The air inside the police station felt cold, despite the old air conditioner in the corner humming noisily. The bright white neon lights only made the atmosphere even gloomier. In the interrogation room, Nicky sat with his body slightly hunched forward, elbows resting on his thighs, and fingers clasped tightly together. It had been nearly a month since his wife, Diana, vanished without a trace during their honeymoon.
Beside him, Mr. Bryan sat with a tense expression. The 55 year old man had a slightly overweight build, a bald head, and a height nearly identical to Nicky's. Though he tried to appear strong, his eyes could not hide the deep worry within them. His large fingers tapped lightly against the wooden table in a slow rhythm, as if trying to calm his own anxiety.
Next to him, Mrs. Helena looked even more fragile. The 50 year old woman had a slender frame, pale skin from lack of sleep, and shoulder-length black hair that appeared slightly disheveled. Her eyes were swollen, clear evidence that she had cried too much. She clutched a handkerchief in her lap, twisting it anxiously as if trying to suppress the emotions threatening to spill over.
Sitting across from them was a muscular man with tanned skin, Detective Marco, the officer in charge of the case. Around 30 years old, his posture was upright, with broad shoulders and visible muscles beneath his uniform. His sharp gaze was piercing, as if trying to drill into Nicky's mind to uncover hidden truths. In his hand was a notebook filled with scribbles, and occasionally, he tapped the tip of his pen against the table, creating a small sound that added to the tension in the room.
"Alright, Mr. Nicky."Marco's voice was deep and firm."I need you to recount the events once again. From the beginning. Don't leave out a single detail."
Nicky took a deep breath. He had told this story countless times, but if doing it again could help find Diana, he would do it without hesitation.
(FLASHBACK)
That day...
They were enjoying their honeymoon in a tourist city famous for its amusement parks. Diana was ecstatic, since childhood, she had always loved places like this. Her eyes sparkled every time she saw the brightly colored rides spinning in the distance, reflecting pure excitement.
That afternoon, they strolled hand in hand, soaking in the lively atmosphere filled with children's laughter and cheerful music echoing throughout the park. Diana looked breathtaking under the golden sunset, her fair skin glowing softly in contrast to her long, flowing black hair that cascaded down to her waist. A gentle breeze tousled a few strands of her hair, and she giggled as she brushed them away from her face.
She was petite compared to Nicky. When they stood side by side, Diana barely reached his shoulders. But that only made her look even smaller and more endearing in his eyes. With her sweet face and ever-cheerful gaze, Diana had a charm that was impossible to ignore.
Diana looked up at Nicky, her eyes shining with excitement."Let's ride that one!"she said, pointing at a towering roller coaster in the distance.
Nicky chuckled."Didn't you say you wanted to take it easy first?"
Diana puffed out her cheeks in a playful pout but soon broke into a wide smile, gripping his hand tighter."Fine, later then! Let's walk around first!"
Nicky nodded, savoring every moment with his wife.
As they strolled toward the rides, a sudden cramp twisted in Nicky's stomach.
"Damn...!" Nicky muttered."Diana, I need to use the restroom. My stomach feels off."
Diana giggled, looking at him with amusement."Told you not to eat too much!"
Nicky vividly remembered their lunch at a restaurant near the park. He had ordered an oversized meal, maybe too much. He had devoured two steaks and a plate full of fries on his own.
Now, he could only grin sheepishly before rushing toward the public restroom. He wasn't about to let an embarrassing accident happen in public.
Diana decided to wait outside, standing near a park bench facing a fountain.
Nicky wasn't in the restroom for long, maybe ten minutes at most. But when he came out, Diana was gone.
At first, he wasn't alarmed. Maybe she had just wandered off for a moment, perhaps to grab a drink or a snack. But when he pulled out his phone to call her, he discovered her number was unreachable.
His heartbeat quickened.
He searched the area, glancing in every direction, scanning the crowd for any sign of Diana. He asked people sitting nearby, but no one had seen where she went.
An hour passed.
Diana was still nowhere to be found.
That was when true panic set in. He reported her disappearance to the amusement park security, hoping they could track her through CCTV footage. But the results were disappointing—the cameras near the restroom had blind spots, and they couldn't see where Diana had gone after Nicky entered.
That day became the beginning of a nightmare he never imagined.
(FLASH REWIND)
Back in the police station...
Nicky wiped his face, trying to steady himself.
"That was the last time I saw Diana."Nicky said hoarsely."Since then, I have no idea what happened to her. I searched everywhere, called her over and over, but her phone was always off."
Detective Marco tapped the tip of his pen against the table, deep in thought.
"There was no suspicious person around at the time?"he asked.
Nicky shook his head."Not that I noticed. Everything seemed normal."
Mrs. Helena lowered her head, stifling a sob. Her hands clenched in her lap, while Mr. Bryan let out a deep sigh, trying to comfort his wife.
"Please, sir,"Mrs. Helena's voice trembled."Find my daughter..."
Detective Marco looked at them with unwavering seriousness."We'll do everything we can, ma'am. We won't stop until we find Diana."
Yet, behind the certainty in his voice, something in his gaze unsettled Nicky. A creeping sense of dread slithered through his thoughts.
He feared that Diana hadn't simply vanished.
Something far worse might have happened to her.
***
Tonight, the atmosphere inside the car felt silent. Only the sound of the engine and the wind rushing outside could be heard. It had been almost a month since they arrived in this city, the place where Diana disappeared. A city that was once filled with happiness because of their honeymoon had now turned into a symbol of emptiness and loss. But they couldn't stay here forever. They had to return to their hometown, at least for now, while waiting for news from the police.
Nicky sat in the driver's seat, his eyes fixed on the empty night road ahead. Beside him, Mr. Bryan remained silent, while Mrs. Helena, sitting in the back seat, occasionally wiped away the tears that never seemed to stop.
Nicky glanced at his phone screen on the dashboard. Still no updates from Mr. Marco, the detective handling the case. Every now and then, he let out a deep sigh, trying to calm his mind, which was filled with countless dark possibilities about his wife.
The car cruised along the quiet highway. The night sky was dark without stars, with only the moon faintly veiled by clouds.
To distract himself, Nicky reached for his phone and dialed his colleague, James.
The dial tone rang a few times before James' voice finally answered."Hello, Nick! You finally called."
"Yeah..."Nicky tried to sound normal, though his voice was still heavy."How's our business? Is everything running smoothly?"
"So far, everything's under control,"James replied."I've been handling a few clients you left behind. The business is still running fine. I also took care of some things on your behalf. I can manage this for a while longer if you still need time there."
Nicky shook his head, even though he knew James couldn't see him."No, I'll be back at work tomorrow."
James paused for a moment before speaking carefully,"Are you sure? I mean... you just lost... I mean, you're still looking for your wife, right?"
Nicky clenched his hands around the steering wheel."Yeah. But I can't just sit around doing nothing. I have to keep moving forward. I've been away from our business for too long."
There was a brief silence before James responded, his voice softer this time."I understand, Nick. I just hope you're doing okay. But... any updates about your wife?"
Nicky took a deep breath."The police are still handling it. They'll contact us if there's any news about Diana."
"Hm, yeah... I see. I'm sorry I can't do much to help, Nick. I really hope Diana is found soon."James said.
"Thanks, James." Nicky replied.
After ending the call, he refocused on driving. But his mind couldn't let go of one thought, how was Diana now? Was she still alive? Was she hurt? Was she being held somewhere, alone in the darkness?