Longest Novel: Fall of The Republic

by morgan kingsley

In 2020, a middle-aged author, living too deeply in the past, decides to write the story of what really happened to him and his friends when he was younger, and as it unfolds, a giant conspiracy starts to show itself. An AU of seasons 1-4 that take place in the United States. Crossover with several other series for one overall universe.

22. Prom Night

May 12, 2022

When he was done with the next episode, T.K. was getting out another cigarette, and leaving the house, not planning on letting Ocho know that he was probably not going to be staying around for too much longer. He was going to be heading to the pyramid one final time, and see what he could find there.

He got in his car real quick, hoping that soon enough, he would lose traffic, and would be alone to his own work and his own thoughts. Although he was sure that in all honesty, these people were going to want nothing to do with him at all.

Before long, he eventually reached the entrance of the forest, and started to walk down the path for a while, hoping that when he was there, he would be able to have a more concrete plan on what he was planning to actually do here. And besides, he was just scared of what was actually ahead of him.

When he was at the pyramid, after a while of wandering, he was starting to instantly feel much more uneasy at what he was doing. If there was one thing he learned in the last thirty six years, it was knowing instantly, when somebody was watching him, and planning on doing harm to him.

As he was standing around, he was hearing a voice calling out to him. He looked up, and he was seeing a young woman, later teens or early twenties, and she was looking like there was pure evil intent in her face. T.K. was wondering what she was doing here.

"You do not have to be here. I am sure that both of us can discuss a way to get through this." After T.K. said this, he was putting his hand in his pocket, feeling like there was no way he was going to be able to save himself here.

"There has been a calling to me, and I must accept it." She said, and then brought out a red energy sword, and she was smiling as she knew from the look on his face, that T.K. was instantly going to be out of this.

When T.K. brought his blade out, the two of them charged at each other, and they started to instantly clash at each other. As they had been clashing at each other, T.K. was already starting to feel that this was going to be a really bad idea. He thought that if he went through with this, something would happen to him that would cause irreparable harm.

As they kept fighting, they were heading up the pyramid, and T.K. was starting to feel for the first time, this was a fight that was going to determine if he was going to survive or not. He knew that this person had been well trained, and could be able to defeat him in a battle rather easily. So he was not really wanting to take any chances with what he was doing.

While the fighting had kept going on and on, the area around them had been getting destroyed, and the writings on the wall were losing their legibility, which was something that was worrying T.K., knowing that his research was not going to actually fucking work here.

At the top of the pyramid, T.K. was finally giving into his rage, not wanting to possibly even risk the idea of dying by this person, who was not nearly as important to the world as he was ever going to be. And besides, he knew that her death would be a blessing compared to what would happen to her if she failed, and was sent to the mines.

As he was starting to unleash on her, and he was starting to let his inner power get to him much more, he was seeing the look on her face grow into one of utter terror. But at this point in time, he wasn't able to fucking stop, and he knew that if he did stop, then she was going to finally have the upper hand here.

Before long, she was on her ass, and he was still slamming his blade down on her own, and she was starting to quiver at the sight, and then the ground was starting to crack down on her. Then with that, he slammed one final time, and the ground was starting to fall down to the ground.

As he was watching this, he was aware of how much he had still failed to keep his inner emotions together. He had realized how much hate he still had, and how much he was never going to be able to really let it go. He screamed at the top of his lungs, to let it all go.

When he was done, and stared at her for a bit, he started to head down, and smoke another cigarette, and when he was down at the ground again, with the rain starting to get much more unbearable, he wondered who this person was. When he was there, he was checking her ID, mainly to see who it was that he fought. When he saw who it was, he instantly knew where he had messed up.

"Penny Tootmorsel. Date of birth: 12-05-2005". When he was reading this, he knew that he had killed Ocho's daughter. By that point, he forgot he even had one. Although he was wondering why she even got involved in all of this, knowing that it was probably going to be leading to her death.

Eventually, when he was done staring at the body, he was taking a second to think about what he had done. He was aware that if he was going to ever want to speak to Ocho again, then there was a lot of forgiveness that he was going to have to try and earn. And he was aware that he was probably the ultimate villain in their eyes.

Penny Tootmorsel

December 5, 2005 – May 12, 2022

Chapter 2 Episode 4: Prom Night (Story)

Scene 1: September 17, 1986

Sheldon was sitting down once again, feeling like he was finally ready to just talk to his therapist. He was really feeling like every time he would be speaking with her, the better he would be feeling, and he was honestly feeling like his life was turning around for once. But despite everything, he was still scared.

Therapist: So Sheldon, I guess that you are willing to pick up where we left off last time. When you got hired at that gas station. Do you want to tell me a bit more about what exactly happened with you that summer.

Sheldon: In all honesty, all your questions are going to really start picking up from here. In all honesty, most of these people probably would be able to figure out what happened really quickly when hearing my story. But at the time, I was fucking stupid.

Therapist: Sheldon, what was it? Can you fucking tell me what it was? I mean, I feel like I can finally trust what you say.

Sheldon: You know, you say that, but when it actually fucking happens, I can guarantee you that you are going to be finding this entire story to be fucking bullshit. Even if you believe me so far, jumping all the way to the end is a big mistake.

Therapist: I mean, clearly there was some back room politics that were going on. I can figure that part out. What I am having a hard time seeing is the fact that this has gone on for so long without anybody catching it.

Sheldon: That is because like I said earlier, everybody was behind it all. Everybody knew what was happening, and people didn't do anything because they knew they were all responsible.

Therapist: But how could a seventeen year old be able to destroy everything that is putting this together, if that is the case.

Sheldon: That is because a seventeen year old is old enough to understand the issue and fight back, but young enough to not be bought out, and be a victim of corruption. It goes down to the simple advantages of disadvantages of that age.

Therapist: But when you found out the truth, people probably were just never going to take your story seriously. At the end of the day, you had a disadvantage, and that was something you were never going to be changing.

Sheldon: I fucking know. I was fucking there when it happened. I tried to tell people everything. I really did, but nobody wanted to hear it. People were too scared of the truth as much as they were scared of losing their reputation.

Therapist: So what you are saying is that regardless of what you were doing, once things were set in motion, you were stuck, and couldn't change it?

Sheldon: Yeah, basically that. I was never going to make a difference. I wish I had known that then. At least if that was the case, then I could have set up the way for things to change.

Therapist: Then just continue your story. I feel like you are onto something here, and I feel like you should go public with this information. But I guess that just isn't going to happen, no matter what I fucking tell you.

Sheldon: I will consider it. But for now, you're right. We need to just focus on the story, and get right through this as fast as possible. After all, there is only so much I can tell you every session.

Sheldon was feeling like once he was in the zone again, he would be able to get back to work, and he was just hoping that he was able to steel up enough courage to make this whole thing work. Since sdespite everything that was going on, he really did trust her to hear this all.

Scene 2: Prom Night (Flashback to a couple weeks prior)

I had picked Emily up, where I had convinced myself to just take things one step at a time, and that in all honesty, there was no reason to be so scared of the fact that she was coming with me. Especially since she seemed to like me well enough.

As we were driving to the high school, I was just keeping to myself, since I was feeling that making a giant conversation was going to be making things a million times worse, and I did not really want to deal with that shit at all. And in all honesty, I felt like she probably didn't really worry about any of this too much herself.

Once we had pulled up at the high school, I was seeing Emily looking at me, and I was seeing her looking like she was beyond excited. She looked like this was genuinely the one thing she wanted to do more than anything else. I was feeling so happy to be giving her what she had wanted.

"Emily, I will do whatever I can to make sure you have the time of your life." I said, and I was looking at her, hoping that she was going to believe what I had said. As I was saying this to her, I was seeing her looking like she was just trying to believe it.

"I believe that you want to." She said, and then I looked at her, and I was wondering what the hell she was meaning by that. But then with that, I just decided that I was going to remain silent, and not press any further on the subject at all.

"I mean, Emily, I know that things have been kind of rough lately. And I know that you probably feel like I am not really worried about seeing you happy. But I really do care, and I am going to put this all behind me." I said, and I was shaking my head, feeling like I just needed to remain silent for a bit.

Eventually, I just took a deep breath, and then I got out the car. I decided to stay away from the cigarettes for tonight, and with that, I was walking inside the school. I was seeing that Emily still did not fully believe what I was doing. I was feeling like the fact that she was showing this now was a good sign that I needed to be careful of my mistakes now.

Once in the school, I was looking around, and I was feeling that given the way that Dakota and Ashley rubbed Emily off was a sign that I needed to leave them alone for the night, and if they were going to get in my case about it later, I could explain them honestly.

As we were in the main hall, I was holding my hand out to her. I was hoping that she would put aside her fucking bias, and take my hand. I was looking around, and I was seeing everybody else just already having the time of their lives.

Emily decided to take it, and then with that, we were just sort of getting in the zone. I was feeling that as long as I was just with her for a while, and I was not thinking about the missing girls, or the people who were trying to get in my case about this, then everything was going to be all fine and good.

"So Emily, I am sorry about the whole Dakota and Ashley thing. I do kind of see what you are saying. Lately, with one of my friends, they have been really rough on him. And I feel like he deserves better." After I was telling her this, I was feeling like I just needed to give her some feeling that I was listening to her.

"I am going to be level with you, I feel like you deserve better friends than them. I feel like the entire time you are talking with them, they are always judging you, and I feel like you are probably not as happy with it as you claim that you are. I feel like you would be making things better for yourself if you just started to leave them." After she was telling me this, I was feeling like this was a terrible idea.

"But I mean, they have been my best friends since I moved here. I feel like if they did not like me all that much, they would at least have the courtesy of telling me." After I was telling her this, I was seeing that she was looking like she was wanting to believe me.

"You still don't know a damn thing about people, do you? Trust me when I say that they do not really have your best interest in mind." After Emily said that, I was wanting to argue with them so badly. But then I decided that it was best to just let it go for now, and that I shouldn't be pestering her on it.

"Never mind. I should have never brought it up." I said, and I was feeling like leaving it like that was the best way to end this conversation. In all honesty, I was feeling like if this was the way she was acting about my friends, then I was going to just have to keep things to myself.

We were dancing fine enough after that. Not talking about my friends, and I was not going to be thinking about the way that she was talking about them. Since I was feeling like she needed to give them a chance, and see them for the good they have.

As we were done with our dancing, Emily said something else to me that took me off guard. "That Todd guy. The one you started hanging out with lately. Make sure you never lose touch with him. He is a good guy, and I feel like you really lucked out meeting him." After she was telling me this, I was slowly nodding, and I knew that she was right.

"I just hope that I can keep talking with him, and have people not worry about the age difference." I said, fearing that once I graduated high school, people were going to find the idea of me still talking with a thirteen year old (although probably fourteen or even fifteen at my graduation) to be just beyond strange, and borderline unacceptable.

"That is something that you need to be doing, and make sure you never lose sight on what you are doing." After she was telling me this, I was slowly nodding, and I figured that I would leave things alone for the time being.

As I was thinking about things for a while longer, I was wondering what in the world I was even going to be telling her. I was feeling like no matter what else was happening, I just needed to make sure that she was not going to be too upset with me.

"Well, don't worry about what they say. You may not see it yet, but I can already tell that deep down inside, he's your best friend." Emily said, and I was thinking about what she had said. And I was thinking about the conversations I had with her up until today.

The fact that I have always taken his side on things, the fact that I basically hung out with him every single day ever since I met him, and the fact that I already opened up with him about various things so much in just the matter of a week or two.

"I do see what you are saying, in a strange way." I said, feeling like admitting to him being so was going to be making things worse. But at the same time, I was feeling like being honest with her was going to be the best thing that I can do.

As we were moving along, and keeping the beat to ourself, I was hearing the king and queen getting announced. As I was hearing that the announcement was coming, I saw literally everybody stop what they were doing, and decided to look up, and see who was going to be winning.

"We have had a great school year, and we have been able to live the life we wanted. And on top of that, we have had a amazing prom. But I feel like the best thing to do now is focus on the winner of prom king and prom queen." The principal said, and I was hearing him have a much more excited tone of voice than I swear I ever heard him having.

"The prom king and queen or 1963 is Harold Wilson, and Jacqueline Everts." After the principal said that, Harold was looking like he was genuinely shocked. As if he was thinking that most people were going to vote against him out of spite over his family status.

Eventually, Harold was at the podium, and he grabbed the trophy. With that, his date came up, and grabbed her own trophy, and I was looking like she was much more excited. As if she could not care what the story behind it was.

When the chatter was dying down, and most of the people were seeing that Harold was genuinely shocked and happy about what had happened, most people were starting to get much happier. I was feeling like maybe this was the proof that they needed to know that deep down, Harold was not really a bad guy at all.

"Thank you for voting for me to be your prom king. I would have never thought that I would get people to vote for me. It just seems a bit crazy honestly." After Harold was saying this to us, I saw that he was looking like he was starting to just take in what he saw, and take it with stride.

When the whole event was kind of dying down, and people were starting to move on to a "next year" perspective, knowing that there was nothing that they can do about it, I was calming down. I was happy for once. I was feeling like I was having a day where I was not worried ab out stupid bullshit. And I had already mostly forgotten the Dakota and Ashley conversation.

As we were all hanging around, that was when I was seeing Harold coming towards me. I was wondering what he was going to be planning. But I took a deep breath, and decided that I would remain silent for a few seconds, and not be saying anything else.

"Hey Sheldon, do you have a minute? I feel like we need to talk." Harold said, and then I was confused as all hell about this. I was looking at Emily, and I was trying to get a read on her face as to what she was feeling here. She was slowly nodding, and I was standing up a bit.

"Yeah, I got one." I said, and then as I was standing up, Harold and I were walking out. Both Emily and Jacqueline were looking at us as we were walking off, wondering what the issue was here. As we were outside, Harold was pulling something out of his pocket.

"I got this earlier. A sort of clue to what you are looking for." After Harold handed me this, I was looking down at it, and I was seeing that it was a neon invitation to some random ass party that was going on. And I was looking at the lower part of the card, which was talking about a movie that was about to be released.

"I hear that my father, and other people who have been theorized to know something about the misisng girls are going to be heading there. Like Steven Small. I feel like there is a good chance that maybe you can find something if you look hard enough there." After he was telling me this, I was slowly nodding for a second.

"So you are admitting that you do think that your father is involved in what is happening here." After I was telling him this, I was seeing Harold looking like he was regretting his wording, but that at the end of the day, what I was saying was having at least some truth to it.

"Yeah, I do think that there is truth to it. I mean, how can you be one of the richest people in Wayside, and not have at least some idea what is going on? I never wanted to admit it though." After he was telling me this, I was slowly nodding, since I was feeling like what he was saying was having a fair level of truth to it.

"Damn. That must suck for you to say. Sorry for pushing you about it." I said, and then I was shaking my head, feeling like I just needed to stop there, before I made things any worse. As I was thinking though, I was wondering what this was all going to be meaning.

"But still, I feel like you would be better to actually go in that fucking party. I feel like everything you could possibly want is going to be in there." After he was telling me this, I was slowly nodding, and I was sort of seeing what he was saying now. I was feeling like I just needed to take what he said in stride.

"I'll look into it tomorrow." I said, and then Harold nodded in agreement, as we went back inside, and were ready to get back to celebrating, and having the time of our lives. And for the next two hours, I was truly happy, and there was nothing left in the world for me to get worried over. One of the last normal days of my life.

Scene 3: Right After

When prom was done, Emily asked me to take her to her house. The entire time that I was driving there, I was super worried that I made her upset with the fact that I had talked with Harold for a fair part of the day. I was hoping that she would be able to forgive me, and not think that I was just leaving her to be.

The entire time we were driving along, I was feeling like I just needed to try and say something to her, in order to make her feel better. "So Emily, I know that I did technically leave you for a bit. Sorry if I upset you doing that." I said, and then I was looking at her, and I was hoping she wouldn't be too upset at me here.

"I just want to make sure that you know what you are doing." She was telling me, and I was remaining silent after that. Feeling like if I was pushing her any harder, she might be really upset with me, and I was feeling like something like this was not going to really be worth it at all.

"I was just needing to talk to him for a bit. Nothing too personal, and I feel like I just was doing what any normal friend would do." I said, and I was feeling like calling Harold my friend might be rubbing her the wrong way. For some reason, calling him that to anybody was huge.

Eventually, when we were at her house, I was seeing her looking like she was just kind of wanting to make this whole thing work out. And not be too upset with me for what I was doing here. "Sheldon, I was hoping that you would go inside with me." She said, and then I looked at her.

I was slowly nodding, feeling like I was sort of getting a general idea what she was meaning here. So with that, I was standing up, and I followed her inside, hoping that beyond everything else, I was not going to be growing to regret what I was doing.

"Sheldon, I know that you might be shocked to hear this, but I am ready to lose my virginity." As she was telling me this, I was slowly nodding. I was aware that this was probably going to be my only chance for a long time. So I just needed to do this.

"Yeah. That would be awesome." I said, and I was feeling that I needed to be making sure that no matter how great this was, I was not going to be letting the whole thing get to my mind too much. With that, we were inside her room, and I was wondering what I would ask now. Just to be making sure we were more safe here.

"What about your parents? Wouldn't they be worried about having one of your classmates here?" I asked, and I was seeing her looking like she was not really caring about that at all. I was feeling like I needed to stop being so worried about everything here.

"You know, they are gone for the weekend. They saw me get my dress on, and took some pictures, and decided to let me have the house to myself. They basically told me as long as the house was clean, then I can do whatever I wanted." After she was telling me this, I was slowly nodding, feeling that made some sense.

"Alright. This is going to be great." I said, and then with that, we were getting on her bed, and we started to take our clothes off. Emily turned the light out, and we just embraced the night, as I was finally letting go of another part of me.

"Thank you." She said, with a soothing voice. I was aware that no matter what was happening, this was the right thing to do. And I was feeling the need to just kind of let this whole night speak for itself. There was no need to be worried about this.

Twenty minutes later, when we were done, I was staring at the ceiling, and I was thinking about what I had done. I was feeling like if I tried to tell anybody in my friend group about this, they might not believe me. But in all honesty, I hardly cared. I was finally feeling like I got what I had wanted, and that was what really mattered. And I gave Emily what she had wanted.

In all honesty, I was kind of wishing that I had went into that level with Jamie. But in all honesty, I was feeling like if I had done that, then things would have been a mess. And I feel like I would never be able to really get over what happened.

Scene 4: My First Day (Flash Forward)

It was the first day after I had agreed to start going and working at the gas station. Once I was there, I was seeing the boss looking like he was actually shocked more than anything to be seeing that I was actually coming in. He probably honestly thought that I was going to turn back on it. Which I guess that I couldn't blame him, due to the fact that teenagers usually were a bit flaky.

"Well, color me surprised. I didn't think you were going to actually come in. I guess that you figured you might as well give this a chance before you turn away and realize how big of a mistake this really was. Well, since you're new, I'll start you with two dollars an hour." He said, and then he patted my shoulder, as if feeling he would make this work.

"Since this if your first day, I will stay with you for the day, and help you learn the basics. But starting tomorrow, you are on your own, and I will only be coming by when you are done for the day to relieve you." He said, and then I was sighing, feeling that he was probably just using this as a chance to actually get some sleep.

"Alright. That was a bit faster moving than I expected. But I will have to take it." I said, and then I was feeling that this was the responsibility that I was going to have to accept, and being upset about it was only going to be making things a million times worse.

"Trust me. People hardly come here. Just make sure everything is stocked properly, and when a customer shows up, basically make sure you're not a asshole to them. I am sure that you at least have the very basics figured out." After he was telling me this, I was feeling like that was not really descriptive enough.

"How many other people work here, or is it just us? I mean, I just want to know if I could be able to get help at any point." I said, and I was seeing him looking like he was wondering why I was even so fucking uptight over small things like this.

"Look, I just don't want to be making any big mistakes. I mean, it would be so fucking embarrassing to go and get a job, and then fucking lose it almost right away. And I feel like my dad would be really upset at me here." I said, and then I was sighing, not sure what I was even going to accomplish.

I hit the time clock, and was officially going on. As I was saying this. "It'll be fine. You are looking too deeply into something like this. The only way I would probably fire you is if you decided to just stop showing up all the time." He said, and I was feeling like that was a really low bar.

"Well, I am pretty sure that I would not be able to get away with doing that even if I wanted to. My dad would flay me alive if he knew that I was just skipping out on things all the time." I said, feeling like I needed to just clarify that for his own sake.

"Well, if that is the case, then I feel like we have nothing to worry about." The boss was saying, and he was looking around, as if thinking of something that he could just let the subject go, and as long as I didn't insist on going on with it any longer, then things were going to be a whole lot better now.

As he was showing me the different coolers, and the different shelves, he was talking in a rather uninvested tone. "In all honesty, I think the biggest thing you need to worry about are the people who just seem to come in wanting to pick a fight. You will know who they are right away." After he said that, I was choosing to just not say anything.

"I wouldn't worry about the people who are using the gas pumps. Just check up on the area once every hour or so for a minute, to make sure that everything is still neat, and that the nozzle is actually put back." After my boss was telling me this, I was wondering how people would mess that up.

"Yeah, I think you probably get the basics. Oh and one more thing. Don't play the fucking hero. If somebody ever comes in wanting the money, just give it to them. Your safety is more important than cash." He said, and then I was nodding after this.

The entire day, I was just listening to him talk about random life stories and just talking about how this was a business that he had set up. "All to make sure that when worst comes to worst, I would be able to have my own safe place to stay, and not deal with any bullshit procedures."

"I have been running this business for nearly twenty years now, and everything has been all fine and quiet. I just don't get involved in any controversy, and over time, everything just sort of blurs together." After he said that, I was then thinking of something to day.

"I believe that you will do fine. Just don't do anything too stupid, and over time everything will work out." After he was telling me this, things we back to normal for the rest of the day, and when it was eight, I was heading out. Almost glad that I was going to be alone starting tomorrow, especially since we only had one fucking customer in a four hour period. So I barely did anything at all.

Scene 5: Helping My Man

I was speaking with Sam the next day before I was needing to go in. And the entire time that we were talking, I was seeing that he was looking like all of his thoughts were kind of going off in the distance. "So Sheldon, are you actually going to be going through with this job? I mean, it just seemed like a fringe choice." After he said that to me, I was looking right at him, wondering what his point was.

"I mean, I have a new level of responsibility that I have to follow through. In all honesty, it would be horribly wrong if I decided to not follow through with it." I said, and then I looked at him, and I was hoping that he would see what I was saying.

"I guess that's fair enough. But in all honesty, I feel like you just need to be more careful on what you are doing. If you are not careful enough, then you might be losing sight on what is going on with your friends." After he said that to me, I was feeling like the lecture was going to be driving me insane right now.

"Look, I am only doing twenty hours a week. I will still be there by your side, and all of my friends. I am still going to be helping you dealing with the man in the purple jacket." I said, thinking about what I had gotten into with him and Kevin.

"Todd feels like he really needs to step in and help you with that." I said, and then I was seeing him looking like he was kind of shocked to be hearing something like that. As if feeling like what I was saying was a big mistake. "I mean, in all honesty, you would have probably learned that anyways."

"Todd can do whatever he wants. I mean, I have no way of being able to stop him from making choices that he will end up regretting. All that I can say is that if he does want to help, then I guess that I do need to at least give him a chance to help out." After Sam was telling me this, I had nothing else to say.

"Do you know anything about that guy? I mean, I am going to do my best to be helping you here. Even if I have no stake in the matter, Kevin is the closest thing to a little brother I have." I said, feeling like saying that could just show my dedication to the matter.

"Not really. I mean, I saw him heading into the Lazarus Corporation main building a few weeks ago, and I was considering the idea of trying to talk to the president about his visit. But I feel like there is no chance of that happening." He said, and shook his head. As if he was genuinely upset at what he was saying here.

"Honestly dude, I feel like the worst that can come with you trying is him telling you to screw off. I feel like we need to at least try, if you want to make this whole thing work out." After I was telling him this, I was feeling like getting Sam to do this was the best that I can do, especially since I really wanted this to work.

"I will admit, hearing you say that about Kevin actually does make me rather happy. I wished that I knew that about what your thoughts on the matter. If I had known that, then everything would have been different." Sam was telling me, and I was wondering what in the world I was going to even tell him.

