The Hunt Episode 1
Calvin Stokes went missing Tuesday, Fiona Adamson last seen Thursday and Leon Saxton discovered missing on Friday. Each one vanished without a trace. Each one vanished without any notice. And no-one knows where, why or how.
Athena Sharp dropped the newspaper back onto the counter. “This is ridiculous,” she said indignantly, “Why isn’t this headline news?”
“I agree,” Elise Luthier straightened the blue pens on her desk next to the cashier, “in some areas, one person is missing and the media swamp the place.”
“I suppose that’s because they that that someone will have seen something,” Athena twirled her earring round, “and there’s always someone to point the blame at. But here, there’s no-one.”
Elise gazed around the toy area of Fletcher & McCafferty department store. About ten children ran about the colourful basement, playing with the sample toys. Watching the children enjoy themselves was definitely the best part of her job. Relaxed, she inhaled deeply and caught a scent of the jasmine and rose perfume that Athena favoured.
Just then, Elise heard a clatter of noise and turned to look. “Tommy be careful,” she told the boy in the orange shirt seriously, “and don’t get hurt. Now, quickly, put that box back on the shelf where it came from.” Tommy shot her a wicked, gap-toothed grin and ducked behind a column holding joke toys.
Athena breathed out deeply. “Rather you than me,” she whispered, “his smiles unnerve me. And I’m not sure if he’s just naturally clumsy, or whether he just does it on purpose!”
Elise smiled at Athena’s annoyance and reached into her pencil skirt pocket and pulled out a couple of pounds. The coins felt cold in her palm. She handed them to Athena. “Buy me a wrap on your break,” she told her, “chicken, like normal.”
“Sure,” Athena took the coins and picked up the mirror that she had originally come to collect. “I hope Jay doesn’t mind I took so long!” She grinned as she hurried to the stairs in the left corner of the basement.
“So do I! Or I won’t get my wrap!” Elise called after the vanishing blonde-haired figure of Athena. She looked back down at the newspaper on her desk. One name in particular jumped out at her. Leon Saxton. She knew him. He’d been ill on the day he’d disappeared. He’d been ill since Wednesday. And it was now common knowledge that Fiona Adamson was pregnant. Calvin Stokes had cancer.
There was something about this. These people… this lack of attention: none of this was on the front page. Hardly any media or police involvement. All this bugged her. What was going on?
It was only when the power cut for a few seconds that she remembered what she was doing— or what she was supposed to be doing. Watching that the kids didn’t do anything stupid or dangerous.
Elise heard another small crash to her right. Her crystal blue eyes flicked across the room. She noticed the box that Tommy had knocked over earlier, and remembered Athena saying that Tommy was naturally clumsy. She rolled her eyes in mock annoyance and stepped out from behind the counter.
“Tommy,” she said, picking up the box and setting it carefully back on the shelf, “remember to be careful!”
There was no reply. Not even a suppressed giggle. She looked around her. There was no-one there. Not a sound, either. They’d fixed the heating, so it was silent now. Oh why had they done that? Now she longed for it to whir noisily, willing it with all her heart, although she wasn’t sure of what she was afraid of.
“Tommy, don’t run off on your own,” Elise said loudly, “it’s not safe. The people… they don’t know where they are…” her voice trailed off. Her heartbeat pounded. She could hear it.
Elise glanced backwards. No-one. She reached and held onto the joke toys’ column— still looking backwards. “Tommy…?” She turned round.
A huge, black shape leapt out at her. It was a whole head and shoulders taller than her. Its head was just more or less square and… featureless. No nose. No mouth. No eyes. No ears. Just a solid, black shadow.
Elise gasped and stumbled backwards. The thing extended a large, pure black hand with long, slender fingers. She leant back as far as she could without falling. It just missed her. Elise turned on her heel and fled. For from the outstretched arm dangled a piece of orange fabric.
Uth 