Chapter Six

Left To Die

The next morning in the Carson house hold, Bridge hadn't slept at all the night before. He kept replaying his conversation with Boom over and over in his head. Boom was right. They had to tell someone about Jack being abused. He really didn't want to put Jack in any danger at the hands at his father. What if Jack's father hit him anyway? What good would it do to keep this inside? Boom was definitely right. He had to tell someone. He decided to call the others and have them meet him at Cody's diner. He got dressed unaware of what took place at the Landors' resident the night before.

Sky, Syd, Z, Andy and Boom are all seated at a booth at Cody's diner. Bridge had called them all and told them to meet him at the diner. He had something very important to tell them. Boom was the only one who knew what Bridge had to tell them. Sky picked up the menu deciding to order an orange juice. He speaks.

"Does anyone know why Bridge called us here?"

"Not sure. He said it's important." Said Syd.

"What could he possibly tell us that it's important?" Sky asked.

"It probably has something to do with Jack." Said Boom. They all looked at him as if he knew something. "What?? Why are you guys looking at me like that?"

"You know something don't you?" Z asked.

"No." Said Boom.

"You're lying." Said Syd. "I can usually tell when you're lying. Why did you say it was about Jack?"

"I assumed." Said Bridge. "I mean he's been…" Boom couldn't finish his sentence. Syd was giving him an angry look. "Alright. It is about Jack but it's best that Bridge tell you. Ok?"

"Speaking of the devil. Here he is now." Said Andy. Bridge walked into Cody's place and joined them at the booth. "Hey Bridge. What's up?"

"We need to talk." Said Bridge sitting next to Boom in the booth.

"What's going on with Jack?" Z asked. Bridge looked at Boom furious with him.

"I didn't tell them anything." Said Boom.

"What's going on?" Asked Sky.

"Is this about Jack?" Asked Syd.

"Yes. What I'm about to tell you guys is a matter of life and death." He said as the others watched him anticipating what he's going to tell them. "Do you remember about a week ago, he came to school with his face messed up?" He asked.

"Yeah. He said he got jumped by some thugs." Sky said.

"That wasn't true." Said Bridge.

"Then who beat him up?" Syd asked.

"His father." Bridge said as Z, Syd, Sky and Andy wore the same expression. Shock.

"Wait his father hit him?" Asked Z.

"Yes."

"How do you know?" Asked Andy.

"I saw him do it. When Jack came to school with the black eye, I put two and two together. I realized his father has been abusing. I think it's been going on for years." Said Bridge.

"Why hadn't we noticed this?" Asked Syd.

"We were too wrapped up in our own lives that we didn't notice it." Said Boom.

"Why didn't Jack tell us what was going on?" Sky asked.

"If you were being abused by your father, would you tell anyone?" Bridge asked. Sky didn't respond. "It's not something you brag about to your friends. He was probably too embarrassed to say anything.

"Did you confront him Bridge?" Andy asked.

"Yes and he denied it. He said his father wasn't hitting him but I knew he was lying." Said Bridge.

"All this time and I didn't know." Said Z completely shocked at the news. "So what do we do? How do we help him?" Z asked.

"I think we should all confront him. It may get him to realize he needs help. Besides, Mr. Landors can't take on all of us." Andy said.

"I don't think that's such a good idea." Said Boom. "We don't want to further complicate things for Jack."

"Bridge call him. See if he'll reach out to you. I've tried. He won't take my calls." Said Z. Bridge took his phone out and dialed Jack's number. Jack's cell phone rang but it was in his jacket pocket back at the house. "Well."

"He's not answering his cell."

"Then why don't we go to his house. See if he's home." Sky said.

"Let's go." Said Boom as all six friends left the diner.

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Jack's bloody messy body is still out in the woods. Having been left out in the cold all night has further endangered his life. With no one finding him, he's facing death. Someone needs to find him and fast before it's too late. Sky, Bridge and Andy's car pulled up the curb of the Landor residents. All five got out of the cars and headed towards the house. Bridge stopped short. The others noticed this.

"Bridge what's the matter?" Syd asked.

