Behind The Scenes (Completed) ✔️

12• Meeting again

One week later
   Monday, 2:37pm.

Elton sat crosslegged on the green grass, under the shade of a large tree with wide branches. His spot on the gentle slope of the hill bordering the concrete road gave a nice view of the entrance of the Forest Lawn Memorial Park.

It was a Monday afternoon, and it was cloudy; and even though the weather was still rather nice, the wide road that led into the famous cemetry was mostly empty. There were still a few people though, and a few cars, going in and out.

Elton watched them absent mindedly as they crossed the tall, impressive gates. He was too preoccupied to give them any more attention, and getting more and more agitated by the second.

He checked his watch again, for probably the hundredth time since the last seven minutes, before looking back up and sighing, stress making every frustrated exhale shakier than the previous. Where are they ?? He kept replaying in his head.

Finally, a familiar silhouette appeared in the distance, shortly followed by another. Finally. Elton stood up, brushed down his jeans and stepped out of the shade. As soon as they came closer, he got down the hill, walking towards Jake, who was the first person to arrive.

They met, and the dreaded, nervous tension from the previous week instantly came back. Their eyes met, but they could barely keep eye contact.

"Hey," Jake greeted, with a weak but honest smile.

"Hi Jake. How are you doing ?"

"I'm okay... Um... Where are the others ?"

"I was asking myself the same question, actually. All I know is that Aaron was behind you."

"Oh."

Jake turned around, and sure enough, Aaron was walking up to them.

"Hi," he greeted the two.

"Hey, how are you doing ?"

"Good, thanks... how about you ?"

Jake and Elton nodded in response, but the change in their expression at the sight of Aaron didn't escape the latter.

Aaron looked... terrible, to say the least. Of course, that was to be expected, but seeing the usually so cheerful young man in such a state was still very disturbing. He was so pale that it looked like he hadn't seen sunlight in a really long time. And it had only been seven days, but Elton could swear he had lost weight.

"Is something wrong ?" Aaron asked hesitantly.

"Your... your legs are literally shaking... And your face looks so hollow ! Have you been eating lately ?"

"Um... barely... but I had a cup of coffee before coming, so don't worry about me."

His two friends gave him a sceptical look.

"Come, let's go and sit while we wait for the others," said Elton.

Jake and Aaron followed the older man to a rather high spot on the hill, where they sat in a circle.

To the friend's surprise, Los Angeles' Griffith Park was the place they had been asked to go to, to attend their "information meeting" with the person who, supposedly, was going to be their handler. The notification email they had been sent wasn't very detailed. They were supposed to be at the foot of the northern face of Mount Lee at 3:30 pm, where they would then receive further instructions; but there was no more information.

After a long seven days isolation from each other, the friends were meeting again for the first time since that fateful night. They had agreed to come to the park an hour earlier, to see each other, have a talk and a mental preparation before going to wherever it was that they were to be led to.