"I mean, I just feel like I needed to let you know the true stakes in the matter. But in all honesty, I doubt that what I am doing is going to be a big fucking mistake." I said, and I was feeling that there was no need to be lying to him about the feelings that I was having, and who knows, maybe he would actually listen.

"Yeah. I mean, if I can learn the truth of that man, then everything can redeem myself as a brother would finally come together." After he was telling me this, I was feeling like I was going to finally get Sam to be stepping up, and seeing his value on what he would be able to do with this investigation would make all the difference in the world.

"After all, you of all people were the one who told me that you were convinced that this man was involved in what was going on with the cases. And I don't even have to know the guy to be relatively sure that you are on the right track." After I was telling him this, Sam was nodding. Annoyed at my reminder of what he was thinking.

"Yeah, I don't even know how in the world I am doing by denying the idea of checking this whole thing out. Let's just go, so that way I stop thinking about what I should be doing." After he was telling me this, I was slowly nodding, and then I was getting to my car.

As we were in my car, I was seeing Sam looking like he was taking a second to consider what we were doing. But then he nodded, as if feeling like there was no other way, and then with that, we were driving off to the company tower.

As we were heading towards the building, I was wondering what in the world I was even going to be telling Sam. In all honesty, I was feeling like whatever I could have possibly said, then Sam was going to just be finding this whole situation to be rather fucking ridiculous.

Although in all honesty, I was feeling that if Sam was actually wanting to be fighting this man, for whatever reason, I was going to be helping him. After all, he was the man that we were closest to actually having a tangible target.

As we were at the main parking lot of the building, I was wondering if I should be saying anything at all. "Sheldon, do you feel like we should be telling Todd about this? I mean, in all honesty, I feel like if he is as deep into this as you are feeling, then Todd is going to have to know." After Sam was telling me this, I was thinking about this accusation.

"Yeah, I will be telling him when I have the time to. But for now, I feel like we need to be working on our own." After I was telling him this, I was seeing that Sam was clearly looking like he did not really believe in what I was saying.

"Wow, I thought that you were going to be so close with him that you wouldn't want to risk the chance to really get to know him." After Sam was telling me this, I was sighing, and I wished that I could be able to say something to make him feel better.

When we were getting out of the car, I was taking out a cigarette, and thought about what I was going to be doing now. "Well, I feel like we need to get right to work. After all, I feel like that guy is not going to be here for the time being. So we are going to be fine." He said, and then I was sighing for a second.

As we were walking inside the main office, I was looking along, and I was wondering what in the world I was even going to be telling Sam. "So do you have a idea where the guy would be most likely to actually work at?" I asked, and then Sam was looking at me, as if thinking about that idea.

"Well, the natural bet would be the president of the entire fucking company. So I feel like maybe we should be going on and seeing what he says." After he was telling me this, I was seeing him looking like he was kind of upset here.

"I guess that makes sense. Even if it turns out to not be that obvious, I do see what you are saying." I said, and then with that, I was thinking deeply about what I was even going to be telling him. But I was telling myself not to think deeply on it.

We were walking along, that was when I was heading to the counter. "Hey, I was wondering if we were going to be able to speak to Shaun Reichenbach." I said, and then I was seeing that the employee was just looking like he was just kind of shocked to be seeing what I was saying. As if thinking it was crazy that I tried to do this.

"I don't think that something like this would be able to fucking fly." After he was telling me this, I was feeling like something like this was really making a lot of sense. Even though I did not want to admit to anything like that.

"My friend Sam needs any help that he can get, and he feels that talking to the president of the company is the best bet here." I was trying to tell the man, and I was feeling like nothing that I could tell him would be able to change the situation at all.

"I am sorry, but I think the best that you can get is a appointment. I think anything beyond that is simply not going to be working." After he was telling me this, I was sighing, and I was feeling like there was literally nothing else to be saying at all.

"Alright. What would be the best day that would work." I said, and then I was looking right at Sam, and I was seeing him looking like he was wanting to just take this as carefully as humanly possible. I was sighing, and felt like there was nothing else to be doing.

"The earliest open spot from the records shows Sunday from noon to one in the afternoon. If you want to speak to him, that is the best that you can do." He said, and then with that, Sam was looking at me, and I was seeing him steeling his courage, and getting ready for this.

"Yeah. I'll take it. Thank you sir." Sam said, and then the man was writing down Sam's name after Sam told him the whole thing. When he was done, he was looking at the two of us, and I was seeing him looking like he was just feeling bad for us right now.

As we were getting ready to head out, that was when I was seeing a much younger version of Kenta Kitagawa walking down the hallway, and he was looking like he was rather proud of himself. I was thinking to myself that this was the first time I had ever met him in my entire life.

"So you are trying to get a presence with the president of the company? I think you probably realize that something like this is not going to happen unless if you really plead with him about this. Whatever case you want to make, you need to bring it forward to me." Kenta said, and I was looking right at him, feeling that was fucking bullshit.

"I was worried about my brother honestly. A younger guy named Kevin. I heard that he might have been talking with some of the people who are involved with this company." Sam with a level of confidence that I was not really expecting from.

"I am not sure about anything about that. Was he talking to anybody specifically?" After Kenta asked him this, I was hearing a new interest in the discussion. Something that I was not at all expecting from him. I was wondering what in the world we were going to do here.

"A man in a purple jacket. He is the guy who has been working with Kevin for a while, and I feel like I need to talk to him, and get him to leave my fucking brother alone." After Sam was saying this, he was saying with a certain level of determination. One that was making it clear that he was passionate about what he was talking about.

"Oh, you know that guy? I have seen him a couple of times. Bad news, but I feel like you probably already know this." Kenta said, and then with that, I was seeing Sam looking like he was just kind of excited to be knowing that he was limiting the subject a little bit.

"I feel like you need to leave this subject alone for now. But I need to drop the subject for the time being. I have to get back to work. Just remember what I said before you go on and do something stupid." After he was telling me this, I was feeling like Sam looking like he was trying to hold his composure, but didn't really like it.

"Sorry for taking your time. I'm sure that you have something very important to be doing." I said, and then I was starting to walk out, and I was clearly seeing that Sam wanted to strangle Kenta for this. For not giving him enough to work with at all. As we were walking off, I was hoping that Sam would be keeping the bullshit to a relative minimum.

Once we were out of the building, I was seeing the look on Sam's face growing into one of being pure hatred. "I know for a fucking fact that this man is not innocent. Even if he is not involved in everything, I feel like he probably has at least a good idea what is going on." After Sam was telling me this, I was taking a long and deep breath.

"Getting upset at him is not going to be doing anybody any favors. I feel like you just need to be much more careful here." After I was telling him this, I was seeing him looking like he was kind of upset at this. As we were getting ready to be leaving, that was when I was seeing Todd coming along.

When I was seeing him walking, I was seeing that Sam was looking like he was aware that there was no real point in trying to convince him against all of this. "I guess that he is going to be finding out sometime anyways. So we might as well just tell him everything that we know." He said, and then after he was telling me this, I was slowly nodding a bit.

As we were heading towards Todd, I was seeing Sam looking like he was just kind of wanting to get this over with. "Hey Todd. What are you doing here?" I asked, actually meaning what I was saying. As I was seeing the look on Todd's face, I was just seeing him looking like he was actually pretty shocked.

"I was helping Sam with his goal on trying to find something about the man in the purple jacket." I said, and I was seeing Sam looking like he was not really excited to be hearing anything like this. "I mean, for all I know, everything that Sam has been saying he suspects is true, and we just need to be more careful here." I said, as I was looking down, feeling like I just needed to be more careful.

"I feel like if you were seriously asking those people about any clues, then you were seriously desperate. There is no way in hell that people are actually going to give you any clues when they work at that fucking company." Todd said, and I was feeling like the judgmental tone was not going to be helping us out.

"I mean, I was feeling like it would be better than nothing. And besides, I was able to set him up with a appointment to talk to the president of the company soon. So I feel like it will be worth the try at least." After I was telling Todd this, I was seeing Todd looking like he was still not really buying it at all.

"Oh wow. I never expected you to actually make something like that work. I guess that I have to be giving you a bit more credit than I want." Todd said, and he was holding his hands out, as if feeling like he was kind of feeling bad about everything that we had been saying.

"I mean, I would not have done it if it were not for Sheldon." After Sam was admitting this, he was looking like he was just kind of upset at the fact that he was telling Todd this. He looked right at Todd, and I was seeing him looking like he was wanting to say more now.

"You probably knew deep down inside that what I was saying was right. So I feel like you need to be giving yourself some credit here." I said, and then I was looking at him, and I was wondering if I was going to be able to get him to be more open here.

"Regardless, I am going to try and get Kevin to join me with that discussion. I feel like maybe if I could get him to give this a chance, he might be willing to actually do this." After Sam was saying this, I was feeling like Sam was going to be making a big fucking mistake now.

"You know if you do that, then Kevin is going to immediately accuse you of just trying to get in the way of what he is doing. So with that, I feel like you are going to be totally lost." After Todd was telling him this, I was feeling like I needed him to tone down what he was saying. At least for Sam's sake at this rate.

"I don't care what Kevin accuses me of doing. He is going to say whatever the fucking hell he wants, and he is going to pretend like I am this horrible human being, who hardly cares about what he might be feeling." After Sam told me this, both Todd and I decided that we were going to remain silent. To not press him any further.

"And in all honesty, I care enough about him that I am willing to throw away my reputation for him. Simple as that. And I hope that in due time, he will be able to see that I am just trying my best to be the best brother that I can." Sam said, and he was sounding really depressed at what he was saying.

"I mean, I just feel like when I see how broken he is, and I see how much he wants some help, then I feel like I just need to be there for him much more." He finished, and I was feeling like I just needed to remain silent for now.

Todd was smiling as he was hearing this. In all honesty, hearing Sam say this, and actually say it with a level of conviction, was making him feel so much better about this. Despite everything that was going on, I was wondering what I would even do here.

"That is what would make Kevin really appreciate you as a brother." After Todd was telling him this, I was seeing that Sam was actually really listening to what he was saying. Sam was walking along, as Todd and I were following him for a while longer.

As we were walking along, Todd was looking down, as if something was on his mind. "So Sam, what even happened that made Kevin dislike you as much as he did? I mean, surely something happened that made you feel like you lost virtually all fucking hope." After Todd was telling Sam this, I was seeing Sam remaining silent for a couple of seconds.

"In all honesty, I have no idea what I did that made it all so bad. I mean, I know that I was not the best brother in the world. I will admit it. But I was thinking that maybe I was doing good enough to finally get him to show at least a little bit respect." After he was telling me this, I was feeling like he needed to try and find something else to say here.

"You got to find something in there. You were not perfect either, and I am sure that if you looked hard enough, you can find something." I said, and then I was looking right at him, and I was wondering what I was even going to be saying in response. I saw that Sam was just looking like he could not imagine him making things worse.

Eventually, we were at the park, and I was seeing Todd looking right at Sam. There was something he was wanting to ask so much. "Sam, is there something on your mind? Something about this park?" He asked, and then Sam was looking at him, and remained silent for a couple of seconds.

"Yeah. Just the fact that one of the last times that Kevin and I had a normal conversation was the previous summer. At this exact park. We just talked with each other, and got to know each other a bit more." After Sam was telling Todd this, he was remaining silent. But I knew what he was thinking.

"I am sorry if you feel like I did something wrong that really placed him into a totally different personality." Todd said, trying to be making the situation at least slightly less bad for him. As he was saying this, Sam just looked at him, and remained silent for a few second.

"To be fair, I feel like there was much more to what was going on than I am saying. After all, Kevin was probably going to be going his own path anyways." He said, and he was shrugging, feeling like the honesty was something that he needed to give. In order to make it clear to Todd that he was willing to take at least some responsibility here.

Scene 6: The Next Move

On a Friday night, when I was done, and had a couple of days all to myself, that was when Todd said he was wanting to talk to me. I figured that I would give him a chance to talk to me, and see what the issue was. "So Sheldon, do you have any plans on what you think we should be doing with our investigation? I think that perhaps we should be going on go and seek the roots." Todd said, and then I looked at him, unsure what he was meaning.

"What do you mean, go back to the origins?" I asked, and then Todd was shaking his head, as if thinking of a way he was going to respond to what I was asking. I mean, once I knew what he was meaning, I could probably get it. But I just needed context.

"Well, I think that we should be trying to go to that museum, the one near the entrance of the forest? I think that by going there, we could be able to talk to one of the employees for a bit, and see what they might be able to tell me." Todd was saying, and I was wondering what his worries were.

"Okay, I guess that I do see where you are coming from. I hope that we don't really go on and regret this decision." I said, and then I was shaking my head, and I was wondering what Todd was really planning on here.

"I mean, I feel like after all these years, I am sure that the people who work there probably have a better idea on what to be doing than either of us ever do. And I feel like you might have been making a giant mistake by not looking at that earlier." After Todd was saying that to me, I was wondering what he was trying to accomplish here.

"Well, I just felt like going there was probably going to be a waste of time, and wouldn't really be accomplishing much here." I said, and I was shrugging, feeling like what I was saying was just a rather loose defense at best.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to be making you feel uncomfortable here. I just felt like something like this would make the most sense in all honesty." Todd said, and then he was sighing, as if thinking of the best to be making me feel at least slightly better about this.

"Yeah, I guess that I will go with you to that museum. Who knows, maybe you're right. Maybe we should be checking these things out, and see what we can find here." I said, and then Todd was taking a deep breath, finally glad to see that I was willing to at least hear his argument.

"I hope that we can actually get something here. In all honesty, I feel like everything that is in that forest is just kind of a red herring. I mean, if that is not the case, then why in the world would the truth not have been revealed?" Todd asked, and I was just taking a second to remain unsure.

"I mean, I feel like it is probably not nearly as one sided as we believe. I mean, we both saw what was in that forest. If that wasn't a obvious fucking clue, then I guess that I am really fucking unsure what could be. I think that we both need to keep a level of realism here." After I was telling Todd this, I was seeing him looking like he was trying to find a way to counter act what I said.

"Yeah, I mean, I am wondering how that car got in there in the first place? I mean, there is no fucking road at all. So in all honesty, this just kind of makes no sense. I have a theory that the car was placed there, just as a way to hide what happened." Todd said, and I was feeling like what he was saying was beyond insane, and I was feeling like he needed to hear himself.

"Todd that sounds fucking crazy. I mean, sure you probably see how insane what you're saying really sounds." I said, and then I was looking at him, and I was wondering if he was going to take what I said into at least some form of consideration.

"I don't know. I mean, insanity is probably out of the window. I mean, look at the fucking missing cases. Reality is far beyond anything we are looking at here. So I think you need to just at least think about what I said could be having truth." After Todd was telling me this, I was just feeling like this was absolutely crazy.

Eventually, I was then thinking about what to be doing now. "So Todd, I think that we need to be looking at other things. Such as the man in the purple jacket. I feel like we both know that he is probably one of the best clues on where to go here."

"I mean, I think that neither Sam nor Kevin are able to give us many clues on what is happening with him. He has no house, no anything. We are literally wasting our time even getting that idea in our heads." Todd said, and I was feeling like what he was saying was being way too fucking pessimistic.

"But you were the one that wanted to be helping Sam and Kevin out with that, and here you are, just throwing that idea away? What the fucking hell dude? I thought that you of all people would be accepting your responsibility." I said, and then I was seeing that Todd was looking like he was kind of hurt by the way that I was saying.

"I mean, I do want to help them. That would be wonderful. But I am being realistic. I feel like there is no way in hell that we are going to be making a huge difference." Todd was saying to me, and I was feeling like I just needed to be a bit more careful about what I was going to be doing.

"Do you feel like your other friends have a idea on what we can be able to do to help us out?" I asked, and then I was looking right at him, wondering what I was even going to be telling him. "I mean, if your friends want to help us, and know what we can do, then I feel like he has a good idea.

"I have no idea what the hell my friends are going to be doing. And in all honesty, I am not even going to fucking try and talk to them here. They are going to be saying whatever they want, and I am well aware of something like this." After he was telling me this, I was wondering what I could tell him.

"But I mean…" I said, and then when I was looking right at Todd, I was seeing that he was clearly looking like he was not wanting to have this discussion at all, and that nothing that I was going to say would be changing his mind at all.

"I feel like my friends are where I need to be more careful. I mean, I appreciate the fact that Dana wants to help out so much. But at the end of the day, she is still only one person in the ground, and I still feel like what she is doing is a big fucking mistake." Todd said to me, and then I was feeling that any argument I would make with him would be a waste.

"Let's just fucking get going. I feel like we are not going to be getting anywhere if we keep having this discussion at all." I said, and then I was looking at him, and I was feeling like saying this was only going to be making things much worse.

Once I was in my car, that was when Todd was thinking about what I was even going to be saying. "So you look like there is something that you want to check out." After he was telling me this, I was thinking about what I was going to be telling him. I was wondering if the party was something he even wanted to go to in the first place.

Scene 7: The Excited Girl

The next day, when Todd and I were deciding we were going to be checking things out, I was looking at Todd for a bit. "So Sam is going to be meeting up with the president of the company tomorrow." I said, feeling there was no need to tell him anything else. "While we were leaving, we ran into Kenta for a bit. And they were negotiating some terms a bit."

"I think I heard Dana telling me about him. Something about a work project that they had been having during the school year. I think she worked with him on something." After Todd was telling me this, I was looking at him, and I was feeling like we needed to take a chance to check this out.

"Do you feel like we could be able to talk to him if we get Dana to join us?" I asked, and I was feeling like even if this was not what Todd was wanting to hear, it was the chance that we needed to take. I was seeing Todd looking like he was kind of feeling upset at that.

"This is going to be a terrible idea. In all honesty, I feel like if Dana is going to be coming along here, then she might be forcing us to be having various conversations that neither one of us are really ready for." After Todd was telling me this, I was sighing, and I was feeling like Dana was probably going to want us to take this risk.

"Todd, I think that we just need to give this a chance. I know it might not be your favorite thing in the world to do. But I feel like if she was working with him, then she might be able to convince him." I said, and then I was looking right at him.

"Even though I do not agree with this, I feel like there is no way that I am going to change your feeling on this. So with this, I will go along with it. For now." After he was telling me this, I was taking a second to think about the new plan.

But despite everything, I was feeling like there was no other choice. As Todd and I were heading on towards Dana, I was feeling like if something happened to her, then I would be taking full responsibility towards this situation, and I would make it clear with Todd that I was sorry.

Once we were at Dana's house, I was taking a long and deep breath, and I was feeling like I just needed to take things slowly. In all honesty, I had no idea what I would be telling Dana. When she answered, I was seeing her looking like she was confused as to why I was here anyways.

"Hey Dana, Sheldon was having a terrible idea that I do not agree with, but in all honesty, he is very insistent on this. So I guess that I will give you a chance to make your own choice for yourself." Todd said, and then he was sighing for a second.

"He was wanting to see if you would be willing to help him talk to that Kenta Kitagawa guy. Do you feel like you would be willing to do that?" Todd looked down, and he was sounding like he was furious about what he was saying here.

"He said that you were working on him about a project related to monsters or something like that." After Todd was saying this, I was seeing him looking like he was just trying to pretend like this was something he wanted to discuss.

"Oh yeah. I totally did that. I was wondering when somebody would be more willing to come around to that." Dana said, and then with that, she was taking a second to think about what our plans were going to be now.

"I'm game. I will try and see what I can do to get him to be more willing to talk with you." After she was telling me this, I was sighing, and I felt like I just needed to take what I had. We were walking along, Dana was looking like she was totally excited to see what the new plan was.

"You guys should have asked me sooner if you wanted my help. I would have totally helped you guys if you just asked." She said to us, and I was seeing the look on Todd's face looking like he was really uncomfortable with this whole discussion.

"I mean, I appreciate the fact that you are acting like this. But in all honesty, I feel like you need to be more careful here. Just don't do something really fucking stupid." Todd said, and he was clearly sounding like he was not too excited about any of this. But I was feeling like whatever Todd was scared over, he needed to just see that Dana was wanting to actually do this whole thing.

I was about ready to just argue with somebody. But then I was shaking my head, and I was feeling like it was best to just not argue at all. And just take it for what it had been. And I was really wondering why Todd was acting like he was acting like he was the authority on this situation.

"So Dana, what were you doing with that guy anyways? I mean, did you really think that this guy was actually going to work with you on a project?" After Todd asked her this, I was seeing him looking like he was just kind of trying to really understand what he was saying.

"I mean, I thought that he would have been able to help me understand various things. Even though I guess that I now realize how silly my fucking goals were here. And you don't really need to be telling me anything like that now." Dana was saying, and I was seeing her looking like she was just desperate for him to understand.

"I mean, I thought that working on this, in a official capacity, as if it was all part of a school project, would be able to really pull this whole thing." Dana finished, and I was seeing her looking like she was just kind of upset at Todd. Mostly in the way he was treating this situation at the current moment.

"Okay, I got it. I wasn't even judging. I was just curious. I mean, I wanted to make sure you guys were safe. You guys are really important to me. And I wanted to make sure you already knew that." After Todd was telling her this, I was seeing him looking like he was just hoping she would see what he was saying.

"Besides, I didn't even get all that much out of talking to him in the first place. I thought that talking to him would really make things much easier. But he seems like he was just on his own mind, and I guess that something like this makes sense." Dana said, and she was sounding like she was not wanting to discuss this that much any further.

"He probably knew that you were going to actually make a difference, and I feel like he was just too scared to hear your arguments." Todd said, and he was looking at Dana, and he was seeing her looking like she was just kind of surprised to be seeing him actually tell her all of that in the first place.

"So you're admitting that you actually think I got this all figured out." After Dana was telling him this, Todd was slowly nodding, aware that he was basically going to be giving her a massive ego boost, which was probably not his intent.

"I guess that I do admit that." After Todd was saying this, he was sighing, and he was wondering what he was even going to be saying to this now. "Don't fucking get too excited about that though. I just think that you probably have the best chance of pulling things together."

"But Dana, I hope that you understand that no matter what else is happening, I really do want what is best for you." After Todd was telling her this, we were eventually pulling up at the main building. I was feeling like we needed to be much more careful what we were doing, considering the fact that these people probably had a plan on how to handle this.

"Thank you." Dana was saying, and I was seeing her looking like she was just trying to decide what in the world was going on in her mind. She probably thought that Todd was just trying to be making her feel better, and I was feeling like I just needed to be careful on what I said now.

"Let's just go and talk to the guy. I feel like if we don't mess around too much, we might be able to pull this out." She said, and then we went inside the building, and once inside, I was feeling like whatever we were going to do, we just needed to make a much better plan now. It was just kind of bothering me what was going on here.

Once we were looking around, I was seeing that the guy who had seen Sam and I a few days ago was looking like he was mildly annoyed to be seeing us here. He probably thought that we were just trying to be making a deal out of this. "Look, your appointment tomorrow is still good. You don't need to be worried about that." The man said, and he was sounding like he was just as annoyed as he could possibly get.

"No, I was wanting to talk about something else. I was hoping that we would be able to talk to Kenta Kitagawa. Dana over here worked with him on some school projects." After I said that, I was seeing Dana looking like she was just kind of excited that she was the one who was basically making this happen.

"Alright, I will see what he will say to the idea. I will call him." He said, and then he was calling the room that Kenta was working in. "So there are three teenagers here wanting to talk to you. One of them claims that they have worked with you before." After the receptionist was saying this, he was sounding like he didn't really buy it at all.

"Alright. I will tell them that they can meet you." After he was saying this, he was taking a second to think about this. When he hung up, he was slowly nodding. And for once, I was excited to be seeing this Kenta guy. I just wondered if Dana and Todd were going to be as excited as I was.

Eventually, we were getting up the stairs, and I was wondering if Todd was actually wanting this at all. I was seeing from the look on his face that he was still looking like he was not fully sure that this was what he was wanting to do with his interview here.

We were going up the elevator, and the entire time that we were heading up, I was seeing Todd looking like there was something that he was wanting to tell Dana. Something that he felt like he needed to say, as a way to possibly mend bonds that were going on here. "Hey Dana, I wanted to apologize to you. I shouldn't be treating you this way. I guess that I am just worried about you." After Todd said this, he was shaking his head, as if aware that this was a terrible excuse.

