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Part Twenty

~ A better rendition of Skip, because the other one didn't show his attitude (or his height compared to Sam's~

——TW: violence, profanity, mention of murder——
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When Elijah woke up, Skip wasn't there.

   He knew something was wrong from the start. The fact that Skip hadn't left his phone for the entire movie, then didn't say a single word on the ride back, was suspicious to say the very least. Eli figured he was most likely just bored, until it came time to turn in for the night only to discover Skip was already fast asleep on the couch, head lolled back and posture intimidating as ever. Even Sam had something to say about it, asking if he normally fell asleep in random places while the group stayed up to chat amongst themselves.
   It also didn't go unnoticed to Eli the dead-eyed stare on Skip's face. The same stare he only saw in the bathroom the night before, in which Skip threatened a child for killing Sam's parents. Although it was reasonable to get upset, Eli didn't want Skip to feel responsible for a problem that wasn't his. He knew Skip's heart was bigger than he showed, but having too much empathy for their little friend might make him regret doing something in the future. There was no good outcome to Sam's situation, regardless of the new friends in his life. Eli recognized that with a heavy heart, because he wanted to help Sam as much as possible. By staying with him and Leo, holding Sam as tight as he could, he might relinquish some of the worst times in Sam's life. That was the best he could hope for.
   So when Skip disappeared, Elijah's mind went to the worst case scenario, and he rushed to Leo's room in a panic.

   "What do you mean he left?" Leo rubbed his tired eyes with one hand, cradling Sam with the other as they both blinked themselves awake. Normally, Eli would comment on how cute Sam looked stretching out his tail or giving a huge cat-like yawn, but he was too focused on the task at hand.

   "I mean he wasn't there when I woke up, and he didn't leave a note or wake me up to tell me he was going somewhere. I tried calling him but it went to voicemail after the fourth ring. Did he say anything to you about going anywhere?"

   "Uhhh...no..." Leo had to think hard when the gears weren't turning so early in the morning.

   Sam, meanwhile, had a pit setting deep within his stomach. Skip's odd behavior at the movie theater and then the rest of the night at home, the furious typing in his phone, their talk the night before...

   "I might know where he would've gone..."

   "Okay?" Eli took a seat at the edge of the bed, sliding Leo's feet up under the covers to get more comfortable. Leo brought Sam up in response, placing him on his two knees while he hugged them to his chest and attempted to gain more consciousness.

   "Last night, after everyone fell asleep, I woke up in the middle of the night and Skip was already awake so we started talking," Sam started, getting settled on Leo's knees. "He told me he could help me get closure with my parents. He basically asked if I would get revenge if I was the same size as you guys..."

   "Shit," Leo muttered under his breath.

   "You agreed to it?"

   "I just...I don't know. I was tired and still scared and maybe I wanted a little closure. He told me he would help me find it if I let him, but I didn't think that meant going on his own. I figured I would stop him if things got too far, you know?"

   "Sam...Skip is a really impulsive guy, you know that, right?"

   "I know, I'm sorry. I think he might've gone to find Jamie."

   "Yeah, I guessed that much. I don't even know where to start to look for him if he won't even pick up the phone."

   "Let me try it," Leo spoke up and twisted his body to reach the phone on his bedside table without disturbing the tiny person on his knees.