𝘽𝙇𝙐𝙀, colby brock.

013.

colby.

he groaned as he rubbed his face. colby really shouldn't be thinking about the fact his best friend is missing. it left a hole in his chest that he didn't exactly know how to fill. thinking about sam only makes things worse.

but the boy can't help but feel guilty for not thinking about sam. maybe he's overlooking one small detail that could save his best friend. like valerie running into him the other day while the pair silently searched after the team had left.

god, he has to stop thinking about her. he should stop thinking in general. all thinking does is make everything around him worse.

going out around town would help, right? colby picked up his keys, threw his shoes on, and walked towards the door, his hand pausing on the handle. taking a deep breath, he opened the door and stepped outside.

this would help him. he needed a change of scenery, that's all. somewhere, he couldn't think about the hell that was roaring in his life.

after taking the elevator to the lobby, he quickly returned to his rental car. he turned the car on, taking another deep breath. he could do this.

pulling out of the parking lot, colby decided to go to the park and walk around. leave some room for his mind to wander, but also somewhere his mind wouldn't be too overwhelmed.

the park was only 5 minutes away from the hotel. he should've walked, but his legs didn't want to carry him there. colby parked the car and sat there. thoughts raced through his head, and maybe this was a bad idea.

the boy contemplated just returning to the hotel, but that would only leave him worse than he already was. he needed a breath of fresh air.

he stepped out of his car and started to walk a lap around the park, watching as two or three people walked their dogs or chased their children around.

colby noticed an unoccupied swing set calling his name. he walked over and sat down, kicking his legs. he felt silly, but no one was looking his way.

colby could see the forest from the swing. he stared at the trees until his eyes burned, and he couldn't breathe. a single tear rolled down his cheek as he finally blinked. the park definitely wouldn't help him right now.

maybe he could try going out in town and walking around. it was far enough away from the forest for him not to think about it, and also, nothing was there to remind him of sam. stop. thinking. about. sam.

he took another deep breath and stood up from the swing; it groaned as he walked back towards his car. he wiped the tear that was now gliding down his chin. he shouldn't cry, he wouldn't cry, he couldn't cry. not that it was weak; colby didn't know if he could pick himself back up once he started.

the engine of the car roared back to life once again, and the boy pulled out of his spot and made his way into town.

it was a small town. the type where everyone knew everyone. the place looked so familiar, but colby couldn't put a finger on it. maybe a tv show was filmed here for something?

he parked the car again and got out, looking at the shops before him. how could he have forgotten? it wasn't that long ago that katrina and valerie had placed missing poser of sam on every surface they could.

a pain settled in his heart as he looked at each and every single poster. they had used the picture of sam they had taken before they started filming. his smile seared through colby's soul. he was still in that clouded gray hoodie colby had let him wear because he had gotten cold.

he reached a small herbal shop and looked at another poster of sam. a woman stared at him through the window. she came outside, a look of recognition spread across her face.

"i know it's hard to lose someone that close to you. i cant even begin to imagine what you're going through, sweetheart," she whispered and stepped next to him to look at the poster.

"yeah.." colby said, his voice empty.

"why don't you come inside and have some tea? it's on me," she said with a warm smile, guiding the boy inside.

he sat her down and poured him a cup of green-colored tea. he took a sip, savoring the warmth. it made him feel better. the lady sat down across from him with her own cup of tea, a different color than his.

"half the town has seen the video you and that girl made with valerie," she said, gently sipping her tea.

"i remember when asher went missing a couple of years ago. the whole town mourned the loss of him." she said, closing her eyes. "you're not alone in this battle; remember that."

colby wanted to sink into the chair, and he hated people feeling sympathetic toward him. he didn't need their words of encouragement or sympathy for losing his best friend.

"yeah.. it's hard. really hard." colby admitted quietly. he should leave. he should go back to the hotel because he was safe there. there weren't pictures of sam everywhere he went or the forest, lost in circling the town. he could just sleep and forget about everything for the rest of the day.

"well, i'm always here if you'd like to talk," she said with a sweet smile that turned colby stomach sour. he needed to get out of here. the air became too thick, and he couldn't breathe.

he looked around for the front door and found it. he scooted his chair back and stood up.

"i'm sorry.. i should go," he whispered, trying to keep his thoughts straight. his eyes burned with tears he didn't want to shed. he wouldn't cry.

"that's all right, remember if you need anything, just stop by," she said kindly, but colby had already opened the door, flinging himself outside. he rushed to the car and turned it on before pulling out onto the street.

it didn't take long for him to reach the hotel. tears burned in the boy's eyes, and he tried to blink them away. it had been years since he last cried.

he quickly quietly returned to his room and sat down on the bed, rubbing his face. he didn't realize he was crying by the time he had curled into his covers and finally let everything out. he felt bad and good and angry all at once. colby hated how he felt, lost.

he could hear a pair of voices in kat's room. valerie. god, he couldn't let her see him like this. colby pulled the covers over his head and tried to ease the pain.

"there's nothing to be sorry about. let's go out in town for a little bit," colby heard katrina's muffled voice through the walls. they were leaving. he could be entirely alone with his thoughts.

"yeah, let's do that.." valerie said, after squeaks sounded from what had to have been the bed. he could finally be alone.

colby heard the door close between the two of them as their voices trailed to the elevator.

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