***
This chapter focuses on Sarah, Marks secret workplace crush
***
Sarah was up early for a Sunday morning, she was concerned. A lot. Mark hadn't called her about his hike yesterday which was not too worrying in of itself but a call to his mobile went to message bank... every time she called. And she had tried a LOT.
Calls to mutual friends and his sister all responded with 'No I haven't heard from him..' or 'I thought he went hiking'.
What if something happened? I should go check to see if he is ok.
Sarah reached into the fridge to grab a cold liquid breakfast before throwing on some shorts and a tank top as well as a good pair of socks and her trusty walking boots. She also grabbed her bag and a fresh water bottle.
Bounding out the door she slammed it shut and jumped into her car and sped off down the road.
Mark could have been hurt. I hope not...
He could have lost or broken his phone too. There could have been a hundred reasons.
Sarah
needed
to be sure though, and pushed the accelerator harder down on her drive to Marks house.
It didn't take her long at all to pull into his street, immediately she turned the radio off and looked for his house. A small knot in her stomach slowly grew larger the closer she got; the drive way was empty.
Stopping on the street she got out quickly and rapped on his front door several times.
"Mark! Are you here?"
Damn.. where is he.
He could be out at the track still... it's a twenty minute drive and I need to be sure!
Walking quickly back to her car she gunned the engine hard and set off for the track.
**
Sara had been searching the wilderness for hours and found little. After finding Marks car she had attempted to re-trace his steps up to the summit of the hill and back again. Worry was her constant companion, and felt as real as Mark usually did.
On her way back from the summit and watching her step, she caught a glimpse of something black sitting beside a rock several meters from the path.
Hmm...
Immediately she approached it and looked closer. It was Marks bag. Opening it revealed some personal belongings she recognised.
Why would he part with this?
It's not something someone would do willingly.
He must be in trouble!
Zipping the bag back up she grabbed it and continues onward.
**
The new life had been sitting out in the sun for some time.
Its simple mind patiently observed and noted its surroundings, its universe. Learning. Understanding.
Light; so bright and overpowering. It should retreat into the darkness. No, it needed to understand.
Tough; the harshest thing to comprehend, the rigidity and absolute presence it felt around it by rocks, trees and the air as a breeze.
Taste; a small but important process, some things it appeared to
like?
Others, not as much.
A new taste.
On the air?
It tasted different... exotic.
Female... A female?
I need a female!
**
Sarah had almost returned to the cars when she saw something. Looking closer it seemed some of the bushes and shrubs had been pushed aside and broken. Peering down she could see some branches had recently been snapped.
Was he abducted..?
As she was quite close to her car she returned and made a quick phone call, and left a message on her friend's answering machine. Turning back to where she thought Mark was taken, she set off into the scrubland.
Off into the distance she could see some rolling hills not too far away as well as some exposed rock.
Maybe Mark wanted a closer look at that?
She continued on, more determined than ever.
**
SHE is coming this way!
Quivering with excitement the slick black substance shivered in delight at the prospect of meeting a human concubine so soon.
Using its
sight
it found several close trees and approached it, then laid its trap...
