SAM

Scene #6

Alex missed his friends, he had just realised he hadn't been talking with them ever since he sat beside Sam on the bus, five days ago. He was standing with them in lunch break, but his eyes were subconsciously searching for Sam in between the tables and heads.

It wasn't hard for him to find her, he knew how to quickly spot the long silky ponytail and the bold black glasses. She was sitting alone, her eyes wondering at the sky. Alex admired the way she always daydreamed while staring at the clouds.

One of his friend interrupted his trail of thoughts, "Alex, are you alright?" She asked.

"Ahh sure, don't worry." He faked a smile as his friend patted on his shoulder. "I'll go check something out, okay?" He said in a tone that sounded more as a statement than a question.

They were all pretty engaged in the discussion they were having, so it was easy for Alex to escape.

"Hey," He says in a low voice so he doesn't sharply interrupt her thoughts. "How are you?"

"Mr. Alexander Chester," She turns around slowly in a cinematic gesture, talking in a deep sound to fit the mood. "Where have you been? I missed you." Her voice fell into a whisper as her features softened.

"I told you I had to deliver my photographs to the gallery owner, you didn't have to worry." He replied with a soft smile, his voice a bit shaky. He was one to concentrate with every single word he was told and every word he told people back. He couldn't tell her he missed her back; he didn't know whether he really missed her or missed having a distraction from Angela's recurring image in his mind. However, he tried to sound smooth, so she wouldn't notice how he had ignored her statement.

He thought about that all night long, he couldn't sleep.

"I just didn't know you wouldn't be there for the whole day, how many of them did he take?" She asked. He smiled at her worried features, he didn't remember the last time someone cared about him this way.

"He took them all, except one."

"Why? It was blurry?" She questioned in concern. The smile on his face grew slightly wider, he averted his sight to the ground to avoid eye-contact.

"It was too beautiful to display." He explained.

"Wait, what? That's such a silly excuse." She protested, crossing her arms over her chest.

"It's not. An employer can reject an applicant not only because he doesn't have the adequate skills, but also if he's over qualified. That picture deserved to be placed somewhere better than-"

"Somewhere better than the National Gallery of the South? People travel miles and miles to see that gallery and you're telling me it deserves a better display? Rubbish."

Alex didn't like arguing, he preferred to agree with her rather than try to prove his point.

The picture was best displayed in his heart.

"I don't know; maybe he's saving it for the annual international display. I don't mind keeping it though." He shrugged, watching Sam roll her eyes at him. "Anyway, I have something to show you. Can we go to the secret walkway?"

"Is it something illegal?" Whispering in confusion, her eyes went in all directions to make sure no one is watching. It only made Alex laugh harder.

"Let's just go there, shall we?" His hand stretched out to find hers, but she didn't seem to notice so they just walked beside each other.

"So, the gallery owner was our neighbour, and he's like my godfather. He knew the poet and his wife, Mr and Mrs McMillan." She stared at him as he talked, trying to guess understand where this talk is heading to.

He handed her the picture of Mrs McMillan.

"The address is on the back of the photograph so I sent her a letter, asking if we could visit her. Mr. Osbourne also gave me this map," He also handed Sam the map of the town. Her orbs widened at the old piece of paper, taking in every detail.

"Downhill isn't there? How come?"

"Mr. Osbourne says it's there, just not clear. Look at the back though," He said, pointing at the excerpt written behind.

"no one hadst durst to cross Downhill, right whither all the lines intersect. in the core, the centre of e'rything. human endeavor is hath said to not has't limits, yet yonder, men must beware of Downhill. they mus'nt cross." She reads slowly. "I'm not good at old English but it means it's in the center, right?"

"Yeah I guess so," He mumbled as he reread the passage so he wouldn't be giving her any false information.

"Do you know that–about 50 years ago–there was a huge building where Eastern people claimed the folders were kept, and it was said to be at the center? Then, when people tried retrieving folders of their beloved ones, hoping it'd bring them back, they all disappeared." Sam spills down the information as she pushes her glasses up the slope of her nose, making her sound smarter than ever.

"Could that building be Downhill?"

"Well, I always thought Downhill was a huge land not just a building, but if that building is still there then it may be it. What if it's not there anymore though?"

"This has so many possibilities." Alex had reached this point of frustration that has one questioning everything and questioning its worth.

"I know who could help us though." She winked, illuminating the hopelessness Alex was about to trap himself in.