The room was still dark when my eyes fully opened.

What time was it?

I raised my head off my pillow and glanced at the clock across the room. The red numbers said 2:00.

Crap, it was only two in the morning.

I reached across the bed for Gwen, missing the heat of her body, but she wasn’t there. My hands glided over the cold, empty sheets.

Looking back over my shoulder, I was expecting to see the light under the door of the bathroom, but the door was wide open. She wasn’t there. It was odd. I never heard her leave the room, or even get out of bed for that matter.

I sat up quickly, and threw back the covers. I was trying my best not to overreact or worry. She had probably gone to the vending machine, unless maybe she needed some fresh air. I hit the switch on the lamp by the television, and looked around. Her stuff was still neatly tucked next to mine, even her shoes. She couldn’t have gone far.

When I opened the door of our room, I peeked out. The hallways were clear, not a soul in sight. I could feel my anxiety growing.

Maybe Fox came and took her away. Maybe she was ready to go, and she called them to pick her up. But then why would her shoes and bag still be in the room. Nothing made sense. Last night was incredible. It was everything I’d hoped it would be, and more. I couldn’t wrap my head around the idea of her leaving after what we’d shared.

My phone was in my bag, but I fished it out to try and call her. When I powered my phone on, I didn’t bother checking the missed calls, because I knew they’d all be from Obi and Fox. Now was not the time, to worrying with that. There sister was missing, and on my watch.

Okay, maybe she wasn’t missing, but I couldn’t help the unsettling feeling in the pit of my stomach.

It rang, but she never picked up. I tried the number again, and still nothing. It wasn’t ringing inside the room, but she could’ve had it turned off.

“Shit!”

I scrambled around the room and threw some clothes and shoes on, heading straight for the door. My hands hit the buttons on the elevator like they were Fox’s face. It was like my brain was running a marathon, but time just stood still. I couldn’t get things to work fast enough. Inside the elevator, I tried to dial her number again, but I couldn’t get service inside the moving box

When the elevator doors opened, I rushed over to the reception desk. An older man stood behind the counter. It wasn’t the same girl that was there when we checked in. It wasn’t even a girl. An older man stood behind the counter.

“Excuse me, Sir.” I gathered his attention. “Did you happen to see a young girl come through here? She has long blonde hair, and she stands about this tall,” I held my hand up to my chest to show him where.

“Does she wear glasses?” He asked.

“No,” I replied quickly, rubbing my head. “Wait, yes.” I proceeded. “Sometimes she does wear glasses. They are kind of big for her face, with black frames.”

He smiled. “I think I saw her then. She walked out the front there,” he pointed straight ahead. “And she took a right.”

“Was anyone with her?”

“No,” he shook his head. “She was by herself.”

My slapped my palm on the desk. “Thank you, Sir.” I jogged off towards the door.

When I got outside, I looked towards the right but the street was empty aside from a few people sitting with their backs to the hotel. It was too dangerous for her to be out at night by herself. Fox must’ve picked her up. It was the only logical explanation. She wouldn’t be out roaming the city streets alone. She wouldn’t.

I rushed to the corner trying to see if I could see down the surrounding streets. I was about to give up and call Fox, submit to the fullest, but I was afraid. What if she wasn’t with him, and something had just happened to her? I’d never forgive myself.

My eyes shot through each street, covering every inch as quickly as I could. Trying my best to make sure I didn’t miss her. My throat felt like it was closing in, and I was blinking back a burning sensation from my eyes. Full on panic mode was setting in. I was about to lose my shit.

Standing at the corner, I heard some commotion coming from my right. Crowds of people were gathered outside of what looked like an all-night pharmacy or supermarket. My heart rate picked up. It was pounding so hard in my chest, that I could feel it in my throat. I looked both ways and then darted across the street in that direction. Something was calling me there, pulling me in that direction. The moment I made it through the crowd, I knew why.

“Gwen!” I yelled.

She was pacing back and forth, with her head buried into her chest. She was still wearing the tiny shorts she went to bed in; only her legs were both covered in blood from her knees down.

People from the crowd were shouting, but my brain couldn’t process it all. There was broken glass scattered all around, and someone yelled for me to get her out of there.

