The night was appeasing, and was indeed chilly for once. As the road stretched on for miles, as I stood there, sat on the passenger seat feeling the cool air as it breezes through my Short pixie-cut faded blue hair. Meanwhile, Lyla was too focus on the road, and didn't bothered turning on the radio, and preferred to have a quiet moment to herself. Now it wasn't my idea to tag along with Lyla on this god forsaken journey down the road with her, but she insisted of taking me along with her on this lonely road that goes on and on. As night was looming over our heads, the roads where indeed getting darker and harder for us to see ahead. Thankfully, Lyla had her headlights on, that allows her to see a few miles up ahead, but there was nothing there to see, nothing but forest that stretched on for miles. Now, I wasn't too keen on tagging along with Lyla, for I didn't wanted to be a burden to her…..
A few hours ago, Lyla was done with her story and notice that time went on quickly, and night time was already above us.
"Well, Lyla it sure was nice talking to you, but I really got to get going and hope for the best that I find a hotel somewhere in the middle of this forest." I said, as I finally got up and was walking towards my two duffle bags that I had placed on a nearby tree, and away from the picnic area.
"Wait!" Lyla shouted, giving me that worried look.
I hesitantly looked back at her, and responded back to her, "Yeah? What is it?"
"Do you by any chance have a reliable transportation to get too?"
"No, I don't. I used too but I left it behind in the hands of my dear old friend, Max, ever since I joined Leila's band. However, due to some unnecessary reasons, my current ex-girlfriend broke up with me and left me stranded here at the park recently." I answered, as I tried to hide my frustration.
"Well since you have no reliable transportation, I will be glad to offer you a ride to the nearby town that is just a couple of hours away from here." She said, with a plastering smile.
"No, no…. it's alright I don't want to be a burden to anyone, including you. I just don't want any more drama or mischiefs in my life." I replied, feeling a bit unease of responding to her, based on her request.
"Nonsense, I feel like faith had led us here, and since its pitch dark out there; it would be best to go together. If you want I could drop you off in the nearby town where I am currently heading towards, and you can go about your business there." She said, with a positive attitude, "And besides, I am kind of scared to travel alone….especially at night."
I gave in right after she begged me to join her on this gloomy night. And now, here I am, riding shotgun alongside with this strange young girl, whom I just recently met at the park. The journey was long and boring, but neither of us was tired at all. However, I was interested to hear the rest of Sean and Daniel; due to Lyla leaving the part out as to why she is driving alone in this long stretched highway. More importantly, why isn't she with Sean? I hesitated to ask, but due to her circumstances, I proceeded.
"So, Lyla."
"Yes, What is it Chloe?" she responded, keeping her eyes on the road.
"What happen to Sean? If you don't mind me asking?" I asked feeling a bit concerned. "I notice that you are traveling alone, and not with Sean. Did something happen to the two of you? I am sorry for asking."
She pointed towards the glove compartment, "Could you be a dear, and open that glove compartment for me please?"
"Uh, sure….no problem." I answered as I reached out towards it, and begin to carefully open it.
The inside of the glove compartment was semi-dirty and few items were spotted such as: a fresh pack of cigarettes, The manual for the SUV, a flyer of a missing person case, and a picture of younger boy.
"See that flyer right there, and that picture?" she asked, as she points towards them.
"Yeah, I see them. Do you want me to get them for you?" I asked
"Yes…." She replied, feeling a bit calm, but somehow sad to say the least.
Without hesitation, I nodded in agreement and slowly began to inspect both the flyer and the image itself. On the flyer had a picture of a young man who looked worn out, with a shaved head, a facial mustache and a trimmed beard, and was wearing an eye patch. I almost laughed seeing this picture, but kept the humor to a minimum, for I didn't want to sound rude at all.
"This flyer say's…. 'Have you seen me?'" looking at this image and seeing this person's name imprinted on this flyer that read, 'Sean Diaz', age: 24-26, last seen in Seaside town in Seattle, Washington.
Lyla hesitated to tell me more about him, but did anyways hoping to get answers and figure out a way to locate him and bring him home…. "That's Sean….He stayed with me after his release from prison. But, somehow society still painted him as the bad guy because the court system still wasn't keen of removing the misunderstanding of him being responsible for the death of the police officer and his Father, Esteban Diaz."
She proceeded to tell me more and more about Sean, and how his life imploded after he was finally released from prison. But, the troubles that he got himself into wasn't over yet, and sadly, due to him having a his record smeared as being an ex-convict; no company or work area was willing to offer him a job that would set his life straight. In fact, it was so bad that even police were called to check up on him, and yet they still see him as a menace to society. This mentally took a toll on him, and what Lyla said next, had made me to finally understand her reasons.
"Sean, was at his wits end, and was in a complete mess….. He blamed himself for his brothers doing, and insisted that he should have done better to de-escalate the situation with his neighbor…." She said, with tears streaming down her cheeks. "But, no matter how hard I tried to reach out his heart…. he ends up getting further away from me. Until one day, without a word, the only thing he said before leaving the house one night, 'I am heading out for some fresh air. Don't wait up.'…. and that was that, he never came back. After seeing no sign of him returning for nearly a day, I filed a missing person's case."
