Chapter 8

Chapter 8

EJ not realizing Robert and Will are hot on his trail as they travel through his time looking for him. Following breadcrumbs of where Morgan has intervened. Jeff leads them down to another door, telling them this requires skill and patents as Robert finds the key to the blackened door. Jeff hangs his head walking away as he remembered what behind this door that he has faced several times in his dreams. Wishing he could have changed the outcome instead of the road he took to get where he is today. A lost soul tormented by his past. 

The door opens, they find themselves in a darkened room in some old basement of a house, it is cold there, they do see some light peeping through boarded up windows from the outside. They hear a squeaking noise in the corner of the room.  Will finds a light switch by the door as he stumbles through the dark. He flipped the switch “this must be EJ's room,” he replies as Robert looked around the room as he’s eyes re-adjust.

The room seemed strange and unlike EJ somewhat today, seeing banners and old ribbons from races in school. Robert finds EJ's 18 Scout merit badges and trophy's sitting on a shelf on a wall, “look at this?” Robert nearly shouts holding one in his hand, 1st place in pine box derby.

Will picked up one of many model cars and planes in the room. “Robert looks at this. I never even knew he liked this sort of stuff,” Will putting it down then staring at the hamster in the cage.

“Look, Will,” Robert pointing to the floor near the end of the bed. “What do suppose they used these for?”

Will picking up the chains and locks. Robert swallowed hard feeling the rough edges of the ankle bracelets and then dropped them as they clang hard on the floor. “Will I don't like it, just think about it scares me.” Robert kicking them under the bed then looks more cautiously around the room. Will turning seeing a picture of his grandmother and Uncle Richard sitting on the dresser across the room. When they hear a door slam as someone or someone’s in the house.

“Will quickly turn off the light,” Robert whispered loud enough for him to hear. Moments later a loud bang that sounded like gunfire going off, someone falling to the floor above them. Robert and will turn to look at each other. Quickly but quietly go up the stairs peering around corners seeing EJ standing in the hall, stunned-looking through the door as then someone rushing to the front door of the house. 

The boys quickly duck behind the kitchen counter as the person entered the house seeing EJ staring at something down the hall. Immediately ushers him away, taking him outside closing the door behind him.

Will and Robert make their way down the hallway seeing the figure lying dead and the gun lying beside him; dark blood soaking the rich blue carpet around his head. “It’s Jeff, Will,” as they looked into his cold dark eyes. Flashing lights outside blue and red fill the street, “we need to get out of here Robert,” Will replied pointing to the window. The boys run quickly towards the back to the backdoor then hid behind the old shed. Watching the house as they take the body away, seeing EJ one last time as the neighbor takes him in for the night.

“You know Will. I never did see any of that stuff back at EJ's place I wonder why?” Robert asked. When the coast was clear Robert called for Jeff, for the first time there was no answer as they waited. They called for him again still no answer. “Maybe we’re not through yet?” Robert looked at the two houses.

“What more can we see?” Will asked. Robert shrugged his shoulders.

“Jeff's dead, we no that and we saw another side of EJ we never even knew,” Will replied as they walked back into the house. It was difficult because it felt uncomfortable and cold somehow unlike before. It was as if the eyes were watching them from the shadows.

Sometimes the boys thought they could hear whispering's in the dark as they walked from room to room searching for more clues. “Will you notice there no pictures of EJ on the wall, but of everyone else's and I don't think their blood related,” Robert replied pointing to all the pictures on the wall in the living room.

“Strange, maybe he hasn't been here that long; they haven't had time yet to take any,” Will said.

“Could be, not sure, let's keep looking. I have a funny feeling there's more to that, something dark behind it. Why keep him in the basement when there's room upstairs for him.”

Will pointed to the empty second bedroom, “and why are the windows all boarded up down there, leaving him completely in the dark and the bracelets and the chains?” Will asked.

“You're not thinking what I am thinking?” Robert replied as they looked at each other.

“Morgan followers,” as they nod their heads. “Jeff tried to save EJ and couldn't at the time thought the best way was to chase him out of this house to get Morgan off his trail. At least give him a fighting chance so someone must have bond him to Jeff for his own protection. Making people and Morgan thinking it was suicide, but anyway it was his only defense against Morgan to save EJ. I thought I saw a note to EJ on his bedroom bed from Jeff,” Robert said.

The boys quickly ran down the stairs back into EJ's room flipping on the lights, there it was, lying there on his pillow the note.

“I am the beacon and the guide, the warning before the tide. You will not see me, nor need me till its time, then when end cometh, then I'll guide you safely to distant shore. Until then you won't remember me or morn my passing upon the evening tides. "

JEFF

“So he is the reminder of the coming of the storm for EJ. That makes sense and that's why he can't remember him only when the storm is about to approach. Then when it’s over none can remember him passing this way. But what does it mean when the end comes? And when will that be?” Robert looked at the note.

“I guess when they're both at peace.” Will eyes filled with tears, “that means when it’s all over their both going to die somehow. Forever for they are tied and bonded together forever and can not rest until then.”

Jeff enters the room making a doorway somberly, watching them read his note he left long ago for EJ which he never got. “Will, Robert make sure he gets this when you see him,” as he looks about the room of the basement of old memories. “I always hated this place and what they did to him. It wasn’t’ fair how they treated him like he was a piece of property instead of a kid. The clues were right in front of me the entire time and I didn’t see them for what they were.

