The Unseemly

Chapter 2 - The Search

Chapter Two - The Search

Naugatuck Daily News Newspaper Archives, July 8, 1958, p. 1; MISSING CHILD ALERT! Douglas Ford, age: 10, height: 4'8; short dark brown hair. Last seen with a red and blue plaid shirt and legally used penny loafers. Call your local police department if any person may identify a child within your area.

As quickly as the article made the press, it descended just as brisk. The town had moved on quicker than a bargain-basement carnival that passes through cities hoping to make a quick buck or two. Everyone will check it out, of course, who doesn't enjoy a cheap thrill? Most attend solely just to forget about their real lives. Hurriedly, euphoria fades away as the nightmarish carnival decamps to the next location, leaving the town to resume back to their regular unvarying lives.

That's how it was for Douglas Ford, forgotten-before he was ever remembered. Not forgotten by all, that much he still had. His family stayed at the police station that night, waiting on any lead. This would become the Ford's new home for the next week. Not as if either of them was working at the time. They hadn't been back in town long; one was not welcome upon their arrival. Douglas was seen again alive, but he was also seen. For now, he was just a blood-stained plaid shirt and a worthless shoe.

"A fuckin' shoe, that's it!" Tommy Chimney-or "Chimmy" (amongst his peers) shouts as he slams the newspaper on the hot summer pavement. Chimmy met Douglas when his family first moved to Granite Bay, becoming friends instantly, saving him from a couple neighborhood bullies.

"They found a bloodstained shirt too; you forgot about that. Ain't that a bite" another voice chimes.

"What the hell Rozzi, why do you say stuff like that?" Chimmy utters while rereading the article one more time.

"Sorry, Chim." he replies, smacking his head lightly, "you know I don't think before I speak; I'm working on it." Rozzi apologizes again and sits next to Chimmy to get a peek of the newspaper. "What do you think happened to him? Joey said the pathway to hell swallowed him up," Rozzi says, taking the newspaper from a now pissed off Chimmy.

"Joey, who?" Chimmy snaps. "Bad news Joey or Beat feet Joey," he asks quickly.

"Beat feet, Joe, I think," Rozzi answers glaring back down into the newspaper article.

"Fuck that oddball paper shaker. Let's meet the others at the falls. We're going to come up with a plan and find Douglas." Chimmy says, snatching the newspaper from his laughing friend.

"Where do you get that potty mouth from Chim?" He chuckles. "My brothers," he pauses a moment, "but mostly my old man." They both laugh as they head off to the falls.

Chimmy was the youngest of four boys, thirteen years old, he had to grow up fast. Being tossed around by his older brothers, he had tough skin. Along with that, his potty mouth got him into after school detention on multiple occasions. He was tall for his age, with a solid build like a football player. He was the leader of his friends. Loyalty was Chimmy's primary concern for friendship, so his circle of friends remained small. Even though Douglas had only just moved to Granite Bay a few years ago, something about him clicked when Chimmy first met him. The Ford's didn't have much money, but Chimmy never cared about things like that, nor did his family, he was raised to respect everyone equally no matter race, religion, or financial background.

Rozzi Dudley was what his friends called airheaded or simply-a dumbass. Although he was the same age as Chimmy, his brain wasn't entirely developed as his peers. Rozzi was more like an eleven-year-old but was thick-skinned. He always played contact sports growing up with his two older brothers. His family was one of the founders of Granite Bay; none of their family stories were good. The Dudley family's history goes back after the rebuild of Granite Bay, ranging from missing people to human bones discovered on previous owners' property.