Lucas and Doris

Lucas was woken up by the sunlight of the new day. Unaware of the future events ahead, he was feeling very happy. Doris’s perfume, an intense lily fragrance, scented the bedroom.

Her dressing gown was lying on the bed. Lucas picked it up and smelt her. He closed his eyes. She was there.

The passionate and intense love that had happened the night before had changed Lucas’s life forever. He had been single for a long time, but now he had found his soul mate.

He looked around. Doris was not in the bedroom. “Doris, where are you?”

Lucas shouted.

His voice echoed around the million-pound yacht, but there was no response.

Lucas looked at the clock. It was midday.

He became increasingly worried and concerned.

Doris should be home by now, but she wasn’t. Where was she? Had Did something happened to her? She never stayed out so long.

Many questions and thoughts overcrowded his mind.

A terrible feeling came over Lucas. Doris was in danger and he was the only person who could save her.

With no time to spare, he got dressed and started to look for her.

He knew Doris was going shopping.

She told me last night before I fell asleep.

Despite searching in every grocery shop and supermarket, none of the staff remembered seeing Doris that morning.

It was a small town on a small island. I am sure someone must have seen Doris.

She was five-foot-six-inches tall with blue eyes and blonde hair. She had a slim figure and was wearing a pink dress and shoes. No one seemed to have seen a woman with this description.

Maybe she forgot about going shopping and she went to visit Carlos?

This thought gave Lucas’s spirit and morale a boost. He convinced himself that was what she had done.

We all met up and laughed about her imaginary disappearance

Carlos was a friend of long standing.

He had a villa with a swimming pool overlooking the sea.

Although Carlos hated living there, he loved being at the seaside for health reasons.

Carlos suffered from asthma and the sea air made him feel better. “It is the fresh and clean environment you need,” the doctor had recommended.

“Hi, Carlos. How are you?”

“Hi, Lucas. I’m fine thank you. How are you?”

“I’m worried and upset.”

“Why, Lucas?”

“I am looking for Doris, but I cannot find her anywhere. I went to the supermarkets and grocery shops, but no one had seen her. Have you?”

“No. Last time I saw her was last night. Maybe you could try her favorite café. She might have met an old friend and gone for a drink.”

“Thank you, Carlos. You have been a great help.”

“You are welcome Lucas.”

Again, Lucas set about searching for Doris, but he was getting more upset and frustrated. In all the cafés and bars the same answer emerged. No one had seen a woman of that description.

It was possible she had passed unnoticed or it could be that something terrible had happened to her. It seemed to Lucas that the second possibility was the more realistic.

Then an idea came into his head. “Of course,” Lucas shouted, slapping his forehead which was cold with sweat.

Some passers-by stared at him, thinking he had lost the plot.

She might have felt ill and been taken to the hospital.

From the pocket of his jacket, he took out his mobile phone.

“Come on Doris … come on Doris be there …” Lucas was thinking, nervously pressing the buttons of his mobile phone.

His worries seemed to fade momentarily, and a new hope arose.

Again, the bad news prevailed. No woman of her description had been taken to the hospital.

At least she is not ill or badly injured, but where is she?

I do not know where to look. I have been searching everywhere and I cannot find her. She has simply vanished from the face of the earth!

After walking around for three hours, with tired legs, low morale, and worried face, he found himself outside the police station. Another hope was shattered, with dismay he walked inside.

The police station was crawling with activity. The telephones were ringing

continuously, but no one answered them.

The cops were too busy restraining two disruptive tattooed criminals who had been arrested for bank robbery.

The two convicts were swearing and resisting incarceration so four police officers had no choice but to drag them into the cells by force.

While this was happening, a constable was sipping his coffee, watching the scene, and the smell of the fresh coffee brought Lucas back to reality.

“Good afternoon, Constable Smith.”

“Good afternoon, Sir.”

“My name is Lucas Dominguez. I have been searching for my girlfriend Doris Rodriguez all afternoon, but I cannot find her anywhere.”

“When did you last see your girlfriend?”

“Last night before I fell asleep.”

“At the moment, Sir, it is too early to involve the police in this matter. We have a policy of waiting 24 hours for people who go missing. Not unless you know someone wants to harm her.”

“Not as far as I know.”

“Do not worry, Sir. I am sure she will come home soon. Probably she is home now and is wondering where you are.”

“Thank you, Constable Smith.”

“My duty, Sir.”

Lucas walked home with renewed hope. He arrived and dreamt that Doris was running towards him hugging him and kissing him all over.

Constable Smith was wrong.

He walked into the kitchen and found a shopping list on the table.

To buy: eggs, potato scones, unsmoked bacon, and milk.

“Where is Doris?” The same question was going around and around in his head.

Doris was wondering the same. She woke up in a dark room, filthy and with a horrible smell.

A half-eaten rat was lying dead near her. The smell was horrendous and nauseous. Other rats were ready to attack their friendly corpse, but they were afraid. They were staying at a safe distance.

Doris was not scared at all.

She was feeling great and disorientated at the same time.

How did I get here? Where am I?

In the corner of the room, the light of a new dawn was coming through a gap in the wall.

Doris was desperate to escape the mysterious and terrifying adversary. She

knew her life was in danger.

She looked around to find a get-away.

Meanwhile the light was slowly approaching her. A door nearby was opened.

In a flash she flew through it.

