Here There Be Monsters (OLD VERSION)

Chapter 5: Melia's Diner

The bench was cold and uncomfortable beneath him, but it was the only place in front of the school Eli could sit and wait for Riley to arrive. Most other kids had other been picked up or started their walk home, but it seemed his uncle wasn't very punctual. A yellow leaf from the tree next to the bench fluttered down onto his knee and he brushed it away. Fall was coming and he was not looking forward to the weather getting colder than it already was, his exposed skin not acclimated to even slight drops in temperature. He shivered and pulled his hoodie strings tighter for what seemed like the hundredth time, a frown carved into his face. Behind him the school's front doors opened, a familiar pair of voices echoing down the courtyard and he turned to see Anthony and Campbell walking together, their conversation too far away to make out.

Earlier that day Anthony had spent nearly an hour going over all the "evidence" he kept in his notebook about the strange occurrences that had been happening in the town. A list of names, dates of disappearances, and any other evidence of where they had gone. So far there had been no trace of the individuals that had disappeared, and even after Anthony had gone to the police multiple times, they had done nothing, which in itself left Eli with a strange feeling. The hardest part for Eli to believe was that this was all happening here, a tiny town farther North then anyone should have been living, and it was something straight out of a movie. Thirty people, simply gone. And now Eli was living right in that movie. Jolly good show detective, the people have vanished and now you've gotta find out where they've gone, cheerio.

He raised a hand and waved at the walking pair and they changed course, smiles radiating from their faces as they approached, Anthony's teeth shining as he spoke.

"Hey Eli, didn't think you'd still be here."

"Yeah, my uncle isn't very good at tracking time, he said he'd be busy today but what exactly that means, I have no idea."

"Well hey Campbell and I are heading over to my mom's diner if you want to come, we're just gonna hang out for a bit, no investigation stuff." Campbell nodded enthusiastically at this.

"Yeah it'll be great, Anthony's mom makes the best food in town."

Eli considered this for a moment. Would Riley be mad if he went with them? He should probably at least tell him where he was going.

"Is there a phone in the school I can use? I'll let my uncle know he doesn't have to come get me." After a confirmation of where the phone was from Anthony he went inside and found it, getting the line for Riley Barlowe from the operator. It rang for several seconds, and then stopped, Riley never picking up.

He could have been any number of places, Eli having no way of knowing exactly where. Didn't he say that Eli should make some friends though? Try and put himself out there? Hanging out with a few new friends from school felt like it fit with that idea, and would his uncle really blame him for not telling him where he was going? He could take care of himself just fine, and besides he probably wouldn't hang out for long. Decision made he walked outside to the pair still standing in the courtyard and walked with them to the school's nearly empty parking lot where Campbell said his car was.

It was an unassuming gray sedan that wouldn't have stuck out in any parking lot in Canada, the bumper covered in residue from a botched sticker removal, and various dents and scrapes which were common to see on a teenager's car. It was a piece of shit, but it beats walking. Upon getting in the car he noted it smelled like a piece of shit too.

Soon enough though the car was sputtering along the main road into town and the group sat in silence, Eli staring out the window like usual at whatever sights could be seen as they drove. But considering it was Hay River, there wasn't much to see.