"And I know that this isn't enough to justify the fact that I am getting way too into your personal space about these things. I guess that I am just scared for you. After all, you probably have a better idea on what is happening in certain pieces, with this town, than I do. And I am scared that you are going to get killed." Todd said, and he was sighing, realizing how silly he was sounding.

When the elevator door opened, I was still seeing that Todd was not looking like he was actually all that happy with admitting this to her. But that he was feeling like a admission like this was really the only way that he could be able to make the discussion flow along better.

We eventually start walking to Kenta's office, and once we were in there, that was when we were seeing him looking like he was already waiting for us. He was having the most bullshit smile on his face. And I was feeling upset just looking at that. Knowing that it was so fucking forced.

"Hello. How are you guys today?" He asked, and I was nodding. I was feeling like if he was willing to at least pretend to be nice to us, then I was feeling that I just needed to do the same. I needed to pretend like I was being respectful, and then we would be able to push this forward.

"I am doing alright. I was wanting to talk to you about the projects that Dana was working on. I heard that she had been working with you rather well about the monsters and stuff. Would you be willing to explain some of these things to me?" I asked, feeling like the more that I was just calm and collected with him, the better.

"Yeah. She was telling me that she had seen all the monsters in Wayside. And in all honesty, when I was hearing her description of the events, I realized that she was onto something. So I figured that I would give her a bit of help on her project. So it became a mutual partnership." Kenta said, and confirming their work, which I guess was enough to take what he was saying at least to some level of truth here.

"Alright. That is good to hear." Todd said, and he was saying it with a certain level of force. As if he was not really believing in this. But at the same time, he was feeling like he just needed to try and find a way to pretend like this was something he was actually fine with.

"So while you guys were working together, did you guys have any major plans on how to finish your projects? I mean, did you guys learn anything in the first place?" I asked, and then Kenta was looking down, and I was seeing him looking like he was just kind of annoyed with the way we took this.

"Well, I guided her on some of her projects with trying to find out more about the monsters, that's he claims that she saw. I felt like she was being enough of a good student to be giving her some pointers. One of which being the light house. Monsters usually have a strong gathering there, for some odd reason." Kenta said, and he was saying it like he was somehow surprised by something like this.

"Yeah, when we went there, there was this strange feeling that I was getting there. Like I had been watched or something. In all honesty, I had never been so scared in my life as I had been at that moment." Dana said, and then with her saying that, I was instantly seeing Todd getting on the defensive again. Wanting to make sure nothing happened to her.

"What fucking happened? Did you run into anything?" Todd asked, and then she was looking at him, as if finding his way of suddenly getting all in protective mode was just strange, and borderline annoying. Probably felt that what Todd was doing was just bullshit.

"No, we didn't run into anything. She thought that we would, and I was promising her that I would protect her if something were to come up. But then nothing happened. So I feel like you guys were all fine." Kenta said, and then he was shrugging, as if saying this was going to be the best way to try and make Todd feel better here.

"How would you have been able to fight these monsters off anyways? I mean, you have nothing to defend yourself anyways." Todd said, and I was seeing him looking like he was just looking like he was unable to even think of what things would be like if something happened to her. I was wondering if he liked her.

"Then I would have accepted fully responsibility. And I would have taken what happened." Kenta said, and then he remained silent, and he was wondering if Todd was going to be finally done having his fit. I was seeing that Todd was looking like he was still not very excited about what he was hearing. Probably feeling like it was just a load of shit now.

As Todd was taking a second to think carefully on what he was going to say next, he was taking a long and deep breath. "Kenta, are you sure that you did not know the fucking truth about the man in the purple jacket. I feel like there must have been something."

At this point, Kenta was just looking more confused, wondering what in the world Todd was even going to be able to accomplish with something like this. But as we were looking, I was seeing him looking kind of tired.

"I mean, I talked with him a couple of times. Obviously, considering the fact that we worked together in the same company for a really long time. Is that what you wanted me to admit." After he was saying this, Kenta was looking like he was just trying to hide his annoyance.

"What was he talking about when you were trying to work with him?" After Todd asked this, Dana was getting in the discussion once again. She was just sounding like she wanted us to all slow the fucking hell down, and not say anything else, until we discussed some things with her.

"Wait a second Todd, are you going on about that idea that you believe there is this guy trying to talk to Kevin? If you know what is going on with that, then just fucking tell me. I deserve the right to know if something is happening with one of our friends." She said, trying to sound like she was at least relatively collected here.

"I know something because I could have swore that I saw him. I see him a few times, and Sam knows about him. Sam has told me that he wants me to protect Kevin, and since he is wanting me to protect him from something that I know is real, then I have a stake here." Todd said, and then Kenta was looking at us for a second.

"Guys, if you are talking about meeting him, then he is at the high school parking lot every Saturday from midnight until three in the morning. He never said why he does something like this. But I feel like that is the best chance that you have in order to see what he is trying to do with Kevin." Kenta said, and then he was taking a cigar out.

"I didn't know you smoked." Dana said. With that, Kenta was laughing really hard. Finding her shocked reaction to that statement to be utterly perfect. As if it showed that there was some naiveness to what was going on.

"Every night at five, I take one out. My way of starting my two hour break." After he said that, Kenta was shrugging, and then looked at us. "But yeah, go to the fucking school if you want to find something that can get the man to talk to you. Surely he will have something." When Kenta was done, there was seeming to be a look of minor regret in what he was saying.

I looked at Todd, and I was feeling like I needed to let him be making the choice from this point forward. I really had no stake in the matter, and I was feeling like if I even pretended to be playing the upper hand here, then I was going to only be making things worse.

"Todd, are you actually going to be seeing this guy, or do you feel like you are going to try some other plans here." After I was asking him this, I was seeing him looking like he was just trying to find a way to keep his cool from the fact that I was trying so hard to be questioning everything.

"There is no other way. I mean, I have to be able to get something to that man if I try hard enough. I just feel like I need to really appeal to the mans senses. But in order to do that, I have to be extremely careful here." Todd was telling me, and then he was looking at Kenta for a bit, with a forced smile across his face.

"I am going to be seeing this man, one way or another. If I want to do it my first chance, I need to do it tonight. Because if I don't then that means that I am going to have to wait for an entire week." Todd was saying, and for once, he was actually sounding like he was confident.

"Well, Mister Kitagawa, I am sorry to have taken your time, and I am sure that my friends will not need to bother you any more. We were just wanting to thank you for your great service on Dana's education." I was saying, since I was feeling that despite everything else, I needed to still at least be polite. Lacking politeness was only going to make things worse.

"Well, I mean, I am always willing to eager to help people want to learn. And your friend Dana wants to learn more than almost any other thirteen year old girl that I had met. There were a couple of moments where I was actually stuck. Where for a brief moment, I thought she was smarter than me on a topic." Kenta said that, I was taking a second to be feeling better.

"Thank you. That really means more to me than you can possibly imagine." Dana said, and I was seeing her looking like she was going to be taking that across the rest of her life. But with that, I did feel like it was about time for us to leave.

"Well, we really are going to be leaving this time. There is no reason to be bothering him any further." I said, and then with that, I was taking a second to think about that. We started to walk along, trying to be making ourselves all feel like we were doing more. As we were at the elevator again, I was feeling like I just needed to think about what I would be doing now.

Once I was out of the building, I was looking at Todd and Dana. I felt like it was time for them to be working something out, and I felt like they needed to really make their own choices on the matter. "Alright you two. I want to make sure that you guys are actually ready for what you are doing." I was saying, and I felt like anything I would tell them wouldn't fucking matter.

"Well, I am going to fucking talk to that man in the purple jacket. I feel like I finally have a goal now. But I need to make sure that you guys know if you want to come or not." After Todd was telling us this, I wondered if there was even a choice now.

"If you are doing this, then at least I will be coming along with you guys. But I have no idea what Dana is going to do. And in all honesty, I feel like whatever she chooses, there is nothing that we are going to do to change this." I was saying, and I was looking right at Dana, wondering what to be saying now.

"Well, I guess that I would be interested in seeing more about it." After Dana was saying this to me, I was seeing Todd looking like he was not at all wanting to be dealing with this. But he decided to just simply remain silent now.

"Alright, see you tonight Todd. Don't fucking flake off. We got to do this, no matter what else is happening." I said, and then I was sighing, and I was wondering what else I was even going to be getting out of this. I wondered if I was doing the right thing here.

"Thank you for sticking with me here. I feel like this is the best option that we have. You are more than welcome to disagree with me. But I feel like this is the best that we can get out of this." Todd was telling me, and despite everything that he was wanting to say. Everything he was feeling, there was nothing else to be saying now.

"I will see if I can get one of my other friends to agree to help me out here." Dana was saying this, and I was feeling like this was not the best time to be making a game out of something that was way bigger than anything else here.

"I think that you need to be more careful about the idea of bringing your friends all into something like this. This isn't a fucking game." I was telling Dana, and I was not giving a single damn if I was being rude or harsh with everything that was going on.

"Well, maybe we can find a compromise. Maybe something like a recorder to keep on track of the conversation. That way, even if we don't have a crew there, there is at least some way the friends can learn." After Dana said this, I was looking at Dana, feeling like we had something to work with here.

Scene 8: Car Meet Up

Todd and I were at the entrance of my house, and getting to my car, when Todd was handing me something. "This is the recorder that Dana set me up with. She said that when we are done talking with him, we need to be heading right back to her, and let her listen to it. She said that her immediately learning what he said is the only way to get her to not worry about coming over." After Todd was telling me this, I was taking a second to think about it.

"Yeah. Fair enough. She seemed really wanting to know the truth. It almost felt wrong to be telling her off that one time. But I feel like you know that deep down, this was the best choice." I was saying, and I was taking a second to consider what I had said. I was thinking it might be best to just let him join.

We got in the car, and I was feeling like what I was doing with Todd was only going to be making matters worse, since in all honesty, it was all just really messy, and I was feeling like I had made the wrong choice on everything going on.

As I was starting to drive on towards the school, I was feeling like I needed to have a serious conversation with Todd. I felt like perhaps he just needed to hear what I was wanting to tell him. So that way he wouldn't be doing anything dumb as hell.

"Todd, I know you are not going to like me saying this. But I feel like we just need to talk for a bit. I feel like in all honesty, it might be best if after this, we just sort of split ways, and stop this whole charade." I was saying, and I was feeling like telling him this was all that mattered.

What I had not known was that Todd already hit the record button. "In all honesty, I feel like if I hurt you or any of your friends, I would never want to live anymore. You guys in a sort period are already starting to be some of my strongest friends. I feel like protecting you is more important than virtually anything else in the world." I said, and I was feeling like that was even including the idea of finding Riley. That was something I had kind of given up on at this point in time.

"And I feel like when I see you guys just enjoying your life, and actually having a bright future ahead, I feel like it is my duty to give you guys everything you need." I was saying, knowing that nothing that I was going to tell him would be making things any different.

"Sheldon, I think you understand that the most important thing that we can do here is make our own choices. And I feel like you understand that I have a moral responsibility to be taking this as far as I can. My friends are the most important thing that I have." Todd said, and I was shaking my head here.

"I know that you were going to say that. Deep down inside, I knew everything that I was going to say would be something you would brush off. But in all honesty, I guess that it doesn't really even fucking matter." I said, and I was wondering why Todd was fighting me all the time with something like this. I was feeling like this fighting was only going to make things worse.

"Sheldon, are you actually serious when you say all these things about my friends. That you care about how we are doing? If that is the case, then that really makes me feel a whole lot better. I was worried that in all honestly you were not going to actually give much of a shit what my friends and I were doing." After he was telling me this, I was feeling like there was nothing I could say to make it any different.

"Everything that I was saying was true. I mean, you might find it all sappy, and stupid. But I don't fucking care. I just felt like you needed to hear that. I don't want anything to fucking happen to you. And I feel like there is a certain level of protection that I have." I said, and I was wondering why I even cared about these people who were rather fucking rude to me at times.

"Well, thanks for telling me that. Just make sure that your new found attachment isn't going to be getting in the way of our work." After Todd was telling me this, I was feeling like he needed to really tone down what he was saying. But then with that, I was thinking that I needed to just not be a hard ass right now.

We were at the school parking lot, and I was seeing that we still had five minutes to spare before the guy was going to be showing. "I guess that we just need to wait things out, since I feel like getting in his way is only going to make things worse." I said, feeling like being careful was all that even mattered now.

"I don't really even think that there is a peaceful end to any of this anymore. But I think that as long as I can get Kevin to see that this is a horrible idea, then none of this will even fucking matter anymore. Nothing else matters except for him getting it." Todd said, and then the man was pulling up with a black car, and I was taking a long and deep breath. Hoping this wouldn't get us killed.

Once Todd was getting out of the car, I was coming along with him, and Todd placed the recorder in his pocket. I was hoping that the guy did not notice that we were recording this at all. If he did, then in all honesty, we were going to screwed.

When he was getting out of the car, he was smiling as he was seeing Todd. "Oh wow, I never thought that I would be seeing you show up. Just trying to make yourself useful with your friends. I guess that makes sense, when you are trying to make people not regret having you in their friend group." After the man in the purple jacket said this, he looked at me, and thought that me being here was hilarious.

"If your father was here, then I feel like he would be finding this set up hilarious. Not quite the person that you think he is." After the man in the purple jacket was saying this, I was feeling like I just needed to try and keep my calm when he was saying this. It wasn't true, no matter what he was telling me.

"Leave my father out of this. He is a far more honorable man than you will ever be." I was telling him, and he was taking a second to think about what I was saying. Probably trying to find the best way to refute what I was telling him.

"What makes you even come here in the first place? I am sure that you are not going to be wanting to preach your self righteous ness with me. So let's have it." After he was telling us this, I was seeing Todd looking like he was more than willing to take up this offer.

"I was wanting to talk to you about some concerns that my friend Sam has. He was worried about what you were doing with his younger brother Kevin. I feel like if you can just explain things better with us, then we will all be willing to leave you alone." After he was telling the guy this, I saw him looking slightly tired.

"You guys have no idea what you are getting yourselves into, do you? You don't seem to realize that everything that I am doing right now is perfectly within reason of trying to keep unity in this town." After the man in the purple jacket said that, I was now confused.

"I helped the Peabody family start things back up in this town when things got rough. I have a large investment to be making here and I feel like you would understand where I was coming from more if you saw what I was simply trying to accomplish right now." The man said, and then I was feeling like I needed to just see what was going on here. Any clues to get me closer to a answer.

"If that was the case, then I feel like there would have been something about that story being told. So I feel like you need to come up with something more realistic." After I was telling him this, the man laughed for a bit.

"Because he wouldn't want to ruin his crisp perfect image of actually being the one who was able to solve things now." The man said, and I was feeling like there was only a small level of truth to it. "I suppose it would make sense for you guys to not really grasp the idea that people never really mean what they say here. After all, you guys are still young enough to not see the main picture."

"But what does this fucking got to do with Kevin?" Todd asked, feeling like he needed to get right back on the main topic at hand. As he said this, the man was taking a second to think about what Todd was saying before diverting again.

"Alright, fair enough. The truth is that I made a deal with his parents, about how when their children were older, we were going to teach them the secrets of this place. But those secrets have nothing to do with you." After the man in the purple jacket said this, he was taking a second to stop and think about what he was saying.

"Wait a second. Stay perfectly still for a second." He said, and the way he was saying this was kind of putting me on edge. As I was looking at him, he was spending a few extra seconds looking at Todd, and started to take a deep breath.

"Oh my god Todd, you really don't know what this is right now. How can you be here, and not know what you are really in this for?" The man was asking, as Todd and I were both taking a second to think about the strange way he was talking.

"What do you fucking mean?" Todd asked, and I was seeing that his patience was barely being contained. "I mean, if you know anything at all, you need to step up, and tell me what you know." He said, then the man in the purple jacket laughed.

"You are one half of the biggest puzzle in this entire town. If I tell you the truth, then that would be ruining all the run that we have here." After he was telling me this, I was seeing that Todd was now officially looking like he was no longer having any patience for this guy, or any of his games.

"Why are you not telling me the truth!?" Todd asked, and I was feeling like he was needing to be very careful about how he was approaching this subject. If he was not, then I was having no idea what this man was going to do now. But I was feeling that there was just nothing to say now.

"I have told you the truth. But you are not the one who is not wanting to accept it. If you wanted to know more, then you need to stop always placing emotions before facts." After the man was telling Todd this, he was simply remaining silent. Wondering what in the world Todd would respond to with that.

"I think you need to make sure that your friend doesn't go around and doing something that he is going to regret. He is already pushing his boundaries quite a bit." After the man in the purple jacket was asking me this, I was smiling, and I felt like for once, everything was going to be on my shoulder.

"I feel like if you guys would just be willing to talk with us more, then none of this is going to be a issue. He never wanted to be making you feel like what you were saying wasn't good enough." I was telling the man in the purple jacket, and I was hoping that if for nothing else, he might be able to actually buy my bluff.

"If you wanted to know more, then you are going to have to talk to the Carbunkle family. I am sure that they will give you everything you need." After he was telling us this, I was looking right at Todd, and I was wondering what he was going to say to this.

"The Carbunke family? I was thinking about coming to them at some point. Are you sure that they are going to give me what I need?" Todd asked, and he was sounding like he was just needing a bit more confidence in what he was going to be doing from this point forward.

"Alright. So it does seem like you have a good idea on what you are actually getting involved with. I never thought that you were actually going to show me that." The man said, and then he was looking right at me, and I was wondering what he was going to respond with.

"Don't try to place yourself higher than other people when the truth is that they have a better goal in mind than you do. I feel like if your father knew what you were doing, he would be ashamed of what you are trying to do." After he was telling me this, I was looking down on the ground, and hearing him tell me this was really making me feel a lot worse.

"You guys both must realize that this job is important. I have been working rather hard here for this town, and I hope that when you guys grow up, you will see that I have not done anything that would be making things worse for you all." He was telling me, and then we were taking a second to remain silent at what he was telling us.

"Besides, if Kevin thought that I was making a mistake, then he would be the one who would tell me here. He would not be lying about what was going on in his mind." After he was telling us this, I was feeling like what he was saying was just kind of rubbing me the wrong way.

"I have no idea if Kevin actually knows what he is doing. That is the biggest issue that I have right now." Todd said, and I was seeing him looking like he was actually ashamed to admit something like this. And I was seeing that despite everything going on, he was wishing that he had never needed to say that.

"If Kevin wants you guys to know the truth, then fucking ask him. You can even tell him that I gave you guys permission to be asking him. He will know that there is no reason to be holding back." He said, and then with that, he was getting in his car, and I was calling out to him.

"Can you at least tell me how well you know my father in the first place?" I asked, and I was seeing him looking like he was actually thinking about that for a bit. Almost as if feeling like there was a certain level of pity that he was actually feeling right now. But had a hard time showing it really.

"I know him because when he was elected, he said that he needed advice on how to run the town. He was worried that he was not going to be doing all that good of a job, and he was wanting to make sure that he doesn't make any mistakes." After he was telling me this, I was thinking about what he was saying for a bit.

"Your father is just doing what he feels like is going to be for the better of the public. And when you grow older, you will realize that in order to do just that, you have to put aside your personal emotions, and put things before you." After the man was telling me this, I was looking right at him. I was feeling like what he was saying was complete fucking shit.

"I am going to try and talk to my father about this. I feel like I need to just see what he is doing." I said, and then I was really having no idea what I was going to tell him. I was feeling like this man kind of was ruining my night. Because he was making me rather unsure of everything. And that feeling of uncertainty was starting to fucking drive me fucking insane.

When Todd and I were in the car, I was balling my fist. I wanted to scream in all honesty. I felt like screaming would be the only way to truly express what I was feeling. But then I decided that I would take things calm and steady. Because in all honesty, this whole thing was just a bit of a exhausting situation.

"I want to beat that man's ass. Even just thinking of the way he is acting just makes me mad." I said, and I was looking at Todd, wondering what he was going to be saying now. But then with that, he just decided to remain silent for a bit.

"Todd, do you really feel like that man even has any intention of helping? I mean, that man probably has a horrible plan with Kevin, and I can't just stand there and let that happen." After Todd was saying this, he was shaking his head again.

"I don't know. I mean, I feel like everything he is saying is a part of some giant reveal, that is probably super obvious if we actually start to think." I said, and I was wondering what I was even going to be saying at all. Their plans were just kind of pissing me off to be honest.

"But what can I tell him? What can I say that would make him be more willing to actually tell me anything? And the fact that he is talking about helping my father. Such fucking bullshit. My dad would not be helping this guy willingly." I said, and I was wondering if I was even buying what I said at all.

"But Sheldon, what if he is telling the truth? What if we are all just the victim of a load of bullshit?" After Todd asked me this, I was looking at him. I wanted nothing to do with it. I did not think that something like this was going to be worth hearing.

"If he is telling the truth, then I feel like I am probably the biggest idiot the world has ever seen, and I feel like I need to just laugh at myself for falling for it." I said, and I was feeling like admitting to this was all that I was going to be saying.

"Sheldon, if you are the idiot, then I feel like we are both going to be idiots together. Everything that he said was making the smallest hint of sense possible. I mean, if I tried hard enough, I can probably understand what he is saying. But I feel like thinking about it wouldn't really be worth it." After Todd said that, I was wondering if I just needed to take what he was saying. Or if I needed to be trying to fight what he was saying at least a little bit.

Eventually, we were starting to drive off, as Todd was remaining silent at this. He was probably feeling rather upset at everything that was going on. In all honesty, I couldn't even blame him for the way that he had been feeling. This whole situation was fucking bullshit, and there was no better way to word it.

"I am going to give this to Dana, and see what she says. I will try to talk to Kevin. Maybe he will actually tell me some shit, if he is actually wanting us to help him out. But I wouldn't be surprised if it turns out he doesn't want that." After Todd was telling me this, I was able to hear the hurt in his voice.

"I guess that at this point, that is really all that you can fucking do. I know you are not wanting to hear it, but I really do feel bad for you. I mean, it sounds like he just wants to get in your head. I wouldn't fucking do this if I were you." I said, and then I was looking at him for a bit. I was wondering if he was willing to at least hear what I was saying.

"I mean, I feel like if this guy knows what is going on with Kevin, and has plans for my best friend, then I need to just see what I could do to make any difference at all. I understand it's not the best idea. But it is all that matters to me." Todd was telling me, and then with that, I was feeling like there was no need to even try to say anything else.

"I am just worried that Kevin is not going to want to tell you what he knows. He will probably think you are pestering him too much, or being a asshole. I feel like there is no way you can convince him here." I said, and I was feeling like I just needed to be purely honest here.

"I know that I am going to need to talk to my dad about some of the shit this man was telling me. I feel like if he knows anything about what this guy is saying, then I really have no fucking choice." I said, and then I was really having no idea what to tell him.

"I have no idea what your father is going to tell you. I feel like anything he will tell you will be something to just make you feel better. Do you really want to take the risk? The idea of knowing that he might just be lying to you, in order to give you at least some feeling of comfort?" He asked, and then I was thinking about that point.

"Well, I would rather have that than nothing. I need to just take what I can get. And who knows, maybe the more that I can talk to him here, the better that things can be." I said, and I was wondering how likely it would be that my father would just not be giving off any bullshit.

Once I was starting to pull up at Todd's house, I was looking at him for a bit. "Honestly, when it comes to the end of the day, you need to do what is helpful to you. Not everything can be done perfectly. I think you of all people really do understand that. Just be careful with the people you hang out with." I said, and I was feeling like what I was saying was just kind of super obvious stuff. But I hardly fucking cared at all.

"I feel like I probably get that. I mean, there is nothing for me to gain when I just go around, running like a fucking mad man." After Todd was telling me this, I was feeling really fucking annoyed with all that I was doing.

"And I feel like when Sam can finally open up to me, and tell me what is really going on in his fucking mind, I can really see why he is so scared." I said, and I was wondering what I was even going to tell Sam right now. I felt that nothing I could say would make him feel better at all.

"There is one thing I can fucking guarantee you right now. We are going to fucking learn about the damn fucking Carbunkle family. Tomorrow. If you want to wait until after Sam tells you about the meeting, then that's fine. But say by three or four in the afternoon, we go to that fucking house." After Todd was telling me this, I was sighing, feeling like what he was saying was a stuck position, and nothing that I could change.

