Note to Readers: I got a little surprise for ya. Anyone having trouble envisioning the characters? Check out my Photobucket album under the name iceiblue. I posted some pics for ya.

Chapter 13: Night Falls

A very red faced Frankie returned to the parking lot of the Two Faced costume emporium over an hour later with a trembling Eduardo in tow. She was huffing and puffing with aggravation. Her search had been an absolute failure. Eduardo had gotten spooked by a clown who was advertising for Tony's Pizza and had lead her on a chase downtown. She'd finally caught up to him hiding behind a lamp post on Main Street, shivering and ranting about 'strangers' and 'scary clown men'. By that time the sun was going down and they'd had to book it back to the bus.

Bloo, Mac, and Coco were already there, sitting on the ground outside the bus looking tired and forlorn. Frankie joined them, "No luck either huh?"

"We asked everyone." Mac sighed, "No one's seen her."

"Cococo cococo coco." Coco said wearily from a makeshift nest of newspapers beside the bus wheel.

"No one but Wilt." Bloo added in a bored tone.

"What?" Mac asked, surprised, "What are you talking about?"

"Aw nothin, Wilt just told me he knew where she was." Bloo replied, "No big deal."

"It is a big deal! Why didn't you tell me! We could've been done hours ago!" Mac yelled, the frustration of a parent in his voice.

Bloo rolled his eyes, "Mac, Mac, Mac . . . You only said for us to ask people if they'd seen her. Wilt told me he'd seen her. Those are two totally different things!"

Mac looked like he had half a mind to strangle the blue blob, "No they're not! Look, what happened?"

Bloo sighed and rattled off the news in the bored tone of an answering machine, "Wilt ran into me outside of that skate shop I was looking-"

"Coco." Coco interrupted in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Okay, drooling, at and told me that he and Crackers were catching a bus to Daleton because Satin had taken an earlier bus there."

Frankie paled visibly and her voice rose an octave, "Are you serious! Bloo! Are you serious!"

Bloo looked up at her smugly, "Why yes. Yes, I am, Frankie, and thank you for noticing."

Frankie pressed a hand to her forhead and sighed. Why didn't Wilt come to her? This would be so much easier! But then again Wilt was so nice and when he was concerned for others he didn't always think straight. After a few deep breaths she said, "We've got to think is out. Bloo, what time did you see Wilt?"

"Not that long ago." Bloo replied offhandedly, examining the bus doors with interest.

Frankie sighed, 'not that long ago' to Bloo could be anywhere from an hour to fifteen minutes.

"Okay guys, I've got to give Mister Herriman a call and then we'll drop Mac off at home."

"Es we going to find Satin, Frankie?" Eduardo asked, his wide eyes trained on her.

"I hope so, Ed." Frankie replied, digging in her pocket for change, "I hope so . . ."

The bus to Daleton was cramped to say the least. The bus driver had eyed the two imaginary friends that got on suspiciously before informing them, "Standing room only."

Wilt had ended up almost bent over double, holding onto a pole for support. It was uncomfortable to say the least and sheer torture to say the worst. Parts of him he didn't even know he had were going numb.

"Wilt, are you okay?" Crackers asked from his perch between Wilt's eye stalks.

"I'm great, Crackers." Wilt replied, his voice echoing with a groan, "I'm sorry but are you uncomfortable?"

Crackers shook his head and walked down Wilt's neck to his back. Knowing how hard it must be for the tall friend, he began to walk up and down Wilt's back rhythmically, grinding his little feet into the plush red fur. Wilt let out a slight murmur of thanks as the little pink friend worked the kinks out of his spine and allowed his mind to turn to other things.

"Oh Satin . . . Why? Why hang on? It only hurts worse that way." he thought recalling a similar incident several years back.

