Running From Him (ManxMan) ✔️

Chapter 39: Mango Sorbet

Ethan frowned when he found the door to be unlocked. Clark was usually diligent to lock the door after he left for work yet it was open today. Ethan shrugged off his paranoid thoughts and opened the door. He didn't pay attention to the floor, before him, taking off his shoes and placing them inside of the closet before rushing into the living room.

"Clark! I'm back!" He yelled, expecting to hear Clark's surprised yet happy voice answering back. He had come home early today, arriving before even Santiago usually came. Today, his work could be completed entirely from his computer at home and he decided to come home to spend as much time as he could with Clark. But, there was no answer. Ethan frowned. "Clark?"

He walked into the living room, finding it empty with the TV off. The kitchen was empty too, clean and organized just the way Ethan liked it when no one was cooking. He quickly rushed to Clark's bedroom, surprised to find that it too was empty.

Panic finally started to set in. Ethan ran into Clark's bathroom, yet, like all the other rooms in the house. It was empty! He ran through all the main rooms again and even checked his own bedroom and bathroom. But, unfortunately, the place was completely empty.

What was going on?

It had been over a week since Clark had begun to stay home. After Clark admitted that he had left the house a couple of days afterwards and had run into Kevin, he had promised to never leave the house over something silly like that again. Yet, he was gone, and Ethan had no hints as to what had happened to him.

Ethan walked back towards the living room to check again when he caught sight of the floor near the entryway. The smooth wooden tiles, which were usually impeccably cleaned, were smudged by, what appeared to be, water and dirt. Clark never brought his shoes to the living room. So, why was there was a mess on the floor leading to it that never reached the room?

Ethan went to the entryway and finally took in the area. The shoes were a mess, scattered around the floor haphazardly and without concern. The glass door closet was opened and inside, a few jackets pulled to the ground. On the glass there, was a hand smudge and a bit of what looked to be blood. Ethan's face went pale when his fears were confirmed. He turned around, taking in the last clue. The door wasn't locked.

Clark had been taken.

Ethan pulled out his phone, sending a call to Clark because he was still hoping that somehow, someway, he was wrong. The line is silent for a moment before it begins to ring. Ethan feels a wave of relief, momentarily believing that Clark might be alright. Then he hears a familiar ring tone from behind him. Clark has left his phone. That simply confirmed what he already believed. Now he was working faster than before. So, he then called the only person that came to mind. He answered on the second ring.

"Hello?"

"Clark has been taken! I just came home and he wasn't here and the entire entryway is a mess as if there was a struggle." Ethan gasped through every other word, barely able to keep himself from crying and fainting all at once. "He's been kidnapped and I don't know what to do!"

"Hey!" Santiago yelled through the phone. Rushing to grab his things and leave his classroom to talk to Ethan properly. "Calm down. Now, are you sure that he was kidnapped?"

Ethan nodded rapidly, despite knowing that Santiago couldn't see the action.

"Yes, I'm sure. I know Clark and I know that with how cautious we have been recently, he wouldn't just leave and not answer his phone." Ethan explained, his voice now watery and sad. "He's been taken, Santiago."

Santiago began to run, working out in his head how quickly he could pick up Ethan and take him to the police station. He started to speak, aiming to keep Ethan as calm as he could.