Time since leaving California: 11 hours and 49 minutes.

The day after Kyle stayed with Tommy and Claire, he found himself eager to get to Oregon after a proper night's sleep in a bed.

Despite Claire's offers, it was more of a sleeping bag, but still. It was comfy enough and he couldn't pass on that childlike moment.

He was still feeling somewhat dazed from his dream. Small talk was all he could manage, and he didn't know how to bring it up to Tommy. Luckily, he had his number and decided he could bring it up after he had bid his goodbye's to Tommy and Claire. Now, he needed to find his brother.

Finally, he could see it in the distance. Oregon University College. It was a big, yet dull looking brown building.

Kyle could feel his chest tighten. Was this it? Finally it? The day he'd reunite with his brother?

Not quite.

He marched around all over campus and asked everyone he knew. No one seemed to have a clue what he was talking about except one of the professors.

"Do you mean Michael? Well, he's in Mississippi these days. I believe he said he was going to reside in Bolivar County, I think it was."

Kyle was stunned. Oregon had been his hot spot all this time, the place he was expecting to be the finishing point.

It seemed this road trip would go on a bit longer, which both disappointed and excited him.

...

Time since leaving Oregon: 37 Hours and 51 minutes

Kyle hadn't slept since he left, which was dangerous. But he didn't care. He was so close to finding his brother.

Finally, he arrived in the state of Mississippi.

He felt odd. Now this, this was maybe where he'd find his brother at last.

But it was so strange. The stalker who had been sending him cryptic phone calls, messages, and film-casings had all but vanished. And Kyle had never gotten a chance to check out the "1961" film casings.

He knew from horror books and horror films that it was a never good sign when the stalker stopped hunting his or her prey. It was a sign that meant the stalker was probably planning to have that face to face confrontation with Kyle.

But he wasn't afraid of that. If anything, he was deeply excited to finally confront this person. It gave him a rush, the idea.

Kyle continued to drive around town, not giving much more thought towards the stalker. He was completely focused on his brother.

Kyle drove around town, asking people if they know someone named Michael Lance Martin, but none of them knew.

It was a small area, so hopefully he'd run into someone eventually, he reasoned.

But hours passed, and the sun was just beginning to go down.

Kyle was just about to give up asking anybody else when a man across from him suddenly spoke up.

"I know a Michael Lance Martin.." A man with a sick southern accent called out. "Know where he lives, too."

Slowly, Kyle turned around.

The man seemed to be a drug addict or something, face looking prematurely aged with a messy long beard, a tattered beanie, and yellow teeth.

Kyle squinted, mouth agape. Was this it?! Was this man screwing with him? He needed answers immediately. He couldn't wait.

"Woah.." Kyle hurriedly approached the man. "Woah, woah, woah... you know... how do you know my brother? And.. and where he lives?" Kyle was frantic, shaky.

"Hey, hey. Woah, now. Slow your horses." The man muttered, voice hoarse as he coughed. "He's a friend o' mine. Lives in the Mississippi Haunted Swamp.."

Kyle immediately scrunched up his face. "Haunted Swamp? Why in the world would my brother be living in a place called Haunted Swamp? Why is it called Haunted Swamp?" Kyle put his hands on his hips, his frantic nature and eagerness clearly not wearing down any time soon.

"Well... word o' mouth states that the place is inhabited by the ghosts of of the children that the mud-monsters. The mud monsters drag 'em down into the marsh. 's why people stay away from it." The man said, waving his hands around in an over dramatic tone as if he didn't believe the story.

Kyle took a few moments to process the story, slowly nodding. It sounded so absurd. "Well... thanks. Do you know where it is?"

The man seemed to be shocked and slowly opened his eyes wide. "You wanna go?" He pointed a wrinkly finger at Kyle. "Usually when I tell that there story kids, they get out of their way to avoid it. Not go into it!"

"Well, I'm not those kids. I don't run away from dangers and risks." Kyle scoffed and shrugged.

The man just looked at him, slowly nodding. "Well.. just to keep goin' straight along this countryside here.. and you won't miss the swamp. Looks real creepy, an old spooky farmhouse near it."

Kyle thanked the man, and was soon enough driving off.

...

It was a little under twenty minutes later when he found a dirt road to his right after going straight down the countryside for what seemed like forever. It was dangerous to even believe an old man like that in a place he had never been, but Kyle was Kyle about it.

But there it was, as the man described. Old spooky farmhouse next to a creepy swamp.

"Haunted Swamp, eh?" Kyle squinted and nodded.

Kyle stopped his truck and just went straight in.

...

He came across an old shack-like house on four wooden pillars in a green, thick, pool-sized peat bog. He also noticed a familiar yellow car. A vehicle he hadn't seen in over seven years. This was the same car his brother left in when he went off to college in 2018. There was no doubting it.

