Chapter 17.

"So nephew, what brings you here?" Marissa asked. "Can I get you something to drink, the blizzard is going to be frightening the news said."

"Uuuh... sure. Whatever kind you have." Robbie took off his coat, shaking the snow from his hair. He was glad that his aunt was beginning to sound like herself again. Last thing he wanted was to be on her bad side, when he needed her help.

"I have a lovely new flavor, it's blueberry. It's almost like I knew you were coming, something made me pick it up when I was out shopping earlier." There were clanks and rattles coming from the kitchen as the woman prepared the tea. When everything was done with the preparations, she returned to the living room and took a seat across from him on the couch, where as he sat in the arm chair. "You still like blueberry pie don't you Robert?"

"I do... I love it." He figured he had a little time to make small talk before asking for her help. It would be rude otherwise.

"How's your brother?"

"Mat? He's still in rehabilitation... For drug use..."

Marissa looked at him as though she were trying to remember, then with a nod she smiled. "Of course, how could I forget. I'm sorry. How's your mother and father, Coren?"

"They're all good. In fact I just called them a day ago... I wanted to ask them if they were with you."

"With me? Why on earth would they be with me?"

Robbie turned his head toward the kitchen entry. "What was that?"

Marissa turned her head. "What?"

"I just..." he shook his head. "thought I heard something like, a muffled cry or something."

"That's strange, I didn't hear anything... So, why did you think that your mother and father would be with me?"

"Oh, I got a phone call from out of state and I found out that the call came from the area." Robbie explained. "But um... the call was from a pay phone and since you don't have a phone I just assumed it may be from you."

The woman's eye winced. That offended her greatly. "You know that I can't project that far... I... I try to be normal and then..."

"Aunt Marissa I'm sorry, I just thought that mom and dad might have been with you and you needed something so they called me to come up. That's all."

"Oh, of course... I'm sorry I snapped at you, Robert."

There was a high pitched wail coming from the kitchen and his aunt hopped up as though her butt had been lit on fire. "That's the tea. I'll get it." Dashing off into the kitchen, she left an odd feeling after her.

Robbie only craned his neck to see into the kitchen. There was a cold draft coming in from there, he wondered if the basement door was open. There was a thump from upstairs. He looked at the ceiling wondering if something fell or if someone were up there. Maybe that's why she's acting so strangely. She has a guy over. I better not stay long.

"Here we are-..." Marissa looked up as her nephew was. "What are you looking at?"

"I heard something fall."

"Oh, that's my cat, Chowder. Didn't I tell you, I have a cat now."

"Oh good! I guess that means you're not lonely anymore." He took the cup of blue tea looking into it. "I'm really happy about that because... Well this place is kind of creepy.."

"Hahaha. You're still frightened of the basement, honestly you're so young. But of course I'm not lonely. I have friends, they may not come over every day but they come over. We have a bridge game next week."

"Aunt Mari'... I don't wanna seem impolite but, the real reason I came here was to ask you for your help."

"Help, with what dear."

"Well, you know how... You know how you can speak to me just now."

"Yes..."

"You're a very strong willed person, with a really strong mind and that's how you can do what you do. I need your gift to help me find someone."

Marissa's hands shook, rattling the tea cup in her hand. "I haven't used my gift like that before. What is it exactly that you're asking I do?"

"Well," he reached into his pocket and handed her the picture of Rocky.

She looked it over carelessly, before handing it back. "Cute boy. How do you know him?"

"He's my roommate at UCLA... But he's been missing, for two weeks now." Robbie cradled the picture of him. "I don't know what else to do. I see things sometimes, but that's a very few sometimes. I'm not great like you."

"Oh nephew you flatter me... But I'm afraid I can't help you." The strange dark haired woman took a long sip from her tea.

"What? But why!" He couldn't believe his ears. His aunt would usually help in a moments notice. Why now does she decide to act so coy.

"Because, I've given that up. I'm tired of being looked at as a freak. I'm no longer going to use my gift." Her words were snippy and defiant.

"But you're using them now!"

"Projecting my words into peoples minds so that they don't make fun of me is my own insecurity... I don't want to take the time to learn sign language when I've come so far- No! I refuse to take pity from people and look foolish while someone tries to understand me."

"But pleeease... this is very important to me!" His eyes were teary.

Marissa shook her head. "No. I'm sorry, absolutely not."

"Aunt Marissa pleeease!" Robbie was at his last breath now. He thought if she didn't help him, he'd die. He couldn't go another day without seeing Rocky it was wearing on him. "Just please... hold the picture... see if even one thing comes to you... and then I'll go... For me, please..."

Marissa looked into her nephews sad eyes. She couldn't refuse them, they were too sad and sincere. She could tell he cared for this boy in the picture very much. "Alright. Let me see it."

Smiling, he wiped the tears from his eyes. "Thank you. Thank you."

She took the picture and held it close to her. The woman's blue eyes closed and she concentrated. After a moment they popped open, her breathing was uneven and she was clearly startled. "...I'm... sorry nephew but... I see nothing. I don't sense or feel anything. Whoever this boy is, and wherever he is... he's dead."

Robbie's eyes went wide in horror. He couldn't believe it. Why... How... Who would?

Tears fell from the boys eyes hitting the carpet. He nearly sobbed aloud. He didn't wanna cry, he couldn't. But he was. Leaning forward he felt his aunts hands come up around his shoulders and hug him.

The boys cell phone rang in his pocket. He ignored it.

"Oh Robert... I'm so sorry." She hushed him. "...I know he was very special to you... but the world is full of sick people who do bad things... I guess your friend just couldn't hold out long enough to be found."

