A Road Less Traveled.

20 minutes

20 minutes. I spent 20 freaking minutes searching for my brother, with no luck finding him. I was gettin so annoyed and. A bit panicked. As much as I wanted to get back home and look for a tape recorder, all I could think about was my brother.

I walked around westward, searching through the crowds of people who were reuniting with friends and family after the lockdown.

I then saw him. He was okay! I took a deep breath and started heading towards him. I saw his face brighten but it was not for me. I looked around at what he could be smiling about. Then I saw. A beautiful girl ran up to him and they embraced in an enormous hug. I stop walking toward him a watched. When the separated they shared a kiss. It was one of those long disgusting kisses that nobody wanted to watch. Especially me. He wasn't looking for me? He was waiting for his little girlfriend. That's all he wanted. I thought that all he wanted was to keep me safe but now I was not so sure. He grabbed her hand and walked in the opposite direction of where I was.

I then Darted right back home to worry about the tape I had found. I know Danny is safe and that's all I wanted.

-----

I was digging through some old boxes of junk that was in the storage closet. It has to be in here! I huffed in annoyance not finding anything. I threw all the junk back in the boxes and sighed. I brushed a stray brown lock of hair behind my ear as it was getting in the way. This was so frustrating and I just wanted something positive to happen today. Like a darn tape recorder!

As I was standing up there was a knock at the door. Who could that be? It isn't Danny because he would just walk in. I walked over and opened the door to see Devon standing there with his hand in his jacket. He pushed right past me and in to my house. He had a stern look on his face as if he had done something bad. "Shut the door", he whispered as if someone could hear him.

I shut my door and walked over to Devon. "What's going on Devon"? I asked as he took a seat at my table. I sat down next to him and saw him pull something out of his jacket it was a tape recorder!

"How did you get that"! I said a bit too loudly.

"Shhhh", he was out a finger go his lips signaling for me to be quiet. "I found it in one of the shops. I paid off the salesman with a few extra work tickets. He should keep quiet".

I gasp at Devon. He usually is not the bad type. Why would he do such a thing? For me? "Devon I didn't think you had it in you", I crossed my arms and smirked at him.

He nodded his head and wiped of a line of sweat from his forehead. "So where's the tape. Let's be fast", I grabbed the tape from the counter and hurried back to the table. "Oh and where's Danny"?

"Not looking for me", I answered quietly. I looked up and saw him giving me a sympathetic look. "Let's not talk about that now. Just play the tape", I told him looking down at the tape recorder.

He placed the tape in and pressed the play button.

"Hello kids", my fathers voice spoke. I felt a tear fall out of my widened eyes at my fathers voice. "This is you dad. I don't know who's listening to this but I hope it's one of my children. I'm guessing rainy. You've always been an explorer". I leaned into the recorder hoping it would somehow bring me closer to him. "You may think I'm off fighting a war
Right now but that's not true. I am about to be sent to my death". My eyes widened at his comment. Death?! "I have commited treason in the eyes of the leaders, but I promise you, I did everything I did to protect you. If you are listening to this kids you must get out of their. They are going to tell you that I am dead. That I died an honorable death, but that's not true. I have resources that will allow me to get away safety. But I need you to come for me. Do you remember the cabin we use to go to when you were a child. Your grandfather's cabin. I cannot give you direction in where it is at in case this tape gets into the wrong hands, but I can tell you that I will be there. I will be there for a while and you need to come find me. It is important that you do. What I have... it could change everything. But you need to find me". He took a deep breathe and I could hear a sniffle. "The world is different now. It's worse. Remember your training. Remember how to kill those thing. And whatever you do. Don't. Get. Bit". The tape cut off and I was left in silence.