“I was too caught up with my own ambitions at the time, never cared really what was going on around me until it was too late. The parents started to be harder and more stricter on him for some reason when a man came by with red eyes long ago; if I only knew then what I know now, I might have or could have prevented this from happening back then.

“Jaydan tells me they have sent a search party out looking for you three. Time to go, boys, we can’t risk everything, too much is at stake for all of us right now.” Jeff opened a gate to EJ’s and Danny tree house by the underpass; they see Jaydan there with a small fire.

“Hurry boys, change into these rags,” Jaydan said rubbing some grease and dirt in their hair and on their face, “now you look like hobos.  Now, remember to say nothing about where you been or how until its time. Just say you been looking same as you for EJ, running after Morgan. That’s all and still telling the truth yet keeps the secrets we need to be kept. That’s all they need to know for now and you climb down out the room with my horse which was behind the house.” Jaydan throwing their clothes into the shadows."

The boys and Jaydan walked around the creek bed looking into the weeds and the marsh until someone shouted "we found them, we found them….Over here boys,” as a group of men and boys come hustling in from everywhere. Pa was in this group as he climbed down from his horse raced over to them.

“Sorry Pa looks like he got away, we have been on his trail for days we think. But we now have an idea where he might be,” Robert said locking eyes with Jaydan with a questioning look.

“Where son?” Pa asked Robert with a somber tired voice. That matched the boy’s mood.

“Morgan has him in dark place, not in the open. That’s all we know for right now,” bowing their heads. “And we're running out of time, he’s waiting for us to find him," Robert replies.

“That’s where we were headed to next.” As Will pointed towards the west near the mountain past towards underground mining caves.

“We will talk more of this when we get you home boys,” Pa said putting his arm around his boys, “but for now, I’m glad we found you safe and sound.” Pa giving a hard look to Jaydan then back at his boy’s walked back towards the road where a wagon waited on the road giving Jaydan a horse to ride back to town. 

Jaydan yelled. “I’ll start getting some supplies and some more help.” Wayne didn’t even reply as he lets the anger boil inside him, that EJ was still not safe, but least he found his two boys for now; tired, dirty and hungry but safe as Pa wrapped the boys in a quilt as he drove the wagon home, reaching the farm.

Martha, Linda, and the girls raced out right behind them with Aunty M at their heels and the three little boys to greet them. Linda, Martha counting heads 1, 2 crestfallen, but still glad to see them as they rushed over to the wagon.

Will, Robert seeing Linda and EJ sisters here did not make their day as they tried to smile at Ma. They turned to Pa unhappily as he just shrugged his shoulders at them then looked hard towards the west as his eyes gazed over the mountains looking for any sign of his son EJ.

Ma flings her arms around her boys sobbing. “Where have you been? I have been so worried about you.” Will, Robert trying to get a word or two in, she wasn’t listening. “We best get you inside and cleaned up,” as she stands back takes another look at them together. “Then a hot meal is in order then straight to bed the both of you…”

“But …” as the boys tried to explain again was cut off.

“No buts boys,” waving her finger at them angrily.

“Yes, Ma,” hanging their heads they headed up the stairs with Ma and Pa right behind them. Making sure that’s where they are going to be. Ma leaves Pa up there to stand guard over them.

Will and Robert took out their prizes setting them in their keeps sake boxes under their beds, whispered. “Hang on EJ, will find you, little brother.” They closed the lid and slide it back under the bed for now.

It wasn’t long before Aunty M pops in Wills room while he waited his turn take a bath. “So,” as she sits on the bed next to him. “Can you give me a clue where you boys been son? Since I do know more secrets then government at this point,” trying to lighten the mood.

“I’ll I can tell you Aunty M  we were on Morgan’s trail looking for EJ same as you the only difference was it was a different trail and we promise Jaydan to keep it a secret until it was time. But we are close and we have an idea where he might be at, now’s the tricky part how to get there to look on our own and what do we do if Morgan there waiting for us?” Will realizing he probably said too much as mentioned Morgan’s name. Hoping he didn’t as watched the shadows in his room, waited for some kind of punishment for almost breaking his word. 

“I see. That is quite a dilemma,” Aunty M said patting him on the knee looking down the hall where their Pa is sitting. “Sounds like I need to pay a visit to an old friend of mine or two to get some of those answers. I was going to visit him anyway and had some question of my own that needed some answers,” as she looks down the hall.

“Well, you best do what your Ma tells ya. I’m afraid your in for quite a storm son,” pointing to his Pa in the corner in deep thought Will has never seen his Pa so sad as he looked far away. It was if his mind was in another county. “I’ll see what I can do about lessening it a bit, but I can’t promise anything.” Aunty M replied as Robert knocked on the door as Will nods his head and tries to smile back.

“Looks like it’s my turn Aunty M,” picking up his clean clothes headed towards the bathroom down the hall.

Aunty M walked down the hall to her room to change into something more fitting to go into town, putting on her bonnet yelled back to everyone. “I’ll be back in time for supper I think.”  Hops in the car headed on down the road towards New Downing to Granny old place parking by the side of the house.