Chapter 2 - To Have a Freind

(C) Tom 2006


Well, This is it...
My 'quest' to find the missing part of my life is about to begin.
But I don't know where to start!
There must be some place, some where that I can begin with...
How about school....? Nah, I never really liked school...
Maybe the mall? nope, not my favourite place either...
Wait, I know the prefect place! Somewhere I haven't been for a long while...

I stand there on the steady, red, metal bridge, looking out over the river, it's a nice evening, the orange sunset in the distance, the cold but kind breeze
lifting my hair and throwing it to the side, the steamy feel of a coming cold winter's night.
I stand there for a while, hands in my jean pockets, just looking at the sunset.
I pull my black coat closer to me. It's pretty cold out.
Then, I feel another coat being put on me. I look back and there's Malcolm.
He's a sweet guy, really, We went out, but I told him I didn't feel a spark and we kind of left it at that.

"Cold, isn't it?" He says.
I just stare off into the distance again, clenching both of the coats close to me.
Malcolm breathes a light sigh.
"I guess your thinking about him.. Huh?"
"Yeah, He was my first, we were going so well together... The he just..."
I can't finish that, I can't even believe it happened.
"You know, I heard a rumour that he survived, case they searched for ages, but no body was found."
"Yeah, I heard that too. But I've just given up now. If he survived why didn't he come back to me?" I sigh.
"Well, maybe he couldn't. But then again, why couldn't he?" He replied
A tingle ran down my spine at his words.
"I feel a bit Woozy.." I started to slant to the side, but I felt the warm hands of Malcolm keeping me up.
A tear fell from my eye, I don't understand why, but I felt like crying..
I started crying harder, letting out little sobs, that became large sobs, and before I knew it I was full out crying into Malcolm's chest.
Malcolm hugged me tightly, but I knew, that wasn't a lover's hug, it was a freind's hug.

I let out all my tears, and when I was done we both looked out into the distance together like nothing happened.
Malcolm broke the silence. "I was a freind of him too, you know. And when he died, I did a bit of research to see if I could find him."
I stood there looking at Malcolms eyes. Blue they were, unlike my green, and I could tell, He was dead serious about Malcolm.
"It seems that there are small records of some-one with his name living in the backwater town of Leafdale ."
That sends a shiver ten times as bad as the last down my spine.
I stare blankly at Malcolm, almost ready for my jaw to drop.
"It took me all these two years, but I think I've got it. Problem is, my parents won't let me go there, they say I'm just scared that he's gone and I'll get over it soon.." he continues.
"Oh Malcolm! I could almost kiss you!" I shout.
"This is what I've been looking for! A way to find the people I lost! And your the key to it!"
"Wow, wow, wow, wow, WOW! Have you been drinking too much coffee? Leafdale is MILES away, you have no way of getting there, and even so, what's with this 'finding lost people' crud?" Malcolm shouts in a confused voice.
I breath a heavy, heavy sigh, and proceed to tell Malcolm about what I've been thinking lately, why there's a fluffy pink bag next to me, what I plan on doing.
"Oh.... Right...." Malcolm says in a even-more-confused-kind-of-way
"Please, I need your help. Just tell me all the details you know about him!" I plead.
"Okay, as far as I know, he lives in Lilydale, don't know where exactly, you can ask in town for that. Also, He's a paperboy, I think, but he must be payed extra because he's amking a decent living.
Now, Lilydale is very far away, it'll take one week by car, but generally no-one goes that way, so I'd say you'll have to walk a bit, ride a few trains, hitch-hike a bit, hey, maybe even catch a boat!"
"Okay... And I might need a map or something. I have all the other supplies in my bag."
"No prob!" Malcolm walks quickly off to his bike, and retrieves a map with a detailed way of the safest and best route to Lilydale written on it.
"Lucky I was holding onto it, but anyway, the Red lines indicates road, so you should hitch-hike for that one. Blue is for Train, which is fast, but very lonely.
Lastly, green is for walking. You'll be doing a fair bit of it at the end of the journey." Malcolm explains
"koolio!" I exclaim, taking the map from him and walking off to the left of the bridge.
"And if I do find him, I'll promise to come back here with him!' I shout back at Malcolm.
"Good Luck! And by the way, how much hair dye do you put into that hair? It looks as flourescent as las vegas!"
"Oh shut-up!" I shout back with an annoyed tone. "I'll catch you later, I promise to come back!"
I turn around and walk away, leaving my childhood town behind me.
"By the way," I hear the faint voice of Malcolm still shouting at me. "Nice Melons!"
I turn around and give Malcolm a rude gesture, then go back to walking away.
Nice feeling, it is, to have a freind. But I still feel empty....




To be Continued!

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