Chapter 8: Searching

Chapter 8
Searching

I awoke in my bed. My body felt sore, and my head throbbed. It was dark. I glanced at my clock: 9 at night.

How did I get here? Was it all a dream? I only had questions and a headache.

A clatter came from my kitchen.

I was up and walking toward my kitchen. I could see the kitchen light on and someone’s shadow. I entered silently and saw a girl with black hair making a sandwich.

“What are you doing here?”

She turned toward me. “You’re awake! How are you feeling?”

“Terrible.”

“Sounds about right.”

“What happened?”

“What do you remember?”

“We were in the alleyway, and you—“

I bit my lip.

“You swung to kill me.”

“Well, that’s half right.”

“Well, explain to me then.”

“I knocked you out.”

“How? Why?”

“With my Aspect—”

“With a sword.”

“My Aspect can change.”

I stared at her.

“My shadow can become an object of any size and shape. You saw a sword, but it became a mallet as I swung at you.”

“You haven’t answered why.”

“Because Aspects disappear when their users lose consciousness.”

“You knocked me out to stop summoning them.”

“Precisely,” she smiled. “At least, you should know how to summon them now.”

“Great, I can become a beacon for suicide.”

“Are you hungry?”

I saw she made a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I didn’t even own any peanut butter and jelly.

“Yes.”

She handed me the sandwich and began to make herself another one.

“How did we get here?”

“Well, after the fight, I carried you home.”

I stared at her. “And your Aspect became—“

“A wagon.”

“And you carried me on a wagon.”

“Yes.”

I didn’t care anymore. Her Aspect was beyond my comprehension. I took a bite of my sandwich. It was good, but it wasn’t peanut butter and jelly.

“Is this—“

“Strawberry jam.”

I laid down the sandwich.

“Not good?”

“No. I just lost my appetite.”

“I’m sorry about the strawberries. I like them.”

“I do too. I just don’t eat them anymore.”

“Why not?”

I shook my head.

“Go home, Grace.”

“Are you okay?”

“Yes.”

She packed up her belongings and walked to the exit.

“Don’t forget these.”

I handed her the peanut butter and the jam.

“Keep them,” she smiled. “Call me tomorrow?”

“Good night.”

I closed the door. I walked into the kitchen and looked at the sandwich. Strawberry. I was done listening.

My phone rang. What does she want? I walked over to it. Blank. It must be laughing at me. I threw it onto my bed, and it opened.

I could hear the scampering of a rodent, moving along. Then I heard the honking of cars, the voices of people shouting, the blaring of sirens, the ringing of alarms, and still, the scampering of a rodent. Suddenly, I heard a terrible caw, the rodent squealed, the scampering was gone, replaced by the powerful beats of a wing. All other sound died out. Only the beating of wings. And then a voice.

“Hmm, my phone is out of batteries. Well, if he calls, he’ll just have to wait until tomorrow.”

Click.

I heard nothing else. I ran to my phone. The call ended.

I called.

“Sorry! I’m not here right now! Leave a message after the beep, and I’ll call you when I can! Beep!” The phone then beeped afterwards.

I ran out of my building. I looked left and right, but there were more than just two directions. She could have gone down any street. But of all the choices, standing still was the wrong answer. I ran right. I looked for her as I ran, but I didn’t see her. I yelled her name out into the night, but there was no answer. I even asked if people had seen her, but no one had or no one cared to notice. I didn’t know where she was. I could become a beacon, but even then, would it focus on me? I stopped in an alleyway and leaned against a wall to catch my breath. A flyer was on it.

Take the time to listen to the words of another and the sounds of the city. Who knows what you might hear.

Visit www.listentoyourpeers.org/

This was the last straw.

“Who am I supposed to listen to? What am I supposed to listen to? I asked others and listened to their words, but no one knows where Grace is! And why should I listen? Listening to others got me in this mess! Listening to others ends in pain! That’s why I stopped listening! I had stopped listening!”

I slumped down. I could see windows illuminate. I didn’t care. I had no answer.

“Fine. I’ll listen.”

I placed my phone against my ear. I closed my eyes. And all I did was listen.

Text and Images © Jonathan Lee