"Where on earth is he?" he asked, jumping out of his trance. "He should have come back by now."
"Well, you know. Ike, grocery shopping, he probably got lost." Zac joked.
"This is hardly the time for jokes Zac."
"Yeah, I know. I just, I'm worried ok? This isn't like him." Zac paused. "Babsie, would you stop pacing?"
"No."
"You're gonna wear a hole in the floor."
"Then I'll start on the rest of it."
Taylor sighed, and pulled out his phone again to try ringing his brother again. Still no reply.
"Don't you think we should call the police?" Rita suggested.
"Been there, done that." Babsie snapped. "The usual: 'we can't do anything until he's been missing for twenty-four hours'. Anything can happen in twenty-four hours. Twenty-four hours may be too late."
There was silence for a moment.
"Sorry Rita. I didn't mean to sound like that."
"It's ok."
There was another silence.
"I can't stand this any longer. I'm gonna go out and look for him again." Zac said.
"Yeah, me too. We'll have our phone with us, make sure you ring if he gets back before us." Taylor added. "Say, you did remember to ring Mom and Dad right?"
"Yeah. I might go through the address book and see if there's anyone I haven't called yet." Babsie replied.
**********
Alanna was walking home from work early in the evening. She was mumbling to herself about the unreliability of mechanics and how they should have had her car fixed by now. Not having anyone she could call, she had to walk home. And it was cold.
Then she heard a groan and saw a figure stumble in front of her. Nervously, she stopped and watched as the figure fell to the foot path. Obviously this person was hurt. Tentatively, Alanna shuffled over.
"Are, are you ok?" she asked.
"My, my head." A male voice moaned. "I, I, I can't walk properly."
"Here, let me help you." Alanna replied, feelings of sympathy and compassion welling up inside her. "I live just near here. C'mon."
"Thank, thank you."
Alanna couldn't help but think she had heard this voice before, but she couldn't think where, despite it being on the tip of her tongue. It was only when they had reached the street light on her street, that she recognised the person before her.
"Isaac?"