Dear Diary, nothing can replace the hollow feeling you have inside when your child is missing. It’s as if your soul has been destroyed… the life sucked out of your core. What’s left is a vacuum of emptiness that can never be filled.
When I think of my little girl, all I can see are the tears running down her face as she calls for me. That imagery tricks my brain into believing I hear those cries and I begin frantically searching for her all over again.
The despair of not finding her is numbing. It’s all I can do to get out of bed or get dressed.
The police have kept us up to date but I fear if they don’t find her soon, they will give up. Then what will we do?
“We’re certain your ex-husband has Kara,” Detective Benson said as I leaned forward on my knees.
I could feel the warmth of Perry’s hand on my back. Although I knew he was trying, there was no comfort to be found in his touch.
“Do you know where they are?” Perry asked, his voice sounding as drained as I felt.
The detective cleared his throat. “We have reason to believe he is no longer in the area. His cellphone had a ping from a tower near the airport and a ticket agent was able to identify him with a little girl from their photos.”
I clenched my hands together as the trembling in them worsened.
Perry asked, “Where did he fly to?”
“His plane landed in Twin Rivers. The problem is, we don’t know if he took another flight after that. None of the ticket agents there were able to identify Jem or Kara. The authorities there are reviewing security footage. The surrounding areas are being searched as we speak.” He cleared his throat again in what I supposed was a nervous habit. “Mrs. Wright, do you have any reason to believe your ex-husband might hurt your daughter?”
“I didn’t think so, but I also didn’t think he’d kidnap her,” I said as fresh tears escaped my eyes. My shoulders heaved as I struggled to hold them back.
Once again, I felt the warmth of Perry’s hand between my shoulder blades.
“Did you find anything when you searched his house?” Perry asked.
When Detective Benson hesitated to answer, I glanced up, my head feeling as if it weighed a thousand pounds.
Finally, he said, “There were some disturbing things… There were several peep holes drilled in the wall your townhouse shared with his.”
“He was spying on me?” I gasped. Then I remembered all the times I felt like someone was watching me and I shivered. Aunt Rosetta told me a long time ago to trust my instinct. It seemed I hadn’t learned that lesson yet.
“I’m afraid so.”
“What else did you find?” Perry asked.
“There were pictures of Mrs. Wright in compromising situations, for instance, bathing. They were taped to a wall and the eyes were scratched out.”
Perry cursed under his breath and ran a hand through his hair.
“I need to find Kara,” I said. “I’ve got to find her!”
“Honestly, the best thing you can do is stay put until we have this figured out. I know you are afraid, but I won’t give up until we find her.”
My parents received the news only moments before the announcement on TV. Aunt Rosetta had attempted to overthrow the government. The failed coup had resulted in an uprising during which Rosetta had been deposed. Instead of resigning and going away quietly, she and her army of followers refused to give up their power.
In the end, someone in the opposing regime assassinated her with a single shot to the head from a sniper rifle. The news reported she was dead before she hit the ground.
When my father heard the news his twin was violently murdered, he had a heart attack. Perry and I raced to the hospital he was taken to in Fortress Rock but we were too late. He was gone before we got there.
“How could this happen? He was so healthy!”
Mom’s eyes were swollen like wasp stings and rimmed in crimson as she gazed at me. “He started having chest pains before we knew about Rosetta,” she mumbled. “He began to die the moment she did.”
She was in shock, I suppose. Weren’t we all? As much as I tried, I was unable to even hug her. I desperately wanted to but it felt like too much of an effort for my heavy, stone limbs.
My daughter gone. My father and aunt also gone. In one fell swoop, everything changed, and it all felt like more than I could reason with or bear.
I’ll be honest. I don’t remember either of the funerals. It’s a mystery to me how I got out of bed or dressed. It’s almost as if the day we buried them doesn’t exist. For now, maybe that’s better.
Regardless, Dad and Rosetta, brother and sister who died on the same day, are buried next to each other in the family plot.
