Trouble in Tiltown

Elouise's visit

My head turned to be met with Elouise. She took hold of my hand and brought me into the passenger seat of her car as she got back inside and began driving again.
"What the hell happened to you?" She inquired with squeaky panic in her voice. I looked at myself in the side mirror and noticed a huge bruise around my left eye and trickles of dry blood around it.
"If I'm gonna be honest, I don't know." I replied. She sighs heavily to herself as she pulls into a garage.
"Come on, I'll help you inside." She says before coming over to my side and helping me walk into the house. My eyes took in the house and it was quite nice. A small, white cottage country like home. Cozy and welcoming. As she sat me down on a creamed white sofa, she wandered over to her kitchen sink and gave me a glass of water. As I sipped on it, her eyes watched me with concern.
"Where are your parents?" I questioned her.
"I actually live on my own now. This is my home." She smiled, momentarily.
"Oh." I spoke. Suddenly, she cupped my face and turned me to face her.
"Let me get you a bandage." She winced at my injuries before wandering off down a dimly lit hallway. I glanced around the small living room, noticing a theme. Tan and white were the main characters in her home, along with lots of white lace. I notice a few picture frames of her smiling with her dad or mother, but seemingly so, no siblings in sight. She came into the room again with a first aid kit in hand.
"I'll be your nurse for tonight." She laughs as she sticks a bandage on my eyebrow as lightly as possible.

"Are you sure it's okay for me to stay the night here? You've really been too kind." I say as she brings me a knitted blanket and a white pillow.
She shoves them into my lap, "Of course. Also, I'm sorry about the way I've acted in the past. There's an explanation for it, I promise." She laughed. As I place the blanket over my body and lay my head on the pillow, my eyes look up at her.
"Then what is it?" I asked her.
"What's, what?"
"The explanation." I responded.
Her thin blonde eyebrows furrowed together slightly.
"An explanation will only come out when need be." She answers. What a strange response. By the look on her face, I could tell she was confused at her own response.
"Oh. Well, I'll see you in the morning then I guess." I sighed softly.
"Sleep well." She smiles, walking down the wooden hallway before closing her bedroom door. She used to be so harsh, so why such a change from then? Laurence, you've got to stop being so suspicious of people. They can change for better.

I quietly wandered around the living room and stared at the pictures instead of sleeping. Eventually, the curiosity got the best of me and I began wandering through drawers. There, I found a picture frame. My eyes nearly popped out of my skull. My stomach felt as if it floated up. I couldn't believe what I found just then. I quickly shove the picture into my back pocket as the kitchen lights turns on.
"You okay?" I ask as I meet up with Elouise in the kitchen. She downs a glass of water before taking in my presence.
"Yes, I get very thirsty at night is all." She giggles as she wipes her wet mouth off with the sleeve of her pink nightgown.
"Oh." I muttered. As she walks past me slowly, She whispers in my ear.
"You should get some rest." She pats my shoulder before returning to her peaceful slumber. However, I couldn't help but stand in that living room with shock from the picture. I needed answers but I knew I couldn't get them from Elouise herself... or, could I?

"Thank you for making breakfast. You really didn't have to." I say to Elouise who was rushing around the kitchen with an apron on.
"Oh no worries. I've always loved cooking for people." She smiles back at me as she finishes cleaning up the kitchen counters. She wanders around in the living room before breathing heavier. My eyes glanced back at her to see her began darting around frantically, looking in drawers before slamming them again.
"Is everything okay?" I inquired her.
She stands up as if she had just got caught doing something bad.
"No! I just misplaced something. Excuse me." She says before wandering down the hall. I listen to her thump all about in her bedroom. Before she comes back in, I take the photograph from my back pocket and unfold it. Written on the back was in pen.
"West and Elouise at the park." Flipping the photograph around, Elouise was sliding down a yellow slide as a younger version of West stands nearby, grinning slightly at her. As footsteps near, I quickly fold it back into my back pocket.
"Oh well, I'm sure I'll find it soon." She smiles again as lines crease by her eyes.
"So you live all by yourself?" I inquired her as I placed my fork down on my plate of mostly eaten waffles.
"Well, yes. I ain't got no siblings anymore." She responds.
"Anymore?"
"I haven't seen my brother since I was about just seven years old." She admits, frowning at her lap. I cleared my throat before asking her yet another question.
"Do you, by chance, listen to the radio Elouise?" I asked.
"No. My mama and father never allowed me to listen. They said it was all gibberish talk. Why?" She asks.
"I've really gotta go but thank you truly for everything you've done." I thank her before rushing out of her home as she follows from behind.
"Is everything alright?" She questions from the doorway. Though, I knew what I had to do. I had to go into the woods like West had said and help find him and the others. There were far too many questions to be answered, and I knew I could find the answers if I did what West had told me to do. It was time to find the missing persons.