"Sam…Sam…Sam! Wake up!”
My eyelids shot open, not paying attention to my heavy eyelids begging for sleep. “W-What?!” I said, my head throbbing, and my whole body numb from the cold.
“You fell asleep!” Aaron said, helping me up off the bench I had been laying on.
I looked around, confused. I was at a street that was merely a hazy memory, not sure how I got here or what we were doing. I was too tired, and too confused to remember, anyway.
“What were you thinking? We were worried about where you were.” Parker said, crossing his arms obstinately.
“Yeah, we’re just lucky we found you,” Drake sighed, “Because now we get to go back to finding Alex,” He said, grimacing.
I shivered, finally remembering what we set out to do. It was so freezing. And it had to be at least midnight by now. We were so dead when we got back to school. “Any idea of where he could be?” I asked; taking in short, warm breaths.
“No,” Parker said, frowning, “We’ve searched everywhere, and then checked again and again.”
I frowned, looking around at the mostly deserted city. Chicago was huge. I wanted so badly to head back to the suburbs and back to school where I could go to sleep. But I didn’t want to abandon Alex here. What if he was in trouble? I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself, even if he was a total butt.
“Guys,” Drake said, his teeth chattering, “I think we should go back. I mean, I bet Alex is already back there.”
“Yeah,” Parker agreed, frowning, “Let’s face the facts. He’s probably fine, he just went somewhere we forgot to check and then went back and went to sleep. Besides, He never misses curfew.”
I scowled, “How can you guys be so insensitive? If he was really okay, he’d have texted us back by now!” I said, getting a bit paranoid. “We have to find him!”
“Calm down,” Aaron said, setting a hand on my shoulder, “Look, Sam. We appreciate it and all, but give it a rest.” He said, yawning.
“Yeah,” Parker agreed, “We’re all dying of fatigue, anyway.” He said, frowning, while fighting the urge to close his eyes.
I scowled, mad about the lack of motivation. “Fine. You guys can go, but I’m gonna keep looking.”
Aaron frowned, “Uh…” He muttered, fiddling with his thumbs, “I don’t think that’s the best idea.”
“Yeah,” Parker said, “You could get lost. You still don’t know your way around Chicago.”
I frowned, crossing my arms, “I’ll be fine. I have a GPS on my cell phone.”
They still didn’t look convinced.
I sighed, “I’ll be fine.”
Parker, Drake and Aaron all exchanged a nervous look, but Parker turned back to me, a weak smile on his lips, “Fine. I suppose we’ll see you tomorrow.”
I beamed, “Good.” I said, waving goodbye to them, already running off, “I’ll call you guys later!” I shouted.
Over the sound of the snow crunching under my feet, I could hear Aaron say, “I think that was a bad idea.”
---
“Hey, Alex!” I screamed, cupping my hands over my mouth to amplify my screams, “Alex! Get out here! I’ll find you eventually!”
No response.
“C’mon, Alex! Just come out!”
Nothing.
“I’ve been searching for hours! I think I’ve gotten frost bite on my toes!”
Nada.
“If I loose the use of my toes, it’s on your conscious!”
I’d been searching for another hour, and it was now one o’clock in the morning. The snow had stopped falling from the sky, and was now at at least two feet on the ground, freezing everything from my knees down.
“Alex!”
I would have cried, but I was afraid my tears would freeze. Still, I couldn’t help it. I felt the hot tears fall down my cheeks and sting my eyes. My lip quivered and my whole body was frozen. My nose was stuffy, my eyes were red and stinging, but I didn’t want to give up.
“Please, come on!” I shouted, choking on my own tears. I’d searched everywhere, but he was no where to be found.
I sighed, my whole body numb, my throat hoarse and sore from screaming, and my body tired and worn out from searching, I felt my endurance running low. Where else was I supposed to search? Even if I were to search more, I doubt I’d have the energy to get back to the campus. This was a terrible idea. Parker, Aaron and Drake were right. I should have gone back. Alex was probably back at the dorm, safe and sound, where he always ended up. That was it.
I was heading home.
