Runners

Chapter 5: Terrified of it

Jackson groaned as we came to a screeching stop, "How long was I out for?" He held himself up in the back, his face slowly regaining animation. "Few hours, what happened man didn't you sleep at all last night?" Nate asked.

"Nahh, I wasn't all that tired." He smirked at me, I hid my bashful face from the comment, Jackson then looked at me rather pleased with himself. "Okay, whatever that was." Nate looked to him then to me and hopped out of the truck. I gave Jackson a glare and he shrugged. 

When I got out of the truck I saw a big building, "what is this place?" I skimmed the brick walls, The windows were bashed in and the door was beaten down. 

"I traced 1334 on here," He handed me a small round device that looked a lot like a watch, I tapped the glass, above a set of numbers on top of it was an arrow pointing directly at the building rotting right in front of us. 

I looked at Nate my stomach was filled with butterflies, my mind was filled with stupid thoughts of regret. "Maybe we shouldn't do this.." I looked at Nate, he looked super surprised. "No way, you can't back out now." Nate grabbed my hand and pulled me from the truck, "Come on, I'll be right here the whole time, I promise okay?" I nodded and let him guide me to the ruins. 

"You guys think there could be a dead body here?" Jackson's remark made me even more nervous, so I squeezed Nate's hand tightly, When Jackson noticed he snickered and looked at me with a smart ass look on his face. "Kidding." I laughed a little. 

"okay lets go then." Nate began to move forward, taking me with him, our hands locked together and our minds off track. Even through all the silence I pretty sure they both heard me screaming on the inside.

What if my dad was really in there? 

and even if he wasn't dead on the floor, why would he hide away from us? 

from my mom,

from me?

It didn't make any since, I would rather walk into this building and see him dead, then walk in and know that the last 3 years were a lie. 

We walked close together, flash lights in hands so we could see through all the darkness in between us. The building had a gross smell to it, like rotting flesh, or just shit in general. 

Jackson groaned as we reached closer to the smell, his teeth grind-ed as he told us to stay back.

"What? What is it?" I yelled out to him, Nate's hand gripped on to mine, not letting me get any closer to what Jackson was gasping at. Jackson walked back to us, his nose covered by his shirt and his face full of disgust. "Tell me, WHAT IS IT?" he motioned me to look for myself, Nate tried pulling me back so I couldn't but I wouldn't let him keep me from seeing it.

When I got there Nate was right behind me, I felt my eyes water as I examined what was In front of me, I took a cool slow breath.. "Its not him.." Nate and Jackson were extremely happy about this, they cheered tiredly and practically forced me into a group hug. 

when they released me they were shocked to see that I wasn't smiling, or cheery what so ever. "Julies, whats wrong?" Nate questioned me as I ravaged through my bag, then pulled out a pair of gloves. "Oh ew, don't touch it." I rolled my eyes at Jackson's remark and began searching the dead decaying body in front of me. 

"You don't have to do that.." Nate tried pulling me away from the body but I shook his hand out, "Don't you want another lead?" He nodded, "Yeah but this isn't the way to do it-" I cut him off. "What other choice do we have?" I continued searching him, until I found a card in his left jacket pocket. 

The card had an adress on it with the name, 'Crime Unit  4' Listed at the top. "What is it?" Jackson asked, I handed it to him and went back to the body, in front of me Nate was searching the bodies other pocket, when he was done he pulled out a photograph. "Its him." I looked at him confused, he pointed to the dead body, "This guy, its him" He showed the photo to me and sure enough it was him, the dead man in front of us, a giant X through his face.