Salutations~!

Well, I managed to sit through the entire Endless Eight, so that's an achievement. I think its infamy is a little unwarranted. Sure, it's tedious, and it must have been really frustrating when it was first aired, but still... It was well performed, and it really helped me understand how victims of time loops must feel, such as Yuki and Italy. Also, Suzumiya Haruhi no Shoushitsu is absolutely amazing.

I just realised that 'The World Keeps Spinning and I Keep Falling' has a title uncannily familiar to one that 'The Forgotten Traveller' has up on their profile. Sorry! I guess my subconscious was mean to me again... I would like to keep the title, though. Just message me if you would like me to change it.

Just a warning, I am slightly scared that my research was a little iffy. If I am indeed wrong about facts involving the supermoon lunar eclipse, I would greatly appreciate it if you can correct me. However, I will require a source if this is the case.

Anyway, I should probably stop rambling before I decide to write this later.

Enjoy!


Chapter 3

After Ivan had finished his rather invigorated digress on the supermoon lunar eclipse, they all realised they had not yet eaten.

Indeed, the food was outstandingly delicious, and they found themselves thanking the 4 chefs profusely. It was clear that these dishes were not only made by expert fingers, but a lot of effort and spirit had gone into them. It always seemed this way, on the 27th. When they would visit them (or their restaurant) at any other time, the food tasted as if it hadn't been made with such passion and vigor. No-one said anything about it, but they all knew it. Like most conversation topics on that day. After they had finished and given their copious thanks, they continued with the small talk. It felt a bit like running away, as it would.

The park actually had a lot more people than usual at that time, undoubtedly to view the eclipse. It was dotted with other parties, sitting atop their picnic blankets, gazing up towards the sky and eating and talking. This was a little disconcerting to Alfred. This night had always been their private night, and now this night had been intruded upon. Well, that was a bit condescending of him. Why should they miss out on a rare lunar event just so the group could mourn in a fashion done 9 times before? Yes, he'd just have to stop being greedy.

The stellar works didn't belong to them and their loss.

Actually, it wasn't exclusively their loss, either. Excluding Arthur's family and other friends, his disappearance was a well-known event in the town's recent history. The town was small and very little went on it. Crime was minimal; with only a few pickpockets and shoplifters and swindlers dotted about. A disappearance was huge deal. Especially for someone so young, with such a bright future ahead of him. And, it had signs of struggle, signs of being unwilling. This created huge ripple effects, with the possibility of a kidnapper, an abductor, in their tiny town. The local police hadn't really dealt with anything beyond carjacking and embezzlement, let alone a missing person.

A lot of the townspeople still remembered this, and knew perfectly well why the 10 were in the park together. A few sent pitying glances their way, but they did their best to ignore them. Pity couldn't bring him back, and it just seemed to make things worse.

Their small talk was slowing down to a halt, and they found themselves silent. Together, they gazed up at the moon and the stars and the unfathomable blackness. Together, they shared a night so similar yet so different. Together, they bore the loss among themselves, and the despair and pain and hopeless faded like a well-worn photograph- still there, but much less hard to see.

Then, their fragile tranquility was shattered, like so many raindrops on a wind-whispering night.
A single text-alert sounded out, a blip of a somewhat cheerful tune signifying a new message received on Alfred's phone. The American furrowed his brow. Most people who knew him were aware of the significance of this night, and typically left him alone. Only some people at his job and a few miscellaneous others didn't know why he would prefer to be left to his own devices that night, and if they weren't close enough to know about Arthur, then they wouldn't really have the need to text him without warning on a random night.

Nevertheless, he slipped his phone out of his pocket and turned it on, eyes skimming the message he had received. His breath hitched when he began to understand the message, and he searched hungrily down the rest of it until it finished with an unknown link.
He could feel his pulse quickening as he took in what it meant. That wasn't possible, it couldn't be! ...Could it? It was a suspicious message from an unknown number with no certification it was real. But, he began to feel his hopes rising, and desperately attempted to cram them down. It didn't work.

