Traffic

Ch 28: Agony

        Tyler searched for months, the days dragging on and the nights, cold and alone. He had no one close to him, no one showed him curteousy, and he felt dead. He felt like the literal dead, his body weak from hunger and exhaustion, his cheeks so thin, you could see the outline of his jaw as if no cheeks covered it. His arms grew thin, and his muscles began to lose their tone.

        For months, he searched, growing weaker and weaker as he did. It wasn't long before his ribcage could be spotted through his skin, as well as through his thinning shirt. He had brought only one pair of clothes, not wanting to take up room in his bag.

        Despite his complete un-interest for food, he was forced to eat all he had packed, which wasn't enough, because he had run out within the first month. He wandered the streets of small towns, talking to locals, showing Kelly's picture, and asking if they'd seen her. The people pitied him and wished they could have told him they'd seen her, but they all had to answer no.

        When he was on the verge of death, he knew he had to return home. He hated to go back empty-handed, for fear of being shunned by his sister, but it was either that, or death. At this point, however, he thought death would be a peaceful ending.

        Still, he slowly made the trip home, stopping only when he stood across the street from his home. He looked at the house, longingly, hoping that Marie and his mother would accept him, despite his failure.

        He entered his home, walking in until he found Marie and his mother, sitting on the floor by the telephone, as if no time had passed. He stopped, standing before them until they senced a presence in the room and looked up.

        Marie's first words were, "Did you find her?"

        To which Tyler had to answer, "No..."

        She immediately stood up and pushed him against the wall, beginning to yell, "How dare you come back without her! How dare you come back without my baby! Trace, I need her, I can't live without her! She may have been a mistake, but she was the happiest mistake of my LIFE!"

        "Fred, she didn't even know who you were!" Trace retorted.

        "I don't CARE! Just being able to love her and take care of her was enough. I need her, Trace! I need my baby girl!"

        "Marie, calm down!" Mrs. Banner said as she regained composure and stood, facing her children. "Tyler, there's something you need to know..."

        Tyler listened as Mrs. Banner told the news of the recently received phone call.

        "So..." he asked, "They're just giving up?"

        "They have other cases, Ty, and it's been a year, for heaven's sake. I think it would do us all good to accept it and move on."

        "You only say that because she's not YOUR child!" Marie spat at her mother.

        "Are you trying to say I didn't love her?!"

        "How could you?! She wasn't in any way yours!"

        "Marie--"

        "Use my real name! I DARE you!"

        Mrs. Banner fumed, "Francine Domonic, how DARE you accuse me of not loving Kelly! She meant so much to me! I loved her as if she were my own, which is what we agreed on for HER sake!"

        "That doesn't mean anything," Marie retorted, "I'm done listening, I'm done waiting, and I'm done with you," she said, returning her gaze to Tyler. "You're dead to me, Trace Domonic, or Tyler Banner, whatever the hell your name is. I'm done with you."

        With that being said, she walked away, going into her bedroom and slamming the door behing her with a resounding thud.

        "She'll come around, Ty," Mrs. Banner said as she hugged him, "Lets get you showered and dressed--"

        "She's right, mom. I'm a failure for not being able to find Kel--"

        "No! Don't you even think that. Tyler, the police couldn't even find her, to the point where they literally have to assume she's dead and close the case. Sweetheart, it's been a year, it's time."

        "Mom, I--"

        Just then, there was a knock at the door.