It's not the same anymore (Duskwood Fanfiction)

Chapter Twenty Two

"Where are you going ?"

I turn to look around and Jessy was standing in front of me, arms crossed.

"I'm going out mom." Damn.

"Where ?"

"In the forest ?" I smiled like nothing was wrong.

"No." Jessy said, walking to me.

"For a minute i thought i heard you say no."

"That's what i said. I do not want you to go there. I want you to rest Judith."

I sighed, letting go of the door handle i had in hands. It won't be easy.

"What can i do for you to let me go ?"

She took her jacket and looked at me. "I'm coming with you. And we're asking Lilly to come. She knows Jake too."

"But not as much ! Even Hannah would be a better idea."

"Then we're asking them both." She took her phone out.

I stopped her, putting a hand on her screen. "Wait. There's no need for so many people. If you want me to go with someone, i'll ask Lilly. Alright ?" I took my own phone. "You have to go see Phil. You promised him to spend the day with him."

Phone near my ear, i looked at her as she took off her jacket, putting it back where it was on the hanger.

"Yes ?"

"Ah, Lilly. I was wondering if you could accompany me in the forest ? Dear mother Jessy wants me to bring someone with me."

I wasn't mad, but i also wanted to go alone to begin with. Jessy was looking at me, with her arms still crossed.

"Sure. Now ?" I could hear her stand up.

"If you could. Just send me your address, i'll pick you up" I nodded to Jessy. "See you in five minutes Lilly."

Hanging up, i fetch my car keys. "Happy miss Hawkins ?"

"Happy. You have to understand that i'm just worried Judith." She let her arms fall at her side, dropping the act.

"I know that. But you don't have to. After all of that is done, i'll rest. Hopefully it's soon." I smiled at her. "If you want, we can chill in front of a movie when i come back ?"

"Alright, but i choose !" She said childishly.

I smiled and agreed. After looking at my phone for Lilly's address, i left Jessy's place.

Driving there had been fast, Duskwood wasn't that big. I pushed the honk on my car when i stopped in front of a place. Lilly quickly got out and locked the house before entering my car.

"Hey. So, what's the plan ?" She asked, putting her seat belt.

"Please don't tell Jessy what i'm about to tell you. I'll tell her if we find something." I wasn't feeling like lying to Jessy, but i couldn't tell her after yesterday.

"Alright ? What's the matter ? Did you two have a fight ?" Lilly asked, confused.

"It wasn't really a fight. I just gave Jessy a small scare and now she doesn't want me to do anything alone." I rolled my eyes.

"What happened ?"

"I was tired and one thing leading to another one, i started crying. But it was really just for a short time. Nothing to worry about, everyone cries."

"Hmm. And what did you found then ?"

I smirked, turning to look at Lilly for a second before looking back at the road. "I tracked a phone near a border of the forest. halfway to the Ironsplinter mine and the end of one part of the forest." I said, pointing at my phone that was on the dashboard. "I have the place on the map Jake gave me. I found out how he put new things on it."

I was proud of myself suddenly. I knew nothing about hacking, besides the slight bases that everyone kind of knew. But now i was able to track a phone. Which was a big step ahead.

"That's amazing Judith !" Lilly exclaimed after looking at my phone.

"What can i say, i had a great teacher. Even, if he didn't really taught me anything. Still, i wouldn't be there if it weren't for him."

"Do you think that it's Jake's phone ?"

"I can't be sure, a tones of people lose their phones. But i tried tracking it with the text message. You know how when the police have to keep a call long enough to locate someone they want to find ?" I watched Lilly nod. "Think of it like this. I used my text messages with Jake to try and track him. I only tacked a sign where i told you. I'm not even sure if it worked, i just thought it was weird to find a phone not that far from the mines."

"And you hope that it would really be Jake's." Lilly put back my phone on the dashboard.

"Yes."

Twenty minutes later, i stopped my car.

"Well, here goes nothing."

We stepped out of the car, closing it behind us. I parked as close as i could of the point on my map, but we would have to walk inside of a part of the forest.

"Let's stay together. We should find it easily with my phone if we walk in the right spot." I tapped the orange dot on my screen for her to see.

"Alright. Can i ask you a question ?"

"Yeah ?"

"Why did you choose me to come ? You could have go with Jessy."

"Does is bother you ?" I ask, bending my head down to avoid some tree leaves.

"No, i was just wondering."

"Actually, i think Jessy didn't tell anyone but, Phil came home yesterday."

Lilly stopped walking. I stopped too, looking at her.

"He got released ?"

"Hmhm. I called Alan and the topic came up. He must have called the prison and Phil got out."

"That's good, i'm happy for Jessy."

"I am too. That's why i didn't ask her, she wanted to spend time with him. But she also wanted me to bring someone here with me after last night. Well, it's not the complete story, she actually wanted to come and ask you and Hannah. But i told her it wasn't necessary to bring that much people."

"So just me ? I'm flattered." She smiled, swatting a mosquito.

"I like hanging out with you. But i also wanted Jessy to spend casual time with Phil, and Hannah still need to rest. You were a good choice. Plus, we make a good team." I smiled at her.

We stayed quiet for some time, just walking to the point. We never saw anything out of the ordinary, which wasn't good and wasn't bad either. Because i hadn't expected to find anything else aside from the phone if we did find it.

"Is it that ?" Lilly asked, pointing at something on the ground.

"Hm ?" I looked at where she was saying, seeing a black reflective thing. Walking closer, i bent down to take it. And here it was. A black phone with no protective case and with the screen completely smashed. I had doubt it was still working and when i pressed the button to start it, nothing happened.

Looking at my own phone, we were right on the dot. "Yeah, it's the one. But he's not turning on." I turned it around, sliding my fingernail between the screen and the back case. The phone popped open, letting me see a card.

"Bingo." I looked up to Lilly who was watching me. "There's a SD card in it."

"That means you can work something with that ?" She asked me, raising an eyebrow.

"I can try. But it should be far more easy to work a SD card than searching a phone with near zero info." I winked at her. "Let's go home, i want to take a look at it. You can stay with me at Jessy's if you want ? She probably not home anymore."

"Yes. I want to see if you can find anything from Jake." She nodded before we started to walk our way back to my car.

And this time, i held my head high. Because i was one step closer.