bookbashuk Chapter 118 A Time That Seems to Have Stopped
Chapter 118 A Time That Seems to Have Stopped
As the morning sunlight streamed through the window, Mel Carlos stopped practicing his breathing technique.
Not right.
He opened his eyes, his gaze fixed on the tightly closed door.
There was no familiar, deliberately soft yet always cheerful footstep in the hallway outside the door.
There was no clear, slightly coquettish "Good morning, Mr. Mel" from him.
There was nothing there.
Only the growing noise of the morning market downstairs, the rumbling of horse-drawn carriages over the stone pavement, and the shouts coming from the distant docks could be heard.
Everything seemed normal, except that the voice that should have been there was missing.
Mel stood up.
He walked to the window and leaned down to look down.
The stone steps in front of the hotel were deserted.
The old woman selling hot soup had already set up her stall, with steam rising from it.
Children run around hawking the latest shipping news.
Several familiar-looking workers squatted in the corner, munching on black bread.
She no longer had long, golden hair, no faded linen dress, and no longer those bright blue eyes that always found his window first and then smiled.
It hasn't arrived yet.
Mel told himself.
Perhaps Anne woke up late today, perhaps Heather threw a little tantrum, or perhaps the dockworkers were a little late.
There are countless reasonable reasons.
He returned to his chair and sat down, attempting to re-enter meditation.
The breath became completely disordered after traveling halfway through the meridians.
The notes he had repeatedly read last night kept replaying in his mind uncontrollably:
[The disappearances mostly occurred in the afternoon or at dusk, and the targets were mostly lone young girls...]
Some witnesses said they felt they were being followed before they went missing...
The remains were never recovered, but black market rumors suggest that the Brittany family's collection requires regular updates...
Mel's hands clenched tightly, her nails digging into her palms.
Anne.
I hope nothing bad has happened to Annie.
Will not.
Mel shook his head vigorously.
Anne was very careful; she always darkened her face, and she knew how to hide herself.
She's so smart.
And... she seemed exceptionally happy when she left yesterday.
Humming an off-key tune, her steps were so light they seemed to be flying.
She turned back and waved to him, the setting sun gilding her profile with a golden edge. At that moment, her unpainted cheeks were dazzlingly white.
Melho stood up abruptly and paced back and forth in the small room.
Three steps to the wall, turn around, then three more steps.
Time seemed to stand still.
Every minute and every second felt like it was being stretched out infinitely.
It shouldn't be this late.
Because Annie also has a part-time job at the restaurant, she will manage her time well and shouldn't be too late.
and.
The sun is shining brightly today.
There was no rainy weather to hinder the trip.
Mel stood by the window, her fingers unconsciously picking at the peeling paint on the window frame.
His breathing became heavy, and a rusty fear slowly crept up from his stomach, gripping his throat.
He thought of his mother.
The morning my mother went to the nobleman's house, the sun was shining brightly.
She went to work as a maid in a nobleman's house and brought him back some delicious food.
He waited until the sun began to set and the moon climbed to the treetops, but his mother still did not return.
Then....
No.
Mel turned around abruptly and slammed his fist into the wall.
This time.
He couldn't wait any longer.
Mel grabbed the old coat hanging by the bedside and rushed out of the room without even bothering to button it up.
The wooden stairs creaked rapidly beneath his feet.
The shopkeeper behind the counter downstairs looked up in astonishment at the usually silent and gloomy young man who was running out at an unprecedented speed.
The sunlight outside the hotel made Mel squint.
He stood rooted to the spot on the stone steps, his gaze frantically scanning every direction of the street.
To the left is the main street leading to the dock, bustling with people, but Anne is nowhere to be seen.
To the right lies a winding alleyway deep into the slums, shrouded in shadows, but Anne is nowhere to be seen.
Ahead, the aroma of a bakery wafted from the street corner, but Annie wasn't among the people queuing.
Panic spread through Mel's mind.
He started to speculate in the positive direction—had he overslept? Had he been delayed?
No, although Anne would never do that; she was always as punctual as sunrise, rain or shine.
But what if it happens today?
Mel lifted her foot and walked towards Annely.
He needs to make sure he's sure.
He ran along the route Anne often took.
Sudden...
Mel's pupils suddenly contracted.
What did he see?
At the exit of the narrow alley diagonally opposite, several passersby were surrounding a figure lying on the ground.
The familiar figure was curled up, motionless.
Do not!
Mel felt her heart clench instantly.
He couldn't hear his own heartbeat, nor any sound from the street; the world had become a deathly silence.
He rushed toward the figure.
He bumped into a woman carrying a vegetable basket, eliciting a scream, but he was completely oblivious.
His eyes were fixed on the fallen figure.
The distance is rapidly decreasing.
Ten steps, five steps, three steps—
Just as he was about to pounce on her, his heart was about to explode.
The figure moved.
She seemed startled by the noise, and sat up slowly and somewhat confusedly, unconsciously rubbing her forehead with one hand.
Then, she turned her head and looked at Mel who was rushing towards her.
Eyes facing each other.
Time truly stood still at that moment.
Mel suddenly stopped in his tracks, the immense inertia causing him to stumble and nearly fall.
He looked at the person in front of him, his eyes brimming with uncontrollable ecstasy.
It's Anne.
Anne is alive and well.
Mel couldn't help but hug Anne tightly, asking with great concern, "Anne, Anne, are you alright?"
"I'm fine, I just accidentally fell and my head is a little dizzy." Feeling Mel's warm embrace, the girl's face flushed.
Mel released Anne from his embrace, and only then did he take a closer look at the girl's appearance.
She seemed a little dazed. The bamboo basket overturned to one side, and two rice balls wrapped in old cloth rolled out, covered in dust.
The girl had a red, swollen bump on her forehead, which made Mel feel a little sorry for her.
Her hair was a little messy, and her cheeks... her cheeks had an unusual, faint pink hue.
It wasn't the dullness of charcoal ash, but a rosy glow that seemed to emanate from beneath her skin, making her entire face appear exceptionally radiant.
Sunlight streamed through the alleyway, falling on her golden eyelashes and her deep blue eyes.
She didn't apply charcoal ash today.
Not only that, but she had also carefully applied some blush to her face.
In this dirty alleyway, against the backdrop of the drab street, she shone brightly like a gem that had been suddenly polished clean.
It's breathtakingly beautiful.
But it's also dangerous.
Anne seemed to be alright.
Mel's fear instantly transformed into a feeling of utter relief.
But then, a mix of emotions welled up inside her, and she said, her voice trembling with emotion, "Annie, why are you so late today?! And so careless!!"
"Mr. May? I..." Anne was startled by his somewhat urgent voice.