I sucked in my gut and stopped crying, wiping my tears away. I kept on walking, heading for the bus stop. But something caught my eye. In the distance, I saw an old memorial park. But there was something, or someone, passed out by a huge oak tree. I gasped, as I realized what it was.
“Alex!” I screamed, the tears rushing back. With every ounce of determination in my body, I pumped my feet and ran as fast as I could towards the park. Was he hurt? Was he okay? All I could think about was that I’d found him! That if I’d gone back, he could have frozen to death! I pushed all those morbid thoughts out of my head as I approached the huge oak, my heart going a mile a minute. I finally got to the tree, when I realized something.
That wasn’t Alex.
“Hey,” The man said, the one sitting by the oak tree. The man had snow white hair, oddly colored blue eyes staring intently at me.
All of a sudden, several other men stepped out from the shadows, each one looking sleazier then the next. “Who’re you, girly?” A redheaded one said, his eyes the colors of grass.
My eyes widened with every step they took. It was still processing through my mind. Alex wasn’t here? Which means, he was at home? And I’d gotten myself into this. All by myself.
“What’s wrong?” One other boy said. Now looking them over, they couldn’t be much older then me. It was their sleazy qualities that made them each look like a 40 year rapist. “Cat got your tongue?”
I froze up, “I-I…um—”
“Aw,” The man with the white hair said, coming more into the light, where I saw a piercing on his lip and nose. His dull blue eyes stared at me, searching my body over. “She’s so cute. She can barely think straight. What is it honey?” He asked, inching closer to me, smirking, “Do I make you nervous?”
Slowly, I felt my heart begin to beat at a healthy pace again. I scowled, regaining my posture and the courage to go on, “I’m a guy!” I cried in my most mannish voice possible.
They each exchanged a sick glance, then one with greasy black hair and grey eyes turned to me, smirking, “Want to test that theory?”
I flared my nostrils and backed up a few feet, “No, I’d really rather not.”
“I like this kid,” The white haired one said, “She’s got spunk.”
“He.” I emphasized.
“Sure, sure.” A redhead said sarcastically, narrowing his eyes, “I doubt it.”
“Look,” I hissed, venom in my tone, “Just back off. I’m having a bad day.”
They pouted, and the brunette smirked, “Aw, poor girl. We’ll make you forget all about it. Here,” He said, getting even closer. He held his hand out, “My name is Henry, who’re you?”
I gritted my teeth, disgusted, “Just buzz off. I don’t want to talk to you.”
He got closer to me, which at this point seemed humanly impossible, and traced my jawbone with his pointer finger. I shivered, realizing his finger was as cold as an icicle. “But I want to talk to you, hon.”
I glowered at him, then once he bent to my eye level, drew back my spit and hocked as much spit as I could into his eye, “Don’t touch me, you dirt bag!”
The red head scowled, coming closer, “Hey, you little—”
“Don’t.” The white haired one, apparently named Henry said tartly, stopping him from coming anywhere closer to me. Slowly, he turned his evil glower back into a confident smirk. He wiped my saliva out of his eye and chuckled, “You’re a feisty one, aren’t you?” He said, narrowing his eyes at me.
I clenched my teeth, “Get the hell away from me.” I hissed, getting seriously pissed off.
“Why should I?” Henry said, grinning wide. “I like talking to you, despite your terrible attitude.”
“Well,” I snapped, “I hate talking to you, including your terrible attitude.”
“Ouch,” He said, wincing, “That hurts, girly.”
“Don’t call me girly.”
“Then what should I call you?” He asked, pouting.
“Nothing,” I snapped, “Just go away!”
He frowned and got even closer, and before I could move, he caressed my cheek.
I scowled at them, slapping him straight across the face. “Stop it, sleezebag!” I barked, surprising them, “Get away from me! You’re the scum of the earth! Buzz off!”
Henry, who I know assumed was the ring leader, gripped my arm and approached me, his face getting dangerously close to mine, so much so that his nose was touching mine, “Who’s gonna make us?” He said, the corners of his mouth turning into a hideous smirk.
“That would be me.”
I choked up over my own words as I realized who had spoken. The only word I could form escaped my lips, as I breathed out the name, “Alex!”