By now, Francis (who was sitting next to him) had noticed his strange behaviour. The Frenchman frowned in confusion, "What does it say?"
Alfred didn't reply, so Francis leaned over to read the message. His reaction was similar to Alfred- disbelief and confusion and slight, inescapable hope.
For what it said seemed a cruel joke on this day.

'Hello there.
The receiver of this message should be Alfred F Jones, and it would be much appreciated if you could pass this onto your friends, too.
I've something to say about this particular day- and, yes, it does have to do with your little friend, Arthur Kirkland.
It was a shame what happened to him. He had such a bright future ahead of him, too!
Yet, I've tracked down this article that you might find interesting. Perhaps it will help if you decide to go looking for him...?
Regards, a mere observer.'

Below, there was a link. Alfred wasn't sure what it lead to. It was probably just a cruel trick, leading him to some sick joke regarding Arthur's disappearance. It could lead to basic information that they already know. But... Couldn't it lead to something relevant? Something that could help save Arthur? ...Something that could lead them to him?

Francis stammered, "I-It's probably just a trick. Nothing to get flustered over..."
Alfred nervously tapped his fingers against the edge of the phone, "Yeah... Y-You're probably right."
Regardless, Alfred still felt a strong urge to tap the link. To visit the page that probably-doesn't-but-actually-might have something to do with a 10-year-old cold case.

By now, everyone else had noticed this curious behaviour and looked on to see what the message said. None of them weren't shaken.
The American tried for a nervous grin, "Heh... What a s-stupid prank. I'm going to look... Just... To see."
Before anyone could object, Alfred thumbed the unknown link on the screen. It opened up to his web browser, loading up an undisclosed website. After a few seconds of whatever-it-was loading up, they found themselves on a blog post, on some skeptic, conspiracy website on the dusty corners of the net. It seemed recent, only 2 or 3 months old. Alfred was about to make some remark on how dumb it was, until he read the title.

'The Strange Case of the September 27th Disappearances'

His hand started shaking, and he almost dropped the phone. Disappearances, as in, more than one? Someone other than Arthur had disappeared on the 27 of September? ...Or maybe even more?
Before he could second-guess anything, he began to read it, fervently gathering up all the information in an attempt to make some sense out of all of this.

'So, this conspiracy is pretty popular, but most websites are really outdated, so I'm going to make a master-post of all the old info, plus some new stuff.
Basically, this all started on September 27, 2005. In California, a 15-year-old named Arthur Kirkland went missing in the small town he and his family were staying in (they moved there from England). Already, this raises some red flags. I mean, this town was really, really, tiny, and basically no extreme crimes existed there at all. But, one night, Arthur goes missing, with basically no evidence except some signs of a struggle in his house.

Skip to 2006. These two guys living in Australia, who were both around 15, disappear. They're called Jett Kirra and Kaelin Takarei (Jett's from Australia but Kaelin's from New Zealand). And, it's on the exact same day as Arthur. Oh, and these two knew each other and were friends. So, you're probably already really skeptical about this, but there's more...

In 2007, a 17-year-old named Heracles Karpusi goes missing in Greece, on the same day. In 2008, an 18-year-old named Emma Maes (who lived in Belgium), also goes missing on the 27th. Roderich Edelstein goes missing next in 2009, at 19, and in the USA (he used to live in Austria, but he moved). In 2010, Lin Xiao-Mei and Xiao Chun Li (living in Hong Kong- with Mei having moved from Taiwan) disappear, at 20 years old and knowing each other well. Toris Laurinaitis from Lithuania goes missing in 2011, at 21. Next, Emil Steilsson (from Iceland but living in the USA) disappears, at about 21. Im Yong Soo from South Korea is next, at about 23. Finally, in 2014, a 20-year-old name Angelique La Mer, who lived in Seychelles, disappears.

