Chapter Thirteen

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CHAPTER THIRTEEN





March 1, 2015

Bobby and Trevor were bundled in heavy coats, hats, gloves, scarves, and whatever else they could find to keep warm.  The weather was barely above freezing and they regretted coming outside almost instantly.  Trevor parked on the shoulder of the road near the entrance to the tracks.  He wanted to get as close as possible, so they wouldn't have to be out in the cold as much.  It would be long and hard enough tracking the half mile distance in the cold, without adding more distance.

            "Let's get this over with, please," Trevor grumbled, breathing warm air into his cold, gloved hands.

            "Fucking A, man.  My balls are frozen already, I think," Bobby shivered.

            "Gross dude, just gross. I never want to think about your balls again," Trevor smirked and they headed onto the tracks toward the bridge.  Thankfully, the ground was barren from the cold, harsh winter and there were no weeds to beat upon their legs. It wasn't pleasant to look at, everything was brown with patches of left over dirty snow.  Soon they were close to the bridge, but not quite able to see it.

            "Stop, dude," Bobby frowned, holding his hand up to halt Trevor.

            "What is it?"

            "What if he's there again?"

            "It won't be like last time, man.  First, we're alone and have no one to go back for and save ... or fail at saving. Plus, if we see him, they we were wrong and we can go back.  He doesn't have to see us.  Last time, we were stupid and got too close. We had to know he was there. We paid those prices. We're not the same idiots," Trevor reassured him.

            "We're different idiots, all right.  You're right, I'm sorry.  I'm just having some kind of like PTSD or something." Bobby shrugged.

            "Well we're safe and that's not going to change. No one's dying today!" Trevor smiled, patting Bobby lightly on the shoulder. "Come on."

            The finished the last part of their trek a bit slower, hesitant to see or not see Jacob.

            The bridge came into view, lightly covered in frost, but was cold and empty.

            "No one! Where'd he go?" Bobby gasped.

            "I don't know. He could still be here somewhere else, let's look around really quick." The boys crossed the bridge for the first time in almost two years. It was an odd feeling to cross it. They had avoided it since Jacob died, but something had changed. The air seemed electric, full of excitement, and fear.

            "What are we looking for anyway?" Bobby asked.

            "Clues, dude."

            "So, is this some CSI show or what?" Bobby chuckled.

            "Everyone knows Criminal Minds is better, man."

            "Can't argue with that!" The boys split up, Bobby walked to the east, Trevor to the west, searching for anything that would tell them if Jacob was there or gone.

            The creek under the bridge was almost dry. Kansas had been in a drought for a few years. There was barely enough water to make a small stream. It was a bit pitiful to look at.

            "Hey! I found something!"  Trevor hollered out as he found a small cottage behind a group of trees. It was not as well hidden as it would have been in the spring or summer, but the barren branches made it visible.

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