It All Started With A Lamp

Part 20

Jack's POV:

We pull into the driveway. I think back on the entire journey. I realized just how stupid this whole thing was. It's an eight hour drive from Oregon to where we are now, so why did it take us a month and a half? Did we drive only ten minutes a day? Actually, yeah that makes sense. We literally spent like a week in every large city. Damn. What if she left? What if she came back home already? What in God's name was I thinking?

"Jack, did you ever think to actually call Audrey?" Mason asks,  in the same stupor that I'm in.

"Literally it hasn't occurred to me in like a month."

"Y'know. That might just work better than chasing her with no leads."

"If I'm so stupid, why did you even come with me all this way in the first place?"

"I have no fucking idea honestly. It's like we were dreaming and woke up right before the most dramatic moment."

"Or in a story that ends right before the climax."

"Dude what if we're just characters breaking the fourth wall. That would be trippy."

"Mason what the fuck is a forth wall?"

"Like when a guy in a story realizes that they're in a story. It's weird but people seem to like them. What were we originally talking about?"

"How stupid we are."

"Oh that's right. Okay enough chit-chat pick up the phone and call this girl."

"Did you just say chit-chat?"

"Did you?"

Punching Mason in the shoulder, I pull out my phone. I pull up contacts, then chuckle to myself at how stupid I've been. My way to get in contact with Audrey has been here this whole fucking time. I hit call and hold the phone up to my ear, breathing in time with each ring.

"Jack?"

Audrey. I didn't realize how much I wanted to hear her voice again. I was so stupid to waste my time on this quest. I want to be home with the love of my life.

"I missed you. I should've called you a long time ago. I can't believe I waited so long. Where are you?"

She paused. "I can't go home. The girl I was with was kidnapped and we took her to the hospital. They said it would be two weeks before she can go home."

"Oh, okay. I want to meet her before we make any final decisions okay?"

"Yeah of course."

"Also, a guy told me about some creep carrying you to the car after you were attacked. What happened?"

"Yeah... um a guy in the bathroom... attacked me... and this guy, Jacob, came in and beat him up and then carried me to the car. He seemed friendly at first, but he was the one who kidnapped my friend. And, there was something else..."

I stuttered, nervous and shocked. What happened? 

"Yeah you can tell me anything. Please Audrey, talk to me."

"I, I saw Noah."

"Noah? Your brother Noah? The one who-"

"Yes I know they said he died but he didn't I swear he's alive!"

"Um, okay wow. Where did you say you were?"

"Well, I'm not sure. I know we got on route 55 north and were on that for a while-"

"Wait, why were you going north?"

"I don't know. A lot of our decisions this past month really haven't had much of a purpose. Maybe I subconsciously wanted to go home?"

"That's weird, me and the guy I'm with were practically doing the same thing as you. So where did you go from there?"

"That's it. It was longer and windier than expected, then we found Noah, then Michelle, I mean my friend, disappeared. We still have gas but not enough, only a quarter tank."

"I don't care, I'm coming to get you. What was the last town you hit with a gas station?"

"I don't remember. My head hurts, Jack. I wanna go home."

"Hey, hey, it's okay. I'll find you, I promise. I love you."

"I love you too."