Runaway – Zakuyoe

Large portions of text in italics refers to a flashback. Italics of a single word is only meant to stress that word. Horizontal rules break segments of the story, such as paragraphs...

Chapter 1

“Have you found him yet?” asked a hopeful Jonathan. Jonathan was a fifteen year old with shaggy black hair and hazel eyes. He particularly liked to play football and baseball.

To his dismay, the officer shook his head. “I’m afraid we haven’t found any clues of the possible presence of him whatsoever. His disappearance was so sudden; not even his own family members have a clue on his whereabouts.”

“Anyone have a reason for his disappearance, at least?” As Jonathan said this, he bit his lip. Asking the officer was pointless; he already knew the reason. Fourteen-year-old Steven was perhaps the weakest person in the town, not in physical strength, but emotionally. Even the slightest insult could bother him dampened spirits, which was the reason why Jonathan always watched his mouth around his friend.

“No one so far has reported of possible evidence leading to his action.” Jonathan looked down as he tried to hold back tears. It had all happened too soon, yesterday to be more precise. Steven had led him into the dark forests behind his house with a look of panic on his face. Those few words… why did he fear them so much?

“Thanks officer,” Jonathan said slowly, a small sense of uncertainty in his voice, “I’ll try to look for him on my own time, as well.” He slowly turned in the opposite direction and walked through the doors of the police station.

---

The town of Hartonville was rather small in size, which made it easy for most villagers. Just about every mother had some means of communicating with the other mothers, and most of the men went to the local pub at the sun’s set to discuss the day’s events together. That evening, the men were discussing the sudden disappearance of the boy Steven.

“I heard he was last seen in China Town down by the river,” said one of the villagers, “Heard he got in a fight with ‘em foreigners.”

“I heard he got a row with his ol’ man,” said another, “ran away afterwards.”

“You know what I heard?” asked a third, “I hear he got heartbroken and decided to flee in shame.”

“What nonsense,” said a fourth, “all of y’all stories are fraud!” A fifth man was about to say his share of the story, but quickly halted his decision as he noticed a figure walking outside the pub.

“What’s a boy so young doin’ out so late?” he asked. But before expecting an answer, he ran outside to see who it was. “You Steven?” he asked. The boy shook his head furiously.

“No sir. My name is Jonathan. I’m trying to get home; could you please let go of me?” Jonathan met eyes with the stranger, and suddenly felt very vulnerable in the control of this… stranger.

“If you ain’t Steven, you can leave.” Sighing, the boy called Jonathan quickly got out of his grasp and hastily walked into the darkness of the night. He was murmuring something that the man could not comprehend. “What a mysterious fellow, that boy is.” Shrugging, the man reentered the pub.

---

Much flowed through the mind of Jonathan as he made his way back from the station. He felt powerless on the disappearance of his friend, and knowing that he was the last to ever see him pained him, let alone the only one to know why he fled. “Perhaps I should tell the police,” he thought.

But he knew he couldn’t. In the forest, Steven had begged, crying in desperation, not to tell a soul of his plans. Steven had groveled that Jonathan wouldn’t raise an alarm of his disappearance. And with tears flowing down his face, Jonathan gave that oath, in which he wouldn’t turn his plan in.

Steven's family, however, did call the police once the hour hand of the clock struck twelve. Steven did not return with Jonathan from the forest, and his absence from the house caused panic. That whole night Jonathan stayed awake, weeping into his pillow so that his parents wouldn’t awake from his crying. By morning he was tired and weak, not physically, but emotionally. He was in a drought of tears, mainly because of the flood of them he had released throughout the night. By morning the event had been on the paper, and the whole city knew.

“It’s all my fault,” Jonathan muttered as he turned the corner. He halted suddenly, noting that the pub was merely ahead. What if someone saw his walk by? He couldn’t think of something harmful to answer that question, so he continued. However, merely after walking past the door, it swung open, and a complete stranger grasped his shoulder and pinned it to the wall.

“You Steven?” he asked. The mention of his name could’ve sent him into tears again, but he couldn’t shed any more that he had already.

“No sir,” Jonathan replied, “My name is Jonathan. I’m trying to get home; could you please let go of me?”

“If you ain’t Steven, you can leave.” In relief, Jonathan forced himself out of his grip and continued his way home. “Why didn’t I stop him?” he asked himself quietly.

---

“You seem worried,” Jonathan said, as the two of them walked around the town, “Is something bothering you?”

“No,” said Steven a little too quickly, “Nothing’s wrong.” Jonathan stopped in his stride, causing Steven to do the same. He took his right hand and placed it under Steven’s chin.

“You’re lying Steven,” said Jonathan, studying the other’s face, “You’re eyes reflect a sense of fear in them.” He let go of Steven’s face, quickly moving his hand and arm around the other’s shoulder. “I’d wish you’d tell me what’s wrong.”

“Nothing’s wrong!” he said again, a bit stronger in tone. Jonathan looked at his friend again, and saw the same thing in his facial expression. Jonathan could tell that he was being lied to by the way his eyes flickered when he said it. He learned this within the six years they had known each other.

“Again, you’ve lied,” Jonathan looked away again, “I’ve been your friend for who knows how long…”

“Six years,” informed Steven, “I know. But you have to understand me when I say this, Jonathan, but with most things I would confide in you for advice and comfort… but this I cannot. Can we please leave it at that?” Without expecting an answer, he began to walk again, leaving Jonathan rooted to the ground.

“But why not?” he asked to no one in particular.

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So that’s my first chapter… I hope you enjoyed it… please review!