Time dragged on and on in endless waves of rising and setting suns. Even though I knew Kara was no longer in the St. Clair area, I spent countless hours roaming… looking for her.
Every red-headed child I saw was her, I was certain of it.
Then, I would see their faces and realize my mind was once again playing tricks on me.
No matter how long I stared, the face was never hers.
Parents were uncomfortable with me around, looking closely at their children. I was treated like a pariah, and so, would try to explain my little girl was missing. She has blue eyes like mine and red hair – and she is gone.
They never understood. Instead, they were frightened of me and my interest in their child.
They would scoop their little red-head up in their arms, then glare at me as if I’d committed some great offense in checking to see if the toddler was mine.
And I would be left, collapsing, with that awful, horrible hollowness inside.
Searching and sleeping became my life. If I was asleep, the pain was less intense and I didn’t have to face any of it.
NINE YEARS LATER
I put my diary away for many years, unable to stomach the thought of writing about my life. Kara was never found. It was as if she and Jem disappeared into a black hole never to be heard from again.
I’m not sure how life could go on without knowing what happened to her. Somehow, it does go on, though. That empty hole in my soul is still there. I imagine it always will be.
The kidnapping of Kara Poe is a cold case now, occasionally catching the interest of a detective.
Detective Benson retired, still swearing he would solve it and bring her home to us.
As for me, well, my hope was crushed a long time ago.
This is where Perry, the boys, and I live now. At first, I didn’t want to move in case Kara somehow came to town looking for me. Then, I realized she wasn’t coming home and I needed to go somewhere else. To a place where everything I touched or looked at didn’t remind me of her.
She is twelve now. Every year on her birthday, something comes over me. I can’t control it. One year, I was compelled to buy a new car. Another time on her birthday, I went on an impromptu trip to a spa in the mountains. I don’t know why I do these things, but each time that day comes around, you can be sure I’ll be doing something irrational.
Mom lives with us. Sometimes that’s a good thing and other times, well, not so much. Even though she never went back to work after Aunt Rosetta fired her, she still dresses each day as if she’s heading to the office.
Zack and…
… Karen got married a year after Perry and I were.
They have a daughter named Teagan who is the same age as our younger son, and they live down the street.
I haven’t worked outside the home since Kara disappeared. It’s still all I can do to handle everything I have going on as it is. I’m on medications for depression and anxiety, and I also go to therapy once a week.
Perry mostly works from home now which is hard because the boys are loud and rambunctious. They interrupt him a lot. To his credit, he takes it in stride.
These are our boys. Andy, on the left just turned nine, while Joey is a year younger.
I think Andy looks a lot like Perry and Joey has a strong resemblance to my father. If only he could see them, I’m sure he’d be a doting grandfather.
Time passed, life went on, but nothing on this earth will ever fill the place in my heart where Kara resides.
Author’s Note: I’m so sorry! I didn’t expect Rosetta and Holden to die yet, so Rosetta’s story line was shortened, although it ended the way it was going to. Holden, my dear, dear Holden… I couldn’t believe it when he died. 😭
I hope you liked the chapter even with all the death and misery. lol
Thank you for reading, liking, lurking, and commenting,
Reading this I had the same reaction I often have when I’m watching a movie and there’s a cut to a future (whether days, weeks, or in this case most tragically, NINE YEARS) in which the thing you most didn’t want to happen has already happened and is now long past, and you KNOW the character(s) have gone on living their lives for all that time afterwards, but for you it JUST HAPPENED. And you’re just like… NOOOOOO!!! (This is not a criticism by the way, I eat this kind of stuff up).
I was going to save my comments until I was all caught up, because I didn’t want to overwhelm your notifications. But I am just like WOW! I was not expecting that.
Did Rosetta know that she was going to die that way? Is that why she let Ellie go without any explanation?
That’s a good question about Rosetta. I think she knew something bad might happen. But, there will be more about this in the future. In a big way. Mostly, though, in Gen 7.
I can’t wait!
