Fractured- UnOrdinary (Original)

Chapter 16: Reality

With that, the man left, leaving the remaining adults to figure out who would break the news to the unsuspecting man.

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.

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Keene walked out into the bleak weather. A few raindrops had started to fall out of the thick, grey clouds but nothing too severe. Surprisingly enough, the snow had held off for the next week.

If only the same could be said about this situation.

The groundskeeper walked forward to meet the raven-haired man who stood bundled up in his rain jacket at the bottom of the steps, tired and confused.

He had just gotten off of a 3 hour flight and was still very much feeling the jet-lag. He didn't know what was so urgent that he had to fly over for it, but he could only assume it had something to do with his son.

He was hoping it wasn't anything bad or at least, nothing like last time.

Already, Keene could see the similarities between him and John and knew without a shadow of a doubt that this was William H. Doe. Regardless, Keene took a deep breath before asking. "Are you Mr. Doe?"

The man looked over and nodded. "Yes, but please, call me William." Keene nodded before William met him at the top of the stairs. "Is everything alright? You seem troubled." Keene looked down slightly. "I need you to come with me."

The man slowly nodded before following the groundskeeper inside and through the halls. They passed by classrooms, the faint mumbling of teachers making its way to their ears. 

With the school mostly repaired, students were now back in their classrooms, much to their dismay.

Classes were currently going on so students weren't out and about thankfully. But this only left Keene in a deafening silence as the man walked behind him. He could practically hear his pulse echo in his ears as he guided the man to the infirmary. He saw William freeze upon reading the sign.

"Wait...why are we-?" Keene shook his head. "We needed to talk to you in private but currently, the office is under repairs for the time being." William only raised an eyebrow in confusion, but walked in as the man held the door open. 

Upon walking inside, he saw 3 teachers as well as a 4th man sitting at the main desk. Said man looked up at him, his eyes serious and concerned.

As Keene walked in and shut the door, William looked around at the party before him. "What's going on here?" 

Already, he felt on edge. Something wasn't right. Something was very off, especially with how the other teachers looked at him.

Keene walked around to the school nurses desk as he placed his hand on the edge of the wooden surface. "William, we have something to tell you. It's regarding your son."

Darren stood up and grabbed a chair for him as Keene talked. 

William said nothing but took a seat and listened intently to the man. He had a feeling that this would be the case. "What about John? Did something happen? ...Did he do something?" Darren bit his lip before looking to Keene as the man fixed his glasses along the bridge of his nose. "Mr. Doe, earlier this weekend, we were informed that John hasn't been seen on campus, for about a week now."

William raised an eyebrow. "Is he sick or something?" Darren shook his head as he looked at the man, a sigh escaping his lips. He looked to Keene who could only shake his head, signalling to the nurse that he couldn't do it. 

Darren looked at William, bracing himself for what was about to come. "Mr. Doe...I don't know how to tell you this any other way...but John's missing. He's been missing since the accident we had here not too long ago. We asked students, John's roommate, and the rest of the staff here at Wellston."