Duskwood - For all the Ghosts that are never gone

Chapter 2: The journey begins

Chapter 2: The journey begins

I watched the raindrops pouring down the window of the train. Jessy earphones were stuck in my left ear. The right counterpart had my seat neighbor in hers. We listened to her soft pop music. Actually, I didn't expect her to prefer this stereotypical girly music. Especially with her love for dusky legends, I had rather expected that her preferences would go in the rocker direction. On the other hand, this form fit more with her light-hearted personality. I was privileged to experience this in the flesh during the last three days.

It had really been a fantastic time. We had goofed around, watched horror movies and also rom-coms. I showed her my hometown. Combined with a shopping trip, we visited meaningful locations in my life. It was quite amusing to return to the old schoolyard of my elementary school as a young adult. I was able to be as carefree as a child once again. Especially because she didn't ask any unpleasant questions. Not a single one about my friends or family. Even after she had swept up the broken pieces of my bathroom mirror. I noticed her glance at the injury on the back of my hand. No doubt she could figure out what had happened. However, in this respect no word hardly crossed her lips.

Thankfully.

🎵Last Friday night
Yeah, we maxed our credit cards
And got kicked out of the bar🎵

I heard Katy Perry singing. Inwardly I had to grin, this part reminded me of Cleo and Thomas. Then the question came to my mind whether the house ban in the Aurora was still active for the two of them. Of course, I understood Phil. After all, the two had broken into his cellar. Nevertheless, it would be very unfortunate if the two of them couldn't accompany us. After all, I had really grown fond of the two of them.

Thomas had his heart in the right place. I realised that immediately. In contrast to the others, I never suspected him. It hadn't taken me long to realise how much he loved Hannah. Under no circumstances could he have laid a finger on her. His actions and decisions, no matter how questionable they may have seemed at first, turned out to be understandable. Whatever the cost, he wanted to take his love back into his arms. I was simply a collateral loss he was willing to pay by asking me to go to Michael Hanson. I couldn't be angry with him about it. My life in exchange for two.

This was a fair price.

Saving Richy and Hannah was my main priority, too. Her message with my contact ID was what had brought me into the whole story in first place. I still didn't know her exact reasons. Probably I will get an answer to this unanswered question at least one day soon. That wasn't the only reason I was excited about finally meeting Hannah. I also wondered what kind of person she was.

Richy would be able to answer the questions I still had. But I wasn't sure if I wanted to see him or not. I only blamed him for Jake's disappearance. If it hadn't been for that circumstance, I would probably even forgive him for the whole man-without-a-face thing. I didn't give a damn about what the others would say anyway. Richy and I had always connected well. This one thing, this single mistake, had gone so bloody wrong. In spite of his ambition to do the right thing.

I had no idea visiting him would soon be unavoidable....

After all, I had forgiven Lilly too. Even if she had done awful to me. I had always understood her motives. In the meantime, we had grown to be really good friends. So, to give her the chance to erase her mistake definitely paid off.

The upcoming events will deepen our friendship even more.

Cleo had been right, after all. Under different circumstances, if Lilly and I had met, without these teething troubles, we would have hit it off right away. I would also meet Cleo in person pretty soon. In the last three days, her cooking and baking skills were touted to me by Jessy. Something my stomach was looking forward to, and so was I.