The Watchers Wake

Chapter 23 - Finding Jari

CHAPTER 23 - Finding Jari

First things first.  His boy?  Jari’s Boy?  What did he mean by that?

The breeze tugged at my hair.

That could only mean Scott, couldn’t it?  Or was I jumping to conclusions?

What did I really know about Jari?  This ‘boy’ could be someone totally unrelated to what Jari was doing here with us, right? 

Maybe Jari was gay? I laughed outright at that one!

I was running.  I knew where I had to go.  And I was running as fast I had ever run.

Despite my attempts at being calm and logical, something inside me was screaming and thrashing around in panic.

I knew it was Scott.

No.  I had to be sure.  I had to find Scott.

When I arrived at the lake I reached out for him.  This is where he said he was. 

There were about ten cars with their headlights on in a rough semi-circle facing the jetty.   Lounging against and between these were at least thirty kids.  One of the cars had a loud stereo thumping out music.  I stayed in the darkness looking for him in the group of drinking and partying teens. 

I found Dean but I still couldn’t see Scott.  I couldn’t feel him either. I could feel the panic rising but I forced myself to remain calm.

I took a deep breath and wove my way through the group.

“Dean where is Scott?”

“Nobody, what are you doing here?” Dean’s voice slurred and he turned to me too quickly, his face showed too much guilt. “You should go home Nobody.”

“Dean where is Scott?” I repeated the question in a harder tone and watched as his eyes flicked up into the forest. No points for guessing what that meant.  I turned and headed in that direction.

“Nobody, don’t.” Dean grabbed my arm to stop me but I wrenched it away and gave him a searing stare.

“Don’t touch me.” And I clenched my jaw and headed for the trees.

“I tried to stop him Qaddis,” Alistair was next to me as I walked through the darkness towards the tall trees, “I don’t know what came over him.  Don’t do this to yourself, don’t...”

“Who is she Alistair?”

“He’s still your Irin, he’s just...” he grimaced as he caught my expression, “Harry Smith’s girlfriend.  I don’t even know what she is doing here.” He looked genuinely apologetic.

I stopped and teetered on my heels, I looked to the stars and almost turned and walked away.  But there was something about the pain in Scott’s voice as he called to me that kept me there.  I could feel his pain.  Of course, maybe he deserved that pain. 

No, let me find him and inflict my own brand of pain on him. 

We were on the edge of the forest that butted on to the car park and the side of the lake.  I looked into the thick understory of bush under the tall trees.  I could see at least two couples in various stages of undress partly hidden in the foliage. I really didn’t want to go stomping around in there. 

“Describe her.” I said in a resigned voice.   He looked at me strangely, “Alistair I am not going to ask again, tell me what she looked like and what was she wearing,” I said in a commanding tone that I myself didn’t recognise.