Twin

Chapter 7: Are You a Present or a Past?

Few nights later
"Something isn't right!" Zach yelled as walked in Lynda's room. Eliza and she were waiting for him. They all were going to talk about the craziness that's been haunting Landmay, especially the enigma that revolved around the Conolleys' actions and more weirdly Zach's mother, who was completely out of her mind-- she still would not say a word, she rarely moved herself; her destinations were no further than the kitchen or bedroom... And it didn't seem she acted so due to the incident of that night when she was spotted by her son and his friend as she bled. In fact, she couldn't care less. Maybe she didn't like having Eliza in her house, but that was all. Zach didn't matter, nor did the broken glass or being attacked. What mattered to her was the absence of Alex, who, as she thought, was not supposed to be away.
"Something?" Eliza replied. "Nothing is right! Why are the Conolleys being quiet about Brian's disappearance? They haven't called the police or anything yet. I mean that's so strange..."
"What if they're planning something? Or maybe they do know where he is but for some reason they're keeping it a secret. Like they're probably protecting him from someone."
Eliza froze. She never expected that Zach had given deep thought into this. And it wasn't supposed to be that way. Not when Alex was out of the picture.
"You mean someone is after Brian, and that's why he's hiding?" Eliza managed to ask.
"Maybe," Zach said. "Look, I'm not a detective and we literally have zero clues about where he might be. But if I were right, I think that that someone could be connected to the person who hurt my mom."
"Oh my God," Eliza cried. "Are you seriously saying that someone is out there and is targeting Brian and your mom?"
"I'm saying it's possible."
"You know what?" said Lynda. "You two are being paranoid. Why would anyone want to hurt your mom? And what does that have to do with Brian?"
"Well, let's see; do you have any other theory?" Asked Eliza.
"If the matter requires theorising about, then I could tell you what's happening. Ok? So the reason Brian's mom -or whoever the hell is supposed to give a damn about him- hasn't called the police is that she doesn't want to learn the truth. And now you two may ask: 'What truth?' and I'll tell you what truth that is: he's dead."
Eliza and Zach looked at each other then at Lynda.
"How do you know?" asked Zach. He was so shocked that Lynda could come up with such conclusion.
"Oh please," said Lynda. "Are you sad you won't see your little friend again?" She laughed, but not jokingly. Then she added: "You wanted a theory and I'm giving you one. Now choose the one that sounds better-- mine or yours!"
"Just stop! This conversation is giving me goosebumps." Eliza abruptly said.
"If we don't get more information soon, we're gonna have to search Brian's room."
Eliza nodded. Lynda pretended she did not hear.

Tomorrow was the last day of summer before senior year started. Zach's friend from the animal club invited him to a pool party. Zach asked Fred if it were okay if he brought his friends too. Fred said it was.

When Zach, Eliza, and Lynda arrived to Fred's party, they heard him calling for them: "Hey, guys come up here! You should know this." The three friends walked closer and still standing, Lynda asked: "Know what?"
"Ben and Emilia are totally into each other; they actually started dating, but they don't want to make it official."
"And we're supposed to care because?" Lynda abruptly said, before anyone who say a thing.
"Because they're totally the it couple that everyone's going to vote for them at prom this year. Everyone secretly wished they would start dating. Oh my God how cute they are together!" Eliza said, her eyes looking at the sky in imagination.
Lynda was already sick of high school meaninglessnesses, so she didn't bother adding anything more to the topic.
Fred, who was the king of all fresh news, and whose maleness didn't stop him from surpassing all the prominent female gossipers, surprisingly didn't say anything to Eliza nor to Lynda. Instead, his eyes were fixed on Zach, who had worn a shocked and confused face. Zach was holding a small note in his shaking hands. It seemed he'd found it in his wallet. It said in red words: Dear Zach, what happened to Mommy that night was only the mere beginning! Good Luck and have fun.
The note wasn't signed, and Zach didn't know how or when it was put where he found it. But he was feeling something he never experienced before. He felt that he had just become a player among other anonymous players in a game. In a dangerous, and deadly game.