AN/ Oh my God you guys. So after I dealt with the sickness, I had some issues with mental health that were getting taken care of. I've started studying for my school finals already, and I'm sick again. Not to mention I've had to reread everything. Btw, I've gone through the chapters for some editing, but nothing major has changed. Sorry for the long wait and thank you so much for sticking with it. Like I've said every review is inspiration for me. And again I need feedback; we're all trying to improve right?
THE SUN had nearly set when Emil lifted his head. It was starting to get cold, and he put his arms into Sweden's large winter coat. Lukas still hadn't showed up, and Emil was tired of waiting. He got up, roughly wiping his eyes with the cold sleeve.
His legs were stiff as he walked, but he could feel his wallet and his cellphone in his back pocket. So he continued. Away from Tino and Berwald's house. Nobody stopped him, so he kept walking.
Lukas wandered around his house aimlessly. Something felt wrong, an exotic taste in his mouth and a queasy feeling in his stomach. He couldn't sit still, but there was nothing to do. The worst part was not knowing what was wrong. It wasn't like he could find the problem and fix it. He just had to sit and wait for whatever what was happening to happen.
He sat in his bedroom, looking around, lost, almost scared. Then something hit him. He jumped to his feet, and hurried down the stairs to the kitchen. He grabbed his cell-phone off of the table and turned it back on. It seemed to take forever.
Finally the phone was back on, but before Lukas could make a call it exploded with text and other alert messages. He had tens of missed calls and texts, most from Tino, a few from Mathias. Lukas struggled to read them, as when he opened one another text came in. He groaned and set the phone down for a minute, crossing his arms and glaring at it.
When it stopped buzzing and dinging he picked it up again and called Tino. The phone hardly rang once before it was picked it up, "Lukas?! Why haven't you been answering?!"
He blinked, surprised to hear a sobbing Tino on the phone, "What's wrong?"
"I-I-I made him… I… he's gone… Oh God!" Tino was incoherent, only a handful of words making it through his sobs.
"Tino. Tino! I can't understand you!" There was muffling and crackling on the phone, Lukas guessed it was being passed to someone else.
"L'kas." Berwald grunted into the phone.
"Yes! Berwald what's going on?" Lukas shouted impatiently into the phone.
"Em'l an' T'no h'd a fight." There was a long pause. Berwald not speaking and Lukas holding his breath.
"Do I need to come get him?" Lukas closed his eyes, the sickening feeling worse.
"H's g'ne L'kas. H' r'n 'way s'mewhere." Berwald, "T'no an' I 're g'nna go look fer 'im."
"Uh-huh." Lukas had already started pulling on his brown leather jacket and flat cap, "… Me too." He grabbed a scarf, but didn't put it on just yet. "I'll talk to you later Berwald." He hung up without another word and grabbed his keys. Outside big flakes of snow had started to fall. Lukas hardly noticed it, but he didn't note how much snow had fallen barely into November
Natalia was having her first good night in ages. There seemed to be an endless supply of wine, and enough Chinese food to feed a family. She didn't have a single thought of Lukas or Brigitte, not even her big brother Ivan. No, the only thing on Natalia's mind was the movie rental store's delivery boy and the next movie she'd have him deliver. He was very cute… in an under-aged, trembling, shy way.
The knock on the door was not the delivery boy; Natalia had no idea who it was. She lazily got to her feet, tying her robe tighter around her and stopping to quickly top of her glass of Merlot. There was another knock, "Natalia, please! I can see the light under your door! …You never leave it on…"
It was Lukas. Any other circumstance she probably would have ignored him, but the tone of his voice was strange. Almost as if he was pleading, begging. Lukas held many mysteries from Natalia, but she knew the man did not beg.
She opened the door an inch, almost fearful of what she'd find. But it was just Lukas, snow melting on his coat and hat, a scarf wrapped tightly around his neck, his face was flushed from cold and exertion, he panted, and in his eyes was a wild look Natalia had never seen before, "Lukas?" She opened the door wider.
"Is he here?!" He pushed his way inside, striding into the living room area and looking around, "God dammit, Natalia! He loves you doesn't he? Where the hell is he?" He whipped around to look at her.
