Well—there was waiting evolved with Matt's plan, actually a lot. But to admit defeat was something even Matt found hard to do. Even though Near and Matt never really competed, there still was a certain sting that would be attached to the sentence that admitted to Near that his plan wasn't going to work out. No. He wasn't going to give in just yet.

There were multiple steps in Matt's plan most of the parts evolved some sort of patience. None of which Matt had at the moment; neither did Near as they stood in the streets of the nearby town.

Even though the residents of the town were fully aware of the oddities of children the orphanage produced, the residents at least didn't have to see such oddities roaming the streets of their quaint touristy destination of a town. Each time the orphanage went on day trips into town with the orphans themselves, the town residents would find themselves usually rubbing the temples of their heads or simply shaking their heads as if saying "We're not responsible". They found themselves doing it a lot during the second week of December when the orphanage would allow the children to visit the town and awe at their Christmas decorations. But even though the town didn't mind being complemented on their old charm flashy décor; the time the orphan came and visited the town was a week in which rich tourist who had the money to go on vacation in the winter would visit. Even though it brought in money it also brought in a lot of questions as to the orphanage that the tourist would mistake it as a lord's manor. The orphanage most certainly not where the head of the town lived and no, it was not haunted.

It was rearing towards noon and there was no sign of anyone in the streets of the town. Matt knew for a fact that the town residents had reported objects missing from their homes and businesses. One would presume it would bring about some talk. Though gossip wasn't always the truth it gave one insight as to what others were thinking which could lead you to suspect other factors that weren't previously prominent. This is what Matt had presumed and thought it'd be best to roam the streets and hear what people thought. Yet that part of the plan wasn't working out. Everyone was either too content or too scared to leave their homes. This meant that Matt would have to rethink what he was to do.

They couldn't stay in the town for long. Though it was always hard to know what Near was thinking Matt was sure Near that he knew that Roger would eventually find that neither of them were where they were suppose to be. And from the shifty glances Matt got, he presumed that Near was getting impatient. Even though Near would never admit it, he knew that Near's pale complexion never allowed him to be in direct and serve light or heat. And since it was mid-July Matt knew that it probably wasn't very smart for them to be here any longer.

"I guess we should start heading back…" Matt had finally admitted defeat.

No response.

He turned around to find that he was taking to nothing. Where was Near?! How could he have left with out Matt hearing? Matt couldn't leave the town without Near; he unfortunately admitted that he forgot how to get back. But he knew for sure that he had been spacing out but he knew that he would have noticed Near leaving…Maybe he should have gone to bed earlier…

After his mind stopped panicking, Matt was relieved to find that Near was only a block away from him but since he was crouching Matt hadn't noticed him. As he approached Near he saw what he was watching.

Around the market stands, there was a roughly formed and spaced crowd that encircled a certain peculiar event that were currently unfold. Neither Near or Matt could see what the people were encircling; but they knew for a fact it was something living since noises were escaped the tightly spaced crowd. The crowd of people did not seem to be willing to part but fortunately they wouldn't have to long.

Whatever creature that was caged by the blockade of people evidently realized that situation wasn't going to favor it if it did not act. So it acted. The creature broke free of the circle by tackling one of the people down. Its actions resulted in success and it did not ponder anything that would indicate victory. Instead it quickly left the scene it entered, as quickly and spontaneously as it came.

The creature, after a quick observation by both Near and Matt was in fact a human. As it ran past them, Near could make out a brackish smell that pervaded off the human. The clothes it was wearing were black or gray at one point, but now they were caked with a wide variety of dirt particles that had clung to its fibers. The joints of the human stuck out from the clothes were merely nothing more than skin barely stretching across bone. If one were to examine the human one would find that its body fat would be nonexistent. The skin and hair were virtually impossible to clearly describe, theirs true colors were hidden under the filth that had accumulated over who knows how many weeks it hadn't been scrubbed with any cleaning product. But the most prominent feature that stood out from it was the wild maniacal eyes as they pierced any presence it came into contact with.

"That thing who or whatever it was tried to steal my radio!" The man who had been knocked to the ground was evidently recovered and was now brushing off the dirt that probably wouldn't stain his clothes but brushed it off anyway. "It crouched and lurked as if it were a stone gargoyle coming to life! If it wasn't for you people helping trying to catch that thing it would have stolen it before I could have caught up with that thing. "

At the man's indication Matt and Near could see that radio held no amazing quality to it as it lay in the dirt. The antenna looked as if it had been snapped on countless occasions and the six month warranty did not permit for such a part to be replaced. So it had been creatively fixed through the use of gray duck tape, which would give off a certain sheen when it would sit in its usual spot under the flickering florescent lighting next to the register. Whoever tried to steal such an object had to be desperate, there was not doubt. There would be little gain in stealing such, it couldn't be pawned, more could have been gained from stealing the man's wilted produce.

As the bystanders and assistants that helped created the human cage departed, Matt pondered what had just happened. The towns' people were just as confused of the sudden appearance of this human. Whatever it was it wasn't from here and whatever he or she was in the area from, Matt had an inkling suspicion that they could be connect to the stealing. But jumping to such a conclusion without anything but a personal feeling would not make for a closed case. Now thinking about it jumping to a conclusion would not only be irrational but go against his very purpose for being at Wammy's.

No, the situation wouldn't be solved so easily. Though it disappointed Matt; it was true.

Bells chimed from the direction of the church. It was already early afternoon. The humidity was at its peak as Matt and Near headed back towards Wammy's. Perspiration formed on Matt's forehead and through the hazy atmosphere the sun's heat could be felt on his back as well. Bitterly he moped his face of sweat with his shirt. Being outside wasn't something Matt enjoyed or was a place he ever considered being. But since it was his decisions that lead him to going to the town, he didn't think it was wise to complain.

Behind him, Matt heard a thud. Turning around Matt saw that Near had gave into the discomforts of the heat and sat down.

"What are you doing?" Matt's agitation from the heat could be heard through his voice.

"Nothing."

"Well, can't you do nothing when we get back to Wammy's?" said Matt. "Roger probably has realized that we're not there!"

"Your point?"

Matt didn't respond at first because there was no real point to state the obvious. Roger had probably found that they were gone hours ago. "Well—we should get back to where we're suppose to be."

"We'll get back there either way. Why rush?"

"Because…" Matt didn't finish his sentence. Frustration got the best of him as he tried to drag Near across the ground. At first it was easy, since Near was as light as the matchsticks he stacked, but after two yards or so Matt's arms ached and he let himself crumple to the ground.

It was nice; the silence. If it wasn't for the fact they were outside Matt would have enjoyed the sereneness of it. Besides the heat and the various living creatures which inhabited the outside world the occasional silences was something that was hard to find. Maybe he could take his game console outside sometime—the thought of his game console but back Matt's frustration.

A cool sensation dripped down his back. And another. The rain was cold and relaxed the growing agitation of both Matt and Near. They simply sat there in the field, as the sky a pallid gray swept to the visible boarders of the sky. But after a few minutes, the rain came down like hard pellets, barraging the two boys.

Thinking about it, Near wondered if it was hail. From looking at the small trees; their main structure was almost to the brink of snapping. The sound of the rain with the accompaniment of the wind and clashed of thunder was almost deafening to the ear. It was impossible to make out what Matt was yelling. But he knew well enough they had to find shelter. It would be impossible to make it back to the orphanage, for one could barely see in front of themselves. The only building that lay ahead was the church whose steeple rose above the swaying branches. The lucid brightness of the leaves that clung to the branches was blurred almost like the smudging of pastels. How ironic, though Near, that a church would be their salvation…