Ginger Roy

"Nothing yet?" Baby asks Sieta when she enters the room.
"No, they've searched the property and she still hasn’t shown up," Sieta replies, rubbing her face. "Czar is about to do something crazy if she doesn’t turn up. Luckily, Jonathan is around to help keep my cousin's instincts in check."
"Christ, how did she get out of here with so many security guards patrolling the house?" Baby sits on the sofa next to me, speaking nervously.
"Ramsés said the guards found no trace of her escape..."
"Maybe the lake... If she knows how to swim, she could have crossed it easily..." I look at Baby and stay silent, listening to the two of them talk.
"I don’t think so; Mabel would freeze to death before even reaching the halfway point, considering how cold the water is this time of year," Sieta murmurs, defeated, walking over to the bar table in the corner to pour herself some vodka.
My head lifts, and I stare out the window, looking at the landscape while feeling anxious about the girl’s disappearance. It was around nine o'clock when Sieta came downstairs and entered the living room, informing Jonathan that the girl had vanished. I grew worried for her. Almost eight hours have passed since her disappearance, and no one has found her. Czar is completely beside himself, searching every corner. He left with Jonathan and Ramsés to go to the gallery where Miss Shot works. After that, they planned to stop by her apartment before heading to Sodom. Baby, Czar’s aunt, and Sieta searched the whole house but found no sign of Mabel.
"Do you think someone took her? Morgana or that man you told me about?" Baby makes me look at her when she asks, frightened, directed at Sieta.
"I don’t think that’s likely; Mabel is scared, not trusting anyone. She saw all of Czar’s notes in Ramsés’ dossier. Maybe she thinks Czar lied to her to hurt her, like the bastard she was delivered to..."
"What happened to her, Sieta?" I ask Czar’s cousin, trying to understand what really happened to the young woman.
"Mabel was adopted by a family that kept her locked up at home, raising her to continue what she had already learned at the orphanage... She was handed over to someone; Czar searched for him, but it’s a fake name; he doesn’t exist." Sieta grimaces and her face shows visible anger. "But what he did to her was cruel; he hurt her, beat her, violated her... That’s why she ended up with Greg."
I pay more attention, trying to understand what Sieta is telling me.
"She thought that what her body felt was something bad, some kind of disorder acquired from the trauma she experienced at the hands of that man." Sieta inhales and shakes her head. "She can’t feel limits when it comes to pain; Mabel feels a need to feel pain."
"Masoquista, that’s why she sought out Czar..." Baby hisses quietly, lost, looking at Sieta. "Did she develop this because of what she endured at his hands?"
"It’s not very common for someone who has gone through such trauma to want to relive it, but it can still happen," I murmur thoughtfully. "Each brain reacts differently..."
"But Mabel didn’t want to relive it, you understand? She didn’t seek Greg out for him to hurt her the way that worm did. She just didn’t comprehend that it wasn’t the trauma."
"But rather how she was raised," I conclude for Sieta, trying to imagine how confused and lost she must have felt, not understanding what she was feeling.
"I’m afraid to imagine what Czar is capable of if she doesn’t show up," Sieta lets out a long sigh and sits on the sofa in front of us. "He would never hurt her; he was a fool to lie to her. But he would never do her any harm, yet he could harm himself if he doesn’t find her."
"A lot happening all at once," Baby murmurs, looking at Sieta. "The death of the friend, discovering all these things... Czar just needs to give her some time to comprehend..."
"I’ve never seen him like this, Baby; I’ve never seen Czar so beside himself..."
"I know how it feels; I’ve felt that kind of fear before. Once, when Gim disappeared and Jonathan thought she had left, he nearly destroyed that whole island looking for her..." Baby says softly, giving me a weak smile. "Fortunately, she was nearby..."
I remain silent, recalling that time when Freire told me about the monstrosity Sonja inflicted on Roy. I just ran, fled, feeling lost and scared. I lift my gaze and stare out the window, looking at a distant point.
"What’s out there?" I ask Sieta and stand up, walking toward the window and narrowing my eyes, trying to see what lies far away among the trees.
"It used to be a boathouse; now it’s just rubble. The guards took a look over there but didn’t see anything..." Sieta replies quietly. "Christ, I just want to understand how she escaped without anyone seeing! We were all here; she had to have passed through the big door to get outside... Not even the guards saw her leave through the gate."
I move even closer to the window and scan the distant debris. A small bright shimmer appears inside, like a silver reflection when the sun hits the wood.
"It’s because she didn’t leave..." I murmur to myself and smile with relief.
"What did you say, Gim?"
"I said I’m going out for a bit, to get some fresh air. Being cooped up in here is making me even more anxious." I smile and rush out of the room.
"Wait, don’t you want me to go with you?" Baby gets up and follows me. I turn and grab her wrist, looking at the concerned blonde in front of me.
"I’d prefer you stay." I gesture toward the sofa, then toward the window.
Baby turns her face and looks at the large window, gazing in the same direction I was.
"She..."
"I’m not sure." I lower my voice and raise my hand, touching Baby's face to make her look at me. "Keep your phone with you; I’ll call if anything happens..."
Baby blinks at me, nodding as I leave the room and hear her talking to Sieta.