Lost - LRH

Chapter 9

I come home to a familiar emptiness. It wasn't so much of a home anymore, just a structure once filled with happy memories. The memories still linger, but they no longer bring joy, just pain.

I toss bag onto the couch of my living room, and sit myself down beside it. My phone buzzes in my sweater pocket, I reach in and grab it. The screen flashes with something I had seen once before.

1 new voicemail

Odd. I hadn't heard it ring. I swipe across my screen as my phone unlocks. I press the cool glass against my cheek as I listen to the voice message.

"Hello? Oh um, I'm not quite sure if I have the right number but if this is Cynthia, please call back at this number. If this is not Cynthia, I apologize. Erm, have a nice day?"

The message ends with a faint clicking sound and I pull my phone away from my face. A set of numbers appears in my recents, I had never seen this number before but I decide to do as the message says and call back.

There are a few tones before the line is finally answered.

"Hello?" the voice answers.

"Uh h-hi I believe you called me earlier and left a message? I'm Cynth-"

"Cynthia!" the voice lightens up and I recognize whose it is.

"Calum?" I ask in confusion, I hadn't given my number to him and yet here we are, talking on the phone.

"Oh yeah, before you think I'm a total creep for getting your number and all," he pauses, "My mum works at a phone company and I happened to run across your number so I figured, why not give it a ring?"

"Oh, right aha, so what's up?"

"I'm wondering if you would maybe want to hang out?"

"Right now? Umm..." I pause and look around the lonely house, "Yeah, sure."

Luke still hadn't answered any of the questions I had asked him today so maybe I can get some answers out of Calum instead. I had plenty of questions to ask him and this was a great opportunity.

"Great! I'll meet you by the fountain at Oakland park in about 20?" Calum asks.

"Yeah, see you there."

The call ends.

-

A little bit later I find myself sitting on a bench across the fountain Calum and I agreed to meet at.

I pull the sleeves of my sweater over my hands in attempt to make them warmer. I breathe out as a cloud of frost appears in front of my mouth, it was getting colder.

I continue to sit until I see a boy standing across the fountain from me. He sees me and waves, it's Calum, he heads towards me.

"Hey, sorry to keep you waiting." his cheek are red from the cold.

I nod, "It's fine."

Calum smiles, "Well its freezing, want to find some place we can warm up? I found this bookstore after exploring a couple days ago."

I nod again, "Sure, lead the way."

I follow after Calum and we soon walk up to the entrance of a bookstore.

As Calum opens the door for me, the warmth of the shop welcomes me. We both step in and I look around. It's a small place, but cozy. Each wall was lined with shelves filled with books.

I stare at amazement, the small store had a charm to it and I let myself get caught in it.

Calum chuckles behind me, "Glad to know you like the place."

I turn to him with a small smile on my lips, "This place is unlike any I've ever seen."

Calum nods in agreement, "Yeah, I know right? And to think I just stumbled upon it."

I walk over to a shelf and run my fingers over the spines of each book as I head down the aisle. Calum is at the aisle beside me, I go over to him.

He holds a wrapped book in his hand, as I look at the shelves around us, each book is also wrapped up the same way. I look at the book in Calum's hand, small letters were printed onto it.

Adventure
Secrets
Discovery

"What's this?" I ask, as Calum looks up at me with a smile.

"Well this is a book. It's a bunch of paper bounded together with words that tell a st-"

"Oh quit the sarcasm," I glare at him playfully.

"The store covers up books and writes a few words describing the story it tells. Therefore, you can't judge the book by its cover," he explains, "Wanna buy one?" he asks.

I shake my head and look down as the words Luke had said earlier echo in my mind, "You're not prejudice, thats why."

I look back up at Calum, only to find the space where he had been standing, empty. I look around to find him at the cashier, paying for the wrapped up book he had in his hand.

Once he finishes his payment, Calum and I walk out of the bookstore as fresh snowflakes fall to the ground.

Calum holds out his hand and catches a few snowflakes in his palm, "I had never seen snow in Australia."

I watch as the snow melts from the warmth of his palm, "Hey, Calum."

He hums in response, "Yeah?"

"How do you know Luke?" I had been wanting answers and if Luke wasn't going to give them to me, I would have to go looking for them myself.

"We went to the same school at some point." Calum continues to catch snowflakes as a puddle begins to form in his hand.

"Why did you warn me about him awhile ago?" I bite my lip, anxious as to what his answer will be.

Calum drops his hand and looks down at his shoes. His tone becomes more serious, "There are things you don't know about, Cynthia."

I shudder. What things is he talking about? Were they really that bad?

Calum opens his mouth as if to say more but we are interrupted by a car horn.

We both look in the direction of the sound. A girl with dark hair calls out, wow she was really pretty. "Cal! Is that you? You should be getting home now, come on."

Calum drops his thought and answers the woman, "Yeah Mali, hold on!"

He turns to me, "Want a ride home? I'm sure my sister wouldn't mind taking you." Oh, she was his sister.

I shake my head, "I have some things to do.

Calum nods and we say our goodbyes. He leaves with Mali in the car.

I stand alone in front of the book store, watching as the snowflakes fall around me. I pull up the hood of my sweater and walk in the direction of the café. I wasn't ready to go home just yet, I needed to find answers.