"Just make sure you don't let your emotions get in the way. If we are going to get anything out from this discussion, we need to at least pretend like we are actually being smart here." After I was telling him this, I was taking a second to think about what we were actually doing.

"Fine. If you say so, I will do my best to not let my thoughts get in the way of this. That doesn't mean that I have to fucking like it at all. But I guess that you already understand that." He said, and then he was shaking his head.

Then as we were at his house, I was taking a long and deep breath. I was convinced that this was not going to be ending well. But I was not wanting to get Todd annoyed at me, and pretending like I was getting in his way or anything like that.

"I hope that when you talk with Sam about this, he will have a much more clear idea of what you are going to need to do. If you do, then that would be absolutely wonderful." After he was telling me this, he was getting out of the car.

Todd left me there, and I was sighing. There was nothing that I would be able to do to make the situation better at all. As he was gone, I was feeling like everything that I had done was all for nothing. I was a horrible friend, and I wasn't needing anybody to go on and tell me this. It super obvious to me, as much as I hated it.

When he was gone, I took a second to think, and shook my head, as I started to drive off towards my house. The entire time that I was heading there, I was more or less convinced that I was not going to really be making things better.

When I was at my house, I got out of my car, and took out my cigarette. I was thinking hard about what was happening, and I was feeling like everything that I could do from this point forward was only going to be making things worse.

Eventually, when I smoked enough, I stomped it out, and then went inside. Not caring if my dad was going to be upset that I was out so late. If he was going to be bothered by this, then he should have tried to approach me and actually make me feel better. But he hadn't.

When I was inside, I was seeing that my father was still working on something. I was about to head to my room, to try and pretend like nothing was going on. But as I was close to the door, my dad called out to me. Somehow I knew that was going to fucking happen.

"What are you wanting to talk about?" I asked, and looked right at him. I was feeling like he would be smart enough to see that I was not really in the mood for this right now. As I was seeing him taking a second to think about how he would approach me with my statements, he was looking kind of scared here.

"Honestly Sheldon, I just wanted to make sure that you weren't feeling too lost and alone. I know that I have been too busy with my work lately to really be making you feel like I have been there for you. But I promise that I am going to change that as much as I can." My father said, trying to repair the damage he caused.

"Well, if that is the case, then fucking answer me this." I said, and then I looked right at him, not ready to take any bullshit at all. "What do you know about a guy in a purple jacket? I talked with him earlier, and he was telling me that you had worked with him quite well, I want to know if that is true."

My father was looking at me, and I was seeing that he was thinking about denying me, and brushing this off. But then he was shaking his head. As if aware that doing so would not help him at all.

"Yeah, I have seen him once or twice. He was wanting to work with me about some contracts. But the contracts had strange written all over them. And I was feeling like it would not be safe to be taking his offer on literally anything at all." My father said, and shrugged as he was saying this.

"What was so strange about those contracts?" I asked, feeling like I needed to at least give him a chance to explain himself. My father sighed, feeling like he would have to at least give me this. Even if he was not really happy about it.

"Well, he was telling me that he was doing some research, and he was saying that he believes that there are other worlds. Places that we could go to if we looked for a way in." After he was telling me this, I was seeing him looking like he was not really buying it at all.

"He was trying to get me to agree to work on some projects that would show proof of these. In all honesty, I feel like what he is saying is bullshit. And even if it is true, there is no way that we can have proof of that for several decades. Well beyond the time my term expires. And I have other things that I need to worry about right now." After he was telling me this, I was shaking my head, feeling like what this man was doing was fucking insane if what my father said was true.

"Well, I am glad to see that you are not buying into that shit. If you did, then I feel like I would have to question your sanity. I mean, I am trying to have hope here. I really, truly do. But this whole thing is just hard for me to really understand." I said, and then I was just figuring that I would remain silent now.

"Sheldon, I understand that you don't really believe in the town anymore. I do not blame you. But no matter what you may believe, I am truly doing my best to make sure that corruption doesn't seep forward. Please, just give me until the end of my term. If by the time the six years are up, and things are no better, than you can hate me as much as you damn well please. But reserve judgment until then." After he said that to me, I was slowly nodding.

"You're right. But I hope that you know that either way, I am not going to be staying her any longer after I graduate. This place is a fucking mausoleum if you ask me. My sister, and the memories of this place." I said, and I was seeing my father looking like he was wanting to fight this more. But then he sighed, feeling there was no need.

"And you have the right to do this. I might not like it. But you're seventeen. You are old enough to make your own choices. And if leaving after you graduate is the best course of action for you, then I will leave it to you." After he was telling me this, I was slowly nodding, and felt like I needed to just be careful now. I went to my room, to just be alone.

Scene 9: The President's Word

I was at the company hall entrance, taking out a cigarette, while I was considering what in the world I was even going to be doing to change things around for the better. Despite how much I was feeling like talking to Sam was going to be a great help.

Before long, Sam was there with me, and he was taking a second to think about what we were doing. "That man seems to be going out of his way to make sure that none of his work gets revealed to the public. If that is not screaming guilt, then I don't fucking know what fucking does." Sam said, and then he was sighing at this for a second.

"Honestly, every time I try to talk to him, he seems like he is scared of what people are going to be saying when he gives a honest answer or something. I feel like there is almost a part of him that actually feels bad for what he is doing." Sam was saying, but then I was feeling like something like this was just bullshit.

"No way that is going to happen. I mean, if he was feeling guilty, he would tell people what he knows, and say risks be damned. But the fact that he clearly hasn't, shows that he doesn't give a fuck." After I said this, I was feeling like taking accountability for his actions was the only thing that I could do.

"I don't fucking know dude. I am just trying to find a way that can make sense out of this insanity. But I guess that something like this just doesn't really matter." After Sam was saying this, I was seeing him looking like he was just trying to decide what else he was going to even want to say now.

"Did he help you with learning about what that man in the purple jacket is doing? With Kevin I mean. No way he is going to tell you a damn thing more than that obviously." I said, and then I was looking at him, and I was seeing that Sam was looking like he was honestly still not all that happy about this situation. I felt like that was a good indicator that shit was hitting the fan.

"He said something about him working with Kevin because there was a sales that our parents did, and he was wanting to make sure that Kevin knew about it. And also because his paper about science last year was supposedly really advanced for a seventh grade student." He said, trying to understand why he was doing this in the first place.

"Like, I wish that I knew more than what he was letting on. But I think we are both well aware of the fact that we are not getting a damn detail more than that. And I feel like we need to know more about that business deal my fucking parents are doing. Because for some reason, this man decided to bring my brother into this, and now he is going to suffer for it." Sam said, feeling disgusted at his parents.

"Maybe it really is not all that big of a deal. In all honesty, I think we need to be more careful about what we are doing. Maybe this man really does just want to work with your brother. And if that is the case, then would that really be so fucking bad." After I said this, I was already aware that even to myself that I was not buying a single fucking word of what I was saying at all.

"I still feel like if it was really as simple as a paper that impressed this guy, then Kevin would be willing to tell me that. I mean, there is no reason to be hiding something like this when he is doing something good and worthy. So clearly there is a bigger reason to all of this than we are hearing. And I am kind of losing my patience with all those people who are playing games with us." Sam said, and I was hearing his patience be as close to running out as possible.

"But Sam, clearly you are not going to learn it from running around like a god damn chicken with your fucking head cut off." I said, and then I was looking right at him, and I was seeing that Sam was not really feeling like something like this was even going to be possible.

"Oh, so it's okay for you to do something like that, but not for me? Do you not realize that you are in a double standard right now? I mean, you go around and do literally just this shit all the time. Not having a single fucking clue on what you are doing." Sam was telling me, and when he was saying this, I instantly knew that any chance of having him stop doing this was going to be fucking gone.

"God damn it Sam. You seem to always know the way to get me to stop getting in your face about this all." I said, and I was really unsure of what else to say. I guess that I was aware that nothing else I could say was going to be making a fucking lick of difference.

"I just feel like you need to think about what you are saying before you say it. I mean, you have been doing all this stuff for years, so it makes sense that after a while, people would be able to call you out on the stuff that you are saying. Because at the end of the day, it usually holds no god damn bounds." Sam said, and we were walking off, and I was feeling like everything else I could say was just going to be a waste of time.

"But Sheldon, what are you planning on doing now? I am sure that you are not here to just lecture me about how I am taking care of my brother. So I would prefer if you just leave things alone for now." After Sam was asking me this, I knew that I needed to be careful, as to not try his patience.

"Well, even if I wanted to, I know that you will not listen. So what I am here to do instead is just see if there is a plan to this at all?" I asked, and I was looking right at him, wondering what I was going to say. "So I just feel like when you talk to your brother, you need to just simply be careful on how you are doing things."

"Oh trust me, if I was going to try and talk to my brother about this, he would be rather rude about the fact that he wants nothing to do with it. He is never really the guy to shy away from that stuff." After Sam was saying that, I was sighing, feeling like there was a hint of truth to that.

"But wouldn't somebody being totally real be better than nothing?" I asked, and then he looked right at me, as if wondering why I was even trying to accomplish anything like this in the first place. Before long, I was seeing Sam looking like he was just trying to hide more emotions.

"I just can't help but realize that I have been a terrible brother, and I want to just try and make sure that he knows that I am not going to be throwing him under the bus. I want to make him see that no matter what else is happening, we can pull this together." I said, and then I was shrugging for a bit.

"Then maybe just talking with him, and having you both express your feelings is the best way to make this work. Simple as that. Just fucking talk for once. Don't try to make this one big complicated mystery. That is only going to be making things much worse." I said, and I was feeling like the fact that he was going on this tangent was a sign that he didn't know what he was doing.

"What would I even talk to him about? I mean, he always just brushes me off, and he always just acts like I am trying to make matters worse for him. And to a small extent, that might be true. But for once, I want to do something right.

"Talk to him about his friends, and just get to learn more about them. I mean, that would be something he would enjoy doing. None of this fucking over the top shit where you are trying to act like you are the only one who can make him feel better." I said, and then I was wondering if he was even going to be listening to here.

"Yeah, I mean, I have kind of gotten him to talk to me about Todd, and that seems to be kind of getting somewhere. But I feel like any time I try to talk to the others, it all feels fake. I feel like talking to him about his friend group is also not going to accomplish anything. I am going to talk to that man, and I am going to see if I can clear some things up with him." He said, and then I was looking at him, wondering why he was even suggesting this.

"If you feel like you can get somewhere with talking to him, than you can see him on Saturday nights. But be careful. He hardly seems to care about listening to you guys at all." I said, and then I was shrugging as I was telling him this. Aware that this man had no intention of talking.

"Todd and I tried to talk to the guy. But it was a total wash. In all honesty, I think the best course of action is to have you talk with him. After all, you do have some stake in the matter. And I am sure he will be willing to tell you more." I said, and then I was seeing him looking like he was glad to finally have a clue on what he was going to be doing.

"Wow, I can't believe that you actually tried to do that. You must have been totally desperate to do something like this." After Sam was telling me this, I was feeling the fact that he was clearly finding the whole thing to be funny was more of something or me to be worried about right now. This wasn't some amusing joke or anything.

"I thought that maybe by talking to him, I would be able to get him to explain some things. You know, when I was at his personal space. But I guess that this was just not meant to be. But in all honesty, I am not really going to be too worried about anything like this." I said, and then I was shrugging at this, feeling no need to speak further.

"I guess that I should have known that something like this was probably not going to actually work out for the best. But Sheldon, make sure that Todd knows that even if I do not agree with everything he is doing, I do appreciate the fact that you guys are trying so hard." Sam said, hoping this would be able to make the situation at least slightly less bad.

"I will tell him this. I feel like if you tell him though, he might actually be willing to believe the story far more. After all, he probably wants to actually know that what he is doing will make a difference." I said, and then I was shrugging, feeling no need to be saying anything else at this rate.

Before long, we were at his house, and I was seeing Sam looking like he was just trying to decide what he was going to be saying now. I was wondering what he was planning on telling me. "I wish that none of this had ever happened to Kevin. I wished that he had failed that project, since if he did, then at least he would actually be happier here." Sam said, and I was wondering what he was going to get out of saying this.

"To be honest, I feel like if he enjoys something like this, then maybe the guy isn't too bad. For all I know, he might be holding back details because we aren't the ones working with him." I said, and I was sighing, and I really had no idea what in the world I was even going to be telling him.

"I still feel like it is all a fucking lie. But I guess that nothing else even fucking matters. I am going to leave this alone for the time being." After Sam said that to me, he was going in the house, and I was standing there, and I was feeling like there was nothing else that I would ever be able to say that could have made the situation any different.

When Sam was in his house, I was taking and long and deep breath. Then I rubbed my eyes, and decided that I was going to be leaving. When I was starting to walk away, and I was feeling like there was virtually nothing else that I could even get out of this. As I was leaving him, I was wondering if I would ever get Sam to be happier.

I was starting to head home, and I was wondering if I was going to be telling Todd what I had found out. The entire time that I was thinking about the conversation with him, I was feeling that in all honesty, what I was going to tell him about what Sam said was probably just not going to be having a safe landing.

If anything, Todd was going to be laughing at me, and telling me that Sam should just grow a pair of balls, and tell him this shit himself. He was going to be making it sound like he was the bad guy. And that there was nothing that he was doing wrong.

Eventually, I was back home, and I decided that I would not think about it any longer. I would just have a good time with my father, and I would forget all about it. After all, my dad would probably find my interest to be a hassle.

I went inside, and I decided to not even give my father a chance to talk to me right now. He probably was going to give me some shit for not talking to him. But in all honesty, I hardly fucking cared at all. He could hate me for it for all I cared.

Scene 10: Nothing Left

When I was seeing Steven the next time, Todd and I were heading on over to his place. Just hoping that he would be willing to talk with us about things that were bothering him. But to be perfectly honest, I was feeling that virtually anything that we would tell him would just be something that he would brush off completely, as us just trying to pretend to be worried about him.

When I was staring at him, I was wondering if anything that I would say would be making him feel better at all. "Hey Steven, I was wondering if you needed to talk for a bit?" I asked, feeling like asking a simple question like this would be the best way to make him feel better about what was happening.

I looked at Todd, wondering what he was going to be saying to this idea. He was looking like he was just kind of waiting to see where this was actually going to be going. "No, I feel like there is no reason to have this discussion right now. After all, you guys still haven't been able to find Shari."

As he said that, I was feeling a tingle of regret, and I was feeling like there wasn't anything that I could say to him that would be making him feel better at all. So I just decided to look at him for a second. "Honestly Steven, I have no idea if something like that is going to work out. I feel like if this is going to work, then we are going to be needing your help." I said, and I was annoyed at the fact that I was telling him this in the first place.

"What would I even be able to do to help? I mean, in all honesty, I have no idea what you are planning on doing. I already showed you the well, and you basically decided that there was no reason to keep going there." After he told me this, I was feeling like he was not needing to jump to conclusions.

"I never said that the well was not going to help at all. All I said was that I was feeling like I needed more to work with than that. I mean, come on. You were her best friend. You of all people probably knew more about what she enjoyed than Todd and I do." I said, and I looked right at Steven, hoping he would actually confirm this.

"You did suggest that we could go to her parents place, and if you are with us, then perhaps they would be more willing to tell us some things." I said, hoping that saying this would remind him of his comments. I saw the look on Steven's face looking like he was already losing some of his patience with that statement.

"Yeah, I did technically say that." Steven said, and he was looking like he had not wanted that reminder. But then when he was done, and then with that, he was rubbing his eyes. Probably feeling like he was just going to have to find any excuse out of this possible.

"Steven. Just help us any way that you can. Even if it doesn't give us all the answers that we need, we would still be more than willing to take it." I said, and then with that, Steven was looking like he was going to strangle us, if this turned out the way he was expecting.

"Alright, I will fucking do this. If it gives us any fucking chance at finding Shari, then I will just tell them to go along with it for the time being." Steven said, and he was sounding like he was really regretting what he was saying. But with that, we were starting to head on towards her parents place.

"Have you guys made any progress on learning at least like the basic details on what was happening with her? I mean, I feel like if there is at least some basic ideas where to go from here, then I suppose I can't be too upset." After Steven said that to me, I was wondering what I was going to be telling him.

"To be honest, a lot of people have been basically telling us that they do not want us to be looking into this any more, and have been trying their best to be making sure it doesn't happen." I said, and then I looked at him, wondering what to say now.

"Why are they fucking telling you guys this? Do they not see the bigger picture, and that her safety is at the line? Or do people just not really fucking care about that?" Steven was asking, and I was seeing him looking like he was not having all that much patience in what he was hearing.

"Because they are looking at more than just Shari. They are trying to look at the entire town, and the fear that the people who are going missing in this town, as a cumulative whole, is a bigger deal to be worried about than the fucking worry of Shari." I said, and I was not caring how harsh I was sounding when I was telling him this.

"That doesn't make any sense. If they wanted to make sure that the other people here were safe, then they need to just go out and learn about the other people here. Nothing about these stories add up. Surely you're smart enough to see this." After Steven said that to us, we were getting closer to Shari's older house, where we were alone now.

Eventually, he knocked on the door. "You guys need to be much more careful about what you are doing here. They are probably going to have absolutely no patience to be hearing the stuff you have told me. I already have a hard time keeping my shit together with what you are saying." Steven said, and I believed him.

Eventually, her mother answered the door. At first, she seemed really upset at us being here. Then she was seeing that Steven was there, and I was seeing her looking like she was kind of more willing to calm down, and not be too upset at us here.

"Oh hey Steven. Are these some of your friends here?" She asked, and I was seeing Steven looking like he was not too sure what to say to that. Probably felt like whatever he was going to tell her was going to be a bit more forced than normal.

"Well, they did promise me that they are going to help with Shari. And I think you already know Sheldon." Steven said, and when he was saying this, I was seeing him looking like he was just kind of annoyed here. Then she looked at me, and then nodded.

"Oh yeah. We had that discussion earlier. I had forgotten all about that honestly. I sort of just figured that you were never going to be returning. After all, when people make promises with me, they usually never have any intention of following though with it." After she was telling me this, I was then feeling like I just needed to try and say something else to make her feel better.

"Honestly, I have no idea what to tell you. I have tried to be finding the truth. I thought that I might have been able to find some of the answers that you needed. But it seems like no matter what I try, those just never fucking happen." After I was telling her this, I was wondering if I was even comfortable with the bullshit that I had just given her.

"I need to know though. Was there anything else that she was into? I mean, I have a feeling that if she had some form of personal interests, then she might have been sought out because of those." I said, feeling that telling her this, in a straight forward fashion, was what she needed to hear.

"Well, I am assuming you already know about her martial arts interest. So I am not going to bore you with anything about that." She said, and then I was slowly nodding, and then I looked at Steven, feeling like I needed his help. Or even Todd's.

When she looked at Todd, I was seeing her looking like she was remembering something on her mind. "What are you going to do here? I have heard a lot of things about you." After was telling him, and Todd was giving her a slightly worried look. As if feeling like no matter what he was going to say, he was going to be walking on wires.

"What have you heard?" Todd asked, and I was hearing him looking like he was barely containing himself at this rate. As if he was feeling like whatever this woman was going to tell him, she just needed to tell him, so he would have a idea on what he was getting himself into.

"I have heard that you have been getting involved in a lot of other peoples business. Such as about finding out more of the missing peoples cases in this town. It seems like you have a ability to always find some way to get involved in a case." She said, and then Todd was remaining silent for a second. Aware that what she was saying was true enough.

"I mean, I feel like I need to just do whatever I can to be making a difference, and helping those around me." After Todd was saying this to her, I was seeing him looking like he was feeling personally attacked by saying this.

"Well, the issue with Shari was that she was often so secluded, and sleeping so much, that it was hard to really know what her personal feelings were at all. In all honesty, when she started to hang out with you guys, it was totally catching us off guard. Because that is something that she would never fucking do." After she was telling Steven this, I saw her looking like she was more worried about what she was saying.

"We thought that she had broken out of her shell. But as soon as she would be home, she would just go to her room, and maybe do homework or something for like an hour, then go to sleep. There was no consistency to anything. She hardly spoke any words to us after a while." After she was telling me this, I was having nothing to say at all.

"Did she tell you guys anything about the hang outs we were doing? I mean, if there was something that she noticed that we never did, then you need to tell us." Steven said, and he was sounding like he was horribly desperate. I was seeing that in all honesty, Steven was just scared of what he was getting himself into.

"Well, I think she had mentioned a guy she had seen hanging around one time. But we never thought about it at all." After she was telling me this, I was having no idea what in the world to say. I was already having a lot of fears on my mind on where this was going to be heading.

"What was the guy like?" Todd asked, and he was sounding a bit off. "This could be really fucking important." As he was looking at her, I was seeing him totally fucking feeling desperate about what he was getting himself into here.

"A guy in a purple jacket, or so it seemed. I only heard her bring him up a few times. But in all honesty, when she did bring it up, she was always seeming to be watching over her shoulder. Like she was actually scared about this." She was telling me, and I was really having no idea what in the world I was going to say at all.

"Oh my fucking god. I never thought that just a simple description was going to be bringing so much fear and dread into me." Todd was saying, and then he was taking a second to breath in and out. "We have no idea what to tell you. But in all honesty, we feel like there is something much larger to all this."

"This can't fucking be. Do you know anything about this man?" She asked, and then I was feeling like lying was only going to be making things worse, so I might as well just tell her the truth.

"I don't really know a whole lot. Only really the most basic of details. In all honesty, I wasn't even sure if he existed until I saw him a few days ago. But I have no idea what the guy is like at all." I said, and then I was looking like I just needed to be a lot more careful.

"Todd. You did keep your promise. You actually knew more about what was going on with her." After Steven was telling me this, I was looking at him, and I was wondering what in the world I was going to even be saying.

"I mean, I was just trying my best to working this out as much as possible. I understand that it is not the best that you wanted to hear." Todd said, and then he was looking at Shari's mom, and he was looking like he was just trying to find any way to be making this situation better.

"Honestly, this is better than nothing. Before then, the best that we could really do was suspect that he was involved here. But now that we talked with you, we know for sure that he is involved. So knowing that, and just trying to figure out where that involvement is, is a start at least." After Todd was telling her this, he was wondering if this was going to be making her feel better at all.

"Honestly dude, that man is really creepy. Just the way he presents himself, and the way that he talks, makes it seem like he just views this all as a game. Steven, if you want to keep looking for Shari, I am not going to stop you. But I feel like you need to know that you just need to think about your personal safety." I said, feeling like saying this was going to get him actually think.

"Thank you for your time. We will update you as soon as we know more about this." I said, and then I was smiling, and took out a cigarette, hoping that I would actually have some level of composure to this matter going forward. After all, this was the only person we had any clues about.

As we were leaving her alone, I was aware that this was not really the way that Steven was wanting this story to go. But in all honesty, I was feeling like he just needed to take what we were able to give him. It was better than nothing, and I think he probably was aware of this.

"So Steven, I hope that you are not too upset at the fact that we do not have the answers you wanted. We were just trying to give you guys as much of a head start as possible." I said, and I was feeling like what I was saying was really fucking vague, and not enough to change his mind.

"Honestly, I feel like I would probably want some more. But I guess that maybe something like this is as good as I am going to get here. Thanks for trying at least." After Steven was telling me this, I was seeing him looking like he was really trying hie best to be finding any way to have a better attitude at this.

"But I mean, I feel like we just need to learn more about that guy. And in all honesty, I feel like there is a good chance that we can be able to bring her back now that we have a basic idea on what to do." Todd said, and he was sounding like he was finally piecing things together.

"I will ask my parents about what they know with this. Maybe they might be able to give me something to work with." Steven said, and I was feeling like whatever he was going to say would only be making things slightly different for us.

"Steven, are you sure your parents will listen to you? I mean, for gods sake, they are probably going to be telling you to just stay away." I said, and I was feeling like telling him this was going to be enough to make him feel at least slightly better.

As I was telling him this, I was seeing Steven looking like he was just not too sure what in the world he felt. "Honestly, I don't fucking care at all. If they don't fucking like it, then I feel like this is their fucking issues. And besides, once things settle down a bit, then I would be able to make it work." Steven was saying, and he was sounding like he didn't believe it.

