The Empty Space

Ontario, Canada.

Souline's pov:

It was just another ordinary day. I woke up early and went through my usual routine: showered, brushed my teeth, changed clothes, did my hair and makeup, and then left the house. I typically grab breakfast at a café since I rarely eat at home, but today, I decided to head straight to Alliana's house to pick up some papers. As her assistant and best friend, I have a spare key she gave me for emergencies. I also gave her one for the same reason, in case she ever needed access to my place.

I got in my car and began the drive to her house, about fifteen minutes away. Fortunately, Ontario traffic wasn't an issue today; it was smooth sailing. When I arrived, I parked in her garage. Her car was still there, which struck me as unusual since she often goes out for meals. But I didn't think too much of it and assumed she just decided to stay in.

I stepped out of the car and walked to the door. Halfway there, I suddenly had the odd feeling that someone was watching me or, worse, stalking me. When I turned around, there was no one in sight. I chalked it up to instinct and dismissed the thought, continuing on. But as I reached for the doorknob, it unexpectedly turned on its own. The door wasn't locked.

My brow furrowed as a thousand thoughts raced through my mind: Why isn't her door shut? Did she forget something? Has she been robbed? I quickly dashed inside and slammed the door behind me. I scanned the area, looking for any signs that something had been taken. Everything appeared to be in its original place.

I dropped my things and hurried upstairs to her room. When I opened the door, it was empty. "Alliana?" I called out, flipping the light switch. Her bed was messy, which was odd, but I kept looking around. I opened her closet; it was perfectly organized. I checked the bathroom, but there was no sign of her. "What the fuck?" I muttered to myself as I returned to her room. It was so unlike Alliana to leave her room in disarray; she was a stickler for organization.

Just as I was about to leave, I noticed her phone on the nightstand. I picked it up and checked for any cracks. The screen had a dim light but wasn't badly damaged. Something about it made my stomach churn, a gnawing feeling that something was wrong. I left the phone on the bed, hoping she'd find it if she came back. Then, I made my way downstairs to continue searching.

Her living room was spotless, the kitchen was tidy, and the basement looked untouched. It was only her room that seemed disturbed. I sat on the couch, running through everything again in my mind. I couldn't shake the darker thoughts that crept in—what if someone had abducted her, or worse? How could anyone want to hurt Alliana, a sweet and educated young woman like her? I had to focus on the facts, though, and think realistically about everyone she'd had dealings with.

Could one of them have escaped and taken her for revenge? No, that wasn't possible. They were all still locked up. Even though I felt as though someone had taken her, I didn't believe murder was on the table. I needed to stay grounded. I started looking for the papers I came for and found them in the drawer. I've been working on Celeste and Celine's SA cases, and with Alliana gone, I knew I had to keep our promise to help them.

I sat down and went over their documents and details. Pulling out my phone, I dialed Gio to see if he had any news about Alliana's whereabouts. "Hello?" Gio answered. "Hey Gio, it's Souline. I need to ask you about Alliana," I said. "Hey Soul, what's up with her?" Gio said. "Did you talk to her?" I asked. "We spoke about an SA case yesterday. Why?" he asked. "I went to her house to pick up some papers, but her door was wide open. I went inside, and she wasn't there," I explained.

"Weird. Have you tried contacting her?" Gio asked. "Her phone was left at her house," I said. "That's strange. You don't think something could've happened to her?" he asked. "I don't think so. Alliana doesn't have many enemies," I said. "The people she put in jail are still locked up. What if she just went out and forgot her phone?" Gio asked.

"I thought of that, but her car was still parked at the house, her phone was still there, and her room was disorganized," I said. "That's very suspicious. You don't think she could've been abducted?" Gio asked. "I hope not, but everything points to that," I admitted. "Have you reported it to the cops?" Gio asked.

"I'll report it if she doesn't show up in the few hours," I said. "I hope she returns soon and safely. It's unlike her to just disappear like that." "I know," Gio said. "Be safe, and please keep me updated." "Alright, thanks for your help," I said before hanging up. I sighed, turning back to the papers in front of me.

I wanted to finish the case and start searching for Alliana, but I knew she'd want me to go through everything again to see if I'd missed anything. I spent the next thirty minutes scanning the documents, but I still hadn't found anything important. I suddenly remembered that Alliana was supposed to visit Velma at the children's cancer hospital today.

