to violate her space any more and considered leaving her a note.

Then I left. The suspense was gnawing at me. Where was Annika?

The boys were still outside looking for her. She had simply wandered off into the forest... and not returned.

I wish I could volunteer to join the rescue crew. I wish even more that I had randomly acquired tracking or archery skills.

Some people are destined to be the lead in an action story, and others are...

I'll finish that thought when I come up with something to finish it with.

Anyway, unfortunately, physical fitness is not my thing. I'll leave that to Zenon.

Suddenly, a loud bang came from the shed outside and I freaked out.

Did anyone else hear that?

I glanced out from the upstairs window and saw Mr Albert heaving his canoe out of the shed, dragging it along the muddy ground.

So the good news is... he's actually working on his canoe. Alibi confirmed.

He called for either of his sons to help.

He clearly hasn't got the memo yet. They were both gone... but he had me!

I ran downstairs and out the side door, eager to be a helpful handy-woman. "Hi Mr Albert! I can help!"

I popped into view in front of him and my eager face startled him. "Don't worry Candace, this is heavy."

Before I could reach him, he'd already placed the canoe down against the shed wall. He closed the shed doors and fastened a lock around it. I watched him punch in the code to lock it: 7001.

Funny because it's 007 backwards. Plus a random 1.

"I haven't seen anyone outside. You've all been lazy this morning," he said, clapping his hands from all the dirt, "Shame. With this weather, I thought you'd all go swimming."

Mr Albert makes being lazy sound like a crime. To me, it's my favorite past time.

"Isn't it freezing in there?"

It was winter and I couldn't imagine that lake being anywhere near warm.

"Toughen up," Mr Albert responded. "Kids these days-"

Mr Albert was about to go on a rant but the static on my walkie talkie started up again and I heard Jake's voice yell out, "SH*T!"

I picked it up and pressed all the buttons. "What happened?! Is everything ok?"

I waited for more. Anything more. I shook it. There was some more static, but that was it.

Mrs Albert was now officially worried. She'd been so calm about the whole 'Annika disappeared' thing until she heard her stepson curse over the radio-waves.

The fact that we'd received radio silence since then, did not bode well.