The other room had the same horrendous and nauseous smell, but there was no gap in any wall. Doris felt safe.

She looked at herself in case she was hurt.

She noticed there was a stain on her pink dress. She touched it and she was shocked.

That’s blood! How did it get there?

Where is Lucas? Last time I saw him was last night. I can’t recall what happened after that.

The only thing I know is I can’t go out. I don’t know why I’m afraid. My instinct tells me my life is in danger. I will die if I do. I will wait until sunset.

Doris did not feel hungry or thirsty. She knelt on the floor all day long.

* * *

On the other side of the island, more frustrated and worried, Lucas had a brilliant idea, sitting and smoking his pipe in his rocking chair on the wooden deck.

He felt peaceful and had a serene smile on his face. The rocking chair reminded him of his childhood. In his early years he had cried many times and his mum knew that rocking the cradle was the only way to make him smile.

After all the previous failures, it seemed this time he would succeed in finding Doris.

Lucas had a friend whose name was Jose Santiago. Jose was a private investigator and, over many years, had cracked very difficult cases which the police had not managed to solve.

His instinct and intelligence helped him on many occasions to see the entire crime while the police only had fragments of it.

In a powerful positive state of mind, Lucas dialed Jose’s number.

“Good morning, Jose. It’s Lucas speaking.”

“Good morning, Lucas. How can I help you?”

“I have been searching everywhere for my girlfriend, Doris Rodriguez, all day and talked to anyone I know. I’ve even spoken to the police, but they could not help me. There is a 24-hours policy for missing people.”

“That’s right, Lucas. Hmmm. That’s weird. Can you tell me more about her?”

“Doris is five-foot-six-inches with blue eyes and blonde hair. She has a slim figure and is wearing a pink dress and shoes. She is 29 years old with a beauty

spot on her neck.”

“Thanks Lucas. Just a moment … I’m checking on my laptop. With this description, only one woman is coming up. Her name is Doris Rodriguez, but

…” The three minutes suspense was killing Lucas.

It seemed an eternity. “… She died 40 years ago.”

“That’s absurd. Doris is 29 years old. Something is not adding up. Jose, are you sure your laptop did not make a mistake?”

“My laptop had never failed in 20 years.”

“I don’t understand, Jose.”

“I know Lucas. She might have lied to you about her full name.”

“She might, but I’m pretty sure she told me the truth.”

“In any case, if you wish I’ll use all my resources to find her.”

“Thanks Jose.”

“It’s my duty. My fee is £10,000, Lucas.”

“That’s fine.”

“I’ll call you with any news, Lucas. Goodbye.”

“Goodbye, Jose.”

Lucas was very confused. Jose was right. He had never been wrong in 20

years.

Could Doris have lied to him? Or could Jose’s laptop have not been updated with the latest information?

Lucas was certain Jose would eventually find Doris.

Despite his many doubts, Lucas was calm and relaxed sitting in his rocking chair waiting for Jose’s phone call.

The day flew by at an incredible speed. Sunset was approaching. The shadows were becoming longer, and a cold breeze was blowing.

Doris did not move all day. She was still kneeling on the same spot. She felt happy. She knew the sun was disappearing below the horizon.

Darkness was winning the battle against the light, approaching in every direction.

The cold breeze turned sinister causing all the people of the island to shiver. It was so creepy to be outside no one dared walk in the streets.

For one-hundred years, word of mouth had taught people: “Never go out in a sinister breeze otherwise you will die.”

The legend was ‘creepy evil creatures would escape from their graves, walk and kill innocent people at night!’

No one could confirm if it was a true or imaginary story as nobody had dared walk in the streets and, if someone had done so, no one had come back alive to

tell!

* * *

The streets were ghostly and so chilly, it made the skin crawl.

Creepy evil voices echoed in every part of the small town. “Kill, kill everyone,” they were whispering.

Doris was not frightened at all.

She noticed not a single soul was out and about. The houses were dark and silent making the atmosphere more unpleasant.

In the middle of the air, a burning cigarette was hiding in a black alley.

Doris continued her quest through the sinister breeze.

Meanwhile Carlos was admiring the sea. He did not believe in the legend. He thought the legend was an imaginary story for frightening the children.

He was unaware of the danger.

Doris saw him, and, in a flash, she appeared behind him, surrounded by black clouds.

Doris whispered, “Hi Carlos,” kissing him on the neck.

She stared at the new moon shining.

“Kill him, kill him,” the voice whispered louder in her ear.

A powerful evil force invaded and possessed her.

Her teeth and nails turned longer and sharper.

Doris was ready to bite, but … a whistling sound flew through the air and something struck her back.

“Oh, dear.” Those were her last words.

Her body turned to ashes.

Carlos turned his head round.

“Doris, where are you?”

Nobody replied.

The following day, Lucas was sitting on his rocking chair sipping a Bacardi and coke, still waiting for Jose’s phone call.

An anonymous envelope arrived.

Lucas opened it and found a gold necklace with an inscription ‘Love you always, Doris’, a sharp wooden stake with some ashes and a piece of paper.

‘Doris will never come back. Please pay £10,000.’

Lucas cried for few minutes. His tears rolled down his face and he dried them with his right hand.

He realized Doris had gone forever and he had to live without her.

So, he decided to leave these painful memories and sad island and cross the sea for the rest of his life. Nobody has ever seen Lucas again after he disappeared beyond the horizon.