Red

Chapter 16

Mike

I got out of the car and stared at my house. It wasn't fancy or anything, it didn't look anything special, but bad things happened to people who lived there. My parents were killed in a devastating car crash. Clarissa lost her leg. I was next in line.

I unlocked the front door and stepped inside. I took a deep breath, trying to clear my head. I had to find Nate.

I looked around, starting in Clarissa's room. His phone was missing. He probably took it with him.

His phone! I'm so stupid! I pulled mine out again and clicked on his name in my contacts list. I stood there for a couple seconds before it finally picked up.

"Hello? Nate, are you there?"

There wasn't an answer, just ragged breathing.

"Nate? Are you ther–"

I was cut off by a loud scream and quiet sobbing. I stayed on the line, frozen in horror at what I was hearing.

I listened to Nate's screaming for a long time, just standing there, when his voice broke through, forming words instead of just mindless screams.

"Please, please just stop, I can't take it anymore, PLEASE!"

I heard laughter in the distance and I gripped my phone tighter. Someone was laughing, enjoying this.

My knuckles were white as I heard the laughter get closer. A voice came through that sent shivers down my spine.

"This is what you get. You deserve this. Embrace it, son."

I disconnected the call. I couldn't take it. The word son had been spit out with so much venom. That was Nate's father. Nate feared him more than anything. And he's been with him for hours. Who knows what he's done to the poor kid. I had to find him. Fast.

I raced out the house and ran into someone as soon as I opened the front door. We collided and fell in a tangled heap.

I disentangled myself from the other person, vaguely wondering why he was at my house. I muttered a quick apology before racing off again.

The other man grabbed my arm before I could get very far, though, and I turned around to face him, sharp words ready.

"Whoa calm, down, Mike! What's going on, why are you in such a hurry?"

I swore.

"Dammit, Marley! This is not the time to be asking questions, now let go of me, I need to leave!"

"You're not going anywhere till I know what's going on." He produced a pair of handcuffs and before I knew it I was chained to the porch railing.

I swore again. I forgot Marley's parents were both cops.

"You know, your parents will kill you if they found out you took these."

"Nah, they'll never find out. I plan on getting them back before they get home."

I tugged on the chain. My left wrist was attached to railing. I wasn't going anywhere.

I let out an exasperated sigh. I was wasting time. The sun was going down and soon I wouldn't be able to see my hand in front of my face.

"You know what? Fine. I'll tell you."

The curly haired man visibly perked up, listening.

"I'm going to go see the concert at the high school. They're singing."

"I don't believe you."

I threw up my free arm in another exasperated move. "Really? Why not?"

"Because, one, there isn't a concert at the high school tonight, and two, you only like instrumental music."

He was right. I couldn't deny it. I didn't say anything as he stepped closer.

"Tell me the truth, Mike."

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because it doesn't concern you!"

It was Marley's turn to be exasperated. "Oh, come on Mike! We've been best friends for years now; I know when you're hurting."

I went silent again, and I guess my face gave away everything because Marley gave me a quick hug.

"Now, tell me what's going on."

And so I did. I told him everything: Clarissa's bullying, her getting hurt, Nate going missing, Clarissa losing her leg, I spilled it all. I managed not to cry, but when I was done my breathing was shaky and my chest hurt.

My friend unlocked the handcuffs, and I pulled my hand away, rubbing my wrist. The sun was about half-way down now, turning the sky a brilliant orange.

"Alrighty, then," Marley exclaimed, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Let's go find your sister's missing boyfriend!"

I raised an eyebrow.

He scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, that sounded weird to me, too. Anyway, let's go!"

I shook my head as he raced to my car, smiling. It was amazing how he could switch from being really serious and handcuffing me to my porch to being the equivalent of a six-year-old on a sugar rush.

We both got into the car, and I wondered where to start. Nate must've left the house on his own, there weren't any signs of a struggle in the house, I would've noticed. Maybe he went for walk?

I was so deep in thought that Marley nearly made me jump out of skin when he waved hand in front of my face and said, "Hello-o-o-o? Earth to Mike Bittani! You there?"

I blinked a couple times. "Yeah, yeah I'm good."

"Well, then get a move on! The car isn't even started yet!"

"Wow, you're impatient."

"I know!"

I started to drive around town, looking for any signs of Nate. It was getting really dark out. I was about to call it a day when Marley, being the hyper-active guy that he is pointed out the first thing that caught his attention.

"Whoa, look at those major skid marks! Wonder what happened here?"

I flipped on my headlights. Sure enough there were pitch black skid marks on the road, leading into an alley. I pulled over and parked the car.

"Let's go find out," I said, opening my door.

We both crept cautiously to the alley, well, I was cautious. Marley was bouncing up and down constantly.

"Will you stop that?" I finally hissed at him. He immediately stopped his bouncing.

"Sorry," he whispered back.

I looked around the corner. Dead end and empty. I walked down the center of the street, reaching the end.

"Anything over there!" If Marley was any louder, the North Pole could hear him.

"No, it's a dead end, literally."

I took a step forward to leave, when something crunched under my foot. I looked down, confused, and lifted my foot.

A pair of glasses, frames bent from where I stepped on them, was lying on the ground. I picked them up. One of the lenses were cracked from where Clarissa punched them. These were Nate's. I'd found where'd been taken. Now I have to find him.