"I hope that you are right." Todd said, and he was sounding like he was really scared of what he was saying. Probably had a feeling that whatever the hell this man was saying was only going to just try and make Steven feel at least slightly better.

"I know that I am fucking right." After Steven was saying this to me, I was feeling like nothing that I could say would even make any form of difference. I just felt like I would only be making things worse for us.

"So Steven, do you feel like Shari actually talked with that guy in the first place?" I asked, feeling like I just needed to see what he had thought. As I was saying this, I was really having no idea what in the world I was going to say.

"I have no idea what she was doing with the guy. I like to think that she didn't talk with him all that much." After Steven said this, I was hearing him just sounding more and more desperate as he was saying this. Almost like he wouldn't even think about the idea of her talking with that guy long term.

"But maybe the fact that we know this shit shows that we can finally have a plan on what we are doing." I said, and I was feeling like if Todd was going to have a plan. "Maybe we can ask the principal if he knows the man in the purple jacket. That probably explains why he knew about Kevin's test score in the first place." I said, feeling like the idea was making a fair deal of sense.

"I have no idea. I mean, I feel like that is possible. But I feel like maybe we just need to talk to him about why we are even doing this in the first place. There is no reason for this man to work with us if he feels like we are going to be doing anything dangerous." After Todd was telling me this, I was seeing him looking like he was hardly really having any idea what to think.

"Well, I mean, it is better than everything else we have. In all honesty, if you want to find Shari, I feel like you need to take the risk." After I was telling them this, I was feeling bad for what I was saying. I knew that what I was saying was not really helping them at all.

Steven was nodding, and agreeing with what I was saying. As I saw them finally coming around to this, I was feeling like we could finally push through. "Sheldon, do you actually care about finding her now?" He asked me, and then I was feeling like I just needed to scream over what he was saying.

"Honestly, I never didn't. I just felt like I needed to try and look out for all the other things that are going on here. I feel like you are just trying to make me the bad guy for no reason." I said, and I was feeling like I just needed to try and get him to calm down here.

"I feel like you believe that I never cared for this, then perhaps we were never going to work here." I said, and I was looking at him, and I was wondering what in the world I even felt. I was scared that if I pushed too hard, then I might just be making things worse.

"Sorry dude. I didn't mean to upset you. I just always feel like there was always something more in this than just finding Shari when it was with you. And I love to help you find out what is happening in this town. But until Shari is home, I feel like that is something I can't get invested in." Steven said, and I was feeling like him saying this was something to make me feel better.

"Well, if you don't want to make me upset, then be more careful at the way you word things, because when you word things a certain way, it makes me feel like you are accusing me of not doing enough." I said, and then I was feeling like I just needed to be honest with this.

I was wanting to say more. But in all honesty, I was feeling like if I pressed the matter any further, then I was only going to be really pressing my luck. So I decided that I was going to remain silent for the time being. I took out my cigarette, and started to smoke it for a little bit.

"I feel like we need to get to know each other more Steven. Let's just realize that we don't fucking know each other. And just try to fix that." I said, and then I was looking right at Steven, feeling like saying this was going to make him feel better.

"I guess that I can see what you are saying. But I'm afraid that I am not terribly interesting." After Steven was telling me this, I was seeing him looking like he was wanting to say more. But then he decided against it, and remain silent.

"Well, my favorite holiday of the year is Halloween." Steven said, feeling like this generic starting point was going to have to work. I looked at Todd, and I was seeing him already like he was wanting to laugh at this statement.

"Yeah, when we had our Halloween celebration last year, he was the only one that really went out of his way to celebrate what was happening." After Todd said this, he was thinking about what it was like to have a friend that acted like this.

"In all honesty, it was something that I thought was kind of funny." Todd said, feeling that there was no reason for him to be so worried about it. "But it does create a situation where when you talk to him about other holidays, he doesn't seem all that interested."

"Not even the fourth of July? I mean, that is the coolest fucking one." I said, and then I was smiling at him, hoping that my excitement for the subject would translate at least a little bit. As I was saying this, I was seeing Steven looking like he was having a mostly neutral reaction to this. Which was kind of a shame in my mind.

"I mean, it is the one day of the year I always find myself just settling down, and taking a break, and not thinking about the world, or the issues going on at all." I said, and then I was feeling like the fact that Steven did not enjoy that holiday was going to be a huge mistake.

"Speaking of the fourth of July, since you seem to enjoy it so much, do you want to go to the firework show?" Todd asked, since it was only a handful of days away. As he said that, I was very excited to know that he was actually willing to do this.

"And I think it should go without saying that this really should be the one day that we stop fucking talking about labyrinth, and all that other stuff. I mean, even I need a break sometimes." I said, and I was looking at Todd, wondering what he was going to say to this.

"Honestly, I guess that is probably a good idea. I mean, everybody needs to take breaks sometimes." After Todd said that to me, I was kind of wondering what Steven was going to be saying to this. I was seeing that he was looking like there was a hint of annoyance he was feeling here.

"What if you find him at the party? I mean, those parties are funded by all the businesses every year, and are a total sham." After he was saying this, I was seeing him looking like he was just beyond lost on what the whole point of this was even going to be.

"I mean, come on, if we find him there, than we would be able to talk with him. There is no way in hell this guy is going to try something in the middle of the fucking celebration." I was laughing, and I was really having no idea what in the world I was even going to be telling him at all.

"I hope that you're right." After Steven was telling me this, I was seeing him looking like he was trying his best to calm down a bit. But I could tell from the way she was looking that he was still not one hundred percent sure on what was happening.

"We are not going to be getting anything out of this if we keep debating this in the middle of nowhere. I feel like people are probably going to be wondering what you are doing." Todd said, and then I was looking at the time. I realized that I only had thirty minutes before I was needing to go to the gas station.

"I am going to have to leave now. I have a shift at the gas station that I need to go to. If you want to talk more, we can talk after eight." I said, and then I was starting to run towards the gas station. I was not going to be missing my sixth day, no matter how tempting it might have been to do this.

Once I was at the gas station, I only had a minute to spare. When I was seeing the owner, he was looking happy to be seeing me here. As if he was feeling like me being here to help him out was the main thing he really wanted.

"Hey Sheldon, I knew that you were going to be here. But why do you look so fucking tired already?" He asked, as I was hitting the clock on button, and then I was looking at him for a second. Feeling fucking embarrassed.

"I am going to be totally real with you. I actually almost forgot about the shift for a bit. So I ran over here when I realized that I only had like half an hour left before I needed to clock in." I said, and then I was looking right at him, wondering if he was going to be upset at what I had said.

"Well, you remembered to come here, and you seem to have a sense of responsibility with you here. So in all honesty, I can't even be upset at you." After he was saying this, I was slowly nodding. I was sitting down on the chair, and I was shaking my head, feeling like I just needed to take a second to think for a bit.

"In all honesty, I just feel like I need to think about what I am doing. I am always seeing people who need my help on things, and in all honesty, I feel like I am not going to be able to give them that help." I said, and I was feeling like telling him this might be able to get him to talk for a while.

"I mean, what are they needing your help with?" After he asked me this, I was slowly shrugging, feeling like what he was asking was his best attempt to try and help me. I took out a cigarette, and decided I might as well talk.

"Honestly dude, they are trying to get me to help them with stupid shit. Helping out with the towns girls, and one in particular. I mean, I would want to help, and I have told you about that. But in all honesty, I feel like nothing that I can say will help them." I said, and then I was shrugging at this, feeling it was all that I could say.

"I feel like you are not going to be able to really give them what they want. Usually people want more than they can get. That is the real issue that people have when they are younger. A strange sense of entitlement, and feeling like they deserve more than they are getting." The man said, and I was feeling like what he was saying was not really helping me at all. And his way of speaking was just kind of the exact opposite of what I said.

"But I mean, I made a promise to them, and I feel like if I fail to go through with that promise, then I am the one who will go down as the liar in their eyes." I said, and I was sighing, feeling like maybe he was not going to understand what I was saying. But in all honesty, I had hardly fucking cared at all.

"That is something that they are going to deal with. I mean, I can't really get you to have a opinion on what to do with that matter." After the man was telling me this, he was shrugging, and he was taking out his own cigarette as he was starting to leave.

"So you're willing to admit that it is perfectly fine to just purposely throw everything away? When I make a pact with somebody, I feel like it is important to do everything that I can to make sure that the pact actually goes through." I said, and then I was looking at him, wondering what he was going to say.

"If that is the case, then I will tell you right now that you have a better set of morals than I do. Isn't that enough to make you feel better?" After he was asking me this, I was wondering why he was even trying to say anything like this. I knew he didn't really mean it.

"I mean, partially. But what if there is something that I can do, and I am failing to actually do it?" I asked, and I was seeing him looking like he was hardly even fucking caring at all. He was probably just finding what I was saying to be a complicated fucking mess here.

"I feel like you will never really know what could be done, or what should be done until you get to the end of this all?" After he was saying this to me, I was feeling like whatever I could tell him was all just a waste of time.

"I don't know. I understand that in the end, you are just trying to be making me feel better. But I don't think it will help. And in all honesty, not every single emotion needs to be brushed off with a counter fucking argument. I fucking hate it." I said, and then I was feeling like saying this was going to make my point.

"I guess that nothing I am going to say is going to be making you feel better here. So I am not going to be wasting my fucking time in this." After he was telling me this, he was starting to walk off. And I was feeling like I just needed to fucking relax. When he was gone, I was feeling like the way that everybody always just brushed off my feelings on this situation, was just always really fucking pissing me off. It was something that made me feel like he was willing to admit that my thoughts didn't matter.

By the end of the shift, I was walking out of the gas station, and I was taking out a cigarette, and I was just taking a second to think about it a bit. I was feeling like I might have been a bit rude to the guy about the way that I was saying all of this. But in all honesty, I was not really thinking too much about what we were doing.

As I was walking along, that was when Todd was calling out to me. I was looking right at him, and I was feeling like there was nothing to tell him. In all honesty, it was feeling like whatever he was going to be telling me was not going to really be helping me out.

"Hey Todd, I was talking to Steven for a bit, and he was seeming like he was kind of willing to sort of just let the subject go for a while. I was feeling like he was saying was kind of a way to vent. I mean, he did thank you for the work that you guys had done." After Todd was telling me this, I was really having no idea what in the world to tell him.

"Thanks for doing that. I feel like when I hear him say all this stuff, it just kind of really upsets me." After I was telling him this, I was really feeling kind of bad about this whole thing. I was really having no idea what I was going to even say at this rate.

"Don't worry about what he is saying. I think he is just worried about what that man is going to do when we see him again." After Todd was telling me this, I was feeling like I just needed to leave him a bit alone. I was feeling like whatever he was saying about Steven was never going to be making me feel better.

"But if you guys do not like me, and you feel like I am only going to be making things worse, then I don't really want to make matters worse at all." I said, and then after I was telling them this, I was feeling like there was nothing else I could have said.

"I mean, I think Steven just wants to make sure that you are actually dedicated to finding Shari. That is the main thing he is scared of. If he really did feel like you were a bad person, then I feel like he would just tell you straight up." Todd said, and I was feeling like he already kind of did.

"In all honesty, he is kind of doing just that. I mean, if he feels like I have no interest in helping you guys out, then this is a clear sign that you guys do not like me." I said, and I was feeling a level of insecurity starting to steam through. And I didn't fucking care.

Scene 12: Hidden Fear

Eventually, I was at my house, and I was just trying to pretend like nothing else going on at all. I was not going to try and convince Steven, and I was not going to deal with him acting like I was some random piece of crap just because I didn't find the person he was interested in, when I was trying to keep her safe.

In all honesty, I was feeling like whatever the fucking hell Steven wanted to tell me, he just needed to keep it to himself. Before I was able to settle down too much though, I heard a knock on the door. This was annoying me, but I decided that I would see who it was anyways.

When I eventually answered the door, I was seeing that Kevin was there. This was a shocking moment, and I decided that I would just try and see what was bothering him. "What are you doing here?" I asked, and he was looking like he was not really too sure what to tell us. He probably just thought that I was trying to make him feel a little bit less scared.

"I was just wanting to talk to you about some of the things that I was worried about." He said, and then I was looking at him, and I was wondering what on earth he was going on about. "Honestly, I was wanting to talk to you about some of the people who have approached me with work offers."

"What do you mean?" I asked, getting very seriously instantly. Aware that what he was saying was a good sign of what was to come. I just hoped that I was going to be able to find a way to be making him feel any better at all.

"This one guy has approached me, and he honestly kind of scares me. I have no real way of putting it. But in all honesty, I feel like this man is not going to be taking no for an answer, and I feel like I need to just be much more careful going on." Kevin said, and then I was wondering what I was going to tell him.

"So Kevin, what in the world was this guy trying to accomplish here?" I asked him, and he was looking at me, and I was seeing that he was confused as to why I was being so firm about what I was doing.

"He had a purple jacket, and he was telling me that he thought that I had a really great project here. I was initially believing him, and I was super fucking happy. But in all honesty, the more that he was pressing it, and the way he was wording this, was kind of getting me scared. I started to realize that everything he was saying was a load of shit." After he was telling me this, I was wondering what in the world I was going to tell him.

"Sam was telling me that he was rather worried about you and your interactions with that guy. I think you need to tell him that you started to notice this, and he might be able to help you out here." I said, and then Kevin was looking at me, and he was looking like he was thinking that this was going to be a horrible fucking idea.

"I mean, he will find a way to make it all about himself, and like he needs to be watching over me like I am a fucking dog that needs a baby sitter." Kevin said, and I was feeling like his way of saying that was not really the truth at all.

"He will make it about himself because he wants to make sure that you are safe and happy. I mean, I feel like you need to be giving him some more credit." After I was telling him this, I was seeing him looking like he was still not buying it.

"What a load of crock. None of this is even going to make a difference." After he was saying this to me, I was feeling like there was nothing else I would tell him at all. And the truth was that I was finding myself not even fucking caring at all.

Eventually, I was feeling like there was no need to be discussing this any further. "Look, I feel like we just need to talk here. Just tell me all the things that you are feeling, and I will help you out." I said, and then Kevin looked like he had given up on this discussion. He went inside, and I saw my dad looking like he was kind of interested on what to say.

"I wish that I can believe you. In all honesty, I am scared that you are just going to be bringing this whole thing back to Sam. I need to know that you are in this for me." Kevin told me, and then I was sighing, and I felt like nothing that I could tell him would be able to make him feel better at all.

"Look Kevin, I know that I am not going to be able to convince you that I mean this and everything I am saying. But I hope that you can put aside your fucking emotions, and be honest with yourself." I said, feeling that the fact that I barely even talked with Sam until a week or two ago again, was enough to get him to see that I was not just in this for him.

As I was telling him this, I was seeing Kevin looking like he was kind of looking like he was feeling a bit different. He sighed, and then slowly nodded. Seeing him actually looking like he was kind of coming around, was all that I had fucking needed.

"Well, he was telling me that he was feeling like I was going to be a special addition to his work. He was basically telling me that my ideas were what he needed more than anything. And as strange and stupid as it may sound, I believed what he was saying." He said, and then I was looking at him for a second.

"I guess that it just felt right, and good, to finally feel like I was being useful for once in my life. To feel like the stuff that I was saying was finally going to get him to turn around." After Kevin said that, I was slowly nodding for a bit.

"I get that. Feeling like what you are doing is serving a purpose. And feeling like what you are doing is going to be getting people to finally like you. I feel like if I knew that was where the issue was, then I could have told Sam this already." I said, and then Kevin was just taking a moment to think more.

"I guess that I had also wondered why it had taken so long for me to finally get some friends. I mean, after all these years, I finally just got people to want to talk to me. Todd was a great friend. But I already see him working on being great friends with other people, and I already realize that I am not the biggest priority in his well being." He said, and I was feeling like he was just jealous now.

"So everything you are doing is because you are scared that Todd is not the friend you are hoping he is? I mean, I feel like you need a better reason." I said, and then I was feeling like what I was saying was probably pushing things a little bit. But I hardly cared at all.

"And in all honesty, I just want to see if I was able to make his life better. I thought that since he was always talking about what he needed to do to help his friends out, that this was something that I fucking needed." As Kevin was done, I saw him just remaining hesitant on where to go now.

"Sheldon, how are you able to keep things together so long? I mean, knowing that at the end of the day, some people are just never going to be looking at you as somebody who is helping." After Kevin was telling me this, I was kind of unsure of what to even tell him.

"Honestly, I never really have a moment where I feel like what I am doing is right. What I do have is the realization is that people care about my opinion. And when I know how much people value the thoughts that I have, that is enough to keep things going." I said, and I was feeling kind of unsure of what to tell him now.

"And even when I feel like what I am doing is wrong, when I see that my friends often times have the same goals, and I feel like they are doing things right, then it makes me realize that it can't be both ways. So either we're both right or we're both wrong." I said, and then I was shrugging as I said that.

"I guess that makes some sense. Thanks for telling me this. I guess that when I hear what you believe, it makes me feel slightly better." After he was telling me this, I was just taking a second to think about what I was wanting to even say now.

"I guess that I will talk to Sam about this soon. Tell him that I feel like he might be right, as much as I fucking hate to admit it. And I hope that maybe him hearing that will get him to get off my fucking back for a while." After he was telling me this, I was then feeling like I just needed to stop talking.

I was slowly nodding. Feeling that if this was the choice he was making, and this was the way that he was convinced that things could be better, I was thinking that he needed to just be able to run with the clarity that he had.

"Thanks for hearing what I have to say. I mean, I feel like there is more stuff that I want to talk about. But for now, I feel like I will just leave things alone for now." After he was telling me this, I was feeling like there was no need to be having this discussion any longer.

"Hey Kevin, if you need to just have a moment to think about it, then go along. Take a night or two to think about it, and make sure first." I said, and then after I was telling him this, I was seeing that he was not really looking like he was feeling too sure about what I was telling him now.

"No, I feel like if I tell him this stuff, and just get it off my chest, he might feel better for once. I feel like this is something that I finally need to step up on." After he was telling me this, I was seeing him looking like he was finally convinced that what he was saying was right.

As Kevin was leaving the room, I was taking a second to think for a bit. I had no idea what I was going to tell him. I was feeling like the fact that he was making his own choices for once was something that I should be proud of him over. But for some reason, I was just feeling like I just needed to not push him forward at all.

When he was gone, I was taking a second to think about what he was doing. Despite everything that was going on, I was proud of him. Proud of the work that he had been doing, and proud of the fact that he was finally feeling like he could make his own choices, without needing somebody to decide for him.

Scene 13: Dumb Realization

When I was talking with Todd the next day, I was telling him about what Kevin had told me. I was feeling that when I would tell him the fact that he was finally opening up about this, the whole thing would be making Todd feel at least slightly better. "So Todd, Kevin was telling me that he was admitting that he did actually think that man in the purple jacket does have something going on."

"Oh god. I mean, at least he is willing to admit that he doesn't really think that man is actually all that great. I fucking hate that man. But I guess that something like this really does make some sense." After he was telling me this, I was taking a second to think about it for a bit.

"But if he finally says this, despite the fact that we all assumed that he liked the person, then perhaps we need to talk to him more. And just see what exactly the man in the purple jacket has been doing." After I was saying this, I was then pulling out the calling card again. Feeling like this was the best lead that I had here.

"What are you doing with that?" Todd asked, and then I was looking right at him, thinking that there was no reason to be pushing this aside. Especially since I wanted to make sure that all our options were kept on the table here.

"I mean, I feel like I just need to go to this party. I can't really think about anything else aside from that." I said, and then I was shrugging for a short second. "But regardless, I already know you have no interest in that party. So I am not going to try and get you to look into it." After I said that to him, he was looking unsure what to say.

"But yeah, that is still a long way away. We need to fucking find something else to be doing here." Todd said, and then he grabbed the card, and he was looking at it. Then he was looking at the back. As if seeing if he would see all the names that were on the card.

"Wait a fucking second." After Todd was saying this to me, I was looking at him, and I was wondering what the issue was right now. "I think those are Joy's parents that are on there." Todd said, and then he was having a look of utter uncertainty here.

"If that is the case, then I guess that I can see why she is so bitter all the fucking time?" I asked, and then I was looking at him for a second, wondering what he was going to say to this. As he heard this, he was looking down, and clearly did not look too excited here.

"Yeah, I guess that does make some fucking sense. But in all honesty, I feel like there has to be more that she knows here. I feel like we need to just talk to her for a bit, and see what she says on it." After Todd was telling me this, I was seeing him looking like his mind was just wandering off here.

"I hope that she isn't a complete fucking bitch about it." After he was telling me this, I was sighing, and I felt like I might as well just keep quiet. Especially since in all honesty, I was feeling like Joy did not really know any other way to talk to somebody at all.

"I mean, what am I going to be able to tell her anyways?" Todd asked, and then he was taking a second to consider what he was even saying in the first place. He seemed like he was just rather terrified of what he was going to be telling her. So there was nothing to be sure of anyways.

"Tell her that we do not accuse her of doing anything wrong. But that we want to help her." I said, and then I was seeing that Todd was kind of considering what I told him. Thinking that it could have possibly worked out.

"Yeah, I guess that I can sort of see where you care coming from. I feel like we can try and see what we can tell her. I just really hope that I do not regret this." Todd said, and then with that, he was sighing, and felt like there was nothing else to say here.

"Yeah, I mean, I do not have to like this. But I feel no reason to say no. Let's fucking do this." He said, and then after he was telling me this, I was feeling like maybe this was going to be the one thing that would finally make Joy start to accept me a bit more.

Eventually, we went on over to Joy's place, and I was seeing Todd looking like he was just scared out of his fucking mind. "If she doesn't like this, then perhaps I will tell her that it is my fault." After Todd was telling me this, I was having no idea what to say.

Todd knocked on the door, feeling like there was nothing else to say here. Eventually, Joy answered the door, and she was looking like she was a little bit confused on what to say. "Todd, what the fucking hell are you planning?" After she was asking him this, Todd looked slightly scared here.

"Nothing really. If anything, I feel like there is something that your parents are planning here?" After Todd asked her this, I was seeing her looking like she was just kind of scared of what in the world Todd was even saying here. She looked at me, and I was wondering what her point was.

"What do you think my parents are fucking doing?" She asked, and I was seeing her looking like she was not really having much interest in this situation. "I mean, you better have some fucking proof before you throw your cards on the table."

Todd was handing her the card, and he was pointing to their names. "They were part of a party that is going to be coming up. Tell me what the party is over, and I feel like maybe we just have a chance to finally get some shit together." Todd said, and Joy just gave him death daggers.

"I don't know what to say." She said, and she was looking at all the names on the party reservation. "Oh my god, Harold's dad is going to this party as well. And Jimmy White?" She was asking, and then I was seeing her looking like she was starting to finally not be much of a smart ass anymore.

"Todd, I hope that you know that I always believed you when you were telling me that you were thinking that some of these people were involved in this. But I can't think of the idea of my parents, both of them, being involved in this film project." She said, and then I was thinking of what to tell her.

"Do we know who is involved in this film? If we do, then perhaps we can ask them some important questions related to the event." I said, and then I was wondering what Joy would say. She was simply not responding as she was closing the door, and started to walk down for a few seconds, and looked at us.

"I hope you know that I love my parents. I want them to be doing well. But I feel like I need to know what they are in this for." She said, and then I was seeing Todd finally looking like he was gathering some courage to start talking to her.

"Joy, regardless of what they are in this for, I need your fucking help here. Please, just put aside your damn emotions, and help us out." After Todd said this, I was seeing Joy looking like she was kind of pissed at the way that Todd was telling this to her. Clearly just pushing aside all her fucking emotions like she didn't matter.

"Todd, it is not as easy as that honestly. I wish that it was. But when I think about the idea of my parents being involved in something that is way out of our understanding, and that there is nothing that I can fucking do about it, then I feel like this is a horrible situation. I love my parents." Joy said, and she was shaking her head.

"To be honest, there are times when I start to kind of hate you. Hate the over confidence. It makes me jealous when you can be so certain of knowing that you are doing the right thing." She said, and then I was looking right at her, and wondered what her point was.

"But if you are right about this, and as much as I hate to admit it, there is no reason or me to not think so, then I feel like I need to put that feeling aside, and actually work with you as much as I fucking can, to just keep you together." Joy was telling Todd, and then she looked at me for a bit.

