"So, can you tell me where Brandon could have gone. After all you were the last one to have contact with him."
Those were the first words the Sheriff said to Han in the Interview Room. A small room with one table in the middle and a mirrored window in the wall.
Han was there with the Sheriff.
Wondering if there was another police officers behind the window. Han was tapping his fingers in the table.
"Look, son, I know it might be hard for you, after all he is your best friend." The sheriff stop and looked at Han expression and saw anger.
"My best friend would've not run away and leave everything behind."
"You know the reason why he left"
"No"
" So what makes you think his leaving everything behind..."
"Well I mean his family, friends and the school"
"You sure there is nothing more?" The sheriff asked.
The young boy sit there thinking how can his friend go right now when they were almost finishing their senior year at high school. They had plans and now everything is ruined. But he know the truth he know why Brandon leave... it was becuse of Liz.
"Sheriff I think, everything that is happening now... is all because of Liz."
"How so? She is dead." The sheriff said.
Liz was Brandon girlfriend. You can say they were soulmates since the first day they met you could have seen the spark in them. They were inseparable and Han was lucky to have them both as friend. Han was always screwing around with girls. He hasn't find the right one yet. But Brandon did and it didn't last.
"Yeah, it has been 3 month, but I think Brandon hasn't get over it and maybe he is gone because he needs to... I don't know... accept that she's gone."
"Son, have there being some suicidal thought in Brandon"
"Nah, I don't think so... he was weird this days but no that kind of weird."
"Weird how?"
"You know Brandon has always liked video games"
"Yes. I recall having him here for stealing one or two" the Sheriff said while they both share a little laught.
"Yeah that was Brandon alright. Anyways two weeks ago he went into my home excited cause he downloaded an emulator app for his telephone."
"An emu... what?"
"An emulator its a program where you can download console game to the phone and play them, thats the easiest explanation"
"I take it. Go on"
"He was playing The Legend Of Zelda: A Link To The Past. His all time favorite game."
"And this has to do with his disappearance because?" The Sheriff said confused.
"He was playing the same stage over and over again. I don't know when he started doing this but I'm pretty sure he started to do it a lot."
"Interesting, can you tell me more, with details"
Han let a big sigh.
" Everything started last Friday. I was starting my day at the school like always. Walking throuhg the halls, listening to the morning gossip. When I got to my locker, Brandon was already there playing. 'Sup, jerk' I said to him and he gave me the middle finger like he always do. Then we went to our classes, our Football practice, cause we have a game this Friday, so you better find him before that"
"We will do our best, continue" the sheriff said
"After we finish with school we head out to my house and went directly to our bedroom to finish a presentation that's due to Wenesday... you better find him. Anyways, while we were doing reasearch he kept playing and all of the sudden: 'I saved the princess!' He yelled. I was so annoyed by this that we began to fight. After we finish figthing he sat down at the floor and was lost... lost in thoughts I mean, maybe daydreaming. He seems like he wanted to tell me something but just stood there."
"What do you think he was going to say?"
"I don't know." Han whispered.
"After a minute he began to play again"
"The same stage?"
"Yes, I mean after you beat the game you can play the ending all over again."
"Well is his favorite game, maybe he was enjoying that he beat the game"
"He has beat this game countless of time, but this time is different. He was repeating the part where you save the princess over and over again"
"Why?"
" Saturday we went to lucnh at The Usual Dinner, and he was still playing, we were there for hours. We talked about our project, our strategies for the football game and I invite him to a party. Then he said that he could not go to the party cause he has stuff to do. 'What you gonna do save the princess again' I said joking. He looked at me angry... And for a moment there I realize what the game ment to him. That look he gave me it said it all. Everything he wanted was to save the princess."
The sheriff stood there watching Han realizing what this ment to Brandon.
" You see sheriff this princess is Liz for him... In his mind he thinks that what happened to her was his fault. That he could not save her."
"We all know there was nothing he could have done"
"Maybe... but not for him."
" 'Han...' Brandon began to talk ' I know it has been three months, but Liz is my everything and I failed her. I was suppose to protect her and I failed.' 'What happened to Liz it wasn't your fault' I assured him. 'You think!' he said angry ' I was the one who told her to wait for me at the park. I was the one that never showed up... cause I had to buy a last minute gift for our anniversary. I should had go to her instead of buying that stupid gift. Maybe if I was there those monster would've not taken her from me. You know what is like to think what if... I'm pretty sure you don't cause you have no one' and with that said he leave straight to his home. On sunday I called him all day to apologize or to talk to him but he never answered."
The Sheriff stood up and told Han to go home. He was going to work with a lot of papers and begin with a rescue party. Somehow they both know that Brandon wasn't coming back.
After that Han drove to this house and his parent weren't there he checked if there was mail and their were three letters. He put the letters in the table and went to his room. Later that night his mother went to his bedroom.
"Han, there was a letter for you there"
Han took the letter, kissed his mom good night and closed the door. The letter only said in the front of the envelope "To Han". Han recognize the handwriting was from Brandon. So he rushed and open the letter:
" Dear Han
Maybe when you read this I will be gone, out of town I mean. I don't know what I'm I gonna do but that town doesn't have nothing to offer me. You gotta understand that Liz was everything to me and... she's not here anymore. I'm lost, man, and I feel like I have to go. Maybe I will comeback or maybe I will make a life outside the town either way I want you to know that you will always be my brother and for that I will always be grateful."
Han took the letter and put it in his desk. He was worried about Brandon more than ever. Afraid that his friend would never recover for his loss and that he will never comeback. Last time Brandon told him that he didn't have no one to save. And right now Han was planing the many ways he think he can save Brandon, but it was already too late. Brandon wasn't himself for the last three month, he knew it and did nothing.
Just a single thought was on Han all night: "What if..."
Outside of town Brendon took a bus and skip town to the other side of the country hoping for a new begining.
