Hide and Seek

“I’m going to find you,” I said as I walked down the hallway of our mansion. Emilie’s laugh as she ran to hide still echoed in the halls. To a stranger, our house would feel eerie and uncanny but it was the opposite for us; we had seen the best of our memories here with our parents who were now out. As usual, my little sister had requested to play ‘hide and seek’ – her favorite game.

And, as usual, I agreed. My footsteps suddenly seemed loud amidst the chilling silence spread across the house as the sun was all ready to bid farewell. I called out her name a few times before I got bored with the game and gave up midway. For ten long minutes, I paid heed to nothing but the movie I was watching on my phone when a stimuli of someone walking up to me and stopping in front of me a few feet away grasped my attention. I looked up and in front of me stood my 13 year old sister.

“You gave up so fast. You do this every time,” She carped.

“I got bored.”

She sulked then and opened her mouth to say something before protesting against it and walking away.

I got up. “I’m sorry. Can we do it again?”

That made her stop. She turned her head sideways and answered, “Forget it. Just know that I was training you,” before resuming walking up the stairs.

I found her words peculiar then but now looking back, I contrite with the entirety of my being for not paying close attention to her words. Today completes two years of her disappearance and still, no progress has been made on her case. At this point, I’m positive the cops have surrendered the case and will make no more efforts into finding her.

She went missing the day after we played our last game. It was time I take matters in my own hands because I may have been late then but I won’t be late now – at grasping the hints.

She knew I could find her; she knew I was capable of it – only if I had given my best. But, back then, it was just a game. I realized later, it was not. But, now that I know this, I know she chose me. Even if she couldn’t do it the way she planned to, she still showed me a brief idea of how her pattern of hiding was. She did really choose me. To find her.

I get up from my sofa mercifully as I walked towards the terrace which overlooked the lake. I take one steady breath as I whisper, “I’m going to find you.”