It had been a beautiful day . . . But aren't heart breaking days always beautiful? The movies portray them as overcast and gray but more often than not they are bright and beautiful. He'd been out for a walk after a quick game at Foster's. Jodee had been so strong on his mind, that he felt he could almost hear her voice. He remembered it perfectly. How he'd appeared in front of her house without remembering how he got there. How his feet had brought him to the door, his hand rang the doorbell . . . And no one answered. Looking in the windows had revealed that the house was empty . . . And had been for awhile. He'd sat on the stoop where he'd sat many times before, wiping away tears. She was gone . . .

Where was the Jodee he'd lifted to the sky? Where was the girl with the freckles and bright eyes? What had happened to his creator?

What if Satin came home to something worse? A creator who refused to even open the door. One who turned her away callously to the world. What if she got lost? Or got hurt? He felt his heart plummet to the floor with that thought. He couldn't let it happen . .

Wilt shook his head to clear it. They would find her . . . They had to.

Satin stood in front of the desk at the Daleton Police Station. The officer seated across from her was graying at the temples and wore a permanent "I-do-not-approve" expression.

"Hello, officer. I was wondering if you could perhaps give me directions to this address?" She slid the envelope across the desk, "I'm new in town and my creator and I got separated."

The police man took the envelope and read the address in the top corner. He smiled wearily and looked over his shoulder, "Hey Joe?"

"Yeah?" came a voice from the next room.

"Got time to make a quick run out by Emerson?" The first man asked.

Joe, a large man built like a bear wandered into view from the next room, "Sure, Karl, what's up?"

"Seems this imaginary friend here needs to get home." Karl replied, giving Satin a hint of a smile, "Think you can handle it?"

Joe nodded, "No problem. Come'on miss, let's get you home."

Satin rose shyly and followed him out to his patrol car. With a grin and a flourish, he opened the passenger side door for her. Satin smiled as she settled herself into the car. This was a family man, a father. He probably had a little girl. She could tell by the way he moved, the way he spoke to her, like she was to be protected.

As they pulled out of the police station, Joe struck up a conversation with her. Telling her all about his own imaginary friend, Maria, who was still a member of his family. He also went on about his children's imaginary friends Meter and Bits and their antics. It turned out that she was right, he was a family man with two little girls and a boy on the way. He reminded her of Natalie's father. Dark haired and blue eyed with a passion for his family and all they held dear. He hadn't wanted Natalie to give Satin up. Satin could see it now, how he'd stopped her at the door and told her she didn't have to do it . . . And Natalie had played it up, saying that if they hadn't gotten such a stupid apartment then they could keep Satin. He'd known all along . . .

Satin half-listened to Joe as she turned her attention to the darkness outside the window. She was thankful for the ride. It was a warm night for fall but freezing wasn't the only danger to imaginary friends on the streets. She knew that from her first week of horror stories at Foster's. A sudden, inexplicable homesickness overcame her at the thought. She could be safe and sound in Foster's at this moment, curled up on the couch watching some B-rated horror movie with Crackers and Wilt. Instead she was in another town, looking for someone who didn't even want her anymore . . .

But why? Why didn't Natalie need her anymore? She was going to college! Surely that was one of the hardest times of life, why wouldn't she need her? She had to know. If Natalie really meant what she said . . . Satin wasn't sure what she would do.

"So, how'd you and your kid get separated?" Joe asked, glancing over at her.

Satin roused herself from her distant thoughts to answer, "Well, we just moved here. Natalie and I were taking a walk around the neighborhood to see where things were. I got distracted looking at a shop and when I turned around Natalie was gone. I heard her calling my name once or twice but I couldn't find her in the crowd."

"Ah, that happens a lot around here." he answered, "We once lost Meter in the mall. It was a mess. Finally found him hiding in a clothes rack."

He was so nice that she hated to lie to him but it was necessary. He'd probably take her straight back to Foster's if he knew the truth.

"Looks like this is your stop. 245 Emerson Street?" Joe asked, with a smile.

If only she could find a family like his . . .

"Yeah, this is it." she replied, looking at the little white house. It was a slap in the face, final proof of Natalie's lie.

