Chapter Six ★ Research

｡☆✼★━ Daniel ━★✼☆｡

All three of us were holed up in the micro fiche room. We were looking over old articles about the abandoned amusement park. Searching for a clue as to why my dad hated that place.

Jacob tapped me and beckoned me over to his machine. I scooted the chair and leaned over his shoulder. Calvin leaned back in his chair, “Dudes, you find something?”

“Maybe.” Jacob signed.

I scanned the document that he had up on his screen. It was about an investigation about the people who’d gone missing at the fair. Clues lead the authorities back to amusement park. Jacob scrolled further down then stopped.

It was a picture. The quality was grainy but we could still make out a couple of people in that picture. Calvin said, “Whoa. Dude.” He pointed at the screen and added, “That’s your…”

He looked at me as Jacob finished signing, “… dad.”

There was no denying the awkward skinny double of mine with coke bottle glasses with thick, black rims. I look exactly like him at that age. What surprised us all was what he was holding in his hands.

Outside the circle of grown ups the teen looked inwards at the discarded cotton candy while holding an old 35mm camera. The three of use looked at each other, signed and said, “Dude.”

I pushed my mangled glasses up my nose and inhaled a deep breath. Dad never told me that he was into photography. I thought only mom was into that kind of stuff.

Jacob tapped the screen at the picture’s captions ‘Officials stand around puzzled by the sudden disappearance of Tabitha Shaw. Younger sister to Stephen Shaw pictured above.’

“Whoa.” We all said in unison. Jacob signed, “You didn’t tell me you had an aunt.”

I shook my head and signed back, “I didn’t know.”

Calvin interrupted us, “Guys, I can’t read sign that fast…”

“Sorry.” Replied Jacob in ASL.

Calvin tousled Jacob’s hair, “No worries brah.”

Using this moment I glanced at my watch. It was 3:45pm. Dinner wasn’t going to be for a while so I still had some time to chill.

I leaned back in my chair and propped my feet up on the desk. Jacob batted at them and pointed down. Taking the hint I removed them and leaned forward.

Calvin broke the silence, “So you dudes still gonna apply for a job at the fair?”

“Nope.” I said and crossed my arms. “Besides, my dad is absolutely against it. Now I kind of can see why he was so angry when I even mentioned applying. How ‘bout you Jake?”

“No.” He signed and stared us both down. The stillness of his gaze rose the hairs on my back. Talk about a creepy best friend.

Calvin wore a weak smile and asked me, “Dude. What happened last night? The school’s been buzzing about you taking some nude pics of some college girls.”

Heat flushed my ears. I pulled at my t-shirt and replied, “Ah. I didn’t take any nude pictures. I was trying to get a shot of the abandoned amusement park.”

The jock sat back in his chair and stared back. His weak smile faded as he crossed his arms. He huffed then whined, “Ah, man. I was so looking forward to seeing some hot babes in their b-day suits!”

With a weak smile I replied, “Sorry. Whoever told you that I had them was wrong.”

Jacob interrupted, “What about your strict curfew? Doesn’t your dad keep tight leashes on you and your brother?”

“I snuck out.” I said and made the motions of sneaking out with my hands.

“Did you get caught?” Jacob’s eyes widened.

An image of dad’s intense yellow eyes flooded my memory. My shoulders shook and I hugged myself. Rubbing my arms I exhaled another shaky breath.

Calvin asked, “Dude, what’s wrong?”

I shut my eyes and said with my voice cracking, “I don’t want to talk about it. Can we talk about something else, please?”

‧͙⁺˚*·༓☾ – TO BE CONTINUED… –☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