"Aunt Marissa... I know what you're trying to do... you want me to let him go. Accept that he's gone, but... I don't believe that he's dead... I'm gonna keep searching." Standing, he reached for his cell but it had stopped ringing. Too bad. Opening the door, he waved a hand. "I have to go back to L.A. before the blizzard comes in. I'll write you."

"Okay... Robbie?" She watched him walk out. "I'm sorry about your friend."

"Yeah."

"You're very brave. And a good boy to not lose faith."

"Thanks."

Closing the door, the woman walked upstairs into her bedroom. Robbie looked down as he walked back down the mountain side. There was an odd chill in the air, something off. Nah, its nothing.

His phone rang again, but this time he answered it.

"Robert honey, where are you? I've been calling the dorm for days now and you didn't pick up your cell." It was Mrs. Douglas. "I was beginning to worry that something had happened to you as well."

"No ma'am, I'm fine... I came to see if my aunt needed anything. She's just fine." He looked back at the house, his gaze going upstairs. A curtain moved quickly over, covering any part of the room that might be seen from that far down to the snow covered ground. "I'm heading back to L.A. what did you need?"

"They found Rocky's car, they just called us about it."

"They found his car!" He couldn't believe it! Maybe Rocky was still out there alive, and the car might have a clue in it. "I'll be back as soon as I can. Bye."

Jessica said good bye as well. Robbie couldn't help but get hopeful, this might be the chance they were looking for. Hurrying down the hillside, he stumbled over something falling into the snow. "Shit." Looking back at what tangled around his foot, he saw something flimsy, frozen and blue. What the?

Pulling the object to him, Robbie fingered the item noticing that it was some type of clothing. Pajamas? Who would...? They were ripped up, and a little bloody. Whoever wore them must have been in a struggle of some kind. But seeing that the blood was on the bottom of the pants he blushed and dropped them where they were. I better hurry up and get going.

In the Douglas house the next night. Tum tum walked into the room at the end of the hall. Rocky's old room, which was now Colt's. His brother was in there, he knew that, that's why he went in. He needed comfort and since mom tended to cry on him and dad couldn't last one sentence without telling him that everything was going to be okay, and for him not to worry. Right now he needed a serious person with rational sense to tell him that things were fucked up, and who knew if they'd ever see Rocky again.

"Colt?" He always felt young whenever he talked to his brothers. They still treated him like a ten year old.

It took him a while, as he stared at his care white ceiling but eventually the boy said, "Yeah?"

"What do you thinks happening with Rocky?" He sat at the end of his brothers bed, curling his legs in folding them over each other.

Colt sighed, obviously agitated because he was already wondering that question himself. "Dammit Tum... I don't know." Sitting up, he looked his brother in the eye through the darkness. "Rocky was only missing once before, when that psycho bitch Maria had taken him."

"I knoow that... that's why I came in here... I think maybe she's the one who has him." Tum looked at his lap, not ready to meet his brothers angered gaze.

"Maybe... But Tum..." He shook his head thinking. "That weirdo girl had a mental breakdown and ran off... I think we're rid of her by now. And besides it's been years since that happened."

Tum tum nodded. "But still... it makes me wonder."

"Makes me wonder too... That Robbie kid, he said a name that sounded familiar- see if you recognize it... Marissa Balsam?"

"No... Wait... It kinda sounds familiar... Didn't Rocky say it once, or maybe he read it?" Tum blinked for a moment. Shrugging, he sighed. "I'm scared Colt... What if Rocky's dead somewhere- in a ditch and we don't find him."

"He's not dead and we will find him!" Colt nearly shouted at his brother. "Did you hear that?"

"No-"

"Ssshhhhh!" He held up a hand.

They both listened to silence then they heard it. The phone!

Rushing downstairs nearly tripping along the way, the two boys snatched up the phone. Their parents were at the police station, they've been there all day after they got the call about the cop finding Rocky's car. Forensics was taking a while with the search for clues, leacing the boys alone in the house all weekend waiting for their parents call and this might be it.

"Pick up the phone!" Tum's hands shook as he reached for the receiver first, but he was so nervous he drew it away as though the phone were a snake ready to strike. "Hurry Colt!"

Colt would have reacted faster if the caller I.D. didn't show his brothers phone number. He was dumb founded for a moment. Regaining his consciousness, he snapped up the phone. "Rocky! Rocky! Hello- where are you?" He rushed out so fast his words ended as though they never came out at all.

"Help! Somebody please! Help me!"

It was Rocky all right. He didn't mistake his own brothers voice.

"Rocky where are you!" Colt called back. His heart was pounding in his chest, he felt pain that he normally wouldn't in a pressure situation.

"Anybody! Help me!" Rocky called on the other end. His voice sounded faint as he screamed for some reason. Whoever had him must have caught him on the phone.

Dial tone...

Tum tum was crying beside his brother. His tears were very clear but his sobs were silent. "Wh- what did he say?"

"It was Rocky..." Colt's hand dropped the phone. He couldn't believe how weak and sad his brother sounded. He hadn't sounded like that since... well, Colt had never heard his brother sound that way. He was always so... I know what I'm doing, and everything will be fine. But this Rocky... Dammit! It just made him mad that someone would cause his brother that kind of pain. Panicked, Colt redailed the number as quickly as he could. Maybe someone would answer- anyone!

"Colt... Colt... what did he say?" Tum tum tugged on the boys night shirt eventually jerking his arm from the phone.

His brother hung up the phone and crumpled down onto the chair. He knew he would get no response, but it was worth a try wasn't it.

"Colt! What did he say?" Tum shouted ready to smack his brother.

"It was Rocky..." he bit back tears. "He was calling for help... and than he was gone..."