Natalia narrowed her eyes, "If you're going to shout then you can get out!"
Lukas inhaled deeply, "Sorry…"
"Now what's going on?" She shut the door and walked to him.
Lukas didn't answer at first, his eyes flicked around the apartment, "Is Emil here?"
"… No." Natalia answered, reluctant to play along while in the dark, "Why would he be here?"
"He ran away." Lukas said, then leaned forward and grabbed her shoulders, "If he's here he can stay, whatever. I just need to know he's safe. Please."
She shook her head, "He's not here Lukas."
Lukas stared into her face for another moment, Natalia stared back. He let go and headed for the door, "I'm sorry I bothered you."
"Lukas, wait! D-Did you check the bridge?" He stopped and turned, nodding.
"And the docks? He said he liked to go down there once."
"Yes, I've checked everywhere in town."
"I… uh… Let me help you look for him!" She blurted.
Lukas blinked at her.
"He was my friend too… and he's your brother. I-I'd hope you'd help me look for my missing sibling." Natalia headed to her room, "Just let me get dressed! I'll hurry!"
…
"Take a right here."
"Dear God, where are you leading me?" Lukas obeyed her command despite his questions.
"You'll see." Natalia answered. The road turned to dirt, and Lukas slowed over the bumpy and rough road. His passenger looked around the dark woods surrounding them fearfully. She hoped that Emil wasn't in the woods, lost in the dark. Along and scared.
Lukas slowed as he reached the garage Emil called a hideout. He squinted out at it, "Where the fuck are we, Snowflake?"
"Emil took me here to take pictures of me once." Natalia opened his glove box, "Do you have a flashlight?"
"There should be one in there." He unbuckled and opened up his door, keeping the car and it's headlights on.
Natalia hurried after with the flashlight, but froze beside the car and watched Lukas. He paced in front of the garage, examining it's chipping paint and wood. When had Emil found this place? How? Was it even safe for him to go inside?
Natalia's footsteps in the dirt made Lukas turn around, squinting in the light. She looked down at the flashlight, and he strode into the garage. Natalia examined the tube, looking for the switch. She turned it on with a triumphant smile, and ran after Lukas.
"Hey-…" She tripped in the doorway, the flashlight spinning out of her hands and onto the floor. With lighting like reflexives, Lukas caught her arms.
He pulled her up, "You okay?"
Natalia nodded and looked around in the dark. She shook her head, "I'm scared."
Lukas looped an arm around her waist, "Hey, it'll be okay." He went to the flashlight – bringing her with him – and picked it up. The garage was small, and it only took seconds to illuminate every inch of it. Lukas's hand dropped in defeat, "There's nothing here… Nothing to be afraid of."
Natalia looked up at him. She had never seen him so sad, it hurt. "Lukas." She reached a hand up and cupped his cheek, urging him to look at her. His indigo eyes turned to her blue ones, "It'll be okay." She whispered, "He's a smart kid."
"That's just it, Snowflake. He's just a kid." Lukas looked away from her, deep frown chiseled into his face, "I have no idea how to… be there for him. And then when I try…" He cleared his throat, blinking rapidly. Natalia's eyes widened, Lukas was close to tears. Lukas was close to tears.
"I'm either smothering him or neglecting him, Nat." He looked back at her, "I suck at this! I mean, something was wrong after Mom and Dad died but then he had to deal with me being… unstable and depressed and I'm still having problems. I don't think I ever asked him if he was okay even. I don't deal with my emotions and I expected him not to deal with his. I-…" Lukas's mad ramblings stopped, his hand came up to cover his eyes, "I'm scared Natalia."
"Oh Lukas." She pushed aside his hand and looked back into his eyes. They were wet, and more tears dripped down his cheeks. Natalia wiped a big one away with her thumb, "It's okay. We'll find him. And it'll work out. You'll see."
Lukas snapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into a tight embrace, burying his face in her shoulder. Natalia grunted, forced onto her tiptoes. Her first instinct was to push away, but the way Lukas's shoulders jumped under her arms made her stop.