Road Trip

|Chapter 30

Ethan's POV

   After finally convincing the group that I had to go alone to meet up with Kyle, I found my way driving 1,000 miles down south from Ohio to Florida.

Note to self: Don't drive alone.

Driving alone was awfully quiet. I refused to turn on the radio because it disrupted my mentality to stay... sane. I was fueled by Kyle's actions. I was fueled by his words, by his puzzles, and by everything he's been doing lately. He was the reason everything started. All because of that stupid book he wrote a long time ago. If none of this happened, someone could still be alive, I could still be in college, I would've lived my life, everyone could've lived theirs. This is why I needed my time to stay sane. Although I dislike his guts right now, I'm still finding my way towards him.

"Maybe I can just turn the bus around and back to the motel. We can all forget about him." I thought to myself, but I kept driving anyways.

Hours later, and I finally reached my destination. Orlando Seaworld. Classic Cliche Kyle.

After minutes of walking, I found myself looking at a man looking at dolphins. Something about him seemed familiar.
I walked around him, and I guess I walked too loud because he turned around. Kyle.
I went up to him with excitement, and as he was about to pull me in for a hug, I slapped the shit out of him.

"WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT? WHY WOULD YOU RUN AWAY LIKE THAT!" I yelled, which caused everyone to stop and look at us.
"I was, uh"
"YOU'RE FUCKING STUPID, YOU LITTLE SHIT"
Security came running in on us and forced us out.
"I was.." he stuttered, "I wanted to..."
"Shut your mouth Kyle, explain to us when we're back with everyone else."
"Wait, while we're in Florida, can we just go to one more place?"
"No." I said in a stubborn fatherly tone.
"Please?"
"No."
After a few minutes of convincing, I finally gave in. He brought us down to Sugarloaf Key Lodge. Fairly enough, it was already dark, so we decided to get a room there. After getting in, I felt the need to rest, and so before I slept, I made Kyle promise not to leave the room during the night, or I will hunt him down and slaughter him. Not actually slaughter, but beat him up for running away. I closed my eyes and drifted to sleep.

Kyle's POV

20 minutes after Ethan slept, I found a scratch book in his bag and a few pencils. I grabbed them and started jotting down words. I waited a few more minutes, then placed the note under the lamp. As quietly as ever, I opened the door, and went out in my sleeping clothes. I found myself walking towards the beach. I've always been scared of the beach at night. I took off my shirt and found a fairly heavy rock, carried it near the shore, and began swimming.

Ethan's POV

I woke up around 6:30, and it took me a full 10 seconds to realize what was missing. Who was missing.
"Fucking damnit Kyle!"
I looked around the room to look for things he left behind, and oddly, he left them all. I came to the conclusion that he just went out for air, or went to the restaurant. I put on some proper casual clothes, and went to the lamp to get my wallet and realized the note under the lamp.

Find me swimming. Find me free. Bury me in a secluded area.

I felt a wave of panic hit me. My eyes grew in shock, and I turned and ran out the door and to the beach, barefoot. I saw everyone gather around the beach, and as I approached and got closer, I realized they were gathered on a body.

He was pale . The body was Kyle's. I was in shock. I couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe the person I was on this trip with, could actually be dead. I couldn't believe that all this time he was running away from us so he could kill himself. This was unfair.

The ambulances came, and rushed the body, and I asked if I could stay in with him.

•

At the hospital, I phoned my best friend/Cousin Nia. Within 20 hours, everyone was here. We were all directed to the morgue to look at his body. I felt the urge to puke. I ran off to the restroom and did so. I washed my face and realized my eyebags were heavy. I couldn't believe this happened. I couldn't believe he just died.

I went back in the room, and everyone. Chris, Adonis, Kiana, Nia, Jord, Niah, and surprisingly, even Theres was here. Adonis was breaking down because Kyle was the closest he had to a brother. Everyone payed their respects to the body. Soon after, we all left.

"So what do we do now..?" Jord asked.
"This feels so different." Nia muttered.
"This... this.. was" Chris could barely even finish his sentences.
Everyone was talking. I glanced around and noticed Kiana walking away, head down. I decided to follow her.
"Are.. are you okay?" I asked.
"No, the person that gave me flowers, bought me shit, he's gone." She exclaimed.
"He's off in a better place now."
"You just don't understand Ethan." and with that, she walked back to the group. I did so too.
"Everyone, calm down. I know this was a huge loss to us, we never expected it to happen, but what's done is done. I couldn't believe Kyle would be that selfish to even do this to us. But what I know is that he would want us to continue this fucking adventure. The police were kind enough to give me all his stuff, well I persuaded them because I'm a certified doctor, but anyways, with this, everywhere we go, every fucking destination we see and mountains and obstacles we accomplish, we leave a piece of him there. He will be proud of us. We all love him as a brother and as a friend. He deserves more than this, and deserved more than to die young." Chris exclaimed in a brace and courageous voice. "For Kyle." And with that, he took off his hat and threw it in the air. Everyone found something to throw in the air too.

So with that, we all found ourselves back inSugarloaf lodge, got into bus, and drove to wherever the hell this bus took us.