"Are you going to be keeping him safe? If he knows something about my parents, or the other people in the town, then as much as I hate to admit it, then I guess that you are going to actually be the best bet that he has." After Joy was telling me this, I was wondering what in the world I was going to say.

"I will do everything that I can to keep you safe. But I feel like things are going to be much better if you join along, and help us out." After I was telling her this, I was seeing that she was actually at least sort of considering what I was telling her. But still not wanting to admit it at all.

"What if I talk to my parents about it? They are going to hate me, and think that I am hanging out with the wrong crowd. I mean, even if I disagree with some of the stuff that you guys are saying, I don't think that I want to lose all contact with you entirely." After she was telling me this, I was thinking about what she was telling me.

"I don't care what your parents think. They should have thought about what you were feeling before they did anything." Todd said, and he said it with such clarity that he was letting his annoyance start to seep through.

"But I fucking care what they think. After all, they gave birth to me. They have cared for me, and made it so that I actually had a fucking life. Just throwing everything they feel away, is not what I think needs to be done." After she was telling us this, I was feeling really bad for what she was saying.

I was feeling like what they were both saying was going to be causing a rift, and I needed to try and find a way to make them both feel better. "Guys, I mean, I understand what you are both saying. I care a lot about what my father thinks for instance. But I understand that some times, I have to defy him." I said, feeling that this was a way to show my more human side.

Joy was looking at me. As she was, I was seeing her looking like she was considering what I was saying. Thinking that there was a level of truth to my claims, and that even if she did not like it, there was a reason to just stop arguing with me.

"If you want to keep talking about this, I can live with that. But can we please at least not be doing this while we are at my fucking front yard?" Joy asked us, looking like she was hoping that we were going to at the minimum of grant her this. As she asked this, I slowly nodded.

Todd was finding himself agreeing to this as well, and when I saw that she was finally looking like she was calming down a bit, we started to walk on towards Joyful Burger. "Honestly, I feel like when I consider what my parents might be doing, it just kind of scares me. Knowing that they could potentially know all this, and then be lying to me. It just feels fucking wrong."

As she was saying this, I really did understand her point. I was feeling like she was deserving to be scared. "I mean, I love my parents. They have both been working rather hard, and I feel like they are both a great inspiration. The idea of them doing anything wrong, is just horrible to me." As she was saying this to me, I was slowly nodding at this.

"I get it. I remember when my father started to run for mayor. At first I was beyond excited. The idea of him doing something to really help the world. But I was scared that by doing this, he would be getting himself involved in things that he never should have." I said, feeling like telling her this would give her a slightly different perspective.

"Well, at least with your father, people know that he is not bullshitting. I mean, he had a daughter who went missing, and as a result, everybody knows that he actually means what he is saying." She was telling me, and then I was thinking about what she was telling me.

"Fair enough. I mean, I always got scared that my father knew something that I didn't. But in all honesty, I just never really get that feeling from him anymore." I said, and I was wondering if I was actually believing what I said. "But Joy, I feel like your parents would respect you more if you just simply tell them the things you are scared of." I said, and I knew that I was taking a risk.

"But what could they possibly know? That is what I am confused by. I just have no idea what in the world they could tell me. I mean, the only thing that I know was that my parents were consultants with the high school principal for a long time." She said, and I was seeing her looking like saying that started to make her think a bit deeper on what she said.

"What did they did with the principal?" Todd asked, hoping that he wasn't giving off a accusatory tone with what he was saying. She looked at him, as if wondering why she was even saying what she said.

"I don't fucking know. I think they were trying to create certain events that would happen every year. I mean, they were just trying to add to the flair of fun, I guess." Joy said, and despite the brashness of what she was saying, I could tell she was not too sure.

Eventually, we were at Joyful Burger, and when we were walking by, I was seeing Larry just checking us out, and I was seeing that he was just trying to decide what to say to me. We sat down, and I was looking at Joy for a bit.

"Joy, I will be there at your side if you ever need some help. I understand if you don't want the help. But I feel like we both know that you are going to struggle if you do not have it." I said, and I was feeling like saying this to her was just a almost open door to hearing her scream at me.

"Todd and I are going to be going to that party. And I was wondering if you had anything to suggest on how we can fucking handle this?" I asked, and I was seeing her looking kind of unsure what she would even believe here.

"If you go to that party, then both of you are going to get caught, and you will probably both get killed." After she was telling me this, I was slowly nodding, and I was kind of seeing what she had been saying.

"To be honest, I think even if somebody wanted to kill me, they would not. Being the mayors son, I feel like that virtually grants me immunity at least until 1968. But Todd on the other hand, I guess that I do see where you are coming from. With needing to be much more careful." I said, and then Todd looked at me, wondering why I was saying all this.

"I would rather not be thinking about that. I am rather keen to living on for as long as I can." After Todd was saying this, he was having a really uncomfortable smile on his face. Rather clear that this was something that he was having no desire to speak about.

"I am just being fucking realistic. Please don't be upset at me for saying this." I said, and I was hoping that my statements were not going to be making him feel like there was nothing to look forward to.

As we were talking for a while longer, I was wondering why I was even talking about this anymore. "Please understand that I just mean the best when I do all this Joy. I never wanted to be doing anything that was going to be hurting you." I said, and I was really hoping that eventually, she was going to come around, and not hate me too much as a result of all of this anymore.

"Maybe I can try and talk to the high school principal about what he knows. I mean, I feel like he might have a decent chance on telling me what is going on here." After she was telling us this, I was shocked to be seeing her finally looking like she was coming through with this once and for all.

"But if you guys are wrong about this, and it turns out that parents have nothing to do with this, I feel like I will have a hard time forgiving you ever again." After she was telling us this, I was seeing her looking like she was just trying to be hiding her anger as she was saying this. So with that, I was nodding at this slowly.

"I will keep that in mind." I said, feeling like there was no other way to keep the subject up for any longer. I was scared of the fact that she was going to be holding this accountable to us. "And I will make sure that no matter what happens, Todd will be taking very good care in making sure that nothing happens to you or your parents."

"I hope that you are right." After she was telling us this, I was seeing that her anger was kind of wearing down at least a little bit. And I was feeling like there was no reason to be making this discussion go on any longer.

"Just make sure that no matter what happens, you guys are careful here. That is all that I can say, I feel like." After Joy was saying this to us, I was feeling like there was no need to be pressing it any further at this whole thing. But in all honesty, I was really having no idea what I could have said.

"So Sheldon, I feel like we need to be heading out tomorrow, and looking once again. I mean, if we keep pushing off this talk with the Carbunkle family, then we are only going to be making things worse." Todd was telling me this, I was wondering why he was pushing this idea so fucking much.

"What do you think you would even get from talking to the Carbunkle family? I mean, they probably already are getting very tired of this shit." After Joy was telling us this, Todd was looking at her, and I was seeing him looking like that was a risk he was willing to take, and not have a issue here.

"I don't fucking know, and I hardly fucking care. I feel like talking to them is something that needs to be done. If we want to know what is going on here, then we need to find the problem at it's roots." Todd was telling her this, and I was feeling like him acting like this was only going to be kind of pushing everybody down a fucking bad path. I was seeing that Joy was still not too sure what to tell me now. And with that, Larry showed up, and we placed in our order.

Scene 14: A Way To Convince Sam

Todd and I were meeting up the next day, and the two of us were just trying to think about what in the world I was going to be doing now. "Honestly, I am shocked that Joy was willing to talk about this as much as she was. I thought that she was going to want nothing to do with this ever again. Makes sense, considering the fact that we did kind of throw her parents under the bus." After Todd said that to me, I was thinking about what he was saying.

"I mean, I just felt like if I tried to make her see that nobody is perfect, then it would all be able to work out. I just needed to show her that I was having a sign of weakness myself, and that I never judged her." I said, and I was unsure if saying that would make her feel better.

"I mean, I guess that maybe when I was trying to talk to her in the past, I was always kind of rubbing her the wrong way. Acting like I was better than her, and acting like I knew what was going on with my sense of priorities." Todd said, and then I was looking right at him for a second.

"Well, I feel like when you try to approach other people about this going forward, don't fucking try to show that you know what you are doing better than them. If you do that, then they are going to grow to slightly hate you." I said, and then I was feeling like telling him this was enough to make him listen.

"I know that now. I mean, I thought that I was finally the one person in our class who knew what I was doing. Turns out, maybe I was less aware of what I was doing than they ever were. At least they seemed to be well aware of why they were doing things when they decided to not get involved in this." Todd was saying, and then I was looking right at him for a bit.

"Yeah, I mean, I did see myself in you when I started to hang out with you. That was why I was trying so hard to help you. I thought that maybe I could be able to make you see that there were other ways you can make your point." I said, and then I was looking right at him, wondering if that was going to make him feel better.

"But if you wanted me to not be doing the things you have been doing, then why do you keep doing them?" After he asked me this, I was looking at him, thinking about what he was saying. After all, it was a fair enough point.

"I don't really know honestly. I guess you do kind of have me there." I said, and then I looked at him, hoping that he would take the honesty at least. "I guess that I just find myself slowly not caring over time."

"But you should be caring. After all, you have all those friends, who respect and trust you. I feel like you need to remember at the end of the day, you are doing this for them after all." I said, hoping that he would kind of get my point.

"Look, we are not going to be getting anywhere by constantly talking about this. I think we both know that this isn't really all that important." Todd said, and then I was looking down, and I was feeling like I just needed to just not be too annoyed when he was constantly turning the subject.

"I think you need to tell me how Sam was doing earlier. I mean, he was seeming a bit down after what had happened with that meeting with the president. Do you actually know what happened when he was talking to that guy?" Todd asked me, and then I was sighing. Feeling like there was no way in hell that I was going to be able to answer that one.

"I mean, talking to Sam about that was not really getting me anywhere. I was trying to let him know that the conversation was probably going to be a waste of time. In all honesty though, he seemed like he had absolutely no interest in hearing it though. He had a goal, and was only interested in pursuing that." I said, and I was feeling like there was no way to say it otherwise.

"He was telling me that the guy was just approaching Kevin because he had a really great paper, and wanted to see if they could work together. Said that Kevin was rather smart for his age. But Sam is convinced that there is more to it than that. And in all honesty, I feel like he might be onto something this time." I said, and then I was shrugging as I was telling him this.

"Yeah. A great homework assignment. I mean, I heard Kenta say the same thing when you were with me and Dana. So maybe there is more truth to it than we believe. But in all honesty, I still feel like there is a level of fakeness to it." Todd said, and then with that, I was feeling like I just needed to tell him more about what Kevin had told me. I was feeling like he needed to know the truth.

"Kevin was talking to me about it earlier. About the man in the purple jacket. In all honesty, he was saying that he was kind of scared of what the man was doing, and felt like it was all a ruse." I said, and I felt like admitting this was something that Kevin needed to hear.

"Then why does he feel like he needs to continue checking into this? If he hates looking into this, then there is no reason at all to still be looking into it at all." After Todd was saying this, I was hearing him sounding like he was legitimately unable to handle any form of stupidity here.

"I feel like he might be scared into submission. Feeling that if he doesn't look more into it, then the guy is going to just be going after him anyways. I mean, I can sort of see what he is saying, even if I don't fully like it." After I was telling him this, I was taking a second to think.

"Should we talk to Kevin then? I mean, I feel like he might need a person to be at his side." Todd said, and I was thinking about what he had said. After all, he was bringing up a great point. I just hoped that in all honesty, Kevin would be willing to talk to me here.

"Yeah, maybe we should. And I think we should go even further, and just not bring up the fact that the man in the purple jacket is talking to him. Unless if he brings it up first. That way, if he just wanted to have a normal conversation, he can get that." I said, and then Todd was thinking about what I was telling him here.

So with that, Todd was starting to have a fake smile on his face. Probably as a way to just hide the fact that in all honesty, he was going to be super uncomfortable with what he was saying. So with that, we were on our way to Kevin's place. And I was hoping that in all honesty, Kevin would actually be fine with talking to us in the first place.

Todd was remaining silent for a few minutes. I was seeing that he was clearly just thinking about how he was wanting to talk about his emotions here. Probably thinking that I was going to be laughing him off or something like that. "Honestly Sheldon, I am scared that if I try to talk to Kevin about anything related to the towns cases, he might be thinking that I am oppressing him a bit." After he was telling me this, I was taking a second to think.

"I think Kevin would know, if he was being reasonable, that you are just trying to be a friend for him. I think that he wouldn't go out of his way to be a asshole here." I said, as we were at his place. But before we were there for too long, that was when Kevin was already leaving the house anyways.

"What are you doing here?" Kevin asked, just sounding more confused than anything. Not that I could blame him, considering the fact that us being here inherently meant that we were probably going to be doing something with him. And he probably wanted nothing to do with this, to be totally fair.

"Well, what were you planning on doing?" Todd asked, feeling like this was his chance to finally just have a conversation, without making it sound like he was being forceful or anything like that. Kevin was looking like there was a part of him that did not want to talk about this at all.

"Honestly, I was planning on going to the skating park. Even though I know that Jenny and Maurecia are probably not going to be there." Kevin said, and I was feeling like if that was the case, then there was no real need to be going there.

"I just feel like I need some time to think about what I am doing, and not get too scared about all the shit that is going on here." Kevin said, and I was feeling like when I heard him say this, the level of honesty in his voice was kind of really seeping through. And I was instantly feeling bad here.

"So Kevin, would you want us to come along?" I asked, as I was well aware of the fact that he probably wouldn't really support the idea too much. I was seeing him looking like he was not too sure what to say to this. "If you don't, then we will just leave you alone."

"No, you can come along. Although I don't know why you would be interested in me coming. After all, I barely have anything to do there." He was saying, although he was not really sounding like this was exactly something he was super sure about. As if he was worried that what he was saying was going to be giving off the impression of him being super flaky.

As we were going along, I was seeing Kevin looking like he was already finding himself more willing to kind of open up, and just talk about some of the issues that were on his mind. "In all honesty, when I think about telling Sam about the things that I told you about earlier, I just get scared. I get scared that he is going to freak out. That he is going to claim that this is why we need to talk more." After he was telling me this, I was thinking that might be true though.

"Honestly Kevin, I can sort of see where he is coming from. Maybe he just wants to make sure that you do not talk with this guy when you do not have a extra plan." I said, feeling like I just needed to kind of be a bit more firm with him than I had been earlier.

"But I know how he can act when he feels like he is the one that is right. And I know how I feel when I feel like I can't really even argue with him. That is what it all comes down to at the end of the day." Kevin said, and then he continued for a bit. "Honestly, I just feel like there is no reason to tell him anything, when I know that it is always going to end badly."

Once at the skate park, I was feeling like I needed to just see how I would be able to get him to calm down for a bit, and not be so fucking scared here. "Kevin, I feel like you should just find something that you enjoy doing. I mean, I do enjoy hanging out with friends. That is the main thing that gives me joy." Todd said to him, trying to make him feel at least slightly better.

"I mean, I tried to go on and get into skating, but when Jenny was trying to teach me, she was clearly not having much patience over the fac that I was clearly not all that good at it." After Kevin was telling me this, I was feeling like that was a fair point here.

"Well, I can try to talk to her about maybe the idea of giving you another chance, and being far more patient about it this time. I mean, she usually listens to me when I try to approach her with this." After Todd was saying this, I saw Kevin looking like he was at least trying to consider what I was saying here.

"Maybe one more chance would not be all that bad. After all, I really do want this to succeed. There is something about the idea of actually getting to hang out with her again, that would make it so much better." After Kevin said that to me, I was then feeling like I needed to ask him something else.

"Be honest, do you have feelings for Jenny? I mean, the way that your face kind of goes off when you bring her up. Reminds me of Christen." I said, and then he was looking at me, and I was seeing that he was so fucking embarrassed to be hearing me bring that up. I was feeling like I had him there, even if he was not wanting to admit it.

"Yeah, I mean, I do like her a bit. But I can clearly tell that she is not going to ever like me back. She looks at Todd, and she seems to be having so much joy at this. I feel like it would be kind of a mistake to be getting in her way about this." After he was telling me this, I was seeing Todd looking like he was genuinely feeling guilty when he had heard that.

"Especially since in all honesty, I am not really that into her back. I mean, I have nothing against her. But to be honest, I feel like she is almost too out there for me. Even with Maurecia, she seems to have a better grounding to reality." After Todd said that, I was laughing at that. The idea of Maurecia having a ground to reality was hilarious in all honesty. Although I decided to not say more.

"So yeah, just focus on a way of getting Jenny to like you. I feel like that is something that you can work on." I said, and then after I was telling him this, I was seeing that Kevin was looking like he really did not know what he was going to want to say to this.

"Yeah, I mean, I guess that I can try something like that. Who knows, maybe over time, it can help me kind of forget the shit that is going on with that man in the purple jacket." He said, and I was seeing him looking like the idea of that was actually something he wanted so fucking badly.

Kevin was walking across the rails of the skating ring, and he was looking like he was just wanting to see if he was going to be able to go from one side to the other without falling down into the ring, which he was not too worried about. Considering the fact that there were no other people around at this time.

"So Kevin, do you really feel like you are in a better mood when you are around Jenny? I mean, if she acts like that way around you, then maybe it might be best to not get too involved." I said, and I was feeling like saying this was not going to be what he wanted to hear. But what he needed to hear.

"Well, I mean, I need to have some hope that things can work out better. After all, she is somebody who I really do enjoy seeing. And at the end of the day, she knows that I do still really value her as a good friend." After Kevin was telling me this, I was feeling like there was nothing else that I could even tell her.

"And in all honesty, part of the reason why I pushed myself so hard this school year, to get all those good grades, was because I wanted to maybe get her to like me. I wanted to show her that I was a serious man, who wanted to finally pull things through for her. But she doesn't fucking care." He sounded like he was kind of losing his cool as he was hearing this.

"I am sure that she is willing to see the hard work that you did. But I feel like if you are just doing something for the sake of getting the girl, then you need to perhaps have a better goal at it than that." I said, and I was feeling like the honesty was something he needed to hear.

"You know, for a man who is trying to give me the idea of supporting me, you are not really doing all that good at it." Kevin said, and then I was slowly nodding, feeling like maybe I needed to just take the punches for what it was. After all, I was kind of being a asshole.

"I am just trying to maybe add a new perspective, is all that I am trying to say. I understand that I might not have been going at this the best though." I said, and then I was feeling like now that I had said that to kind of save myself, I was going to be doing a bit better now.

As Kevin was finished with his round the skating ring, he was sitting down, and took a deep breath for a few seconds. "Dude, I am scared honestly. I mean, I am scared that the people that I love are going to go missing. I am scared that the man in the purple jacket is planning on doing something. I am scared that there is actual truth to all the crazy shit that I heard here." Kevin said, and then I was sitting down next to him, and took out a cigarette.

Todd was looking like he was kind of uncomfortable with everything that was happening here. But he was just feeling that if he was wanting to help, then he just needed to shut up, and let this happen. "Kevin, that fear is why I have been doing this lately. Because I want to give you guys a chance of feeling like you are able to have some home to relay on." Todd tried to say, hoping that could make things seem a bit better here.

"Yeah, I guess that makes sense then. Why you are so determined, and have such a stubborn willingness to throw everything away like this. Always willing to take the front line. I mean, I am not stupid. I know that there is shit going on here. Everybody knows it. But the idea of confronting that shit, and actually doing something about it, kind of terrifies me." After Kevin said that to him, I kind of understood.

"Sheldon, I know that you said the main reason you got into this whole thing was because of Christen. Do you feel like you are wanting to continue all of this, even knowing that there is a rather good chance that she might never fucking come back?" He asked, and then I was slowly nodding at this. It felt like I needed to take the risk.

"Well, yeah. For instance, if there is a chance that I indeed can find Christen again, then I feel like maybe it is worth everything to be thrown away. After all, my crush on her was what was driving everything forward." I said, and then I was feeling like telling him this way was the only wat to get him to open up.

"But you found her scarf. You said yourself that this was a sign of her death. You said that you believe that Riley had been dead this whole time. What is making you turn back now?" He asked, and then I was looking at him, wondering what I was even going to say to get him to tone down his feelings here.

"I did say that. And I am ninety nine percent sure that this is true. But what if I am wrong. What if she is alive, and I just misunderstood what happened? Is that is the case, then I feel like it is worth the look." I said, and then I was feeling like anything else that I could say would just make him annoyed.

"Wait, if you found something about Christen, then did you ever find anything with Riley? I mean, you were telling me one time that you were also really sure that she died as well. But if you do not have any evidence of that, then couldn't it all be false." After Todd asked me this, I was not really feeling like there was any point in fighting him.

"I mean, I don't really need to be finding anything related to Riley. If I am using the logic that Christen's scarf is enough to be a sign of death, then I need to reach that out to my sister as well. Even though I really would not like it." I said, and then I was feeling like there was no need to go any further.

"Yeah. I guess that makes some sense. So I guess that if we are going with that, then we just need to find something related to every girl who went missing. Take that as a sign that they are probably gone, and then go from there. I mean, it's at least a minor form of closure." After Todd was telling me this, I was kind of considering what he was telling me.

"Yeah, I suppose that is fair enough. If for nothing else, it will give us a clue on where to be going." I said, and then I was looking at Kevin for a bit. "In all honesty, if you want to just be working on getting with Jenny instead, then you can do that. I would not blame you." I said, feeling that I needed to extend that offer at least once.

"Maybe you can bring me to her place, and maybe I can talk with her for a bit. See if I can get her to open up a bit more about things that way. If not, then I guess that there is nothing else that I can fucking do here." After he was saying this to us, I was seeing him looking loke he was kind of coming around a little bit.

"Alright, fair enough. So Todd, are you going to be coming along?" I asked, and then Todd was slowly nodding, as if feeling like I did not need to be asking him something as silly as that, when he had come along to everything.

"I have been coming along with you to every place that I have gone. There is no reason for me to be changing that now." After Todd was telling us this, I was feeling like this was the way that I was wanting it for the time being. So with that, we were heading on to Jenny's house, where I was feeling like I could finally be able to check up on her for at least a little bit, and not feel too bad.

As we were on our way over to the house, I was seeing that Kevin was having another look of fear on his face, and I was feeling like I just needed to try and see what I could be able to say to make him feel better. "Kevin, is there something bothering you right now?" I asked, feeling like I needed to just try and see what I can to make hm feel better.

"Honestly, I am scared of how her father will react. After all, he is a stern guy, and I know that he has been having a drinking problem lately. I just want to make sure that in all honesty, he doesn't do anything too scary." He said, and then I was sighing. There was nothing that I could tell him to make him feel any different.

"I will tell her father that I just want to see how his daughter is doing. I am sure that over time, he will calm down, and not be super fucking upset at us over this. Just have some fucking faith here." Todd said, and he was not sounding so sure of himself when he was saying this.

"Yeah, go ahead and take the fall if something happens." Kevin said, and I was seeing Todd looking like he was kind of just annoyed at the fact that Kevin was so willing to just casually throw him under the bus.

"And besides, when everybody already knows how her father is like, then we need to hardly fucking worry. So I think we are going to be all fine." Todd said, and he was sounding like he was still carrying his level of confidence in this whole situation.

Kevin was remaining silent after this. Just deciding that it would be best to just leave the subject alone from this point forward. As Kevin was looking at us again, I was seeing him rubbing his hair for a second. "Honestly, if I can get Jenny to like me, then I would be so fucking happy. But I feel like I am going to have to work for it." After he was telling me this, I was glad that he was looking at this the same way that I looked at Christen: It would be great, but I had to earn it.

With that, he knocked on the door, and after waiting for a moment, he was kind of looking like he was calming down just a bit, and remembering what he was able to do here. Before long, Jenny answered the door, and I was seeing her looking like despite everything else, she was glad to see him. And seeing that level of being glad, I was feeling like I just needed to let Kevin handle things from here.

"Are your friends here again? When are they going to stop harassing you?" Her father asked, sounding like he was just trying his best to keep it together. I was wondering what his issue was. I mean, for gods sake, he was just instantly making assumptions that I was going to be doing something wrong.

"Dad, they are not doing anything wrong. They are just trying to make sure that I am doing well." She said, and then she was looking right at me, and I was seeing her looking like she was trying her best to not be annoyed with how her father was reacting to this.

