[Circle of Sirens] Missing

[bewitchinghaze]

 To say it had been a long day would be an understatement. Val has been hard at work in the back rooms of Avant Garden preparing spelled plants by the dozen all day. By the time she closes up for the day and finishes tidying, it's well past eight in the evening. Stretching out the kinks in her back, she gives a soft sigh as she hauls her phone out of her pocket and sends her sister a quick text:

[txt] Long ass day, unnie. Sales low again. On the way home now though. Chinese for dinner? xo

Finally satisfied that everything's in order, Val steps out and locks up. Turning around, she tuts at the fog that seems to have rolled into town despite the chill. Its thick as pea soup but she's never really needed her sight to make her way home anyway, not with the mixture of her sister's magic and her plants calling to her. But... Something seems odd. A soft melody slowly winds its way through the air and into her ears and something about it makes her want to hear more. To get closer.

Val steps into the fog, which, by all means, should be cold and clammy but somehow feels warm and soothing, and blinks in mild surprise as it seems to part to reveal a beautiful garden. Its absolutely gorgeous, full of plants she could never dream of working with and...

"Val! Over here!"

She turns her head as Grant's voice beckons her and she spots him, sitting on the porch of her cottage, waving her over. She bounds over happily and feels his arms wrap around her and his lips press against her own. "Welcome home," he murmurs with a grin that momentarily stuns her. "Riley's inside making dinner. She said to remind you to wash up before you go in."

It feels like her heart's going to burst, she's so happy right now. This is everything she could ever want and she's more than content to live like this forever. But then it starts to fade. Slowly, at first, she gets glimpses of a cave and her head feels... fuzzy, to say the least. Then the vision disintegrates faster and its all she can do not to yell at it to stay. Then it's gone and she's standing in a cave, blinking around at the walls as her mind wraps around her loss.

"Fuck."

Comments

[jiyunnies]

[txt] Just finishing up at Watersong. Chinese sounds amazing. I'll be home by the time you get there! Be safe!

After she passes her orders to the bartender sent in to relieve her, Riley takes her share of the tips, stuffing them into her bag before she says goodbye to Lara and the other employees at the concert. By the time she sets out for home, the sky has gone dark and Riley instinctively casts a small protective bubble around herself. Nothing seems too out of place until she opens the door to the cottage and drops her keys and purse on a side table, calling out for Val. She gets no answer, which isn't too concerning. Val sometimes gets caught up with her plants after a long day of work. But after Riley checks the entire cottage and the garden, she tugs her phone back out of her purse and texts her sister again.

[txt] Hey, I'm home now. Where are you?
[txt2] Val, did you get stuck at the shop?
[txt3] Val, are you okay??
[txt4] Soo-Yun, I swear to god if you're fine and just not answering!
[txt5] CALL ME, NOW.

Hours pass by with zero texts back from Val and Riley's officially at her wits' end. She's called over ten times, called the shop's phone, and texted everyone she knows, asking if anyone has seen her sister.

Riley's even desperate enough to get the equipment out for a scrying for her sister, but it tires her out quickly and comes up with nothing. She throws on her coat and scarf quickly before running out the cottage door and all the way to Avant Garden where she scours the place for Val. She can see Val's prepped the place for closing and must have left like she texted. So where is she?

Finally desperate and not knowing what else to do, Riley finds herself at SCPD. Grant isn't at his desk or answering his phone. The Jungs have an innate distrust for police after being fined for years. So she asks the night-clerk if she can see James Thorton, but apparently the jerk actually went out for the night. Riley somehow manages to finagle James' cell number from the clerk and tugs out her phone, quickly sending him a text.

[txt] James? It's Riley Jung. I really need your help right now.

[louise_abasi]

"Riley?"

She curses because she promised to call when in front of the door, so she fires off a quick text "Hi, it's Louise, calling."

There have been stories about other people missing, and Louise is checking everyone in her phone book now. Lara - for starters - was missing her assistant, which made it easier for Lou to catch Corry's hysteria about her best friend being gone.

"Riley!"