Since she wasn't here, I decided to go in her place and explain why Alliana couldn't make it. I made up an excuse, telling Velma that Alliana was sick and didn't have enough strength to visit. After gathering my things, I locked the door behind me and left Alliana's house. I got in my car, started the engine, and drove straight out of the garage.

I knew the way to the children's hospital since Alliana and I passed it on our way to the café every day. A few minutes later, I arrived and parked in the lot. I locked the car and walked into the building. "Hello? How can I help you?" a secretary asked. "I'm here for a visit," I said. "Are you a volunteer?" the secretary asked. "I'm not, but my friend is," I said. "Who is your friend?" she asked. "Alliana Mercedes," I said. "Ah, Alliana?" she asked. "Yes," I said.

"Why isn't she here?" the secretary asked. "Unfortunately, she's sick at home. She didn't want Velma to think she had abandoned her, so she sent me to see her," I lied. The secretary smiled. "That's extremely thoughtful of her. Right this way," she said, leading me to an elevator that took us to the third floor. We walked down the hall to the door at the end, and the secretary stopped. "Here she is. The visit is only twenty minutes long," she said. 

I thanked the secretary and entered the room, struck by how pristine and organized it was so different from the rooms I remembered. Velma was snoozing in bed while watching Hello Kitty cartoons on TV. I greeted her softly and dimmed the lights just enough for her to see me. Velma slowly turned her head, confused. "Who are you?" she asked. "Souline Marie, Alliana's assistant and friend," I introduced myself, crouching beside her.

When I mentioned Alliana, Velma's eyes lit up. "Souline? Liana's told me a lot about you," she said. I raised an eyebrow. "Liana?" I asked. Velma smiled and explained, "I call her Liana, and she calls me Vellie. We have our own nicknames." The way she spoke about Alliana made it clear they had a special bond.

I giggled and grinned. "What nickname would you give me?" I asked. Velma thought for a moment before responding, "Hm. I'd call you Lina." "Where did you get Lina from?" I asked. "It was the first name that came to mind," she said. "Lina is a cute name. I can see why you'd choose it," I replied. "What would you call me?" Velma asked. "Vel," I answered. "Short and simple," she remarked. "Yes," I teased. "It was the first thing that came to mind."

Velma smiled, but then her expression shifted. "Where is Alliana?" she asked. I hesitated for a moment before lying, "Alliana is ill. She is weak and couldn't speak, so she sent me to meet you." Even though lying to this young girl hurt my heart, I knew it would seem more convincing than telling her Alliana was missing. Velma's face saddened as she processed my words. "Oh," she said softly.

"Don't worry, Vel, she'll visit you soon," I said, trying to reassure her. "I hope before it's too late," Velma replied with a small, broken smile. I scrunched my brows in confusion. "What do you mean before it's too late?" I asked. Before Velma could respond, the secretary interrupted, announcing that visits were over. I stood up and hugged Velma.

"I'll see you soon," I said with a smile before walking away. "Yeah, soon," Velma muttered, her voice filled with sadness. I left her room and entered the elevator, still puzzled by her words. "As soon as possible." What could she have meant by that? After returning to the first floor, I exited the hospital and headed to my car.

I drove away from the parking lot, heading past Alliana's house to see if anything had changed. Everything looked the same. As I stopped at a red light due to traffic, I noticed someone across the street, staring through the curtains at my car. They quickly moved away after I honked my horn, and when the light turned green, I sped off.

I got home a few minutes later, parked in my garage, and locked my car before heading inside. It wasn't until then that I realized I hadn't eaten anything all day. My mind had been preoccupied with everything that had happened, and now it seemed like everything was catching up to me.

I couldn't shake the worry about Alliana, especially since she's such a sweet and kind person. Who could have taken her? My mind raced with possibilities. I decided to go upstairs and take a shower, hoping it would help me relax. Instead, it only made me think harder about everything.

I put on my pajamas and sat down on the bed, feeling the weight of the situation pressing down on me. I turned my phone on, hoping for a call or text from Alliana. I couldn't help but hope she would reach out soon, because if she didn't, I felt like I might lose my mind.