"Looks like no one's home. You want me to wait?" Joe asked kindly.

"No, I've got a key." She replied with a forced smile as she exited the car.

"Allright. You be careful, okay?" he asked, leaning over so that he could see her through the passenger side window.

"I will, thank you. Goodnight." she replied, giving him a little wave as she pulled off.

Then, she turned to the house that held her answers and started up the walk.

Wilt unfolded himself as he stepped off the bus, stretching. He'd never felt so many kinks in his body before. Crackers sat in a half stupor between his eyestalks. The poor little guy had fallen asleep before they arrived and was now just barely awake. Wilt looked up and down the street as the bus pulled away. It was dark now, with only the occasional street lamp to light the way.

He shivered slightly, recalling his own time on the streets. Not knowing how to reach Foster's . . . being hungry and cold until Clay and the others had found him. What if Satin ended up in the same position? Could she handle it? Would she find others? He put a hand across his eyestalks trying to blot out those thoughts. But it only served to bring back memories of living on the street. How it wasn't uncommon to find a friend collapsed overnight, frozen or starved. Scattering every time a car came by, just in case some demented driver tried to hit you. The fear of everyone no matter how big or small.

He shook his head sternly, bad memories weren't getting him anywhere. He had to find Satin, get her back to Foster's. With a long sigh he began walking, maybe he could find an open shop where he could get directions to the police station. Maybe they could help him find her.

Frankie pulled away from Mac's street. They'd dropped him off a few houses down so his mother wouldn't see the bus. As of now she had three passengers. Coco, Bloo, and Eduardo all sat quietly at various seats lost in their own thoughts. She didn't blame them, looking for a fellow friend could be a little traumatic the first time and now there were three faces to be searching for. She was still surprised that Wilt hadn't even tried to find her. She could've driven him to Daleton, he didn't have to take the bus. She winced at the thought of her friend riding in one of those sardine cans.

She and Wilt had been close for a long time. She'd even considered adopting him when she was younger but . . . She could never bring herself to do it. She always felt like she'd be using him to help her too much. He didn't deserve that but he got is quite often from others at the house.

This whole situation reminded her of the night Mister Herriman and her grandma had let her ride along on a rescue mission. She'd been about eleven and it had been her first run. They'd gotten a call about a gang of friends who were living on a couple of vacant lots in town. It had been bitter cold, the latter part of winter. When they showed up at the lots they'd found about twenty imaginary friends all told, clustered around a burning trash can. Several ran, but those that stayed behind had gladly piled onto the bus, shivering and half-frozen. One refused to get on the bus. She was a bat-like friend with flashing eyes and an odd accent. She said that she wouldn't get on the bus until they found her friend. Frankie could still remember her words, filled with an obstinate passion, "I moost find heem. He vas abandoned tvice. I vill not abandon heem again."

Frankie's eyes teared as she remembered it. That long tall body braced against the wind, trying to convince the others to come out of hiding. She'd recognized him instantly. Wilt . . . Her favorite, thrown out again. She'd tackled him in a fierce hug and practically pushed him to the bus. Oddly, when she got back there, the bat friend had disappeared. They searched but to no avail, she had hidden with the rest.

She was so afraid for him and for the others. Satin hadn't lived on the street and Crackers . . . He wouldn't last two minutes if he got separated from Wilt . . .

She gave the bus a little more gas. She had to get to Daleton.

Satin rang the doorbell, stomach churning. It wasn't unusual for Natalie to be left babysitting her brother some nights while her parents went out with friends . . .

No answer.

One light was on, in the living room. The shades were cracked just enough that she could see in. It was their furniture, their curios, their pictures . . .

The pictures.

On the mantle there were always pictures of the family, during the holidays, playing in the yard, birthday pictures . . .

They were there but she wasn't. Every picture was recent. None held her face.

They had abandoned her in spirit too.

Satin sat on the front step, head in her hands. She never should have come . .

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