Jenny closed the door after this. "I mean, even after all these months, he still does not trust people. I mean, I do sort of see where he is coming from. But it can be a bit annoying at times. I just want to make him see that you guys are not these horrible people." She was saying, and then with that, I was feeling like there was nothing else to say now.

"Do you want to just get out of here? I don't know if I can handle my father being at my throat over this shit. It just gets so fucking tiring to deal with that all the time." After she was saying this, she was sighing for a bit. As if feeling like anything else to say was going to fall out of ears.

"Yeah, we should just be leaving." Kevin said, and he was sounding like there was a faint twinge of pity in his voice when he was saying this. And I could tell that he wasn't even playing it up. He sounded like he was just feeling horrible for her.

As we were walking along, I was seeing that Kevin was now just simply trying to find ways to make her feel better about the whole situation. "Jenny, do you feel like your father is just not respecting the process as much as he should have? That he should be giving you more space?" Kevin asked, trying to form courage.

"I mean, he treats me like I am this helpless child, who can't fucking do anything right. And he feels like he needs to make sure that I am not doing anything out there. But he never gives me a chance to actually do anything. And I know that he has good intentions. But it is a bit much." She was sounding totally lost as she was saying this.

"And I told him that I want to have freedom during my summer break. To not be treated like I am on the verge of dying or some shit. But he seems to just never get it in his mind that I feel like I need space." Jenny said, and then as we were walking along, I was finally seeing Kevin looking like he was much more serious, and not even doing this for the girl, and just doing this to be a friend. Eventually, we were at the park again, where Kevin just simply tried to talk to her for the next hour or so, to feel more confident and comfortable.

Scene 15: Closer To Freedom

The next day, I was with Jenny at the skating park. Todd was with me, and she was looking like she was having a more mixed emotion to what was going on. In all honesty, she was kind of looking like she was a bit happier for once. And I was feeling like it was best to just let her have her moment here.

"So Jenny, how was talking to Kevin last night?" Todd asked, trying to make it seem like he was not really meaning anything. As Jenny was looking at him, she was looking like she was just had no real idea where to even be going with any of this.

"Honestly, I appreciate the fact that he is trying so hard in order to make me feel better. But in all honesty, I feel like maybe he just simply doesn't really know what I am feeling." Jenny said, and I figured that in the end, this was going to be better than nothing at all.

"I am just worried that he might be trying too hard. I mean, his issues with his brother Sam is not quite the same as the issues that I have with my dad. Or my missing mother. Who to be honest, I am more feeling is probably dead from now." Jenny responded, just in a rather nonchalant way.

"I mean, he really probably feels like he is just doing his best to help you out. I feel like it might be best to let him know that you appreciate the effort, even if you do not fully understand why he is doing this." Todd was saying. Hoping that by telling her this, he would be able to get her to calm down a bit, and just take things in a more casual perspective.

"Yeah, I should let him know that. After all, if he feels like what he is saying is his best way of getting me to hear his perspective, then I can do that. But I feel like maybe he just needs to also sort out his issues with Sam before he goes around and does anything." Jenny was saying, and had no idea what else to be saying to this all.

"But Sheldon, I have to know. Why are you even bothering to hang out with me at all? I mean, I can kind of understand Todd. But even then, I am still not getting why you are hanging out with him in such a long term fashion? Shouldn't you be working on the investigation?" She asked, and I was feeling like her throwing me under the bus was going to be the worst way of going at this.

"Because the more that I hang out with you guys, the more that I realize that helping you guys is a piece of this investigation, and just as important as everything else." After I was telling her this, Jenny looked like she was really not really having much to say to this question.

"But what does my issues with my mom being gone have literally anything to do with your investigation? I mean, I feel like you are just having a hard time admitting that you are having a hard time letting go. And that is fine." After she was telling me this, I was feeling like I was going to have no choice but to tell her about the calling card. Maybe she would get her head out of the fucking clouds here.

"Well, you were talking about how your mother was interested in acting and all that. I feel like maybe she was going to be going to that party where the film was going to be shown." I said, and I was showing her the calling card. I was seeing Todd looking like he was not that happy with this.

As she was looking at the calling card, I was seeing her looking like she was just mostly mixed, and when she was looking at the names on the back, she was starting to become a little bit more interested here. "Why are Joy's parents on here? Did they work with my mother here?"

"We are working on finding out what is going on with Joy's parents. But for now, we have not been able to find anything. Especially since Joy really doesn't want all that much with looking at this here." After Todd was telling her this, I was wondering if Joy would be feeling any better with this statement.

"Well, I feel like Joy needs to be taking more time to be considering what I feel if she wants to claim that she is my friend." After Jenny was telling me this, I was seeing her looking like she was thinking that her ultimatum was fair enough, in her own way.

"Well, I feel like you need to be giving her some time. For all we know, she could be talking with her parents about this right now. Give her a fucking chance." Todd was saying, and he was sounding like the way that he was saying was fair enough here.

"Look, this is my mother we are talking about here. I really don't want to hear the fucking excuses. I mean, even though I know that she is probably gone, I don't really want to be just taking this for stride." After she was telling me this, I was then feeling like these people needed to stop being emotionally driven here.

"Well, Steven believes that we can do a good job turning this whole thing around. And you know how much he is driven by emotions with the whole Shari thing. If he believes us, then you should too." Todd said, feeling like this was a fair counter argument.

"I don't fucking care what Steven fucking thinks. I mean, what in the world have you guys been able to figure out with Shari's case anyways? That one has been kind of stagnated." After she said that, Todd was looking like he was finally feeling better about a response he could have.

"We know that the man in the purple jacket had been talking to her before she went missing. You know, the one that Kevin was talking about earlier. I think that if Kevin talked to him, and Shari did as well, then this is a sign that he has been getting himself involved in everything around here." After Todd was telling her this, I was seeing Jenny looking like she was much less confident in what she was thinking.

"Why in the world would he have any desire to be talking to Shari? I mean, she is probably the most quiet human being we have ever met. So it frankly makes no fucking sense." She said, and then Todd was throwing his hand in the air. Not sure what to tell her.

"I don't fucking know. I mean, that is what Sheldon and I want to learn as well. After all, if Shari was involved in this, then that means that he probably has a interest in all of us. As well as the fact that the story of looking at Kevin because of his school papers is literally fucking bullshit." Todd said, with a level of firmness in his voice.

"Okay Todd, I fucking got it. Chill out man. I was just asking a question. But I guess that I just have no idea what that man could be doing here." Jenny said, and she was looking like she was rather uncomfortable at the fact that this conversation was even being had in the first place.

"God, bringing that guy up always makes me feel like I am being watched. It sounds silly, and I fucking know it." Jenny said, and I was feeling like it was best to not say anything. After all, I was seeing that from the look on her face, that she was not really in the mood to hear this.

As we were leaving the skating ring, I was ware that her expression was one of looking like she was just sad. "Sheldon, I want to help you with figuring out what happened to my mom. Especially learning if she has any connection with the man in the purple jacket. If she does, then I think we all have to admit that they are completely connected here."

As we were leaving the skating ring, I was then wondering what I was going to ask her now. "So Jenny, does your father know what your mother was doing anyways. You know, before she went missing. Maybe she talked to him about the fucking movie." Todd said, putting her on the spot.

"I never talked to my father about this. Every time I tried to ask him, he basically says that the conversation was over. And in all honesty, I do not want to make him even more angry about this than he already is." Jenny said, and I was feeling there was nothing else to say.

"If your father is acting like that, then it probably just means that he is too scared to be looking at the truth, in all honesty." I was saying, and then I was seeing Todd starting to head off. Leaving is in the spot, and I was wondering what in the world he was even trying to do now. As I saw this, I was starting to take a deep breath.

"Todd, what the fucking hell are you doing?" I asked, and then he was looking right at us, as if feeling like there was nothing else to even. "Was there something you were needing?" I asked, and then he was shaking his head a bit.

"I am going back to the high school. I feel like I might be able to find something there if I look again. You do not have to come along if you don't want to." He was saying in his worst attempt to be sounding like he was keeping a neutral response to this whole thing.

"I mean, there has to be something there that we can fucking find and use. And I feel like it would be a mistake to not be looking here." When he was starting to walk off again, I was sighing for a second. I knew that in all honesty, he was probably right about what he was saying.

I was feeling like whatever Todd was going to get out of this though, I just needed to be much more careful about. "Fine, I guess I can come along. Jenny, what do you feel like you want to do?" I asked, and then I looked at her, and I was wondering what she was going to doing here. I did not want to make her feel bad about the idea of not wanting to work with us. Since in all honesty, it really should have been her own choice.

As we were going along, I was seeing Jenny take another thirty seconds to decide, before she was starting to head along. "I mean, think about it for a second. If we are going to find try and find out why everybody who is involved in this film is doing this, then perhaps the school teachers might be able to give us some clear idea on what is happening." Todd said, and I wasn't sure if I agreed with him. But I was willing to entertain him.

"I mean, I don't know. I feel like those people would be doing their best to hide their involvement on what they are doing. After all, if there was seriously something ta the school that could be able to help us realize what is happening, then they are fucking terrible at hiding their shit." Jenny said, and she was sounding like she was just finding his attempts here more funny than anything.

Eventually, I was seeing Todd looking like he was aware of what she was telling him. "Honestly, I do see what you are saying. But at this point, I am desperate for literally anything. I got to take what I can get." Todd was telling her this, I was feeling like I just needed to exert some patience to this.

"I will say this in your favor… If the person in the purple jacket knows you guys, and knows the results of your school work, then that means that he is aware of the classmates in each year. Meaning that there is a good chance that what you are theorizing could actually fucking be true. So in all honesty, I feel like you might as well be onto something here." I said, and I was seeing Todd looking like he was glad to hear me vindicate him in a way.

"I am not sure if the principal knows much of what is going on, but he certainly is talking with that guy for a bit, therefore, even if accidentally, he is helping out with this whole thing. So perhaps I think we should never brush things off completely." I said, and then I was feeling like there was nothing else to say at this point in time.

As were getting near the school, that was when I was seeing Jenny looking like she was actually considering what both Todd and I were just talking about. And I was seeing her slowly looking like she was finally coming to what I had just told her.

"Okay, so I guess that there is a good argument to this. I might not like it. But I see no reason to be fighting this right now." After she was telling us this, I was seeing her looking like she was just hoping that she was not going to regret what she said.

We went inside the main school hall way, which usually seemed to be free access during summer, because there was still usually the office assistant there. Once inside, I was following Todd to the main office, and I was seeing Jenny looking kind of upset at this whole situation.

I wondered why she was having so much anger at the idea of just checking the office out with us. But I decided that I was going to remain silent, and not be getting in her face over this. This was her choice, and I was having no right to judge her.

The office lady was looking up at us, and I was seeing that she was looking more shocked to see anybody coming in at all than angry that we interrupted her reading. She was standing up, and then she was walking from her chair to the front of the desk, to talk to us in a professional light.

"Was there something you were needing?" She asked us, probably just trying to not think about how strange it was that a bunch of students were coming by during the summer, when we should be having a good time.

"Is principal Kidswatter here? I was hoping that I would be able to talk to him for a bit about something?" Todd asked, and then she was shaking her head, as if feeling slightly bad for rejecting his question.

"During the summer he only comes by on Friday afternoon. Usually from two to eight. Sorry about that. He doesn't so much as talk with us during the other times during the week. So you might have to wait before you see him again." After she was telling us this, I was slowly nodding, and told Todd that we needed to get lost.

"Well, tell Kidswatter that I want to meet up with him next Friday at two. I promise to not take more than an hour of his time." After Todd was saying this, the woman was slowly nodding, and looked like she was just trying to understand the urgency to this. But she decided to not think about it, and just wrote down Todd's name on the paper, and then told him that it would all work. The three of us were leaving the office.

Once we were outside, I was seeing Jenny looking like she had something on her mind "So Todd, are you actually going to be going to talk to him on Friday? I mean, surely you realize that he is not going to be going along with this?" Jenny asked, and Todd looked at her, looking like he was having no choice.

"Yeah, I am going to see him. Hopefully he picks up right away that this is something that I am just trying to do to help. I don't really want to make him feel like I am pushing him though." After Todd said this, I was hearing him clearly not looking like he was really ready for something like this.

"Well, I hope that whatever you are going to do, you are much more careful about it than just running into a office demanding to see him. I mean, I think you know you are going to be getting him on your radar real fucking quick." After she was telling him this, Todd looked like he had hardly fucking cared at all.

"As long as I don't bring up the missing girls, or the grinding noise, he will probably just think that I am just trying to help my fucking friend. So everything will be all fine and dandy." After Todd was saying this, I saw him looking like he was having this in the bag.

"I mean, I am still in this for you guys. I think you guys some times forget about this." Todd finished, and then I was taking out my cigarette, hoping that Todd knew what he was doing. I believed in him. But I needed to keep him aware that this was a fucking risky ass move.

"But today turned to be a total fucking wash. Let's just go home, and pretend like this never happened." Todd said, and I was hearing him clearly sounding like he was just kind of annoyed with the situation that he was in. I couldn't exactly blame him for feeling this way.

As we were walking along, I was already regretting my way of approaching most of this. I was feeling that the way that Todd reacted was just a clear sign of him not really having much trust in himself anymore. And I was feeling really awful for that in all honesty.

As we were going, I then decided to just calm down, and see what I could do to make him feel better here. "So Todd, I was thinking that when I am done with my shift tomorrow, we can go on and talk to the Carbunkle family. After all, I feel like they might be willing to give us something." I said, and then I was seeing Todd looking like he was still not too sure what to say to this.

"I wish that we do that already. I mean, I have been asking you to do this several times, and you haven't agreed to my idea yet." Todd said, and he was sounding like he was just trying to hide his annoyance. I was feeling that if this was the way he was going to react here, then I was not wanting to deal with this at all.

"Well, to be fair, you guys were looking at the guy with the purple jacket. You were doing your best in a bad situation. Can you really get upset at that?" After Jenny asked Todd this, I was seeing him looking like he was at least trying to consider what she had said. But had a hard time really thinking in that positive sense.

"I guess that's true. I guess that one of these days, I should just try and see what I can do to keep myself from falling into total despair at the shit that is going on." With that, Todd was heading along, and I was feeling like I just needed to try and find a way to make him feel at least slightly better here.

"I can take you guys to Mezmer's for a bit. I will pay for it. I know that you really enjoy that place, and it's only like two blocks away." I offered, and I was seeing Todd having a small smile on his face. With that, I was seeing Jenny looking like she was actually really excited about that as well. So I knew that we were finally going to just relax a little. Tomorrow, I would try and talk to Harold, then do my shift, and then see the Carbunkle family. But for now, it was just a simple dinner with two friends.

Scene 16: Failed Attempt

I was with Todd again, and I was feeling like I finally had a plan. "So before I go to my shift today, I feel like maybe we can go on and see Harold again, and see what he might know here." After I was telling him this, I was seeing Todd looking like he was just kind of unsure of what to tell me here. He was just shaking his head.

"Yeah, I guess that I can see that. Although I know that he is not going to want to hear it." Todd said, and I was wondering why he was so upset at this idea. I was just wanting to see the man that I felt like would give us the best idea on what we needed to fucking do.

So with that, I was starting to head on to Harold's place, and I was wondering if Harold was even going to be willing to entertain this idea at all. After all, we were still far away from the party, and I knew that he didn't really feel like Todd was doing the right thing.

Eventually, I was feeling that I needed to bring that up again, to at least try and get Todd to consider the idea of letting this go. So I was looking at him for a moment. "So Todd, I feel like perhaps it might be best if you just stayed behind. Honestly, with what Harold was saying about you needing to focus on your friends, I am worried that he won't even entertain the idea if you are there." After I was telling him this, I was seeing Todd looking like he hardly cared.

"I don't fucking care what he is going to say. If he is going to be in my face about this, then I feel like he is needing to look at himself in the mirror, and see that he is no real prize as well." After he was telling me this, I had no idea what his bitterness was here.

"Just don't let your high and mighty attitude get in the way of us working together here. If he asks you about this, then just tell him that this was my idea, and he will probably let it go. I was just suggesting that maybe it would have been best to just skip it this time." After I was telling him this, I decided that I would just leave it alone for the time being.

Eventually, at Harold's place, I was seeing him smoking a cigarette, and was with his girlfriend from the dance. I was smiling to see this. Knowing that perhaps she was giving him a chance to actually have a normal social life.

"Hey guys, how are you two today?" Harold asked, and I was hearing from the tone in his voice that he was in a much better mood than before I was feeling like whatever he was dealing with before, he was doing much better. And I was feeling super glad for that.

"We're doing good. We were wondering if you wanted to talk for a bit. But if you are too busy, then we can just head out." I said, offering him to just enjoy his time with his lady friend. As I was suggesting this, I saw him looking like he was thinking about what I had said. He was shrugging, as he was standing up for a bit, and coming to us.

"No, it will be fine. I am sure that most of the stuff you were wanting to talk about, they will have heard about anyways." After he was telling me this, I was feeling relatively unsure. And I was feeling like I just needed to be more careful here. But I decided to not argue at all.

"Oh hey Sheldon, how have you been this summer? I heard that you started to work at the gas station in the last couple of weeks." After she said that to me, I was slowly nodding, feeling that I might as well just confirm that real quick. After all, there was no point in denying.

"Doing alright. Yeah, I have been going there during weekdays. Honestly, I am just trying to focus on my personal choices going forward. And when I am off the clock, I am just trying to hang out with friends, and work with them on some stuff." I said, and then I was seeing Harold starting to slightly laugh at that. As if he was well aware of what I was actually doing.

"Honestly, I think you are just trying to find a nice way of saying that you are still looking at all those investigations, but are just trying to be having your friends come along with you, so you do not feel too bad for doing this." After he was telling me this, I was wondering what the point in him acting like this even was.

"I mean, I just feel like there are ways that I can handle all of this. Besides, there was something that I was wanting to ask you about anyways." I said, feeling like I just needed to not let him have any ammunition on this issue.

As I sat down on one of the empty chairs, Todd did the same. Harold's girlfriend was looking like she was just kind of scared of what we were actually doing. But she decided that she would remain silent. I took out a cigarette, and took out the calling card. As soon as I did that, I was already seeing that Harold was not nearly as excited to do this as he was earlier.

"So that was what you were doing with him during prom?" His girlfriend asked, suddenly feeling like it was a bit better, with some of the pieces connected. "Isn't that the one that your father is planning on going?"

"Yeah, that is the one. Although I am still not one hundred percent sure if he is actually going to be going to that. But regardless, this was something that I gave Sheldon, because I thought that he would need it." After Harold was saying this, he sounded slightly more unsure of himself here.

"What is the young guy doing here? I thought that he would be out playing with friends his own age." After she was telling us this, I was seeing Todd looking like he was not really in the mood to be hearing anything like this. But I was telling myself that he better just keep it to himself.

"I am helping one of my friends figure something out. I promised them that I would find the girl who went missing last." Todd said, and he was sounding like he was just kind of not wanting to hear anything like this. As he was done saying this, he was seeing Harold's girlfriend looking like she was just willing to drop it.

"Sorry. I really didn't mean to upset you. I was just kind of confused by something." She said, and she was trying to just not be making herself fall too victim to this conversation. I guess that made some sense, in all honesty.

"I can't stay for too long. You know, having to report to the gas station." I said, and then I was looking at Harold, feeling like I just needed to start focusing on the main issues once again. And not be let down by whatever people were saying about me or anything.

"But Harold, I feel like I want you to come with us to that party. I feel like if you go with us, then you might be able to get your father to calm down enough to tell us some of the things that is happening." I said, and then I was feeling that I just needed to give him some chance.

"Seriously? I feel like if I go to that party, then my father is going to ground me for a fucking month. He is going to act like I am a failure. After he was telling me this, I was looking down, and I was feeling like I just needed to make him feel better about what was happening.

"I don't fucking care dude. We have to do this. If your father is going to be upset with working with us, then I feel like that is just a issue of his own." I said, and I was feeling like saying things this way was not going to be making Harold feel better at all.

"Wow. I deal with super stubborn people all the time." Harold said, and I was hearing him trying to keep at least a mildly amused tone to his voice. But at the same time, I was clearly able to tell that he was not really all that excited about what was happening.

"But do you feel like doing this is going to actually help your friends out?" His girlfriend asked all three of us. As she was asking us this, I was taking a second to stop, and think deeply about what she was saying. In all honesty, I really had no idea.

"I don't know. I mean, I feel like it would be what we need. But I guess that maybe I need to see what people are feeling more often. Before I make these decisions." I said, and I was deciding to just leave it at that. I just hoped that she wasn't going to judge us too badly.

After a bit of talking about the meaning of friendships, and what we were all doing, I realized how late it was starting to get, and I ran to the gas station once again, making it right at four, and hoping that I wouldn't keep cutting it super close like this all the time.

When my shift at the gas station was done at eight, Todd was already waiting for me outside. "We need to head to the Carbunkle house. You said that we were going to do this today." Todd said, and I slowly sighed. Aware of the fact that this was indeed what I had said.

"Yeah, you're right. I hate this. Just make sure when you are there, that you don't immediately jump the fucking gun." After I was telling him this, I was seeing him looking like he was wanting to get in my face about this right now.

So as we were walking on down to the Carbunkle house, Todd was then looking like there was something else on his face. I was wondering what his worries were now. "Sheldon, I am worried that if we go there, the guy might just simply brush off talking with us entirely." After Todd told me this, I was shrugging for a bit.

"I don't care what she is going to say. I mean, worst comes to worst, if she says no, then I will have to work on something else." I said, and then after I said that, I felt like the way that I was suggesting this was reasonable enough. Todd still looked unsure of what to tell me.

"I feel like even if you do not want to, that we are going to have to be much more forceful with her than other people. Because in all honesty, that woman knows something about the conspiracy going on here. After all, her family had been affected by this the most." Todd said, and then I was feeling like there was other ways we can accomplish this rather than just burning her bridges here.

"Just make sure that you are not going to be letting your desire for knowledge get in the way of making her feel like we are in this for her." After I was telling Todd this, I hoped that he was going to be taking what I said seriously.

"I don't fucking care. I am going to get that information, one way or another. Even if that means that I have to be a bit of a asshole to accomplish this." Todd was telling me, and I was taking a long and deep breath. I was feeling like there was no way in hell I would get him to listen to me. I just felt I needed to try.

Once at the front entrance, I was glancing at him for a few seconds. In all honesty, I felt this man was going to be the end of me. And I was feeling like sooner or later he was going to become even more extremist than I was ever going to be.

"Just let me handle this." I said, and then I knocked on the door for a second. I waited for a bit, and there was no answer. I guess that maybe it was too late in the day to do this. "Let's start with this next time. Maybe they are already done for the night." I said, hoping that he would consider what I had said.

"Damn it. I thought that we were going to finally get some answers here." Todd said, and I was hearing him sounding like he was genuinely upset at this. I was feeling really bad for this. But I decided that I was not going to say anything, to not risk pissing him off.

"Look, I feel like there are other ways we can do this. We just need to find out what we can do as an option before we lose all hope." I said, and then I was seeing him looking like he was not at all really buying what I had been telling him.

"Yeah, easy for you to say. You always have a good idea on what you are doing. While I am here, just trying to act like I have a fucking plan here, but always screwing up." After Todd said that, I was wondering how much of a help it was even going to be to have him acting like this right now. It was just getting kind of hard to focus with his anger going on here.

"Well, there is probably somebody who knows Mrs. Carbunkle. So talking to her might give us some insight on what we are doing here." I said, and I was hoping that saying this could be able to give him at least some confidence on the matter.

As we were walking down the stairs, I was feeling like there was no way that I could be able to get him to feel much better here. "Todd, I'm kind of scared about the fact that if we go any deeper into this, then we are going into territory that is going to put us right in the radar. I mean, I feel like all the conversations we had, about the man in the purple jacket, and our time in the forest, has already probably put us too deep here."

"What do you mean?" Todd asked, and then I was feeling like he needed to take this whole thing much more serious. "Are you trying to tell me that it might be best for us to just drop this whole subject, and move on?"

"Honestly, I think that it is a idea that we shouldn't completely reject. I am not saying that we have to do it that way. But it could help us more than anything." I said, and then I was seeing Todd looking like he was really not too sure what to say here.

