Chapter 2: Level 1-1
Another rainy day, an average morning really, except for the silence, rain tapping at the window beside me was the only sound beside the chatter behind me of other customers conversing with their friends and their server as the clouds put the usual gray touch to London, but I liked it, it was rather calming, unlike the more sunny countries, I never felt truly at home outside of my own. It was Saturday however, so Alfred was due for a call where he'd introduce himself with that same obnoxious laughter, as he always did, and brag to me about the latest plot development to his favourite cartoon or television show, though most of them weren't even American; I didn't care to tell him.
Though there was no call and no laughter to break the usual silence of the morning which I would have enjoyed any other day, but it was a bit worrying this day. Instead, I sat here in a café, I never fancied them but I couldn't risk a drink at the pub until I at least heard from Alfred and relieve some of the worry that weighed down on me. I sat with a cup of traditional breakfast tea only, the scent enough to calm my nerves some as I stared at my cell phone which rest on the table in front of me, the lifeless black screen teasing me as it rest silently on the unsullied, white table cloth; the constant mocking was maddening, watching the seconds tick by as I waited for some sort of sign from Alfred to show that he was alright, able to call at the least.
Why wouldn't he call, damn it, didn't he know how it worried me when he didn't call? He was likely off playing his video games again, yeah, that's it. This is what I told myself anyways, I didn't want to face the thought that he might be angry with me after what happened at the meeting or worse, he could have been in trouble again. I didn't dare let these thoughts possess me, lest they'd become reality.
It was in my fantasy of everything being fine and dandy with Alfred alright and my life as it usually was that I failed to notice my phone come to life in the bright, yet subtle light of the screen on the table and make a light buzzing muffled by the table cloth so I couldn't hear. It was not until a passing waitress, who had been on her way to take an order of eggs and toast with a cup of tea as the smell pulled me out of my daydream all at once, pointed it out the phone pleading to be answered that I finally did so before it could go to voicemail; small thanks were given to the considerate waitress before I answered, leaving her to take off again to do her duties.
"'Ello?" I answered in my natural, calm tone that I always used on the phone, nearly forgetting the plague of my thoughts from mere minutes before.
"Um," Started a timid voice that didn't seem to know what they were calling for. "Arthur? It's me, Matthew."
"Oh, Matt," I had then replied in a cheery tone, though in truth, I had forgotten who he was but couldn't let him know, of course, that'd be extremely offensive. "How are you?"
"Fine," He sighed before clearing his throat which came as a small squeak to talk once more. "Have you seen Al at all since the meeting?" This question made me flood over with worry that I had pushed off before.
"No, I can't say that I have." I responded truthfully of course, what use would it be to lie about that?
"I see, well, he hasn't been answering his phone, cell or home, I just wanted to know if you'd seen him." Then I heard the disappointed sigh of the other line at my negative answer.
"I do apologize; perhaps I should come over and see what's going on then."
"Oh, that's not necessary, Arthur-"
"Nonsense, he's my brother after all, or at least I raised him, that gives me right to see how he is."
"Alright if you-"
"Great, then I'll catch the next flight out there, I'll see you tonight." I instinctively smiled as I hung up before paying for the tea and leaving to pack my cases.
There was something wrong with Alfred and it was my duty to see what it was, I had no idea the mess I was digging into however.