Identities Unknown

A Few Days Later Pt. 1

(I TOLD YOU I WOULD GET THIS OUT SOON X3 HERE YA GO FAMSQUAD)

Zane

It is already Friday, and I still cannot forget the strange house I have found. I have not told Cole for two reasons. The first is that he seems unusually optimistic and less serious and he has been ever since I came back from following the falcon. I have not wanted to ruin his rare good mood. I still do not know what happened while I was gone, but I suppose I shall ask him later.

The second reason I have not told him is because I cannot find the right way to describe my experience. How does one explain that they have followed a peculiar bird to a house deep in the forest where the possible mysterious cookie-baker may or may not be living? I am barely able to understand these circumstances myself.

I suddenly feel a hand on my shoulder and glance over to find my brother staring at me with a sympathetic look in his eyes. "Everything alright?" He wonders, and I notice how his smile is not quite as wide as before. "You seem kinda quiet, even for you...."

"I am fine," I tell him, though I am unsure of whether this is true. "I have been meaning to ask you something though..."

"You can ask me anything," Cole assures me. "I don't mind. What is it?"

Well, I contemplate. I suppose now is as good of a time as ever. "I was just wondering.... you have been in unusually good humor ever since I came back inside on Tuesday. Is there something I missed while outside?"

"Oh, um, well...." he hesitates, scratching the back of his head. "Th-there wasn't much... just... a visitor...." He is obviously reluctant to talk to me about it, but I continue to press him for information.

"What kind of visitor?" I wonder.

"An old friend... of our mom's..."

A friend of our mom visited us? This is getting interesting... "What did they look like?"

"Man," he laughs nervously. "I mention how quiet you are and suddenly you're full of questions!"

"I am still the same curious adopted brother as before."

"You got that right," he agrees with a sigh, glancing away. "Geez," he mumbles. "It's impossible to hide anything from you..." He looks back at me, managing to keep a smile. "It's, um... it was... our dad.........."

I freeze for a moment, closing my eyes as my thoughts race ahead. He came to our house? Well, of course, it is his house too... or, it was... but still, why did he come? I thought he had a concert somewhere far away? And, more confusing, why was Cole happy about him coming? Or was he just happy about him leaving? I shake my head and start walking again.

"Look, Zane," Cole is saying now, and I open one eye to watch him. He sighs again before speaking more. "I know you two don't have the best relationship, but trust me, he wasn't--"

"What do you mean, he and I do not have the best relationship?" I inquire, not really caring about how I am interrupting him. "What about him and you? I thought you hated him!"

"I did, but..." he trails off, looking ahead of us. I follow his gaze to find we have reached the school. "I'll tell you later," he mutters, then speeds up to go talk to some other students. I would normally chase after him, or at least try to recognize who he is talking to, but I do not feel like bothering to do so at this moment.

Instead, I head into the building to go to class. I feel someone watching me as I pass one of the rooms and stop to glance around. I do not see anyone, so I continue walking, but a peculiar noise stops me in my tracks. I slowly open the door to the classroom near me and peek inside. At first, I see no one, but then a head pops up from behind the teacher's desk.