Fragments - Book One of the Missing

Chapter 9 - Taniel

"Gills! Hey man!" Scooter said, breathless. "Where have you been? I've been looking all over for you!"

"Er..." he started, not knowing what to say. "How long have you been looking? I thought you had a couple months left."

Scooter grabbed Taniel's hand, pulling him up. "Well, yeah. That didn't change. But St. Andra's was a bore without having you around." He shrugged, as if the admission was embarrassing. "You and your constant moaning..." He switched into falsetto, "Oh my dreams!"

Taniel ignored the jest. "What about Twitch?"

Scooter groaned. "Gills, you know I love Twitch, but it's creepy how quiet he can be. I never noticed really when you were there..."

He nodded. He got the same feeling, but loved that about Twitch—how he could be so comfortable in silence.

"Don't worry, Gills. He knows where to find us. At least he knows what city."

Unable to stand still, Scooter started down the street. "Come on. I know a place we can talk."

Scooter led them not far out of the Market and down an unmarked alley. The further they walked, a sense of foreboding grew. In a dead end like this they could be cornered. Taniel's head was still throbbing from the encounter with the Underground. He was about to say something when Scooter stopped. He pulled down the ladder of an old fire escape and started to climb.

The building didn't seem too high, but then again, Taniel didn't know what Scooter had in store. He followed him anyway, his trust in Scooter drowning his own fears out.

The sun was setting as he reached the roof. It was sight to behold — the pinks, oranges and reds burning away the last of the day another day of survival. The sunset illuminated the Fenesmere skyline. It was beautiful, but eerie, to see the stark black buildings against the bright sky as if nothing had happened and nothing had changed. The same skyline before and after the Missing.

Scooter was sitting on the ledge, looking below him. Taniel tore his eyes from the sun and followed Scooter's gaze below. A converted greenhouse stood there, squeezed between two buildings. Twinkle lights hung from the glass ceiling, drawing his attention to the panes that were missing glass. In the greenhouse was a crowd of people—laughing, dancing, drinking. He couldn't even remember when he had seen so many people so happy.

"Is this a bar?"

"Yep," Scooter said, his lips turning up on one side in a smug smile.

"So why are we up here?"

He shrugged. "I thought you'd prefer something quieter. And," he gestured to Taniels' bruised face, "out of view." Scooter knew him too well.

Taniel looked down again and drank in the smells, the sounds and the site of the merriment. A girl at the bar with bright purple hair leaned over to the bartender, a tall burly fellow with more piercings than exposed skin. Purple hair laughed at something the bartender said, a twinkling sound that drifted upward. Down the bar, two boys, who hardly looked fifteen with their awkward angles and round faces, argued over who would be able to approach the pretty blonde sitting a few seats over from them. She, for her part, was trying to ignore their banter while her friends laughed.

The scene was complete normalcy, and he loved it.

"Hang here," Scooter said. "I'm going to grab us a beer."

Before Taniel could protest, Scooter had already disappeared. He had drank before, but it had been a while... since before he was arrested. And back then he had only had a few sips before the bitter taste became too much.