The week had stretched on like a slow, torturous pull of time, each second gnawing at Skyler's sanity. His world, once wrapped in the warmth of Ocean's quiet presence, had been violently ripped apart when Ocean disappeared that night. It wasn't supposed to happen—not to them, not to Ocean.
After the frantic call to his brother, Skyler had barely slept. Day and his team arrived as quickly as they could, scouring every possible lead. But even with the best resources, tracking Ocean down felt like chasing a shadow in the dark. Skyler was unraveling, and the pieces were falling too fast for him to catch.
The calmness that had once soothed his soul had been replaced by a storm inside him. His heart, usually so full of love and patience, now burned with an agonizing desperation. He'd spent hours combing through the city's streets, his eyes raw with tears, his voice hoarse from calling Ocean's name. But there was no answer.
"Please, Ocean... come back to me," Skyler whispered into the silence each night, clutching Ocean's shirt as if it could somehow bring him closer.
One Week Later...
Day had managed to find a lead, but it wasn't fast enough for Skyler. His mind was breaking, his heart screaming in agony. He was scared—so scared—of losing the person who had filled the deepest parts of his soul. The person who had made him feel whole.
"Skyler, we're going to find him," Day said softly, his firm hand resting on Skyler's trembling shoulder.
Skyler nodded, but his red-rimmed eyes spoke of a torment that words could never reach. "It's been a week," he whispered, voice cracking under the weight of his pain. "What if he's—"
"Don't," Day cut him off gently but firmly. "We'll find him. I promise."
But Skyler's chest tightened, and his hands shook uncontrollably. His heart was slipping, and the thought of losing Ocean—it was too much. It hurt to breathe, to think, to be. The week had felt like a lifetime of torture. Day had tried his best to keep his brother from falling apart, but even he knew how fragile Skyler's state had become.
Ocean's Side...
Ocean's world had collapsed the moment he saw him—the bully from his past. He had tried to run, tried to escape, but his body betrayed him. Fear paralyzed him, turning his limbs to stone. He could hear the bully's cold laughter echoing in his mind, a sound that had haunted his nightmares since high school.
Memories of those cruel days came flooding back—the torment, the taunts, the threats. The worst night, the night the bully had almost... had almost violated him. The only thing that had saved Ocean back then was the sudden intervention of a teacher, who had stumbled upon the scene. The bully had vanished soon after, expelled from school. But the fear had stayed with Ocean, seeping into every corner of his soul.
And now, standing here in that dark alley, facing the same twisted smile, that terror was back. Stronger. Sharper. His hands trembled violently as the bully stepped closer, his predatory gaze sweeping over Ocean's shaking form.
"You remember me, don't you?" the bully sneered, his voice a sickening drawl. "You thought you were safe, didn't you? But you're not. Not from me."
Ocean's chest tightened, his breathing ragged. His body was frozen, but his mind screamed at him to run. He tried to move, but his legs felt like lead, his entire being drenched in icy fear.
The bully reached out, grabbing Ocean's wrist roughly, pulling him closer. "You made me look bad back then, and now... I'm going to finish what I started."
Ocean's stomach twisted, his pulse racing as terror seized his heart. He struggled against the grip, but the bully was stronger, fueled by some psychotic need for revenge. Ocean stumbled, his back hitting the cold brick wall of the alley as he desperately fought to break free.
"Please..." Ocean's voice was a broken whisper, but the bully only grinned wider, a twisted satisfaction flickering in his eyes.
"Please?" he mocked. "You're going to beg me soon enough."
With a sickening smile, the bully pulled out a small, sharp blade. The sight of it made Ocean's blood run cold. His vision blurred, his breath caught in his throat.
"No... no, please—" Ocean tried to plead, but his words were lost in the panic choking him.
The bully didn't listen. He never had. With a cruel laugh, he slashed the blade across Ocean's shirt, tearing it open, exposing the delicate skin underneath. Ocean's heart raced in terror as the cold air touched his skin, and the sharp sting of the blade followed, a shallow cut burning across his chest.
Ocean winced, biting back a scream as the pain shot through him. The bully grinned in satisfaction, enjoying the fear in Ocean's eyes. He was a predator, playing with his prey, and Ocean could feel his strength slipping away with each passing second.
He wanted to scream, to fight, but his body was weakening, the trauma too much to bear. His vision blurred, darkness creeping into the edges of his consciousness. The last thing he saw before everything faded was the bully's twisted smile, the blade glinting menacingly in the dim light.
Back to Skyler...
Back at the university, Skyler's mind was spiraling out of control. He couldn't take it anymore—the waiting, the not knowing. It had been seven days, and each one had been worse than the last. He couldn't eat, couldn't sleep, and every second Ocean was gone felt like a knife being driven deeper into his heart.
"Skyler," Day's voice was firm but filled with concern. "You need to hold on a little longer. We're close."
"I can't," Skyler whispered, his voice cracking. "I can't... I need him. I need him back."
Day nodded, his expression grim. "We'll find him. I swear we will."
But even as the words left Day's mouth, Skyler's body shook with the weight of his fear. His heart was breaking, and his soul was being crushed under the unbearable pain of losing Ocean.
TBC. 🩵