YAY!
Oh my gosh! This was so intense. Both Holden and Rosetta wiped out just like that! So, so sad. 😩 On top of that, Kara has been missing for so long! I can only imagine the trauma and abuse she is going through because of that lunatic she is with. If Rosetta we’re here, she’d be able to find her. I can just see Rosetta having one of her minions chop up some veggies in front of a big stew pot. Jem would be tied very securely to a chair, conscious but unable to move. The part comes to a rolling boil, and Rosetta says to her minion in a calm, chilling voice, “Time for the main ingredient.” The minion Bbrandishes a cleaver and…
I think you get the picture. I don’t think I need to go on. I will just say holy shit, I am a bloodthirsty savage. LMAO! If anyone deserves it, Jem does.
Poor Bea is so traumatized, and no wonder. Even if Kara is found, a lot has gone down and she won’t be the same. Plus, with Bea so overwrought, I can imagine there may be some resentment from the boys toward their mother. I don’t know how much she has told them about their sister, but I could definitely see where they might think that all their mother thinks about is her. It also makes me wonder if their marriage has suffered, too. This kind of traumatic event is very, very hhard onfamilies. It can either bring them closer together or totally tear them apart. My heart is really hurting right now, and it truly goes out to all of them.
I know. I cried about Holden and Rosetta. :'( They were linked to one another till the end, I reckon.
You’ve really got Rosetta down well! hahaha I like where you’re going with that, you blood thirsty savage, you.
You’re right about Bea being traumatized. She’s doing the best she can, and still takes care of the boys. But, it’s so hard for her to cope.
I think you’re right, that someday, the boys might question how things went during their childhood and have some resentment there.
Their marriage probably has suffered somewhat. At least, it’s not the marriage it would have been had that not happened. We saw how Jilly’s death nearly tore Liev and Memphis apart. I imagine Perry and Bea might have gone through something similar.
Hahahaha! I’ll take that as a complement, me having Rosetta down pretty well. LOL! I do-own a writing/RPG group, and some of the things we’ve done to Lord Voldemort’s supporters was pretty gruesome. LMAO! I’ve had a lot of practice being a bloodthirsty savage. 😁😁😁
Yes, I remember how Memphis and Liev were narly torn apart. A tragedy is never easy to get through, and it can either make or break a relationship.
Oh, my goodness, that’s hilarious! What fun! And, now I see where you get your practice from. haha 😀
Ohhhh yes! We’ve had a total blast thinking up fates for those pesky Death Eaters. Here’s a few of my favorites. 😀 😀 😀
I have this character named Beth who is a Siren but is not confined to the water; she’s a mermaid in water but becomes human when she needs to be on land. Anyway, she works on the side of the Order of the Phoenix and is Harry’s love interest and eventually becomes his wife (yeah, we’ve departed from canon a LONG time ago, hahaha). Anyway, Beth has combat training and is a sort of ninja in her own right. War is war, after all, and the enemy needs to be taken out. She has the ability to travel throuh waterways kinda like Disapparation is through the air, but Beth can do it through water so long as there’s ample water near or on the place she needs to go. She accessed Lucius Malfoys hot tub, sang him under her spell, then drowned him in his own hot tub. 😀 :
Then, there’s my werewolf character, Vicki, who took great pleasure in literally ripping some of Voldy’s people to shreds.
Avery (I think it was) was picked apart by a flock of big wild birds. What was left was snatched up by vultures.
Narcissa Malfoy died in an explosion, and the Malfoy estate went to Lucius Malfoy’s illegitimate daughter (who works for the Order) due to a legal technicality. This left Draco orphaned and virtually penniless. 😀
One baddie had a bad phobia of snakes, so she was given horrible visions of snakes, so much so that it drove her completely insane.
When Harry and the others figured out that Sirius Black was innocent, Fudge was tormented with disturbing visions of the future, including ones of his own death, and was told that all of it would come true if Sirius wasn’t cleared of all charges.
