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Sleepless nights, low appetite, worried uncle. Holland couldn't let the memory of that morning leave his head. The same pang still lingered in his chest unmotivating him from progressing at work.
He spoke long hours with the only one he calls a family about what his next move should be. His uncle had warned him about not interfering before, but he just didn't listen and now there is a problem that needs to be fixed.
None of them has spoken to each other for the time being.
With a box of fresh croissants and a double caramel latte, he held his breath as he pressed on the bell of an apartment complex embodies. He waited for an answer. Nothing.
Pressing the bell repeatedly, the outcome was only the same. He wondered if climbing to Dino's apartment balcony is the best thing to do in the middle of the day. It wasn't that hard like he thought. The building was only three floors; small for an apartment building.
The thought of him climbing up the building had people in awe and fear as they see a man in all black allegedly breaking into someone's home.
"Good morning young man."
Holland turned to the sweet raspy voice that scared the soul out of him. He saw a lady who looked to have lived her life well and rewarding peering up at him with a closed-mouth smile.
"You almost made me drop my croissant," he breathed out in relief.
He eyes twinkled as she widened her smile even more. She fiddled with things in her pocket until she brought out a key. The metal contraption jingled in the keyhole, revealing the inside of the lobby. "If you're looking for another young man, I'm afraid he went on a trip."
He tilted his head at the lady who already entered the lobby. "He seemed to be in a hurry."
He stopped the door with his feet in the midst of the closing on him. The lady looked at him with shock on her expression. Holland knows he shouldn't have done that but he was desperate at this moment, and this lady isn't telling him enough information.
She let out an exasperated sigh. "I'm not sure my dear, try asking friends of his. I don't know what kids do these days," her chuckling sounded as if she were to have a cough.
Holland would have gone to his friends for help. But the problem is, his friends are none existent.
"And you said, he's gone somewhere?"
The lady nodded surely
It hasn't even been a week yet where has he vanished off to. He knows Dino has a habit of wandering and occasionally disappearing, but at least he knows where the boy has gone off to. The only places he could think off in town were the missing one could have moved to is the bakery or...
"I think I might know where he is, thank you." He bowed quickly to the woman before he dashed out of the complex.
He passed a man sitting on the bench looking like he wanted to throw himself away. Holland approached him in a hasty manner, practically throwing the poor man out of his trance. "Please accept this as a form of kindness sir, he made sure not to spill the hot beverage on him went placing it beside him.
It was better than wasting food by throwing it in the garbage. There are people who don't have enough money to buy a nice homemade morning breakfast in the city. First world problems.
He got to the garden Dino liked to spend his time in hopes of spotting him on the bench like was used to. Yet, he was met with an empty seat, only occupied with the leaves. He stopped to gather more oxygen for his burning chest.
He shouldn't have wasted any time being the bigger person. All he wanted was to give the boy some time off to heal. Instead, he ran off to the place that caused all of the climaxing argument between them.
Why doesn't he ever listen?
Holland wondered how long he has been there for. It couldn't have been long since the lady mentioned shes seen him leave his home. But when? He hissed under breath as he was going to regret what he was going to do next.
~
He arrived once more to the realm of hidden secrets and wonder. Something about the air made him feel uneasy with the slightest shiver and disgust under his stomach. Its probably the rotten carcass hanging from the ceiling of the butcher booth.
The market is his least favorite place to go because of the crowdedness and heat emitting from costumes and sellers. He hated coming here especially at this time of the day due to the nature of every Nervladners displayed. It was like they were possed by the darkness of evil.
People throwing knives at each others head, swearing, kids stealing bread from the bakery booth, a guy throwing punched at the merchant.
The rottenness manifested in everyone. Unfortunately, this is how it should be for the people until then.
Deep in thought, he walked into someone. Holland was about to face the wrath of this being until it started back at him with wide eyes.
"Dino?"
Holland watches as Dino dashed out of his view and into the people of the marketplace. He chased after him calling out his name and telling him to stop running. His demands did not work. For a lazy guy who eats like a hippo, he could run as fast as the spotted slender cats of Eastern Africa.
Two men who were built as sumo wrestler barricaded his way. He tried to move along the other way, but they will move in unison to block the way he would try to run. Holland is a mission of returning his dearest back to him and he was not allowed to let these fools stop him.