I stepped up to her, and touched her shoulder. “Gwen,” I said softly into her ear.

She lifted her head up slowly, and my heart dropped to my feet.

FUCK!

I gasped. I couldn’t breathe.

“Someone call an ambulance!” I screamed.

“They won’t stop touching me. I just need to get something to drink.” She explained. She looked at me, but it felt more like she was looking through me. Tears stained her cheeks, and she held a piece of glass in her hands. She was rocking back and forth, and saying things that made no sense.

“Gwen, listen to me. You’re going to be okay. An ambulance is coming. Let me have the glass.” I reached my hand towards hers in an attempt to take it from her.

She shook her head back and forth. “I feel sick.”

“I know,” I nodded. A single tear slid down my cheek.

“Where’s Fox?” She asked. Then she looked back up at me.

I stepped closer to her, but she backed up. “Don’t touch me!” She yelled out.

I held up my hands. “I won’t. Everything is going to be okay.”

Only I wasn’t so sure about that. The sound of sirens grew closer. Something was wrong. She was having some kind of breakdown or something. I’d never seen anything like it before, but when I saw her blank eyes, I knew something was seriously wrong.

A police officer showed up around the same time as the ambulance. “Back up!” He yelled to the crowd, before trying to approach us. “Ma’am, are you alright? What’s going on?” He asked her.

She looked up at him with that same scared, lost look. Her body continued to rock, and under her breath she kept repeating the words ‘make them stop touching me.’ She kept saying it, like her brain was on repeat.

The officer looked at me. “I’ve seen this before,” he said.

Well, I hadn’t. “She’s with me,” I explained. “We are staying at the hotel. I woke up, and she was gone.”

The EMS worker somehow managed to coerce her into the ambulance. I didn’t know what they said to her, but I was thankful.

“Does she have some parents or guardians that can be called?” The officer asked me.

I nodded, and placed a hand over my mouth.

She had to be okay. More tears fell from my eyes. It scared me have to death to see her like that. I still wasn’t sure what the hell was even going on. Was she okay? Had this happened before?

I had to call her brothers.

“Where are you taking her?” I asked the driver of the ambulance. He explained as quickly as possible how to get to the nearest hospital, and I needed to get there fast.

The officer stopped me before I could jet off to the hotel parking garage. “I have a few more questions for you, and we will need someone to take care of the damages caused here.” He explained.

“I can take care of everything. I just need to be wherever she is. Can you ask the rest of these questions at the hospital?” I pleaded.

“Give me your name, address, and telephone number now, and I’ll be at the hospital to finish up before my shift ends.”

I obliged, leaving him with all the information he needed. Then I rushed back to the hotel to get in my car.

Once inside, I dialed Fox’s number.

“I’m going to fucking kill you,” he said when he picked up. He started to scream at me from the other end of the line. I deserved it, but it wasn’t the time.

“FOX!” I yelled. “Shut up for two seconds.” I interrupted. “Get in your car and get to Little Rock East Memorial hospital, and hurry up.”

“What happened?”

“If I could explain it right now, I would. But I have no idea. Get here now!”

I hung up the phone, not waiting for him to reply. He was going to kill me, that was inevitable. But Gwen needed him now, and I didn’t want to spend my time hashing it out over the phone. He could murder me later.

It took me about twenty minutes to find to the hospital, and another ten minutes to get parked. I slammed my car door shut, and ran in through the emergency room entrance.

“Excuse me,” I said, getting the attention of the lady behind the plate glass window. I was so out of breath that I could barely speak. “Gwen Taylor was just brought in. I need to see her.”

“Are you immediate family?”

My eyes grew wide.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I spoke under my breath. “No. We were here together on a vacation.” I explained.

“I’m sorry, Sir. Immediate family only in the emergency room, unless specifically requested by the patient.

And the night kept getting better and better.

“She’s alone,” I snapped.

“I’m sorry. It’s hospital policy.”

What was I supposed to do?

I backed away from the entryway, and walked back outside. So many emotions were running through my mind, that I felt like I couldn’t get a grip on reality.

“Please let her be okay,” I whispered. “Please.”