After Zach asked Jessica for directions to the shop, he bid her farewell and exited the store. He mounted his bicycle and pedaled swiftly towards the alley she had mentioned, not far from the bookstore. However, upon reaching the designated spot for the vintage shop, he encountered a closed shoe repair store instead. Once off his bicycle, he scanned the neighboring shops, but the vintage shop was nowhere in sight, leaving him bewildered. He retraced his steps to the front of the shoe repair shop, double-checking for any signs of a shop selling vintage items. Through the window, rows of shoes lined the shelves inside, and the sight brought a quiet sense of disappointment. With a sigh, he stepped back, pausing to catch his breath.
"The shop is closed. Come back tomorrow," a woman said.
Zach glanced behind him, spotting an elderly woman clutching a push broom. "Um, I'm looking for the vintage shop. My friend said it's around here," he explained, gesturing towards the repair shop.
"Oh... Harris sold all his wares and left with his son months ago, young man," she informed him.
"Harris? Was he the owner of the vintage shop that was here before?" he inquired.
"Mm-hmm," the old woman confirmed with a nod.
"Do you happen to know where I can find him?" he pressed, his tone tinged with desperation.
She began sweeping the scant snow off the sidewalk. "I heard they live on Morgan Street."
"Do you know his exact address?" he asked.
"No," she replied without looking up.
Though disappointed, he masked his emotions. "Do you... know his full name? It's really important that I speak with him."
She stopped her sweeping to meet his gaze briefly before resuming her task. "Harris Harmon. My niece used to call him Mr. Har-Har." she answered with a small chuckle.
After checking his wristwatch, he offered her a quick thank you before hopping back onto his bicycle and pedaling out of the alley. On his way to Morgan Street, he tried to recall the vintage shop once more. Images of a place filled with various old and antique items floated through his memory, but uncertainty clouded his mind as he couldn't recall purchasing a necklace there. The discovery failed to bring him joy as it only deepened the mystery surrounding his strange dreams, leaving him more and more desperate for answers.
When he finally arrived at Morgan Street, Zach dismounted his bicycle and found respite beneath a nearby tree, easing the ache in his legs from pedaling. As he regained his strength against the trunk of the tree, he surveyed the surroundings, noting the rows of houses lining both sides of the road. After taking a little more time to rest, he rose to his feet and strolled along the sidewalk, pushing his bicycle. Whenever he encountered pedestrians, he inquired about Harris Harmon, but none were familiar with the name. Doubt crept in as he wondered if Harris truly resided in the area.
After over an hour of searching, he felt completely hopeless as nobody had been able to tell him where Harris Harmon was. Exhaustion washed over him, his body weary and his stomach grumbling with hunger and thirst. He glanced at his wristwatch and saw it was nearly four in the afternoon. Disheartened, he mounted his bicycle and started the journey back home. As he pedaled past five houses, with just four more to go until reaching the main road, he caught sight of a house across the street. An old man sat on the porch in a lounging chair. Intrigued, he slowed down and debated internally whether to continue home or make one last attempt to find Harris Harmon. He took a deep breath before crossing the road and approaching the house. Once on the opposite sidewalk, he carefully placed his bicycle on the edge of the lawn and called out, "Excuse me, sir?"
YOU ARE READING
Divine & Wicked: The Strayed Memories (Book2)
Fantasy(Fantasy•Romance) COMPLETED Zach awoke a few days after his surgery, his mind foggy and his heart empty, as though his life had been reset. He moved through what he believed was his normal routine, unaware that fragments of a forgotten past were slo...
