Chapter Twenty-Two: Her Troubled Mind

“Don’t move. I’ll find help and come back for you, I promise.” She tried to reassure him, but deep down, panic and helplessness gripped her. She couldn't stand the thought of not being able to help him right away.

They had barely escaped the wild boar, but in the chaos, they had fallen into a deep animal trap. He couldn’t move, having used all his strength to shield her from the fall. Pushing her out of the way, he had been left stuck in the pit while she was free. Now, he needed help, and it hurt her to leave him behind.

With every step she took away from him, she used twigs she found along the way to mark her path. She hoped these small signs would guide her back to him. The sun was setting, and the warmth of daylight was slipping away. She needed to find help quickly before the night fully set in. Just when hope seemed thin, she noticed tire tracks on the ground and heard the rumble of a vehicle in the distance.

“Hey, little girl, you lost?” A shabby old truck pulled up, the driver a grizzled man in his fifties, his face lined with age and a long beard. Though he looked intimidating, she gathered her courage and spoke.

“My friend is trapped, can you help him?” she asked urgently, skipping over the question the man had asked. Without waiting for a response, she turned and led him back toward where her friend lay. Without sparing him another glance, she turned on her heel and headed back the way she came, following the trail of twigs she had marked. The man followed behind her, muttering something about how she was smarter than he thought. The crunch of their footsteps on the dry leaves filled the silence between them.

“You’re smarter than I thought,” the man said, surprised by her quick thinking as she followed the trail of twigs. “Why are you wandering in the forest, though?” 

“We weren’t wandering. We lost our way while playing on a family trip. We were looking for our way back to the vacation house when we encountered a wild boar. In the chaos, we both fell into a trap. My friend protected me, which is how I got out.” She explained, sounding much older than her years as she gave him a calm, matter-of-fact explanation.

As they approached the spot where her friend had fallen, she felt a jolt of hope, thinking that maybe, just maybe, he'd still be there. But when they reached the clearing, her heart sank. There was no sign of him. The pit was empty. She stared at the spot, her mind reeling as she searched the area, hoping for some clue, some sign that he was still nearby. But there was nothing. No trace of him. It was as if he had vanished into thin air.

"Where is he?" she whispered, almost to herself. Her pulse quickened, her stomach twisted with fear. Her gaze flitted around the clearing, as though she could somehow summon him back with her eyes alone.

Confused, she searched the area, but there was no sign of him. She stood still for a moment, trying to make sense of it, but the man beside her remained silent.

Later, she woke up in bed, troubled by the dream she had just experienced. It felt almost like a memory, and she quickly scribbled it down in her diary so she wouldn’t forget. The dream reminded her of the one she had during her last therapy session—it was like a continuation.

“I need to tell Jean about this,” she muttered to herself. Picking up her phone, she called her friend right away, eager to share the unsettling events that had been unfolding. As she thought about it, she suddenly remembered the events of yesterday at the library, and her face lit up with a sudden realization.

When she was with him, she seemed to forget all her worries, her psychological state, and even her dreams. It dawned on her how much of an impact he had on her.

“Sweetheart, there’s a letter for you,” her mom’s voice interrupted her thoughts. She had walked into her room without knocking, as usual. Cara wanted to complain about the constant interruptions, but deep down, she loved her mom too much to be upset.

She took the letter and opened it eagerly. It had been a month since she last received one from Mister Smith, and she had almost forgotten about him. She wondered why he had stopped writing for so long—maybe he had gotten tired of it. But now, another letter from him arrived out of the blue.

Hey Cara!!!

I wrote to you again because I missed seeing your smile yesterday. You’ve changed a bit, and I’d love to see more of that sweet little girl’s smile again.

Yours Truly,

Mister Smith

Cara read the letter, perplexed. “Am I really a sad person? How come I haven’t smiled much lately?” She asked herself, pondering his words. She felt confused—if someone asked her, she would say she was happy, but she couldn’t explain why. Her thoughts were interrupted by the sudden arrival of a text.

Beep…

“Hey, what’s up? Are you free tonight?”

It was Vince. Her mind immediately wandered back to the events of yesterday, and her face flushed at the thought of him.

I’m free, but I have to sleep early.

She responded, trying to sound casual, though she was secretly eager to see him.

Then I’ll see you tomorrow at class.

Vince didn’t push the issue, and just like that, her excitement turned to slight disappointment.

“Hey, dear! I’ve got good news and bad news!” Jean appeared at the door, her voice cheerful.

Cara didn’t feel like discussing much, but she forced a smile. “I need the good news for now,” she replied, trying to hide her mood.

“What happened to you?” Jean’s eyes narrowed in concern, noticing the shift in Cara’s demeanor.

“So, what’s the good news?” Cara asked, eager to know what Jean had to say.

“The good news is that the school is hosting an acquaintance party! The faculty is organizing it for a charity project,” Jean explained, clearly excited.

Cara didn’t share the same enthusiasm. “Oh, really? I’m not that interested,” she responded, feeling indifferent.

“So, what’s the bad news?” Cara asked, knowing Jean wasn’t done yet.

“The bad news is… you have to come with a date. Attendance is mandatory.” Jean looked at her, a mischievous grin on her face.

Cara sighed, her mind already racing with thoughts of how she was going to handle the situation.