Time: 01:15 PM

Ava stumbled back onto the beach, her heart still pounding from her earlier encounter. She spotted the group gathered in a huddle near the water's edge. Relief washed over her momentarily, but something was off.

Dionna looked distraught, pacing back and forth, while Zaire and Rai whispered intensely. Ignatius stood slightly apart, staring at the horizon. The usual banter and carefree atmosphere had evaporated, replaced with an unsettling tension.

Ava hurried over. “Hey! I need to tell you guys—”

Dionna interrupted, her voice strained. “Samera’s missing, Ava.”

Ava blinked, the weight of the words sinking in slowly. “What? What do you mean, missing?”

“She didn’t come back after the boat ride,” Zaire explained, his voice edged with frustration. “We thought she was just taking pictures or exploring. But we’ve searched everywhere, and no one’s seen her.”

Ignatius rubbed the back of his neck, his earlier nonchalance gone. “We asked around, but no one remembers seeing her after she got on the first boat.”

Ava’s heart dropped. She wanted to tell them about the strange animals, the truck, and the driver, but the mention of Samera's disappearance stole her words.

Ignatius ran a hand through his hair, his voice rising in frustration. “We need to check with the operator again. Maybe he knows where she went.”

They headed back to the dock, where a different man stood by the boats. He was adjusting life jackets, completely unaware of the tension radiating from the group.

Ignatius stepped forward, his tone direct. “Excuse me, we were here earlier. A friend of ours took the first ride on one of the boats, but she hasn’t come back. Can we talk to the guy who was working here before?”

The man glanced up, a blank look on his face. “Sorry, I just started my shift. I don’t know who was here before me.”

Zaire’s pulse quickened, and he pressed on. “But our friend went on the first boat, and she was alone. We haven’t seen her since. Shouldn’t the operator have noticed something?”

The man’s brow furrowed, and he scratched his head in confusion. “I don’t know about any solo rides. We don’t let people go out alone on these boats it’s against our policy.”

The words hit the group like a cold wave. Dionna blinked, confused. “What do you mean? She was on the boat by herself. We saw her go.”

The operator’s expression shifted from confusion to concern. “That doesn’t sound right. We don’t send people out on their own ever.”

Ignatius’s jaw tightened, his frustration building. “Look, she was on the boat. She waved at us when she left. Where is she now?”

“I’m telling you, no one is supposed to be alone on those rides,” the operator said more sternly.

Ava felt a chill run down her spine as the group exchanged worried glances…

                                                                                                                                                                            Truvale Astra