Anyway, those are just a few things we pulled out of our hats, and oh man, was it fun, fun, fun! 😀 😀 😀
Those are so good! 😀 That sounds like so much fun. 😀
I kind of had a feeling something was going to go down with Rosetta. I kind of expected that she would do something questionable, though, not that she’d be killed. Her and Holden’s connection was strong, though, till the very end.
It sure was! I wasn’t ready for Holden to go but I’m not into fighting the game either, so I went with it. Rosetta was such an egomaniac. In the end, I think that’s what brought her down.
I was genuinely shocked at the TV picture. So fantastically done! It was a really blunt way of getting the message across and I was physically rocked. In regards to your note at the end – I didn’t realise you hadn’t staged the deaths to be like that! I guess I forget that the game can still have a mind of its own if yo udon’t just stage all the photos like I do!
I was really hoping Kara would be returned… I hope Jem gets his comeuppance.
Thank you! 🙂 I’m glad you said that about the TV picture. I was afraid it looked too amateurish, so it’s nice to hear you liked it. Rosetta’s story was supposed to be longer, in the background, but effecting the main characters. There is still something I think Bea needs to do, but, you’ll see. 😀
Sometimes, it seems like my game is boring, but not when I play my story save. I can’t believe all the crap the game throws at me. lol But maybe I just care about it more since I know the characters so well.
As for Jem, you may already know his fate by the time I respond to you.
eww Béa’s life is worst and worst every year.
Thank you. 🙂 It certainly seems like it.
We should not be surprised she went through depression all these years.
Oh, yes, I totally agree with you.
That was such a shocker! 😫 I think it makes sense it ended up that way for Rosetta, since she chose to attempt the coup so late in her life. At the same time it’s weird. She seemed immortal at times. And Holden had to go, too. 😥
Everything has really taken its toll on Rosetta. I hope that a detective will find some more clues in the case.
Rosetta is totally right about Andy looking like Perry and Joey looking like Holden!
Thank you, Heather. I wasn’t real happy that both Holden and Rosetta died. Rosetta’s story line ended the same way it was going to, but sooner than expected. lol
Bea is not in a good place right now. Hopefully, as you said, a detective will find more clues and get Kara home.
Isn’t that funny how the kids turned out that way? I can’t wait to see what they look like when they’re grown. 😀
Oooh I loved reading about these characters. And that is too many deaths in a chapter for me to handle. Keep it going!
Thank you so much, Gayathri 🙂 I’m thrilled you loved reading about the characters. I agree about the deaths. lol
Agh I was not expecting this much heartbreak in one chapter! Both Rosetta and Holden gone?! D: I really hope Jem is found and put to justice… And Kara reunited with her mother. She needs to meet her brothers!
Thank you, Raymond. I couldn’t believe how things turned out with Rosetta and Holden. It was distressing to me. lol Yes! Kara needs to come home and meet her brothers.
Oh my… Holden and Rosetta died?! I’ll miss them both so much! 😢 I was so sad to find out they still haven’t been able to find Kara still. I wonder the state she’s in, living with her psycho dad all these years. And he was spying on her?!! What a sick creep. Oh man… I’m so curious to see Kara now. Can’t imagine she’ll be all well unfortunately. Aaah the suspense is killing me!
Great chapter <3
I miss them already, too. 🙁 Jem was so much worse than anyone suspected. On Wednesday, there will be a post about Kara and how she is doing.
I can’t wait! Hopefully her shape will not be too bad..! At least I hope so :/
I hope so, too. I can’t wait for you to see her and tell me what you think. 😀
9 years, wow that’s a long time without being able to see your child. I feel so bad for them. Especially losing her father and aunt too! I hope Kara is ok and comes back around soon. And yay for more children! 😀
Thank you, Stormy. You’re so right. I can’t even imagine how I would ache for my child. Stay tuned for Wednesday’s post! 😀 You’ll see Kara and how she is doing.
oh, what a sad chapter. i was hoping at the end someone would say, her, we found your daughter. and then nine years passed and i thought, surely, she’ll find her now…. ah, so sad.
