Page 98 of Found in Wild Sage

Declan

The house is unusually quiet when I get home. Typically, Evie has music playing and Charlie is very rarely not testing out new sounds and words.

The stillness instantly puts me on alert. Is he sick again? Is she? Are they both? Maybe they went to bed early tonight? Charlie was a bit fussy this morning, so that could be it.

“Evie? Charlie?” I don’t yell too loudly in case she’s putting him down.

In the kitchen, my concern escalates. Things are undone here in a way that doesn’t make sense, and it has nothing to do with my need for order and cleanliness. Charlie’s tray is on the floor, food abandoned. If he’s sick again, maybe he didn’t have an appetite for dinner, but it’s odd for Evie to leave the tray on the floor. Usually, she’d set it on the counter to be washed later or reattach it to the chair.

Worry hounds at my heels as I race up the stairs and rush to Charlie’s door. It’s open, no one inside, so I hustle across the hallway to our bedroom, bathroom, no one. I pound back down the stairs while dialing Evie’s phone, heart sinking when I see it light up on the kitchen counter.

I don’t see them in the back yard, but I check there anyway. Maybe they went on a walk? Maybe they went to the clinic?

I’m back in my car in seconds, at the clinic in two minutes, and it’s more bad news. They’re not here, either.

“Where are you?”

I run my hands through my hair and pull, anxiety spiraling through me. I drive around the center of town, circumnavigating the park to make sure they didn’t take an impromptu walk to the playground there. No luck.

With no other direction, I head home while calling my mom.

“Hello there, my son. How are you?”

With no time or patience for pleasantries, I ask, “Have you seen Evie? Heard from her?”

“No. Is everything alright?”

A sick sensation fills my gut. “I don’t know, Mom.”

I hang up, knowing I will have freaked her out but not sure what else to do. I call Grant.

“What’s up? You guys⁠—”

“They’re gone. I can’t find them.”

“What? Who?” Grant’s shifted into focused mode instantly.

“Evie and Charlie. I came home from my time at Horizon Clinic and they’re nowhere. I checked the house, the yard, the clinic. I drove around downtown. Grant, I can’t find them.” My voice breaks on these last words.

“Take a breath. I’m getting in the car now. We’ll figure this out, okay?”

His calm bolsters me just enough to get my head refocused. “Yes. Yeah. I’ll be here.”

“I’m calling Diego, too. He’s on tonight. He’ll beat me there.”

I spend the next five minutes checking the house again, looking for clues as to where they could’ve gone. The basement is as dusty and untouched as usual, but I check that box, too. There’s nothing. They’re nowhere.

Knowing the preschool is closed, I dial Clementine.

“Hi, Dr. Ryan. How are you?”

“I’m sorry, Clementine. Do you have Charlie?” I’m abrupt, but I can’t be anything else right now.

“No, I don’t. I didn’t have you guys on my schedule, but⁠—”

“It’s fine. I just… I can’t seem to find Evie and Charlie and I’m checking with everyone I can think of.” It feels terrible to say this out loud.

“Oh, gosh. Okay. I’ll ask around, too. Please let me know when you find them.”