LOTF: Before and After

Phase 3: Chapter 40

"This is it, kid" the bus driver of Brookhaven's public transit route 24 addressed Ralph as he glanced at the boy in the rearview mirror.

Ralph scrambled to his feet as the bus driver opened the door. He gathered the note and the remaining forty cents in change he had left and thanked the driver again for his assistance.

Ralph walked a few blocks as he checked the names on the street signs until he found the one that was printed on Roger's scrunched up piece of scrap paper. He walked down the street, realizing only now that it was winter outside and that he was getting cold. Through all the panic and the pursuit, Ralph had somehow forgotten to consider the weather. That was, until he finally found the duplex number he was looking for: number 249. He glanced back down at the page and then at the identically labelled building. It wasn't a very upscale neighborhood, Ralph observed. He was certainly in the more run down side of Brookhaven. He wondered who lived here, and why Jack would be here at all. Maybe this was all a trap, Ralph considered, and Roger was just messing with him, jerking heartlessly with his emotions, sending him in the wrong direction on a wild goose chase.

But Ralph wasn't willing to take that chance. There wasn't a chase in the world he wouldn't go on to find Jack, even if that meant trusting Roger Conroy. So he bravely approached the door and knocked on it just as he had Roger's earlier. The same anxious feeling formed in the pit of his stomach as he heard the door being unlocked on the other side.

When the occupant of the duplex opened the door, Ralph was startled to silence. The man, or boy, standing in front of him had a painful physical resemblance to Roger. He was older, but had the same light brown, messy hair as Roger. His eyes were tainted by the same hollow cruelty. Ralph considered whether psychopathy was genetic as the boy leaned against the door. The way he carried himself was not unlike Roger at all.

"Whatever you're selling, kid, we're not interested" he spoke in a low, off-putting manner.

"I'm not selling anything, I'm looking for my friend, Jack Merridew. Roger said I could find him here. You know Roger, don't you?" Ralph assumed, his own voice sounded small and weak compared to that of the boy in front of him.

"He's my brother" he confirmed.

"That's what I was thinking, but I didn't want to assume. Is Jack here? Roger said he was" Ralph gravely repeated.

"Who wants to know?" Roger's brother challenged him. They were so alike, too alike, Ralph thought.

"My name's Ralph, I went to the military academy with Jack and Roger. Jack didn't tell anyone he was leaving, and I'm just worried about him is all. Can you just tell me if he's here and if he's alright?" Ralph pleaded hopefully.

"You can ask 'im yourself" Roger's brother confirmed before he called Jack's name out into the house behind him.

Ralph's heart lit up at the confirmation that Jack was in fact here. A moment later, Jack appeared in the doorway as Roger's brother lost interest and walked away. Ralph could see in Jack's wide eyes that he wasn't expecting to see him.

"Ralph? What in hell are you doing here?" the blond asked, a dumbfounded look on his pale face.

Jack's hair was an utter disaster; standing up in different directions, disheveled beyond recognition. He was wearing an oversized red Marvel t-shirt Ralph was certain didn't belong to him. He somehow looked like an alternate version of himself, like only a shell of the person Ralph knew.

"What am I doing here? What are you doing here?" Ralph's voice suddenly overcome with anger.

"How did you even—" Jack began to question, but he stopped himself abruptly to sigh heavily. "Go home, Ralph" he said in a quieter but still firm voice.