Thank you so much, Jina. That would have been great if she’d been found that way. I’m sorry about the sadness. Hopefully, Kara will be found and returned safely.
i’ll look forward to what happens next.
Thank you. 🙂
a very sad chapter. I know how difficult it is to lose one of the characters. but I haven’t really been able to do this yet. well, I cheat because I always seem to bring my ones back
I’ve been putting a music video with my some of chapters… and I could chose a song easily for this chapter https://youtu.be/f1QGnq9jUU0 a very sad song for a very sad chapter Kymber
but I must say I think you really done the emotional very side very well. I’m sure everyone who read this have tears in their eyes now 🙁
Thank you so much, Darren. I love the song you picked for this chapter. It’s spot on!
I thank you for your encouragement. It means so much. Oh! And I wanted to tell you that Jowita told me I’d missed a couple of your chapters. I’m sorry about that. Sometimes, they don’t show up in my reader, and I don’t know why. But I bookmarked them and will read them soon. I really love your story a lot.
I wonder……..did Rosetta see her death coming and proceed anyway? She knew something was up with Jem, kinda tags her as very selfish doesn’t it. I mean she could have helped to find Kara. Bea must be super rich now, assuming Rosetta gave her wealth to Bea and she must have gotten some from her father as well. If it were me, I would be hiring the best detectives around to find my baby.
I shall miss seeing Holden and I will forgive you for killing him off because I understand why you had to do it. Now, take these comments as coming from my extremely bad mood and pay them no mind.
Thank you, Bee. If Rosetta saw her death coming, then it does seem selfish for her not to have given up on her coup and help Kara instead. That’s a good point.
Honestly, I hadn’t thought of Bea’s inheritance from Rosetta, but I imagine that’s who Rosetta would have chosen as her heir. Perry is a successful land developer, so they were already rolling in it. LOL As for Holden, I think he probably left everything to Ellie who will then leave it all to Bea when she’s gone. More good points!
Yes, a detective would be the way to go, for sure.
I already miss Holden. I miss Rosetta, too, because she was such a riot to write.
I’m sorry you’re in a bad mood. Hopefully, things will look better soon. Sending you hugs.
So sad … I was stunned by the time jump! How horrid it would be to lose your child like this.
Thank you, Lisa. I can’t even imagine how terrible that would be. Hopefully, the future holds brighter things for these characters.
UH HUH ..please!
LOL You got it! 😀
YES!
Although, it might take a little time. 😀 haha
Oh you do toy with us sniff
Awww I’m sorry. 🙁
Heartwrenching!
Thank you so much. I totally agree with you.
She’s gonna find her, right? Right?! 🙁
I wish I could say. 🙁
On Wednesday, I’ll be posting an entry that shows where Kara is and how she’s living. 🙂
Don’t we all love those cliffhangers! 😉
LOL I hope so. 😀 😀
A wave of nausea. I think I’m gonna be sick! How could so much bad get worse? those boys are cuties. Karen’s little one, Teagan, looks like a holy living terror. Oh no! I hope she doesn’t get caught up with the boys like Jem and Bea did.
Thank you, Jolie. So sorry about the nausea this induced. I really couldn’t believe Rosetta and Holden both died so suddenly like that in my game. I wasn’t ready for Holden to be an elder, let alone die. SIGH
Teagan does look like a holy terror! LOL I’m hoping we don’t have another Bea/Jem situation with these kids. I think Bea will squash that if she sees any signs. LOL
Peep holes drilled into walls, yikes, that’s creepy. Such a domino effect of tragedy, with Rosette and then dad… that’s heartbreaking. Kara’s case must haunt Detective Benson, that one unsolved that gets under the skin. Life then goes on, but the heartbreak can never be undone or the gap of a missing child replaced. This is such a sad, sad instalment, Kymber!!
