Page 90 of Mine To Hunt

I finish getting ready and leave for work, locking the door carefully behind me. By the time I reach the office, my nerves already feel worn thin.

The moment I step inside, I hear whispers. They are quiet, but not quiet enough.

“…still no sign of him…”

"…no trace of him…"

"…like he just vanished…"

The words hit me like cold water. My stomach drops. I keep walking toward my desk, pretending I am not listening. My hands feel colder than they should.

I sit down and open my files, trying to focus. The screen blurs slightly as I read the same line again. And again. And again.

I have no idea what it says.

My mind goes back to Mike. To the video. To the iris flower. To Him. And on the pattern I am starting to see but do not want to believe.

A shadow falls over my desk.

"Iris?"

I look up. Sarah is standing there, her expression soft with concern. "Are you okay? You look distracted today."

I force a small smile. "I’m fine. Just tired. I didn’t sleep well."

She studies my face for a moment like she does not believe me. "Are you sure? Because you don’t lookjust tired."

"I’m okay." I repeat gently. "Really. Just a long night."

She hesitates, then nods slowly. "Alright. But if you ever need to talk, you know I’m here, right?"

"I know." I say quietly. "Thank you."

She gives my shoulder a small reassuring squeeze before walking away, but I can still feel her concern lingering in the air long after she leaves.

During lunch I stay at my desk, poking at my food without appetite. My thoughts drift back to him again, no matter how hard I try to stop them. I remember the way he stood close. The way his voice lowered when he spoke. The way his hand held mine steady like it was the most natural thing in the world.

I swallow hard and look down at my hands. "This is stupid." I whisper to myself. "You’re being stupid."

But the feeling does not go away.

After work I head straight to my therapy session, my steps heavy with everything I need to say. The moment I walk into the room, Dr. Nathaniel looks up from his chair with his usual calm expression.

"How have you been, Iris?" He asks gently.

I sit down across from him and let out a slow breath. "Not great. Things feel like they’re piling up faster than I can handle."

I pause, studying his face carefully. "But before we talk about me… I need to ask you something. Has everything been okay with you? Have you noticed anything strange? Anyone following you or watching you?"

His gaze sharpens slightly, though his tone stays calm. "Everything has been fine. You don’t need to worry about me."

"I do worry." I admit quietly. "Because it feels like anyone close to me might get dragged into this somehow."

He leans back slightly, folding his hands. "That sounds like a heavy fear to carry."

"It is." I whisper.

"But I assure you." He says gently. "I am not in any danger. Let’s focus on you. Tell me what happened."