A New Life, Part 2 (COMPLETED)

Chapter 30

Tim once again sat in the recliner,  holding the journal, tapping the hard cover. "Screw it, he can be pissed at me all he wants for reading it " he said aloud as he slowly opened the book.

****
"Why haven't we heard anything from Tim, I can't stand not knowing. I have a mind to head down there and hunt him down myself" Austin stated as he fell back down onto the sofa.

"Tim said the coast guard was handling everything, that they even teamed up with a crew from a place called Dauphin Island" Jenika told him as she walked in with cold drinks for everyone.

"I've heard of that island, but why them? There's a few other coast guard stations in the Alabama gulf that are closer. They don't think he's out of the area, do they" he asked taking his drink from her.

"I don't know really. Tim only said that due to the storm that was the only station that had enough manpower to assist them" she shrugged after sitting down with her own drink.

"But it's been almost three days, you would think they would have found him by now with all the extra help" Rob remarked solemnly.

"Adam, what are we going to do about the events coming up. Do you want me to cancel any of them, plus there's explaining to the fans what's been going on to consider too " Jenika asked.

"Everyone knew we were on break" Adam replied.

"But that was only for a week. The week is almost up" Austin added. "If we don't get answers soon, if they don't find him...." his voice trailed off as he stared into his glass.

"It's like dejavu...all over again" Rob said, rubbing his eyes.

"We found him last time, we'll find him again" Adam replied.

"We?" Jenika asked.

Austin popped his head up, " we? Are we heading down there?" he asked as Adam sat drinking from his glass.

****
Chance felt something lapping along side his cheek. Still half asleep and unsure if he were dreaming, and praying hard it wasn't a snake,  he slid his hand along his face when he heard a loud grunt. "What the hell was that" he thought to himself, not moving any more. His heart racing, he slowly opened one eye to get a look at what had made the noise. There he lay, nose to nose with a boar. Chance had no idea what to do. This thing, this huge animal, was breathing in his face, staring into his eyes. Trying desperately to think of how to get away, he lay there as still as possible, not wanting to disturb the animal. If he made any quick movements or noise, the animal may feel threatened and could easily trample him in defense.

Waiting what seemed like forever, the animal became disinterested and began to walk back into the wooded area that Chance assumed it had emerged from.

Getting his bearings, he made his way to the broken vessel, quickly climbing aboard. "I'm a hell of a lot better off up here than on the beach" he told himself as he let out the breath he seemed to have been holding forever. Looking around, he wondered if there were any other animals around and how he would defend himself in the event something tried to attack. Still weakened by the lack of food and water, he sat down in a corner of the deck that was shaded from the sun. "Where could I be that there is an animal like that roaming around free" he asked himself before he dozed off once again.

****
Tim's eyes were tired from hours of reading entries in the journal. It appeared Chance had began it while recuperating in the hospital, documenting his recovery right up to returning to the group. There were also other entries that made little or no sense to Tim, sequences that perhaps may have been dreams, even nightmares he may have experienced. He turned another page only to find it blank, several pages that followed were also blank. " Well, this didn't help. I'm no where closer to figuring out why or where he is than I was before. I've broken a trust, and my own code of ethics by invading his privacy by reading this. And for what? Nothing..not one damn thing that gives me any idea of where the hell you are" Tim yelled, tossing the book on the floor.