Help!

‚Help'

A rather cryptic text from Eddy that made Brett take off his headphones and turn away from his computer screen for a second. He contemplated to text back, thumb hovering over his phone and decided to rather call then text. No answer. He grunted and dialled again. Eddy still didn't pick up. How rude. Sighing deeply, he threw a longing glance at this laptop, knowing full well that he was in the right mindset and mood to finish feedback and approving the editorial of the last three videos in a solid two hours work and have it off their chest for the next couple of days. Brett considered himself a good friend though and did the only reasonable thing. With a small 'smack', he closed his laptop, grabbed his phone and wallet along with a light jacket and made his way out of his flat and to the next train station to make the thirty minute commute to Eddys flat. He tried calling his friend again on the way but no response either time. The lady in the seat opposite of him started to give him pointed looks, apparently not impressed with him using his phone on public transport. He quickly put it away and just starred out of the window instead, watching the city life pass by.

Should he be worried? Surely, if it was an actual emergency, Eddy would have been more specific or called for proper assistance himself? Who knows, maybe he was just playing an intense video game with Nathaniel and needed help to win. Weirder things had happened. Brett got annoyed just by the thought of it. Lost in thought, he nearly missed the station and quickly jumped out before the doors closed. After a swift five minute walk, he stood in front of Eddys apartment complex, ringing the doorbell three times in a row, their usual signal. The buzzer came a bit later than normal, but it came, so at least Brett can assume that the other was still alive. No life threatening emergency then.

The door was opened when he arrived on the third floor, so he took his shoes off and just stepped in. When he wanted to mindlessly place his shoes on the shoe rack to the right of the door like he always does, he nearly dropped them. There was no shoe rack. He looked up. Everything in the hallway seemed a bit out of place. Cautiously, he stepped through the hallway and opened the door into the living room. Oh boy. Is that what a heart attack feels like? With a dumbfounded look, he glanced around. The room was turned upside down. Scratch that. It was turned upside down while being put through the highest spin in the washing machine.

"What the..."

He didn't got to finish his sentence though, because Eddy came bolting out of his bed room and nearly ran Brett over who was still standing in the door.

"Thank fuck you're finally here. Where were you?"

For one rare moment Brett was speechless. "You didn't pick up your phone", was all he could manage in the end.

"You need to help me find her."

Eddy looked at him with bewilderment. His hair was all over the place, as if he repeatedly run his hand through it, his T-Shirt full of ...crayon colour ? and one of his socks was missing. He looked a bit mental, to be completely honest.

"Find who?"

"The little monster."

Brett just continued to stare at him.

"No, no, no", Eddy raised his hand in defence, "that's not what I meant and I know how it sounds."

Self-awareness/10 for Eddy on this one. That was a relief.

"My cousin. I need to find my cousin."

Brett automatically turned around the room as if someone would magically appear.

"Which one of your cousins?"

Brett thought he knew a good part of Eddy's family but apparently he hadn't met the escaping ones yet.