The Five Souls - The Beginning

chapter 28: so this is what is going down

Suddenly, from out of that inky blackness, there was a light. At first, it was like looking through a waterfall. But then, as I got closer, I felt the water until it was splashing into my face, completely covering it. Suddenly, I remembered that I had to breathe but couldn't because of the water. The light grew brighter, and I was back just like that.

I swated away the hose sprayed into my mouth by one of Jack's friends.

"Stop... stop," I sputtered through breaths. The kid spraying me with the hose dropped it, allowing it to spray onto my shoes. Agitated, I kicked it away and grumbled.

"I'm sorry." the boy said, apparent embarrassment racing across his face.

Looking at him, I shrugged and patted him on the shoulder. 

"it's ok. Clearly, I needed that." 

"but I also need some answers. Where's my kid?" 

"I'm sorry?" said the girl with blond hair confusion on her face.

"my kid. you know the one that Adrian stole?" I said dryly

"I'm sorry, sir, but I have no idea what you're talking about." she said genuine concern on her face

"ok, well, if you have no idea about my kid, then why did you ask me to meet you here, and where is jack? I need to speak with him." I said,

"Jack is missing."

"What do you mean by missing?" I said. Then recalled the text she sent earlier.

"wait, you think danax has something to do with his disappearance?"

"ya. pretty much." the girl said

"well, il be damned. I think the blue spirit thing wants me to help you guys," I said, slightly chuckling at the absurdity of this situation. This made everyone look at me with this weird look.

Then, from the back, a kid with black hair spoke up.

"a blue spirit thing?" he asked

"Yep, that's what I said, didn't I?" I said, trying to lighten the mood and speed things up.

"When did you see it last?" he asked

"about an hour ago."

"what happened? how did you see him?"

 curious at what he said, I asked my own question. "how did you know it's a he?"

"Long story. But basically, he scared the shit out of me and Jack a couple of days ago." 

"Well, I might as well say something because after everything, I'm quitting Danax when I get my girl back and save Jack, I guess." I started to explain my experience with Danax and the messed-up, crazy, bizarre things that they have done to me since I joined.

When I was finished, the girl with blond hair looked at me like I was crazy.

"Why didn't you quit or notify the police?" clear disgust on her face.

"I had no choice. They threatened my wife and family. The shit I have done in my past isn't pretty, but I have to be the better one out of the family, which means doing things that aren't pretty to seem good."

"you disgust me!" she said.

"Well, he doesn't disgust me, Hannah. Sometimes, we have to keep up appearances to protect people," said the black-haired boy. He walked up to me and stretched his hand out for me to shake.

"bens the name. Jack's best friend."

"Nice to meet you, Ben. I now know that the girl is Hannah, so the other three or two. Wait, isn't there supposed to be five of you?" I said, thinking back to the conversations I'd had with Jack. Looking at the group, a blanket of despair seemed to fall over them.