Golden Snow - Bennoda

Chapter Three

Mike headed back through town. He looked around at all the recent holiday decoration lights and sighed, seeing his breath puff in front of him. He continued down the road, seeing a couple more posters about the missing boy on the way. His phone began buzzing in his coat pocket and he half-hoped it would be Chester but he knew in his gut it wasn't.

"Hi, dad," Mike answered, preparing himself for a lecture about leaving without saying anything other than leaving a note. He let out a small shiver as a cool breeze drifted past his face, drying his eyes.

"Mike, what did I tell you about leaving a note?!" His father snapped and Mike rolled his eyes. He just wished his dad would leave him alone and give him the freedom he desired.

"Not to," Mike replied shortly, regretting his decision to leave his friends. He already preferred their company over this phone call with his father. Mike accidentally let out a groan of irritation as his father continued to babble on about Mike being a rebel and so on.

"Mike," He said in a warning tone. "You know I just want you safe."

"Who would hurt me?" Mike snorted. They lived in the smallest town imaginable and there's never been a high crime rate. Mike told himself there was no way he'd talk to his dad about this missing boy.

"You never know," his father said and then sighed. "Where are you?"

"The coffee shop," Mike lied, turing himself around. There was no way he was going home if his father was going to be this controlling.

"Be back soon," his dad told him before hanging up. Mike slid the phone back in his coat and walked back to the shop. When he neared, he noticed the lights were off and Jeff was locking the front doors.

"What's going on?" Mike asked him and he gave Mike a small smile.

"The town was just issued with a severe blizzard warning. I'm closing up for the rest of the day. I reckon you get on home," Jeff nodded the other direction and Mike inwardly groaned. He didn't want to.

"I will soon," Mike decided and Jeff gave him another smile.

"Heard about that missing boy? Poor kid better have shelter, it sounded bad. He seems... I don't know... I can't describe him," Jeff mused and Mike nodded harshly.

"I heard of him and I agree with you. There's something about him but I can't put my finger on it," Mike sighed and made a disappointed face.

"Is it strange to admit I've taken a huge interest in him? I don't know what it is about that boy but I just have an urge to find him," Jeff informed Mike who shook his head. He smiled at the fact that he wasn't the only one other than his friends who had heard of the boy and took an interest in him.

"I feel the same way," Mike admitted and Jeff finished locking up the shop before slipping the keys into his pocket. He looked to Mike.

"How has your dad been? And Jay? I haven't seen him in a while," Jeff noted and Mike glanced down to the snow covered ground at the mention of his slightly younger brother.

"My dad's being a pain in the ass as usual and I have no idea. Jay hasn't come around," Mike ran a hand through his hair and noticed how red they became from the cold. He put it in his pocket, trying to keep the bare limbs warm.

"Don't want to go home then?" Jeff guessed and Mike nodded. "Well you're free to come to my house for a while, get warmed up. Anna should be home soon anyway so the two of you can talk."

"That'd be fantastic, thank you!" Mike beamed and Jeff chuckled as the two walked to the road where Jeff's car was parked. Mike jumped in the passenger's seat just as Jeff started the car and blasted the heat. Mike put his hands up to the vent and smiled as he warmed up his fingers. Jeff began driving.

"You are aware my daughter fancies you, right?" Jeff laughed and Mike smirked. He always knew Anna had a thing for him but he didn't mind. Although she wasn't his cup of tea, he could feel flattered someone as pretty as she was could like him.

"I had a feeling," Mike chuckled and Jeff gave him a warm smile. "So when did you hear about the boy? I didn't think the flyers were put up until after your shift at the coffee shop started."

"Oh, I didn't even know there were flyers," Jeff admitted as they pulled into the driveway to his home. The town was so small that all the houses were quite close to the main road. They exited, continuing their conversation. "It was the strangest thing, actually. Two men came in my shop asking about this boy. They called him... what was it? I remember it was quite unique..."

"Chester. Chester Bennington," Mike reminded him and he quickly nodded as they entered the house. They went to the main room which contained a couch, television, and a fireplace, which Jeff immediately turned on. Mike started taking off his coat as Jeff continued his story.

"That was it. They said he had been missing all throughout last night and would probably freeze to death, as they called him a tiny, little thing. They said a scrawny boy would die out in this weather but I claimed not to have met anyone named Chester. They described him for me and showed a photo. Pale boy... He was incredibly pale. It looked like he hadn't been let outside in years - if not his whole life. He seemed about your age too, sixteen or seventeen maybe. He could have even been near eighteen but he hid his age well. He had bright blonde locks, kind of a punk haircut with spikes. Much like yours but more defined and not black with red tips," Jeff smiled when Mike smirked but then he frowned. "But the boys eyes... They had a lot hidden behind them. They were very dark and looked tired, ready to fall over and die."

"The two men, were they... violent?"

"The way they acted seemed quite threatening but they didn't act upon anything. They called themselves the boy's uncles but I can't help but think they might be the reason the boy ran off in the first place."

"You think he ran away from home?" Mike gaped and Jeff nodded.

"I do. It's a feeling really. Plus the uncles just seemed... scary," He admitted and Mike was about to reply when the front door swung open and a girl, Anna, came rushing in, tears running down her face. Mike immediately noticed blood going down her legs and the black eye on her face. Around her mouth seemed red and irritated, making out a design that looked like a cloth used as a gag tightened around her face. Her eyes were pink and puffy from crying and she sobbed, dropping to the ground. Her hair was soaked from snow falling on her head. "Anna?! Anna, what happened?!"

"I-I-I...!" Anna cried, trying to manage some words but she couldn't stop herself. She hadn't even noticed Mike in the room. Jeff ran to her and held her in his arms, cradling her, doing his best to calm her down. It seemed his efforts worked well because she cleared her eyes and finally noticed Mike.

She screamed.