Three

Chapter 12

Walking back the sky was filled with dark grey puffy clouds. Rain filled the streets of Greyhound with light pitter-platter sounds as the rain was slowly fading away. Greyhound's streets were dirty and piled with trash. Witnessing clunks of wrapping paper, soda cans, water bottles, and newspapers sliding down the street roads like a dirty waterfall. What a mess I told myself as the three of us jogged each block until we got to the hill being careful not to drop anything inside Clover's backpack that had everything in it. The map stood sticking out of Clover's backpack as it wouldn't fit the whole map inside without crumbling it. 

The streets were all empty now of anyone. The signs people were holding are now left on the sidewalks. Only noises heard were the trees rustling back and forth from the wind and a couple cars passing by with the tires sliding through rain throwing huge splashes towards the sidewalks. We reached the outside town area we walked up the hill of the woods smelling the fresh water on the plants and seeing the light fog across the woods. The three of us reached the top seeing the depressing building of the Winchester. The roof covered in raindrops sliding off the edges of the building, puddles surrounded the building being careful not to make a splash. Our socks were already wet inside our shoes feeling the weird touch of wet socks on my feet. We walked inside passing the counter desk with no one there, with only a sign laying on the counter that read "Well Be Back Shortly." 

The main floor was empty as well with only custodians mopping the floors or brushing the floor of water puddles out by the exits of the building. The main floor was dull and colorless with only it being lit by the outside cloudy weather.

 Phone ringing could be heard from the offices down the hall but no one sign of any there to answer, all the employees must have gone home of how slow it is today. We heard all the kids in the game room from the stairway, hearing the loud footsteps of the younger ones chasing each other upstairs in the hallways or the tv volume being blasted all the way up. Hopefully not getting Chester's attention or else the Game Room would be banned for the day. That's probably the nicest thing that could happen instead of getting hit by Chester behind closed doors. Jack, Clover, and I walked over to the staircase walked up a couple of steps of the when we heard Chester's voice down the staircase behind us. 

"Well, well, well where did you three run off to?" he asked. 

All looked down the staircase to see him smirking in his suits that looked like it was cutting circulation to his body, his face was red like a tomato. His blonde hair was slicked back and had his five O'clock shadow was showing that meant he didn't shave today or yesterday.  

"Why do you wanna know?" I replied roughly having a questioned look on my face, as I looked down the staircase.

". . . It was just a question. But now I am more intrigued to know where you guys went? Since you were the only three to leave the Winchester today besides the employees in this bad weather." he pleaded.

"We went to the corner store down the hill to get some snacks and then we decided to go for a walk around town" replied Clover. It didn't sound convincing at all knowing myself I wouldn't even believe that but hopefully, Chester did.

"That's nice, I wouldn't mind a bag of chips or a candy bar myself . . . but where are your guy's snacks?" Questioned Chester.

"It's in our backpack we didn't feel like carrying all the stuff in our hands. A hassle up the hill every time," answered Jack.

"Oh, I see . . . What's that long rolled up paper sticking out of the backpack you're carrying?" He questioned as the three of us stood clinched up not knowing what to say next. 

He looked dumbfounded for a quick second and then Jack replied. "It's something I picked up at the library when we were in around town. It's a map for an essay I'm writing."