"Something's wrong." Bridge said then slowly making his way towards the front door. "The door is broken." He said to the others as the slowly crept into the house. "Jack, you home?" Bridge asked.

"Mr. Landors?" Syd bellowed.

"Jack where are you?" Z yelled. All noticed the broken glass on the floor, the broken vase near the stair case, and the broken wooden handle on the stair case. "My god what happened?"

"Something is really wrong here. I can feel it." Said Bridge.

"I'm gonna check his room." Boom said running up the stairs to Jack's bed room. He looked around but found nothing. "He's not up here."

"Where could he be?" Syd asked.

"It looks like burglars ransacked the place." Andy said seeing Jack's home for the first time since he met him. "There's so much blood."

"Chances are all this blood belongs to Jack." Bridge said shaking his head. "I don't think a burglar did this." Bridge said looking around.

"Why couldn't a burglar have done this?" Asked Sky.

"Because, burglars are usually careful and steal items they can get the most money for." Said Bridge.

"So what?" Said Boom.

"Mr. Landors' most valued stuff is still in tacked. Look at the TV, VCR, Stereo, those things haven't been moved." Said Bridge. "He did this. I know it."

"If Mr. Landors did this then where's Jack?" Asked Z.

"I don't know but if Jack is hurt, we have to find him." Bridge said. "Sky, Andy, search the mall, see if he's there at the batting cages. Boom, check the park. He goes there sometimes. Syd Z, check the school, see if he's there. I'm gonna check with neighbors to see they've seen Jack. Boom, take my car." Bridge said tossing him his car keys.

"Right." Said Boom.

"Let me come with you?" Z asked.

"No, go with Syd." Bridge said not quite ready to forgive Z. They all left the house and got back in their cars. Boom drove Bridge's car. Andy rode with Z while Syd rode with Sky. Both girls were dropped off at the school to look for Jack. Andy left his car with Z just in case they find Jack. He hoped in Sky's car and headed to the mall. The guys went to the batting cages first to see if Jack was there. All they saw were teenagers taking batting practice laughing and talking. They asked the guys if they had seen or heard from Jack. The teens said they hadn't. Both Sky and Andy went around to various spots around the mall they thought Jack might be at but came up empty. Meanwhile Boom searched several parks he remembered Jack hangout at but again he came up empty. Syd and Z knew that the school was closed but sometimes it was left open. They made their way into the school through the back door and began searching for Jack. They checked the gym, the soccer field, the basketball court, the hockey rink, the tennis court, the baseball field and the basketball court. Jack was nowhere to be found. Boom ran to various neighbors' houses asking if they saw Jack. The neighbors new nothing. Bridge found himself at the last neighbor's house by the woods. He had hunch. Something told him to go search in the woods. The woods has a path that leads to a huge lake. Bridge remembered coming to the lake as a kid. He and Jack came there when they were just five years old. He remembered Jack running away and coming to this very spot to be alone. It was Bridge who convinced him to come home. Bridge had this sick feeling in the pit of his stomach that Jack would be here. He stopped short when he saw a bloody dirty rug out by the tree five feet away from the lake. His face hung low hoping and praying that it wasn't Jack wrapped up in that blanket. He slowly made his way over to the filthy rug and began to unwrap it. Jack's body dangled out of it taking Bridge by surprise. "Oh god." Bridge yelled. "Jack." He cried. Jack's face was dirty and covered in his own blood. Bridge reached over to see he could get a pulse. He could barely make one out. He immediately pulled out his cell phone and dialed the police. They would have to hurry with the ambulance if Jack is to be saved.

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Worried sick about Jack, Aisha had just arrived at her work. She couldn't get the conversation she and Jack had out of her head. The things he said to her made her worry about her oldest child. She decided to call him to see if he was home. She dialed the house phone but got no answer. She wondered if maybe she should give him some time to cool off. May be this would help. Then again. She was worried what the outcome of Jack's outburst might mean. She decided that she would try calling him again on her lunch break. She wasn't aware that her son's life was at stake thanks to John Landors.

To Be Continued!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!