"What about his little brother? Surely, he too was worried about him?" I asked, while trying to understand the crisis that befell on him.
Lyla was hesitant to tell me about Daniel; Sean's little brother…. "Well, once he got wind of his brother not answering his calls, or his text's…. he immediately came right over. Seeking answers, and wanting to know what was going on with him…."
(Flashback)…. "How could you have let this happen?" said Daniel, looking all furious. "And to top it all that, now we don't know where he is."
Lyla had no words to say, and just stood there all confused and worried; trying to calm Daniel down. She too needed answers as to why Sean, of all people would just walk up and leave without saying anything at all. But, was desperate to find him….by any means necessary.
"Come on Daniel, please stop and listen…." She replied, as she tried to de-escalate the situation.
Obviously, this did not go well with Daniel. He was so upset, that he even blamed himself for this mischievous act he had caused, that ruined Sean's life.
"FUCK!!! I hate this….. My brother just got out of prison not too long ago, and yet society paints him as the bad guy. What's worse, no one was willing to give him a chance while he was looking for work." He shot back, as he finally took sit on the couch and glancing at the picture that he had spotted of Sean and a kid version of himself that was placed neatly on the center of the coffee table.
Lyla without a single word sat right next to Daniel and gave him a gentle hug, while he sat there in silent. Feeling shaken about the situation of him not seeing his brother around; he felt unease and began to cloud his judgment towards the incident of that unfaithful day.
"….They're all going to pay. Mark my words Lyla…. They will all pay. And I won't stop and rest until I bring him home….my dear brother, Sean." Daniel responded, with that odd determination in mind.
He, without a care in the world, got up and immediately headed towards the door, and before he closed the door behind him, he turn his glance towards her and gave her a stern look, but not a menacing one, a promise to her….
"I am going out to find him, and when I do, I will bring him back. Even if it means, dragging his ass back here." He shot back with a stern look.
"Daniel Wait!" Shouted Lyla, reaching out towards him, and stopping him from leaving.
However, that's where he lost it… and without thinking, he raised his hand and using his special telekinetic abilities; had shoved Lyla back all the way to the living room couch. Thankfully, she was unharmed, and leaving her in shock. She wasn't aware of Daniel's special abilities, and tried to reach out to him again; but, Daniel, now realizing what he has done, chose to run away.
"Daniel Wait! Please…. Don't go…." She shouted, and as well started to sob on the couch. Now completely all alone…..
As the forest was slowly breaking away, giving us a clear visual of the mountain sides, and giving us a clear view of the river that was gleaming over the right side of the hills, under the beautiful night sky; l was just as shocked as Lyla was. Hearing her tell the tale of Daniel's special abilities, gave me that sort of a Déjà vu experience, for I wasn't aware that there were others with different abilities besides the one I heard from Max. What I've known so far was that she had this capability of reversing time, only to realize that time itself can bring major disaster in the long run.
At the same time, I stood there looking at the second picture that had a younger boy, who was in his early 20's. And based on this picture, this young boy name Daniel, was semi-scrawny, with a messy fringe hair; who stood there plastering a smile in his face. Meanwhile, Lyla finally had the courage to clarify what had happened next.
"Daniel didn't took it well, and decided to leave; in search of his long lost brother. But, what scared me the most is knowing full well the kind of abilities he is capable of unleashing to others."
"What kind of abilities, you may ask?" glancing back at her, curiously.
She explained little by little what Daniel is capable of doing, using this ability to levitate obstacles, or anyone using his so-called telekinetic powers; leaving me to fully grasp the situation, and why she is desperate to find them.
"I have to find them, especially Daniel…." She said with determination in heart. "You have no idea what Daniel is capable of doing."
I laughed a little, not to sound rude as I gave her my honest respond… "Believe me sister, you aren't the only one to experience this sort of awkwardness in life."
Lyla was confused at my response, "Wait! Really?"
Feeling a bit confident I explained how, I too, had a sort of similar encounter with my old dear friend, who was capable of reversing time. This gave her the nickname, "Time master".
"Time master? Really?" she said, laughing hysterically at my response.
"Yeah, yeah laugh it off. However, there were consequences, based on what she told me…" I shot back, feeling a bit annoyed at her reaction.
She stopped laughing, as soon as she heard me being all serious all of a sudden. "What kind of consequences?"
"Every time, Max used her rewind powers…to save me. She will eventually cause a major change around her, to which is what brought forth the destruction of my old hometown."
"What's the name of this old hometown of yours if you may ask?" Lyla asked, feeling regret in her mind.
I didn't want to relieve the trauma of the town that I once lived on, especially when it comes to mentioning the name of that place. But, knowing full well that she too had been through a lot; I caved and gave her my response….
"Arcadia Bay, my old humble home…."