Country V.

  The plane slowed down and docked at the terminal. Abi could barely contain herself. She felt nervous, excited, terrified, hopeful. So many contrasting emotions were fighting inside her but the one that trumped them all was a relief. She had made it. She was finally back in this country again and the feeling that she had the first time she stood on the land, that feeling that there was magic in the air, shrouded her. However, knowing what she knew now, that phrase now held a whole new meaning and her eyes saw everything differently.

  The ragged, snowy mountains, the rainforest, their surroundings looked exactly the same as it had but the smell and the feel of the air around them felt different. It was as if Abi could feel the difference on her skin, like the air was charged.

  She took a deep breath of the cool air and her lungs soaked it in, as if it had been parched for a long time, and for the first time in a long while, a small, genuine smile formed on her lips.

  It was getting dark by the time they passed through customs. Abi, Chris, and the crew went directly to the hotel and checked in after that. The hotel they were at was the same hotel that Abi and Kelly had stayed at on their previous visit. Once she got her room key, Abi dropped her luggage off in the room and immediately went in search of Kelly, who had arrived an hour before her.

  Abi had sent Kelly a message asking where she was and Kelly had replied that she was downstairs in the restaurant.

  Abi still hadn't changed out of her tight-fitting clothes, so when she arrived, all eyes were drawn to the beauty who gracefully walked towards a table. Abi, of course, didn't notice all the attention she was getting because she was so intent on finding Kelly and organizing their trip for the next day.

  For the first time since she woke up from her operation, her heart was beating wildly, as if it had just been shocked back to life. She couldn't help but feel a newfound energy, a bubbling hope that she was in the right place, that if she had any hope in finding Alex, this place would give her the highest chance.

  Kelly was sitting on a comfortable leather sofa, sipping on a cold juice, just browsing on her phone. She still remembered that last time she came here with Abi, but some parts of it were extremely blurry. She remembered that they had gone shopping, that they went to the ball but as hard as she tried to remember what actually happened during the ball, she just couldn't remember. She put it down to her possibly having a little too many alcoholic beverages that night so she figured she probably had the time of her life. It was just too bad that she remembered none of it.

  She also remembered that she had left the country before Abi did and again, she had no idea why. However, Abi came back and she was fine, so there was nothing to worry about.

  Abigail sat down opposite Kelly and soon after, Chris joined them. They ordered some food for dinner. The food smelled and looked mouth-watering but Abi had no appetite. She was too hyped up at the day's events. However, she forced herself to eat because she was going to need all her energy for the coming search.

  During dinner, Kelly quizzed Abi about the place she wanted them to visit. Abi told them that while she was here the last time, she got lost one day and when she was trying to find her way back, she stumbled upon an old house.

  Abi wove a tale about this house so that no one would become suspicious about how she actually knew of the place. Of course, she still remembered it, Alex's house - the place he took her to after she escaped from that hellhole of a dungeon.

  After that, everyone went back to their respective rooms to rest, knowing they had an early start in the morning.

  However, Abigail couldn't sleep. She opened her window and sat on a chair by it, staring out into the starry night sky, wondering if Alex was looking up at the same night sky, wondering if he was thinking about her too.

  The pain in her heart was slowly being replaced by hope. With each breath she took, the light grew stronger and stronger. Hope was indeed a powerful antidote, but hope also had a darker edge. It was also known as the silent killer because it inevitably left one utterly defenseless and vulnerable to the disappointment and pain and suffering that would come when that hope was crushed beyond recognition.

  And so Abigail sat on that chair, staring out the night sky until she drifted to sleep.

  The next morning, Kelly, Chris, and Abi boarded a car.

  Chris sat in the driver's seat while Abi took the passenger seat as she was giving Chris directions to the old house. She had some trouble trying to remember the way there because she only saw the road as they headed from the house. However, she was observant enough to note some key landmarks so even if they took a few detours to get there, they eventually got there.

  The car stopped in front of an old house. It was eerily silent and seemingly desolate. Abi climbed out of the car and she approached it, bravely. Kelly was right next to her while Chris followed behind him.

  "Oh god, Abi. I didn't know you wanted to hunt for a haunted house," Kelly said while Chris thought that this would be a nice location to film a horror movie or even dark-themed photoshoot.

  "There is no one here, Abi," Kelly said but Abi was unstoppable.

  This was it. This was the house she had stayed with Alex. She remembered that there was a housekeeper that kept the place running so she knocked on the door. She waited a while because the housekeeper was quite old. However, there was no answer. She knocked again but still nothing. Feeling impatient, Abi finally tried the handle and to her surprise, it wasn't locked.

  "Hello?" she said out loud, as she stepped inside the house. She looked around and her heart sank. It looked like the house was empty. No one was living there anymore. She couldn't even sense the presence of the housekeeper. Nothing at all.

  Abi walked upstairs into Alex's room and again, found nothing. Only the memories of them cuddling by that cold looking bed remained.

  Tears pooled in Abi's eyes as her hope was slowly being crushed. This was Alex's house. He should be here. The light of hope in her chest was slowly being quenched as they left the house.

  Chris and Kelly were puzzled but Abi hadn't said another word since they entered that house.

  "Alex… where are you? Please… I miss you so much now…" she whispered softly.

  No, she wouldn't give up yet. Just because this house was empty didn't mean that Alex was dead.

  That night, they went back to the hotel and she came up with another plan, to go and visit the castle……

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