"I mean, I get that you are trying to just keep us safe here. But I feel like with how close we are to finally having something here, that it is too late for me to just brush off entirely. I just feel like it is going to be best to finally go ahead and do this." After he was telling me this, I was feeling like there was nothing else that I could have said to make him change his mind here.

A man suddenly called out to us, and we turned around. We were seeing that it was one of those men in black. As soon as I was seeing him, I was instantly having a hard time really having any form of composure. I was taking a deep breath, hoping he wouldn't do anything dumb.

"Your mother was wondering when you would come home. She has been worried sick for you." He said, clearly aiming it at Todd. As he was hearing this, Todd was wondering what in the hell was going on here.

"My parents have hardly talked to me since I moved here. I think that I have seen them during the summer like once. So I have no idea what you are fucking talking about." Todd said, and I was feeling like I needed to just get into this discussion for a bit.

"And I am sure that Todd returns home every day. In fact, I was just able to help him go home." I said, feeling like if I could tell him this, then the man might be more willing to just leave us alone for a bit. The guy was laughing as he was hearing this. Although I was wondering what in the world was so funny in his eyes.

"Even after all this time, you still do not know what is going on here. That is the richest thing that I have ever heard. I can't even imagine what it is going to be like when you finally see the truth." After he was telling us this, I was feeling that there was nothing else that I could even tell him now.

"If there is something that you know, the two of us would love to hear the truth. None of us are going to judge it." I said, feeling that if I said it this way, he might be more willing to listen to us. The man was remaining silent for a few seconds. Probably just trying to decide what he wanted to do now.

"Sheldon, you should probably remain out of this. Your father has been worried sick about you, and you are not making things easier by getting into all of these things." After the man was telling me this, I was feeling like I was really just needing to keep my composure much better than I had been earlier.

"Tell me what you know about my mother. I don't fucking get it." Todd said, and I was hearing him looking like he was just trying to make it so that he was still keeping at least some level of composure. "If you know anything, then I would appreciate the truth."

"Maybe you should talk to the people you live with. Perhaps they will be more willing to tell you." After he was telling Todd this, I was seeing Todd looking like he was just trying to remain calm. But this whole thing was just really making him feel totally lost.

"Fine. I will leave. I am not going to deal with this right now." Todd said, and then with that, we were walking along, and I was feeling that Todd was clearly not having a whole lot of patience to be dealing with this right now. I was hoping that he would calm down a smidge, to just try and have a clear focus here.

When Todd and I were leaving him alone, I was seeing Todd looking like he was considering what we were even doing right now. "That man clearly is just trying to get you to be upset. I would not be too worried about it honestly." I said, and I was mainly just trying to find a way to be making him feel better. But he clearly didn't want to hear it.

"But what if he is saying is true? I mean, if there is even a small chance that this whole thing can be true, then I feel like I need to be taking what he says much more seriously. And that is the thing that scares me the most." As he said this, I could instantly see that his confidence was draining.

Once we were at his front house, I was seeing that he was just trying to find a way to calm down a bit. "Todd, is there anything that you need to talk about? I mean, you clearly are thinking deeply about what he is saying." I said, and then I was wondering what in the world I could be able to tell him.

"No, I am good. I don't really have much interest in talking about this right now. He is just trying to get under my skin. Or at least I feel like that is the case." He said, and I was slowly nodding. Not wanting to press him here.

Scene ?: The Follow Up Conversation

That night, I was talking to Sam, and I was feeling like I needed to really do something that could potentially burn bridges of both Sam and Kevin. And in all honesty, I had hardly fucking cared at all. I was feeling that as long as I made the point, then everything would be for the best.

"So Sam, I don't know if Kevin was telling you this or not, and if he hadn't, then I hope he will forgive me. But he was telling me that in all honesty, he was kind of scared of the man in the purple jacket. Along with him, he was also scared of Kenta. So clearly, Kevin knows that there is something of this." I said, and then I was looking right at him, hoping that he would forgive me.

"Thanks for telling me that. It makes me feel better. Knowing that he is able to see what I am saying after all. I was scared that in all honesty, he might have been too far gone, and unable to see what the issues were." Sam was telling me, and I wondered what I was going to even telling him.

"I mean, I know that telling you this might be making Kevin never want to speak to me again. But in all honesty, I felt like I just had to do it. After all, I feel like he might be a bit scared to really open up with what is happening." After I was telling him this, I was wondering if this was still giving me the right to tell him at all.

"I don't really care if he is going to hate this. I mean, I would have kind of gotten over it if he was still believing in the idea that this guy was a hero or what not. But knowing that he doesn't really like the guy, and is still hanging out with him, shows me his lack of willingness to admit when something is going on." Sam was telling me, and I was feeling like there was nothing to tell him.

"But Sam, now that you know the truth, what are you planning on doing about it?" I asked, hoping that maybe the two of us could come up with a agreed upon plan. I was seeing that Sam was looking like he was still thinking about that a bit. "Please don't be upset with him…"

"I have no idea what I am going to be feeling with him. I just wish that he would finally open up with me, and see that I am on his side. But if that is not going to happen, then why in the world should I even bother?" After he asked that, I was hearing him almost just giving up.

"I am sure that Kevin doesn't want you to feel that way. I am sure that he just wants some space, and feel like there isn't somebody who is there to judge him." I said, and I was hoping that saying this was going to be getting him to calm down at least a little bit.

"I don't know. I just feel like I need some time to think about what you are saying. After all, I just want to really bury the hatchet between us. To make us feel like we are not going to be hating each other anymore." He said, and stood up.

"In all honesty, I feel like we just need to leave this alone. I mean, I can tell from the way that he was talking, that over time, he was kind of losing some of his confidence in the subject. As if scared that people did not really like his school work. But I never wanted it to be because of this." He was saying, and then with that, he was remaining silent for a bit.

"Sam, I hope that you know that despite everything going on, I am on your side." I said, and then I was looking at him, hoping that by saying this, I would get him to just calm down a little bit more. "Besides, I just wanted to talk to you about some of the plans that Todd and I were making." I said, hoping that changing the subject was fine with him.

"What the fucking hell would you and Todd be doing in the first place? I mean, you guys are not really communicating with us about what you think needs to be done." Sam said, and then he was not really having much else to say here.

"We are going to be going to that party related to that movie that was being made. Todd keeps insisting that he feels like something is going on there. And to be honest, I am actually inclined to agree with him." I said, and I was taking a bit more confidence in what I was saying.

"I guess that you are going to need some help related to that infiltration. I guess that I will try and see what in the world I can be able to do to help out." After Sam was telling me this, I was nodding. Knowing that he was finally starting to lighten up a bit, and support what I was saying, was enough to make me feel like there was a small taint of hope to come in the future.

"I will help you out. I mean, I kind of always felt like there was something going on at those parties, and I feel like this might be the chance to finally turn things around for a bit." After he was telling me this, I was sort of taking a second to think about what I was doing.

"And who knows, you might even find that man again. After all, I feel like once you talk to him, he might be much more willing to talk to you." I said, and then I was seeing Sam looking like he was kind of seeing where I was coming from. As if he was finally feeling like he was kind of getting on the right track.

"Yeah. I mean, especially if Kevin himself has admitted to the fact that he does not trust that guy. Perhaps it might be best for me to take matters into my own hands, and not fucking care what people are going to say." After he was telling me this, I was so glad to be seeing him finally exerting more confidence here for once.

"But since you are here, can you tell me what you are actually doing? I mean, I am sure that you were here for more than just ratting my brother out. Surely you have some fucking goal in your mind, that you want help with." He said, and then I was slowly nodding at this. Feeling that perhaps there was no fucking hiding what was going on in my mind.

I was then thinking about his question. "I don't know what I was wanting to get out of this, to be honest. I just guess that I was wanting to see what you thought on the subject. But regardless, I remember some of the theories that you were having about the town." I said, and then I was seeing him looking like he was kind of unsure of what to tell me.

"In all honesty, I am not sure what I said." After he was telling me this, I was taking a second on thinking about how I was going to approach the subject much better. "Are you talking about the deals that I was suggesting? I mean, I was not really having a whole lot of grounds when I suggested that. I was just thinking that it was possible."

"Well, the truth is that for better or for worse, that is the best idea on what we fucking have. So I feel like we need to at least consider what we can find here." I said, hoping that this could bait him in a bit more. "You know, maybe we could search those houses you were thinking were involved here."

"So you are suggesting tackle each of those abandoned houses, one by one, in some fucking search hit and run?" Sam suggested, and I was thinking that at least, to some degree, that was kind of what I was saying. Even though he might not have liked to hear it that way.

"I mean, if you were willing to do it, I feel like something like this could be a good idea." I said, and I was aware that saying this was going to potentially get Sam to think that I was totally off my fucking rocker. But it was a risk that I was willing to take.

"I mean, I feel like even if I didn't, you would still be doing this anyways, and I might as well just fucking go along with it. After all, if you do this, then two people doing this would be better than just one." Sam told me, and I was seeing him looking like he was kind of annoyed. But also willing to just accept something like this.

"Alright… Well, where do you think we should fucking start?" I asked, and then I was seeing him looking like he was thinking a little bit more about what I was asking him. As he was thinking a bit, he was shrugging.

"Well, there are so many abandoned places that you could be looking at, that in all honesty, you could be spending all fucking day doing this." Sam said, and I was slowly nodding at that. Feeling like it was fair enough to make that type of statement.

"I will ask my parents, since they are both involved in the urban development of this place. I am sure that they can come up with something if I do." He said, and then I was slowly nodding. I was feeling like saying something like this was enough to give us a bit of a head start.

"I mean, in all honesty, I feel like this might have been something we should have been looking more into earlier. I feel like this is something that even most of the politicians wouldn't fucking care about the teenagers looking into." After Sam was saying this, I was feeling like that criteria was not going to be enough for me to be working with here.

"But I am not going to let Kevin get into this. So don't even fucking try and convince him that this is something that he should be involved in." Sam was telling me, and then I was hearing the tone of his voice. He was clearly sounding like this was something that he was wanting to deal with. As he was saying this, I just decided to not be a ass this time.

"I won't. But in all honesty, even if I did want to tell him this, I think he would probably have no real interest in any of that shit. He would probably tell us to stop fucking play around or whatever." I said, and then Sam was having a forced chuckle as he was saying this. I was feeling like that was a good indicator that he did not fully believe what he was hearing. So I decided to not press him any further on this at all.

I was feeling that it would be best to not be pushing his buttons anymore. And I was glad to be knowing that the two of us were having a common agreement. The thing I was worried about was if he was going to be using his new knowledge against Kevin. I just hoped that he knew that I had never intended for any of that to happen.

Scene 17: I've Seen Him Before

The next day, when I was at my shift, Jeremy had come in. When he was looking up, and he saw me, I was seeing that he was looking shocked as hell to be seeing that I was here. I could tell that he was clearly just trying to find a way to talk to me for a bit.

"So this is how you are spending your summer vacation? Working at a gas station? That sounds really fucking sad." Jeremy said, and then I was shrugging as I was hearing this. Since in all honesty, I did not even disagree with him at all.

"Just working on my week days to give me something else to do besides looking into labyrinth. I really don't want to waste my fucking life away looking into something that might be just not real at all." I said, and then I was seeing Jeremy get a small grin at this statement.

"You still haven't given up on that idea yet? I guess that is not too surprising, considering the fact that you have always had people support you for the stuff you were trying to work on." After Jeremy was telling me this, I simply was not really wanting to hear it.

"Well, I have been helping Todd with one thing in particular. Something about a man in the purple jacket. I mean, I literally saw the guy earlier. So clearly I know that these people are not fucking lying." I said, and I was hoping that this could get him to take it more seriously.

"Man in the purple jacket? I think I have probably seen somebody like that before? What is in it for you guys though? I mean, surely you have a real reason to care about this." After he was telling me this, I was sighing, feeling that I just needed to let him say what he needed to say.

"Well, Sam's brother, Kevin, has had to deal with him lately. And the man is scaring the absolute shit out of him. And I can't even fucking blame him. But I am worried that I will not really be able to actually make things better for him." I said, wondering why I was even doing any of this in the first place.

"Well, what are you really going to accomplish by talking to him though? He clearly is not going to want to work with you. After all, you are not the person that he was aiming for." After he was telling me this, I looked at him, not having any interest in this.

"I don't fucking know. I just thought that maybe I could see why he was trying to do this with Kevin. I thought that maybe if for nothing else, I could just finally see some of his perspective." I finally said, feeling no need to say any more.

"Well, I think you need to be sure that this is something that they would even want you to be doing anyways. For all you know, you could be doing something that would really piss him off." Jeremy said, and I was wondering why he was even telling me this in the first place.

"I don't care if that pisses him off. I feel like Kevin needs to be safer, and not be letting these things get in the way of his judgment. And if that means that I have to be getting his life habits, then I will do what needs to be done to get him to stop." I said, and then I was shaking my head as I said that to him.

"All I was meaning was that in all honesty, if you want to help Kevin out more, then I think that perhaps the best way to do this would just be to be listening to his wishes, and see what he would actually fucking like. Just doing things your way, is not going to get people to forgive you." After he said that to me, I was slightly sighing here.

"I mean, I am scared that he is going to end up like me. Too scared to tell the truth, and too scared to let people know what he is truly feeling. In all honesty, I feel like if he hears what is going on in my head, then he might just be a bit too annoyed to talk with me further." I said, feeling that getting Kevin to stop talking with me would really suck.

"Well, I guess that makes sense. After all, I have always been worried about what you have been doing, and I was always wanting to make sure that you were aware of the issues that would come out of getting too deep into this." After Jeremy said this, I was wondering what I was even going to say in response.

"Jeremy, I just have a feeling that Sam is going to be feeling like I haven't done enough as a friend to really justify working this whole thing out. After all, he was always wanting to me there for him, and here I am, just throwing away his brothers fears here." I said, and then I was wondering why I was even saying all of this in the first place.

"I mean, make your own choices on the matter. But I will just say is that before you go on and do anything too stupid, just remember that what you are doing is going to be affecting those around you. They are going to have to deal with your choices for the rest of our life." Jeremy said, and then I was looking right at him, wondering why he was even caring at all what I was doing.

"Yeah, I will try to keep that in mind. Even if I do not really want to. I just hope that my attempts for justice don't end up making things any worse for us all." I said, and I was wondering if what I was saying would even make Jeremy feel slightly better here.

"I know that you have the best of intentions. But I feel like there is only so much you can do before you have to start to think about what you are doing, and if you are actually helping anybody out at all." She said, and then I was feeling like this was fair enough.

"Although off the record, I think it is awesome that you care so much about what happens to Kevin and I feel like you need to keep that momentum going for as long as possible. After all, if you do that, then you are really going to get everybody to support you." Jeremy was telling me, and I was feeling like there was some hope in this now.

"And I feel like when you hear all the shit that is going on in this town, it is extremely hard to not be feeling like you are at a loss here. Always feeling like what you are doing is not enough. I always had a fear that what I was doing was going to be making your life worse." Jeremy told me, and I wondered why he was always so worried about these things.

"Do you feel like you are going to take those fears, and actually try to run with them? I mean, I feel like that is the biggest thing somebody can do here. Is just fucking fight, and never let yourself down at all." I said, and then I was feeling like if I kept that statement up any longer, then Jeremy might be getting over his head a bit.

"I don't know. But I would be interested in knowing if you ever find anything about the fucking man in the purple jacket. And I hope that you know that I will support you in any way that I can. Even if it can be extremely unsettling to do these things at times, I feel like we just need to support each other." He told me, and I was feeling like there was no need to go any further here.

As I was finally aware that I was getting him to hear what I was saying, and that he wasn't just feeling like what I was saying was a load of shit, I was starting to think about what I could be able to do in order to really get him to calm down a bit.

But knowing that Jeremy was going to see this through to the end, for my own sake, was something that made me realize that he was not really a bad friend at all. And that I just needed to give him much more credit than I ever had been. Although I wondered if other people would even hear it at all.

Scene 18: Wrapping Up

When Sheldon was done speaking for this session, he was taking a second to calm down, and he was feeling like no matter what he was going to say to his therapist, it was never going to really be enough to get her to feel any different.

Therapist: So Sheldon, do you think that making all those deals, and discussions with Kenta, and the other people in that company will actually be for the best? Or do you feel like you made a giant mistake by doing this?

Sheldon: In all honesty, I feel like I really had no choice. I mean, nobody was wanting to fucking hear it. Everybody was rude to me, and always made it clear that they did not really believe in everything that I was saying.

Therapist: Sheldon, do you really feel talking to Kenta was the best route though? I mean, everybody has heard all the rumors about the man, and I feel like you probably were going to be much more careful with these things.

Sheldon: Well, when your hand is forced, you have no choice but to just see what you can get. I thought that maybe talking to Kenta, especially when Sam was talking Shaun, I thought that maybe things were going to have a chance to turn around.

Therapist: I guess that I am just trying to fully understand everything that is going on here. I feel like if I had more to go with, I would help you more.

Sheldon: And I was simply just trying to be as resourceful as possible here. I was wondering what I could do. I mean, there was no way that I was going to know what in the world Kenta was going to do once he knew everything.

Therapist: Do you feel like having Sam talk to that guy was actually the right choice? I mean, Sam seemed to be rather careful with not telling you much here. I mean, with everything that was going on, you surely must have seen how much of a mistake it really was.

Sheldon: Well, Sam had really made his choice on the matter. He needed to do whatever he could to change the situation he was finding himself in. And I feel like Sam was needing to really just do whatever he thought was right for Kevin.

Therapist: Were you telling the truth when you were telling Sam that Kevin was the closest thing to a younger brother that you had, and that this was the main reason that you were doing all of these things.

Sheldon: Yes, I was telling the truth. I mean, Todd was a good friend and everything. But in all honesty, I did not really look at him as a brother. I looked at him as a comrade.

Therapist: Do you feel that this level of attachment was making things better or worse for you? I feel like you need to let me in on some of the ideas you were feeling.

Sheldon: In all honesty, I feel like the only thing that attachment was doing was making me have way different stake in the situation compared to be honest. I felt like if things were different, then maybe I would not have been as passionate.

Therapist: What do you think the passionate reaction was able to accomplish? Or do you feel like it was taking things away more than anything.

Sheldon: I feel like being as passionate as I was only made things worse for me personally in the long run. The fall that much harder. But in terms of actually accomplishing shit, I feel like the passion was the only thing keeping this situation going.

Therapist: Well, either way, thank you for telling me more. If for nothing else, it is painting a better picture on what is going on here. And I feel like that is the main thing that really fucking matters here.

When he was done talking with her for the time being, he was leaving, and he was feeling that no matter what was going to happen, that Cody would never understand why he was doing this, and he would never be willing to see the bigger picture at all.

Scene 19: Cody's Anger (1992)

After finishing the first several of these tapes, Cody was feeling increasingly frustrated at what he had read. He had felt that in all honesty, his father should have been telling him more of those days sooner. The fact that he was working with Todd all this time, and viewed him as a valuable friend.

When Sheldon had returned home that day, Cody decided that he would take a break from the listening, and just try to talk to Sheldon for a bit, and see if maybe he and his father could come across something, Sheloto make this better.

"Hey dad, so I got those tapes that you made earlier. I have been listening to some of them." After he said that to Sheldon, this was when Sheldon was placing his things down on the couch, and he looked over at Cody, feeling that if this was the discussion they would enter, then things were going to be a rough night.

"I knew that it was only a matter of time before you were going to be listening to this. And I was hoping that you would be fully ready. But the look on your face shows ma that you don't really feel like you are capable of understanding the truth." After Sheldon said that to Cody, this was when Cody was starting to ball his fist a bit.

"I just want to know why you never told me what the truth was at the start. I mean, I am not there yet. But if I knew how much effort you were putting in, and I knew that you had more to learn than anybody else, then I would have used your information well." Cody said, and he was clearly sounding less sure of himself as he was speaking.

"I never wanted to tell you because I wasn't sure you were old enough and capable enough to understand what is happening. I thought that by holding it off, even by just a few years, would be enough to get you to see some of the situation that is happening here." Sheldon said, hoping that his reasoning could seep to Cody a bit.

"The issue is that I still don't have the full piece. I have only listened to the first few of them, and the main thing that I got from these is that you have been a good friend. Why in the world are you so scared to tell me the truth of what is going on in the town? I have a right to know." Cody said, and then Sheldon was sighing as he head that.

"Look, I am not scared of you knowing the truth. I am scared of what the people around here will do to you once they know that truth. When they know that you understand, then your entire life will be thrown away. And I am not going to be doing anything that throws you away." After he was telling Cody this, he hoped he could understand this.

"I mean, I am just wanting to know what this has to do with mom. Why did she die over this? She deserved so much better, and you are not giving me anything." Cody said, and then Sheldon looked down, and remained silent a second.

"Because that was their way of trying to get at me for what I had known. It was all about just trying to make sure that I knew that if I pressed their line too hard, then I would suffer the consequences. But there is only so long that I can hide the truth from you. I am not fucking stupid." After Sheldon said that, he was taking a moment to remain silent at this for now.

"I am going to be honest, I wish that if I knew what was to come, I had never met her. I feel like that would have kept her safe, and would have made things much less horrible than they ever were." After Sheldon said that, he was taking a second to leave it alone.

"Wow. I never thought that I would hear you admit something like that. I mean, I guess that it makes sense." Cody said, and he was trying to not think about the fact that his father had sort of admitted that he has wished he had never been born. But he was thinking maybe Sheldon didn't mean it like that.

"I just feel like you deserve to know what my true thoughts on the situation were. I mean, this whole thing was a terrible event. I mean, with everything that was happening, I wonder if maybe somebody like Brad would have been a better pick for her." Sheldon said, and hearing that made Cody sick to his stomach. But since his father did not know the truth, he figured he would leave Sheldon out of this.

"Dad, do you feel like when I finally know this all, that I should be doing something to fight this?" After Cody asked him this, that was when Sheldon looked at him, upset at the mere suggestion of something like this. Wondering why Cody would suggest such a thing.

"I mean, I would really not want you to be doing this. But at the end of the day, this is something that you need to decide for yourself. I can't fucking choose your own path for you. But I feel like you certainly know this already. I just feel like you should keep a better mind on things." After Sheldon said this, that was when Cody was nodding.

"I need to avenge mom for what happened to her. I mean, I am not expecting you to get it, or anything. But I feel like something like this would be the best course of action." After Cody said that to him, that was when Sheldon was slowly nodding.

"I didn't want you to get into this for a quest of revenge. I wanted you to learn something. Knowledge is different than lashing out at the people who deserve it." Sheldon said, and then Cody was taking a second to think about this.

"But you were the one who told me that I was allowed to do whatever I wanted with this. If I feel like giving those people what they deserve is the best way to do this, then there is no reason to stop me from doing this." Cody sad, hoping that he would be able to get his father to see the point.

"After all, most of what you were doing was for revenge. You clearly say so on the fucking tapes. You were not really doing it for justice, even though they are virtually the same thing." Cody said, and then Sheldon was thinking about what he heard.

"You know, I am not even going to laugh at you, or make fun of you. Because in all honesty, I did say a lot of the same thing. Look Cody, if you are going to be doing it this way, then can you at least be careful about the way you are doing this. At least actually finish the tapes first." After Sheldon said that, he was taking a second.

"Don't worry, I fucking will. Because I feel like that is going to be the start to me figuring out how to make a clear path to fix this." Cody said, and he was remaining calm at this. Thinking about what he was going to finally learn by hearing the rest of these.

"I hope that you will one day forgive me, or at least be able to understand what I was trying to do. I feel like in due time, you will be able to see what I was doing was for the best." After Sheldon said that, he was feeling like there was no reason to say anything different.

"I just hope that I understand by the end of this. I mean, maybe it's because I just not getting it yet. But I am willing to continue giving you a chance, and I will see what I might be able to learn." Cody said, and then he was shaking his head a bit.

"I hope that you know that I am proud of you, and what you have been able to do these last several years. I want to make sure that you never forget that." After Sheldon told Cody this, Cody was shaking his head, and went to his room, feeling that he just needed to go to sleep.

Maybe when he was asleep, he would be able to get over it faster. Maybe he would let things go, and not be upset at the way that he was being treated over something that was really not his fault at all. But for now, he was just going to take the night, and then get ready for more the next day.