COBALT: The Red Phantom (Book One)

Chapter 6: Just Like a Scary Movie (Part 2/3)

          Sora looked around the expanse of dandelions, they were dancing in the evening breeze without a care in the world. She couldn't share in their whimsical freedom, swallowing the panic constricting her throat as she stared at Káel's house, a distant and chilling sillhouette of wood mixed with sharp grey stones.

          She pushed herself off the large rock behind her, going as fast as her feet would carry her to close in on her friend's sanctuary, vaulting the iron fence and throwing her arms out to collide with the door and halt her momentum. After tossing the door mat to the side and snatching the spare key she fumbled with the small object, finally stilling her trembling hands to jam it through the lock with a click.

          "Káel!" she burst, her voice crawling back into her throat as she stared at the torn up room. The scarce pairs of shoes once neatly lined together were thrown to the walls, along with multiple racks, bins, and a few chairs, all in a chillingly perfect circle. "Káel?" she whispered, suddenly fearing the prospect of drawing unwanted attention as she slowly searched the house for signs of her friend.

          It was empty.

          She double checked his room, throwing open his closet just to make sure, before she breathlessly ran into the kitchen, snapping a picture of the circle of debris. "Káel?" she whispered, checking over her shoulder and jumping as the door in front of her clicked open.

          Brick peeked through, his chiseled scowl hardening as he locked onto Sora's gaze. They both knew the severity of the situation, but despite their best efforts, neither had even the faintest pointer towards what had happened to Káel. He pushed through the door, swiftly passing Sora to check the house for himself, while Sora couldn't drag her gaze from the room, a chill of panic digging down to her bones. She'd be dead meat if she didn't find him, and fast.

          "Jeremiah?" she whimpered. Was he gone too?

          Brick came back, shaking his head grimly as he kicked an overturned basket of umbrellas.

          "I'm sorry..." she whispered. "I was going to go after him, but the sun went down before I-"

          Brick raised his hand, turning his attention to the other side of the house seconds before there was a knock on the front door. Brick wouldn't have called the police. She quietly crept to the front of the house, peeking through the blinds to catch a glimpse of two bald and uniformed men, and a stout woman with her greying blonde hair bunned up. They didn't look like officers, bearing embroidered white flowers on the right shoulder of their overcoats.

          The woman snapped at the door, watching one of the men pound his knuckles on the surface with extra ferocity as Brick came down the stairs. He gently opened the door, facing the three strangers with a neutral frown as the woman cleared her throat. "Could we speak to Káel Williams?"

          Sora lowered herself to the floor, ensuring the guests wouldn't see her behind the large sofa overlooking the landing to the front door. She could hear the woman's voice clearly from her position, but her face didn't scream familiarity in any sense.

          Brick folded his arms, staring at the three that didn't have a smidge of authority to him, and certainly didn't have the right to see Káel, even if he was here.

          The woman frowned in displeasure at the lack of response, holding a stamped up badge of laminated paper to Brick. "Social Security. Now may we see Káel Williams?"

          "Vacation." Brick replied plainly, smiling as the expressions of the three dropped to confusion.

          The woman scrunched her nose up in disgust at her false information, creating a couple lines of foundation on her cheeks. "And when will he return?"