Homecoming Shadows

Chapter Fifteen: The Unfolding Files in One's Heart

June 2005, Gold Lake

As the sun descended on the picturesque shoreline, casting a celestial glow, a diverse group of friends gathered on the sandy beach. They arrived, laden with picnic blankets, volleyballs, hearty laughter and a fond camaraderie that was infectious. Among the animated lot were Ned, Cay, Daria, April, Miles and Ruby, who had been smitten with Miles since their first introduction in the laundry in May, but too timid to express her feelings ever since.

As their boisterous laughters echoed through the vicinity, they decided to discard their footwear, roll up their summer clothes, and dip their feet into the pristine, cool waters of the lake. The initial timid steps gave way to full-blown casual wades into the waters until the dauntless Cay dramatically hoisted the startled Ned onto his broad shoulders.

"Cay, what the hell! Put me down!!!"

"Ned, my guy, behold! I am your invincible shield!" Cay broke into hearty laughter, causing Ned to lose balance. His near-fall became the highlight of the moment as everyone erupted in joyful game. Daria found the scene amusing and decided to replicate it with April. However, quite unlike the comical duo of Cay and Ned, Daria and April ended up becoming quite competitive.

Away from the playful commotion, Miles and Ruby found themselves standing in the shallow end of the lake, watching their friends and sharing silent smiles.
Meanwhile, Miles and Ruby watched their friends from the safety of the shallows, their laughter resonating in the serene silence surrounding them. Ruby observed Miles, completely caught off guard when he asked, "...You wanna try?" The question was simple, yet it held the potential to change the dynamics of their uncertain friendship forever.

Ruby was caught off guard by his question. Having returned back from her thoughts, she managed a confused, "...What?"

Sensing her hesitation, Miles stated, "...I know my shoulders are not as broad as Cay's, nor I'm as fast as Daria's manoeuvring..." His dimpled smile made her heart swell. "...But I give you my word, Ruby, that I will do my best, so that you don't fall into the water on the fourth second."

Under the glowing sun, she chuckled at his remark, her blush deepening.
Something seemed to shift within Miles as he watched Ruby. It was as if the fog had lifted and Miles saw her for what she truly was, gorgeous and alive. Ruby seemed more dazzling than the bright summer sun. He had been living a truth that he had never understood until now, he was falling in love with this girl.

Unaware of his awakening realisation, Ruby playfully responded, "Fourth second, huh?"
They both squinted across at their friends tussling in the water, the energy exuding from them was infectious.

Their friends came out as perfect background score for this subtle scene, their laughter echoing through the emptiness, while the two were caught in each other's gaze.

It was in this exchange that Miles realized - the girl before him, genuine and adventurous Ruby Connell, was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen in his life.

Ruby
now

The room was bathed in a soft, pre-dawn glow as the first rays of sunshine peeked through the shutters. It was 4 AM and my eyes fluttered open, my nocturnal slumber shaken off by the habitual anxiety that gripped me every single morning. I swiped my hand blindly on the nightstand, snagging my phone from its resting place and bringing it up to squint at the time. Yes, it was indeed, my internal alarm had yet to fail me. I laid quietly for a moment, eyes closed, slowly becoming attuned to the quiet hum of the world outside.

Around my neck hung two chains, each intertwined with a bit of my past and both pieces of a larger puzzle I had promised to solve. A tiny silver key... And then there was the round pendant that doubled as a flash drive; a symbol of my role as a head seeker. As I removed the pendant from around my neck and carefully unfastened its hidden compartment, I was reminded of the sobering reality of my mission.

Plugging the flash drive into my computer, my heart skipped a beat, like always. Neon icons filled up the darkened screen, each labeled meticulously with various aspects of a riddle that had consumed more than a decade of my life - Miles.

The realization that many of those folders labelled as 'Culprits', 'Suspects' and 'Last Seen Locations' were still shamelessly vacant, void of tangible leads. It was demoralising.

I whispered a silent promise into the chilly morning, a promise that echoed off the sleeping walls of my solitary room.

"I will fill these files. I will fill them all very soon. I promise. I will get to the core and find what happened to you, Miles. I promise."