"That's it. That's the answer." I said.
Something in my mind just clicked. I remembered the answer.
"A clock, Robbie! A clock!" I shouted.
"We're getting closer!" He jumped up and down like a little kid. "What do we have so far?"
I listed them in my head before telling him. A hole, an echo, and a clock. I told Robbie the answers I'd gotten so far and we each proceeded to wonder what the link was between them. "Do you wanna go buy Echo House? 'Cause that was pretty good." He said.
I shrugged. It would pass the time. That is exactly what I needed; a break. This was taking a toll on me. "Let's go."
We traipsed out the door and went to the film store. I can't believe this town still has one, it's so old fashioned. Course, in a business like this, there was a small selection to choose from. Redbox and Netflix was selling places like this out. But, we found the horror section within a matter of minutes.
"Echo House..." Rob mumbled, repeating the words. "Where is it?"
We searched the aisle for the film. Eventually, we found it at the end and purchased it for the happy price of $25.00.
"That's a great movie. Written so well." The cashier said.
"Yeah. Yes, I know. It's got great depth." I told him.
"Hey, what's your name? You look familiar."
I looked at Robbie. What the -
"Troye. With an e." I spoke. No way I was giving this man my last name, no way I would ever.
"Is your last name Sivan, by any chance?" He lowered his voice, looking over both of his shoulders.
Sure, that's not suspicious at all. I nodded, slightly. I didn't want to know anything about how this man knew my name.
"You've got a note from someone by the last name Mellet." He handed me a note.
My first thought was that it was from my mum but then I looked at the handwriting, and my hopes were given up. Tyde, of course, was leaving me another bloody clue.
Rob read over my shoulder.
"Nope, this is not another clue. You'll have another one on it's way. You're running out of time, they're getting pretty restless. You need to figure out these clues and how they link together before your 19th birthday."
That's right, my birthday was coming up... in about a week. "Troye, isn't your birthday, like, five days away?" Rob asked.
"Yeah... Yeah, it is."
Shit.
"Sir, when did this person drop off this note?"
He looked up. "Uh, yesterday. Around 4 o' clock."
Clearly Tyde was watching us. He knew what we were going to do next. While we were busy planning our next move, he was already thinking ten steps ahead of us. It was truly irritating.
"And, did he say anything else?" I asked.
"No, he just showed me a photo of you and gave me that." The cashier looked nervous, like he regretted getting into any of it.
I asked him if he'd read the note. He said he had.
"All right, well, if you see this Mellet person can you give him this?" I asked handing him my receipt.
On the back, I had written down where I would be and when. Tyde better show up. I didn't put a date, I was sure Tyde would show up soon. If not, then oh well. I'll find another way to contact him.
I thanked the man and then Rob and I left.
I was worried. As we walked out the door I wondered if I could ever complete this mission. It felt stupid to call it that. I'm not Ethan whatever-the-hell-his-name-is. Tyde didn't tell me, "Your mission, should you choose to accept it.." No. That is not how it is supposed to be, and that is not how it will be.
Whatever move I made was deadly. It was like walking on a lake that was half frozen. The ice was there, but wasn't very thick; one wrong move and I could be gone forever.
I was another minute older. That was another minute closer to my deadline, if you will. I just wanted to stop and wait for it all to end. The fight in me was too strong though. The heart wants what the heart wants.
Just then I heard a woman shouting. At first I thought she was crazy, but then I saw the man. They were getting pretty heated in the middle of town.
"What the fuck do you mean?! I saw you looking at him!" The man yelled.
I nonchalantly listened to the fight.
"I was not! And even if I was, what about all of the damn girls you are surrounded by at work?!" She didn't give the man time to answer. "What are we going to do about that?"
"Let's get one thing straight, that is an inappropriate place to do anything like that, and I do not love anyone but you. But you are..."
The noise faded out as a 16-wheeler passed by. I watched it pass.
"Whoa! Do you see that?!" Rob shook me from my thoughts.
I looked wherever he was looking. "Where? What?"
"Right there! Tyde. By the billboard." He said.
I looked but didn't see my brother anywhere. What the hell is wrong with Rob? "What the heck?! I don't see him!"
Rob pointed, once again, in the direction he was looking. I followed the line of sight and saw Tyde... Watching us. I walked forward, quickly to go over to him. The tractor-trailer got in my way, almost crushing me.
Rob's arms caught me. I looked back. As the truck turned the corner, Tyde was no longer there.
"Where'd he go?" I asked Robbie.
The street was deserted. It was just Robbie and I. It didn't even look like the shops were open anymore.
"What is going on here?" Rob pulled my arm.
"I don't know, but I'm going to find out.'' He said as he stepped into the empty street. Rob made his way across it and to where Tyde had just been standing moments ago. I contemplated on following him, only to decide against it when I saw that he was already over there.
I kept my sight on my friend, if anything happened I had his back. I also searched for Tyde, but I had a feeling that something bad was going to happen, something terrible. I took a few steps closer to the other side of the street, and lost sight of Rob as he went into the alleyway. I had watched him weigh his options, and contemplate on going back there, and now he had actually done it.
There was still that bad feeling, though. I couldn't seem to shake it. For some reason, I though Robbie was going to get hurt. I didn't want another person getting hurt because of me.
Gosh, I am sorry for getting all of these people hurt.
I was. It was a guilt that would forever hang over my head. It weighed me down. I sank into darkness, it seemed, since we had moved here. Maybe we should have stayed in Australia. Maybe if we hadn't moved, none of this would have ever happened. The more appeared to be the cause of everything; now we were in the effect. I remember having to make these little cause and effect charts in kindergarten. But as a kid I could never come up with something this elaborate.
I shuffled my feet to the alleyway. "Robbie?" I said.
Silence.
I listened for any reply, for anything, but all I heard was the wind rattling the trees. There was a storm coming. I didn't know how much time we had until we'd be standing in the pouring rain with lightning striking around us. "Robbie, you down there? Hurry up." I told him.
"He's not here. Where did he go?" Rob called from the dark, dead end.
"Stop chasing after a lunatic. Let's go, dude."
Rob agreed. It was getting late, we could focus on this at home.
Home. That made me think. I didn't want to go home. Furthermore, that was no longer a home. It was just filled with horrible, taunting memories. Tyde wrecked the feeling of it ever being a home. It was just empty space now. Useless.
"Hey, can I stay over tonight? I kind of have no where else to go, and I don't want to be alone."
"Yeah. Sure, Troye." Robbie answered. His sympathetic eyes looked me over. "We'll find them, Troye. I promise." His hand placed on my upper back.
I only nodded. The feeling of being sure of something, and calm were ephimeral in my life. They barely existed.
We walked home in a never ending silence. I didn't feel like talking. I knew Robbie was just trying to think of something to say but he probably expected I would blow it off. Which was highly the case.
When we got to his house I fell asleep in silence, hoping that when I woke, I would realize that it was all just a horrible dream. And if my near future involved any happiness, I will cry. Because, the tears already threatened to flow at the thought of Tyler and my parents being alive.
It was all just too much to handle.
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Guys!!!! I am extrememly sorry for making you wait a month! But school is getting a bit busier since we're reviewing for finals and all of that end-of-the-year jazz. Slow updates until towards the end of June, then hopefully we'll be back on track.
I want to thank all of you for sticking around in all of this boring waiting and what not. Thank you tons. I love you all!!!! You make me want to keep writing even when I'm not motivated to!!!<333