Now, this is a lot of information, so I'll condense it.
2005: Arthur Kirkland, 15, USA, California (moved from England)
2006: Jett Kirra and Kaelin Takarei, both 15, Australia (Kaelin moved from New Zealand), knew each other
2007: Heracles Karpusi, 17, Greece
2008: Emma Maes, 18, Belgium
2009: Roderich Edelstein, 19, USA (moved from Austria)
2010: Lin Xiao-Mei and Xiao Chun Li, both 20, Hong Kong (Mei moved from Taiwan), knew each other
2011: Toris Laurinaitis, 21, Lithuania
2012: Emil Steilsson, 21, USA (moved from Iceland)
2013: Im Yong Soo, 23, South Korea
2014: Angelique La Mer, 20, Seychelles

This is an obvious pattern. Okay, so 3 people were taken from the USA. Arthur, from California, and Roderich and Emil (whose states I don't know). Twice did two people disappear, and both times they were in the same country and knew each other. The ages differ, but they usually follow a pattern- as the years progress, they generally get bigger. It is more males then females, with 9 males and 3 females.

Whatever this is, it's huge. I would go into what could be the cause, but a lot of skilled people have already covered that. I'm just here stating the facts for you to think upon. If the pattern keeps on, then there should be another one this year, on the 27th. It could be from any country.'

Once he had finished reading it, Alfred couldn't believe what he was seeing. This couldn't be real, could it...? In a desperate attempt to prove it wrong, he hopelessly googled some of the so-called victims. Jett and Kaelin, real. Taking a shaky breath, he continued. Heracles, real. Emma, real. Roderich, real (and had been living in Oregon, which the article didn't feel the need to explain). Before he could continue, he put the phone down in an attempt to steady himself. He realised that tears were running down his face. This was all fake, it was all a hoax! It had to be... It must... Be...

The others were just as shocked, if not more, as him. They couldn't believe it, no... It was impossible. They still hadn't said anything else, as if not acknowledging the issue made it magically disappear.
With only a tiny doubt in his heart, Alfred slowly googled the rest. Mei and Leon, real. Toris, real. Emil, real (and had been living in Washington). Yong Soo, real. Angelique.

Real.

Heaving a sob, Alfred dropped the phone. Its screen cracked and instantly powered off, seemingly broken.

They all sat in shocked silence. Arthur's disappearance... It was so much bigger than they ever could've thought. So much larger... So much more terrifying. But... Was that hope? Cradled weakly in their fearful hearts? If... If there was so much more, then there was room for an investigation right? Room for a look-see into this mystery, room for an analysis. Room... Room for a possibility. A possibility that, their friend, Arthur Kirkland was still alive. Heart still beating. Still alive.

Still not dead.

There is a time in everyone's life in which they must determine their fate, between two equally huge possibilities. Whether they are aware of this depends on the circumstances. It may be at the very start or very end, or right in the middle. It may be as something small as deciding which way to take home, or something as large as whether or not to murder someone. This was that moment, resonating within them. This was that choice, shared between 10 people, at one place, under a bright, bright sky.

Truly, to ignore this was to be condemning Arthur to whatever fate awaited him. It was just running away. It was as real as actual murder. But, if they were to take action... Then, what would happen to them? Would they spend years on this breadcrumb trail, just to find out Arthur was dead? Would they be killed themselves, or captured? How much were they willing to give? How much of their life? How much of their dreams and aspirations and achievements?

Slowly, they all looked at each other. This was it. This was that moment. The moment that had been coming since Arthur had been cruelly torn out of their lives in a single night.

Would they betray Arthur, or would they hurt themselves?
Their eyes held the answer.

They were all taking the long way home.


"It's easy to forget that most of your memories happened in places that are still around,
the walls mostly unchanged,
with even some of the same people,
who carry on in your absence.
But the world you once knew,
and the people you still remember,
have long since moved on,
replaced by so many others who passed through these doors.

We just want to mark our time here,
to keep the rooms and the memories alive.
And if our houses are haunted,
it'll be because we're haunting them ourselves,
as if there was ever such a thing as unfinished business."
-John Koenig, Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows


Well, that was fun. Plot twists. A few tropes. A quote.

I can't wait to see your reactions~!

Hope you enjoyed... ;)