"What do you mean 'she's gone?'" Darrick asked, fiddling with the table cloth that reeked of stale cinnamon.
"I'm getting on the next flight back… I'll tell you more when I get back."
His dad rubs his eyes.
"Are you bringing the boys?"
"No. I don't know, Darrick. This is all so confusing."
Ray heaved a heavy sigh.
"I'll pick you up when you get here."
The line glitched, then the call ended.
His dad picked up his keys and went upstairs. The sound of jiggling metal and creaking wood distorted the facade of silence that overwhelmed the room.
"They'll get it before I do" He muttered to himself.
It was just a piece of a regular mirror. Why did he feel the unnerving urge to protect it at all costs? But, the shard was the only thing he could exchange for Sarah.
If it was so regular, why did the man in the grey suit want it so badly?
"If I manage to get it, do I hand it over? Are they to be trusted? Would Sarah be returned safely?"
For once, he needed Kirby's advice. He instantly regretted fighting with Kirby the previous night. And he had no phone to make a call.
When Sarah was around, he never had to make such difficult decisions - she always had a solution for his and Kirby's problems.
Except… she is now part of their problem.
Somehow, he fell asleep.
When he woke up, the sun was bright outside, sending dusty golden rays through the cracks in the curtains.
How long had he slept?
A glance at the ticking clock told him that it was eleven in the morning.
"Shit!"
He ran a hand through his hair.
Everywhere was quiet, except for the soft hum of the refrigerator.
The shard!
Had Mrs. Tolen arrived already? Where would she go first if she did?
Ray snatched his dad's keys off the table and rushed into the living room.
The sound of hushed voices stopped him in his tracks.
He strained to listen, but could not hear a single thing that was being said.
"Who's there?" His dad called out.
Then another voice, which he recognized as Mrs. Tolen's asked, "Ray? Is that you?"
Ray stepped into the light, squunting when it hurt his eyes.
"Did we wake you?" Sarah's mom asked.
He shook his head.
The woman's face was tear-streaked and drawn. She seemed to have thinned down somewhat between the space of a day.
"No. When did you get back?"
She pulled a strand of hair out of her eyes. He noticed how pale her hands were.
Did he tell her about the real Sarah?
Wait, was he even sure the Sarah he was trying to rescue was the real one? His instincts said she was, but his logic would not accept it.
And as it was, his father thought he was hallucinating - Darrick didn't believe Sarah was in the hospital in the first place.
Which left Kirby - who was almost as delusional as he was.
So he decided to keep it to himself… for the time being.
"Since 9am this morning." A bitter laugh escaped her.
"I've had three cups of strong black coffee with your dad."
Ray hated coffee, so he said nothing.
She held his hand and squeezed it.
"You look so stressed. Poor boy." She tilted her head.
His gaze darted to his dad's.
What did his dad tell her about him? The man averted his gaze.
"Did you bring the piece of glass?" He tried to sound as detached as possible to avoid any suspicions from them.
Mrs. Tolen rubbed her brow.
"Yes, I did. But it might have been seized at the police checkpoint. Let me see." She started rummaging through her handbag for it.
His heart started pounding.
What if she lost it?
What if the man in the grey suit had it?
How would he get Sarah back?
Ray broke into a sweat.
His dad followed her movements precisely, his mouth drawn in a thin line as if eager to see the mirror piece the fake Sarah had left behind.
Ray felt like a bucket of chilly water was dunked over him as his eyes caught on the peculiar object.
"That's a mirror, isn't it?" Darrick asked.
Ray froze.
His dad hated mirrors. Would he discard of it? Would he destroy it?
She handed it to his dad and he almost stopped breathing as he waited to see what'd happen next.
Instead of being irritated and disgusted, his dad was studying the object with bright eyes.
Ray's mouth hung open.
The doorbell rang just then.
Ray moved to get it, his eyes never leaving the shard.
"I'll help myself! The door is open!"
Kirby.
Perfect timing.
Kirby strolled into the room, his hands in the pockets of his faded denim. He waved to Sarah's mom.
"Isn't that the…" Kirby began saying as he saw the object Ray had been yapping about all night.
"It's yours?" Mrs. Tolen asked, surprise evident in her voice.
Both boys froze.
Even Darrick looked up expectantly.
"I found it."
"Oh? Did you give it to… Sarah?"
He said nothing.
It was clear the woman still found it difficult to speak about her daughter.
But how did he explain that the fake Sarah stole it from him.
That would sound ridiculous to everyone but Kirby.
"Can I have it?" He held his hand out.
Darrick hesitantly placed the object in his outstretched hand.
"Thanks." He mumbled and dashed up the stairs.
Kirby joined him.
When they got to the room, they closed the door.
"Mrs. Tolen is a mess. Did you tell her what we know?"
"Of course not, they'd send me to the Psych home a few blocks away."
Kirby smiled but it didn't reach his eyes.
"Now that we have the shard, how do we get Sarah back?"
Ray squeezed the object. Kirby followed his action.
"You're going to give it up, right? It's either it or Sarah."