Caz xx
Thank you, Caz. xo
I agree that the peepholes are super creepy. I like how you put the tragedies as a domino effect. It really is.
I think you’re right about Detective Benson and how this case must haunt him. I can just picture him still trying to figure it out.
You’re so right about how the heartbreak of a missing child can never be undone.
I’m looking forward to leaving the sad installments behind. 😀
He didn’t fly anywhere. He was just trying to throw them off. All those out of town trips? He drove! And, I KNEW he was watchig her through holes in the bathroom! Just like Norman Bates I told ya lol.
Oh, Rosetta. You done got yourself killed! She couldn’t leave well enough alone and worse yet knew she would have this coming. *sigh* I’ll miss her in a twisted way lol. But Holden!! Poor Holden! The tragic news shocked him so bad he died too? Though you couldn’t control their deaths, I still think you deserve probation…
“Time dragged on and on in endless waves of rising and setting suns.”
I enjoyed that!
Teagan is cute!! And so are the boys!
Thank you, Jess. You just might be right that he drove instead of flying! You and Audrey both called it about the peepholes! lol Yes, like Norman Bates!!
I miss Rosetta in a twisted way, too. I loooved writing her. Her choice of words was funny. lol I was shocked by Holden’s end also. I think he couldn’t live without his twin.
I knew I’d be on probation! LOL I hope I’m off soon. 😀
I’m glad you liked that sentence. I was really trying. haha
Thanks. 😀 I can’t wait to move forward and see these kids grow up.
Speechless, that’s what I am. How are you handling this? The game really put you through it.
I think the time jump worked really well and was the right choice from a writing perspective. It surely makes me eager for what comes next!
Thank you, CT. I’m certain the game hates me right now.
I’m glad you liked the time jump. Stay tuned for Wednesday when I’ll post an entry about Kara. 🙂
Ohhh. I’m glad she didn’t lose her baby, and those boys are gorgeous! But poor Bea, she’s beautiful but still empty inside in spite of everything. But Rosetta and Holden! Nooooo. I can’t believe he’s gone too. And they haven’t found Kara! No no no…
And I was right! Jem was spying on her! Grrrrr…. I would like to think Kara is happy, but if she’s 12 years old now, she is soon becoming a teen and will be figuring out things aren’t right with her father. I just think he’s eventually going to resurface and cause more problems…
Thank you, Audrey. Can you believe how much Joey looks like Holden? I was kind of astonished. lol I was shocked about Rosetta and Holden but decided to go with it. Rosetta’s story was supposed to end this way, but Holden. I guess he really couldn’t live without her.
You called it! Jem was spying on Bea. He’s one sick dude.
You’ll get to see Kara on Wednesday. I’m looking forward to that post. 🙂
Ohhhh. I can’t wait until Wednesday!
Thank you! Me, too! 😀
Ah, no. Both Rosetta and Holden are now gone, I can’t believe it 🙁
Bea is so traumatized and I wonder how Cara is doing. I can’t imagine she’s well taken care of, considering it’s the psycho she lives with. Poor girl and poor mom. Poor everyone, really.
Thank you, Jowita. You’re so right about Bea and how she’s doing. She’s tried to move on but there will always be that part of her that longs for Kara. On Wednesday, there will be another post about Kara.
WHAT! Nooooo. 🙁 Just like that the entire previous generation was just wiped out. Oh no. And then Kara missing for all that time, no doubt growing up in a terrible environment with that lunatic. 🙁 Oh this is absolutely heartbreaking. Oh Kym, what are you doing to us?! Give us the next chapter this instance! I have to know what happens because the suspense is killing me!
Thank you, Louise. I’m soooo sorry. Truly. I couldn’t believe it myself but I decided to do what the game wanted. On Wednesday, there will be another entry. I’m really sorry about the sadness, though.
It’s okay, Kym. I’ll just be crying until Wednesday… Okay, I kid, but it’s really sad! :'(
LOL I know. I’m looking forward to when things are looking up again. 🙂 Hopefully, that will be soon.