“And I have to go out to see it?” Even my voice pouted as the words left my lips, if that’s evenpossible.
Eli gave me an amused grin before quickly composing himself. “You need to get out of the house, Judah.”
“I’m tired, Eli. Please….” I wasn’t just physically tired; I was mentally tired. I was emotionally tired. I was just tired of everything. Why couldn’t he see that?
He must have seen the question in my expression as he let out a barely audible sigh. Shoulders slumping, his chin fell to the blue polo he’d chosen. When he looked up at me a moment later, his eyes were pleading. “You have to promise to not freak out.”
My skin prickled in unease but I somehow managed a single nod. I couldn’t say for sure that I wouldn’t freak out because I didn’t have much control over that these days, but I would try.
I watched as Eli sauntered around the counter and took a seat next to me, pulling his phone from his front pocket. “As you know, I like to play detective.” I nodded in confirmation. Eli was one who liked to stalk people online. There was no ‘playing detective’ to it. I never really cared for his stalkerish obsession, but I wasn’t in the place to tell him that. To each their own and all that.
“Well, I went in search of anything I could find on that Zeek guy you mentioned,” he explained, running his tongue over his lips.
I’d only mentioned Zeek once or twice in passing, so I was surprised that Eli even remembered his name. I swear, some days that man was only in my head because he’d practically disappeared off the face of the earth. There were days I wondered if I’d actually imagined him.
Eli continued. “He’s not in any of the articles that were published about the rescue. It’s like he never even existed. A ghost, if you will.”
Thanks for stating the obvious,I thought in irritation.I would have found him otherwise.
About the only thing I’d kept up on since my escape was where everyone was located. Which was pretty easy to do when there weren’t many people to keep up to date on. Of course, it didn’t hurt that they were all on some sort of social media app. Everyone, that is, except for the man that I’d shared a cell with.
Zeek.
The handful of other guys, all from different backgrounds, scattered around the country after they’d been released. Based on information I’d managed to locate via Facebook, three of them were unable to deal with the aftereffects of what we’d endured and ended up taking their own lives. Of course, I didn’t blame them. On a good day, I couldn’t deal. If it hadn’t been for Eli, I’d probably have given up long time ago.
“I may have found him. But before I show you what I discovered, I don’t want you to get your hopes up in case it’s not the right guy, okay?” He talked as though I was a small child who was easily excitable. I suppose maybe I could have been at one time in my life. Prior to everything that I’d endured even before the forced slavery.
“‘Kay.” I didn’t exactly have high hopes. I had searched high and low in the weeks after my escape and there were no Zeek’s anywhere to be found. It was like he was a figment of my imagination.
“Is this him?” Eli asked as he slid the phone across the counter.
Slowly, as if it was a poisonous snake, I slid my eyes and hand to the phone. There, on the screen, was the face of a man that somewhat resembled the Zeek I’d once spent time chained next to. But I couldn’t be sure if it was really him or not.
“I honestly don’t know.” The defeat seeped into my voice and I suddenly felt much smaller than I normally did.
“You never told me if there were any distinguishing features or anything else that would make him stand out. But this,” he double-tapped the phone. “This is Ezekiel Seeley. His parents don’t live too far from here. And from what I have been able to gather, they have a monthly family gathering. Which just so happens to be today. So, I was thinking maybe we could drive by and check it out?”
For the first time since my return, he was actually leaving the option up to me. The only problem was that I had no clue what the correct answer was.
Ezekiel
I’d just flung my leg over the side of my motorcycle and was removing my helmet when I heard my brother’s voice from the front door. “Welcome back from prison!” he shouted for the entire neighborhood to hear.
“Dude!” I shook my head, unsure if I was amused or angry at my little brother’s outburst. While I didn’t care particularly what the neighbors thought, I knew my parents certainly did.
Dannie was always the one to draw unnecessary attention because he could never watch what he said. And because he was the baby of the family, he got away with much more than the rest of us could have ever dreamed.
“What?” He feigned innocence, his dark blue eyes widening in mock fear as I made my way closer to him. Since the last time I’d seen him, Dannie’s normally blond hair had been dyed some dark shade of green and now resembled that of an emo punk.
“Dad will have your ass for that,” I chuckled.
“Nah. He’s too chicken to do anything.”
“Daniel James!” Our mother’s voice scolded, floating from inside. This time, his eyes widened in actual fear. “Apologize to your brother right this second.”
“Sorry,” he muttered with an eye roll that our mother couldn’t see.
“I’m so happy to see you again, my boy.” My mother wrapped me into a tight hug after pushing Dannie out of the way. “Don’t you dare stay away for so long again,” she chided as I gently wrapped my arms around her in return.
