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9:22 pm

9:22 pm, September 9th, present year.

           

         ~At the Mitchels house~

                “You can’t do anything because it hasn’t been 48 hours? That’s ridiculous!” Mom was on the phone with the police. And like every other time today, they weren’t helping much.

                She was silent while the other side responded, then she sighed and thanked them. She hung up and held her face in her hands.

                Dad came up and hugged her. He whispered, “It’s going to be okay. Somebody will find him, or he’ll call. I mean, there are pay phones. He can call us. We just have to wait.”

                Riley was sitting on the couch, worried about where I might be. He ran up to Dad and asked, “Chase will be alright, won’t he?”

                Mom and Dad replied simultaneously, “Yes.”

                Riley felt a little bit better.

                Suddenly all the lights went out. It was dark, and everybody was worried. What had happened? Mom tried the phone again. Nothing. Dad attempted to turn on the TV. No response. The cable box was blank, and none of the lights would turn on.

                Mom and Dad looked at each other. Now they were both worried.

                The power had gone out.

*          *          *

            I had walked to the center of town to search for a computer or pay phone. I wouldn’t call my family from my new phone, because Unknown was probably tracking it. But there was no way he could guess what public phone I would use. First though, I had to get change.

            I entered the nearest coffee shop. The place was deserted. Perfect, I’d get out of here quicker. I approached the front counter.

            “Hello there. I was wondering if you could give me some change for this.” I pulled out three one dollar bills.

            “Sure. What type?”

            “Quarters please.”

            The cashier was around 20, a few years older than me. She took my money and opened the cash register. She placed the bills in their rightful spot and scooped up 12 quarters. She dropped the coins in my hand and as I turned to leave, I remembered something.

            “Could you tell me what town I’m in?”

            She laughed. “You don’t know what town you’re in? How did you get here if you didn’t know where you were going?”

            Uh…hadn’t thought about that. “I have short term memory. My parents told me we were coming here a few weeks ago, but I obviously have forgotten.”

            “Where are your parents? You walk into a shop asking for change and you don’t know where you are? Sounds to me like you’re lost. Incredibly lost.”

            “No, my parents are in the car outside.” The employee glanced outside. There was an old couple in a truck parked by the sidewalk.

            “Those are your parents? Kinda old.” She looked at me questionably.

            “Yeah, well, they decided to have one more kid in their old age. What can I say?” I shrugged, trying to sell the act.

            “Why’d they send you in? Why didn’t your parents do it?”

            “They said I had young legs. Plus I had to get out of there anyway. They tend to argue a lot.”

            She eyed me suspiciously.

            “If I ask them where we are, they’ll start bickering again about my short term memory loss. My dad wants me to see a specialist, but my mom says we don’t have the money. Then the words will get harsher and the voices louder, and if I try to put on headphones, then my Mom will yell at me asking why I’m not paying attention…”

            “Alright, whatever! You’re in Fahlstown. Enjoy your stay.” Then she turned her back on me and tended to the coffee makers.

            “It’s pronounced Fails-town?”

            She gave me a dirty look. “I know.”

            Awkward silence.

            “Well, thank you. Have a good day.”

            I left, and soon was back outside.

            Fahlstown? It didn’t ring a bell. I didn’t remember once hearing that name. I needed to find a map, so I could get a more general idea where I was. But should I call my home first? I probably should. Maybe my parents had heard of it.

            I just needed to find a pay phone. What type of place would have a pay phone? A bus terminal? Maybe a gas station? Or possibly even a library. But I had no idea where any of these places would be.

            A map. Back to Plan A, acquiring a map. This was my priority. Banks had maps.

            And public phones.

            I hurried down the sidewalk in a direction. I just had to find somebody who knew where the nearest bank was.

            There was a man! I sped up to him, and tapped him on the shoulder. “Excuse me sir, can you tell me where the nearest bank is?”

            He turned and answered, “Yeah, it’s down this street, then you turn right on Logan, and then it’s on your left.” He stuck his finger in the right direction.

            “Thank you so much!” I ran off toward the way he pointed.

            I reached Logan, and went right. There, I saw it! America’s First Bank. Yeah right, I doubt that. I neared the front and slowed down. It was still open, yes!

            I rushed through the doors, and in the process made a loud noise. People’s heads swiveled in my direction, but I didn’t care.

            Map! Phone!

            Ah! There were the maps! And right next to the phone! Finally, something going my way during this horrid day. I snatched a map up while reaching for the phone. I stuck in 4 quarters and heard a dial tone. I immediately punched in my house number.

            One ring, then an operator’s voice said, “We’re sorry, but this number is temporary unavailable.”

            What? Unavailable? Maybe it was the phone. After I looked up the number under settings, I dialed the number of my new cell phone.

            My cell rang. So it wasn’t the pay phone. Something was wrong at my house.

            What had Unknown done?