"Oh my.. wow.. oh, wow.." he slowly muttered with a shocked expression.

His heart raced, feeling full and nervous all at once.

Was this it? Had it been this easy? Finding his brother?

This had to be it. His own brother's house. Wow.

And then suddenly, it all felt too real.

He took a few minutes to reflect on everything that had happened on this road trip days ago.

Leaving Kansas, being stalked, running into his father that tried to kill him, seeing that tape in the woods, L.A, running into those old friends, and seeing the university. And traveling all the way up here.

And now, he was here. To see his brother.

He had no idea how his brother would react, and he gulped at that. It made him all the more nervous.

He had been so determined, but he was so afraid of the reaction he'd get now that he stayed frozen in his tracks. He had built this moment up in his mind so long that he didn't know what to do now.

He felt a sudden weight wash over him. But he had to do this. He couldn't quit now, he had come this far and was so desperate.

Slowly, an accomplished grin spread across his face. He had really done it. He was tempted to call his mother. Both to gloat because of what a long shot it seemed to be to her. But mostly because this was the closest they could get to a normal family now. They could finally be happy and together.

But he opted not to, considering he promised he wouldn't go out and find Michael.

Then again.. maybe she'd forget that once she was overjoyed to see her son once again.

"Ah, no use debating to myself." Kyle muttered.

He chewed his lips, realizing he was stalling. Flirting with death was one thing, but somehow this got his nerves in a frenzy.

Slowly, he climbed each step. When he reached the porch, he felt like a video game character reaching a goal sign.

He took a deep breath, hand trembling as he reached over to knock on the door.

Finally, he forced himself to give out a few knocks.

But there was no response.

He sighed, becoming more outwardly eager now.

He knocked again, still no response.

"Oh, whatever." Kyle huffed. The emotion of the moment was thwarted as he was now just frustrated and ancy.

He reached for door knob and surprisingly... it opened.

He stumbled. "Woah.." he murmured, not expecting to be let in so easily.

As he entered the house, he didn't even bother closing the door.

He was surprised. The inside reminded him a lot of his father's shack of a house in Utah. In fact, it gave him the same uneasy feeling. There were red plastic cups and empty beer bottles scattered all over the floor, like the aftermath of a party.

Kyle kept walking, slowly entering a living room. It seemed to be in the same shape as the rest of the house.

"Well..." came a male voice that made Kyle flinch. He turned to see a mini-bar.

"Daddy's little boy returns." Came the voice from behind the bar.

"Mikey?" Kyle called out, voice shaky.

"Why are you here?" Michael asked.

"I.. I came here to find you." Kyle shook his head, stunned. He was really talking to his brother again after all this time.

Kyle heard a scoff. "Look at me, Ky." Michael said lowly as he stood up from behind the bar, revealing himself.

His blue eyes were twitching. He had long, messy fiery red hair going down to his neck.

He was skinnier, looking almost ten years older than Kyle remembered him.

Seemed like a drug addict, just like the man Kyle had seemed.

"Kyle... this place is no place for little kids."

Just then, the sound of vehicles could be heard from outside.

"They're here.." Michael stated, almost devoid of emotion. "Go home. With our mother."

Kyle caught a lump in his throat. "I... Michael. I came all this way." He subtly shook his head. "No, I can't.."

"Do you want me to beat you down like I used to when we were kids? Leave now before it's too late!" Michael exclaimed, getting more obvious with the emotions now.

Kyle became more emotional with his brother. "No, no, no. I won't. If you run away again, I'll keep searching until I find you again!"

"Can you not see that I hate your guts?" Michael immediately spat out. "You were always his favorite, always!"

Kyle knew he was referring to their father.

"You always got his attention." Michael scoffed again. "The only time I ever got his attention was when he was criticizing me or beating me up."

"Mikey.. I know, 's kinda why I'm here. I.. I wanna patch things up with you."

Michael quickly shot down Kyle's offer. "It's too late for us to have a relationship. Go back home. Forget about me."

Michael was shutting him down, but Kyle could swear there was a pain in Mikey's eyes. Like he didn't mean it. Like it was just what his brother felt he had to do.

"You know what? If I can't convince you.." Kyle swallowed. "Mom will. I'm gettin' my phone. I'll tell her everything." Kyle turned, and Michael yelled.

"Kyle, no! They're out there, it's dangerous!" Michael screamed, sounding concerned for his younger sibling.

"Dangerous." Kyle scoffed, yanking the door open and sprinting down the steps.

Outside, Kyle could see a few trucks of dark colors speeding away.

Kyle just rolled his eyes, scoffing. This was the danger his brother was warning him about?

"KYLE, RUN! THEY-!"

Suddenly, the house was engulfed in flames and a massive explosion overtook the scene. The house practically blew up right behind Kyle, who was knocked back from the impact.