The Disappearance: Chapter 3 - Robert Walker
#3 of The Disappearance
The flash was as bright as a newborn star, there one second, gone the next.
The camera pans down the starry night to a small house, revealed to be Kevin's house.
The camera zooms into the living room window, revealing the interior of the house. The living room composed of a simple L-shaped couch with a large coffee table. Bookshelves lined the walls, all stored with books and vintage paintings hung in the blank spaces. A fireplace is shown across the couch and coffee table. The top was littered with knick-knacks and pictures of two kids and other family photos in slim, simple frames. Just then, a tall man, looking about in his late 30's walks into frame, placing logs in the fireplace. His hair was cut short and a smooth light chocolate brown, his eyes were clearly blue, but the color was obviously faded as if he had no energy or care left. He was wearing a slightly worn out blue plaid robe and looked as if he just got out of the shower. He was obviously fairly fit but seemed to let himself go a bit. It was clear this man was depressed.
As the man lit the fireplace, a knock at the door is heard...
"Oh," The man perks his head up and revealing a clear British accent, "I wonder who is stopping by at this hour?"
The man stands up straight before walking over to the door and looking out the peephole of the solid oak door and sees a tall man, average build and about in his mid 40's. He was wearing a long tan coat and had short and shaggy black hair.
"I know you're in there Mr. Walker," The man outside the door speaks out, clearly having a Boston accent "If you didn't want someone to know you were home, the place does have a garage." The man says with a chuckle.
Mr. Walker sighs before opening the door slightly, "Yes, I'm well aware sir," he replies with an annoyed tone through the slightly opened door, "I figured my bland and empty porch would give people the hint I don't want company, however. But, figures a nosey detective would be oblivious to such a clear hint... Now, what do you want?"
The Detective sighs and responds with a more cheerful tone, "I see you still know me after all these years! I'm off for the night and figured I'd come by finally to welcome you to our small town since your new in all." He smiles.
"I appreciate that sir," Mr. Walker responded, "Now if you don't mind, I'm going to enjoy a few beers and sink back into my book."
Mr. Walker goes to close the door but is halted by the detective's boot sticking in between the door and the frame...
"Robert," The detective's tone changed instantly, "I'm afraid I'm not just here as the welcome party... I've come with a warning as well."
"Oh? Is it the one about how a foreign middle-aged man decided to punch a nosey detective out cold because he was annoying him?" Robert snarled back slightly, clearly not interested in what the detective had to say.
"Robert, Please," The detective said in a mournful tone, "I just wanted to warn you of a danger. A few people have disappeared without a trace. As an old friend, I'm asking you to be careful and mindful of your surroundings. If you hear something or feel uneasy of something, call me?" The detective hands Robert his card. Robert takes it hesitantly and sighs.
"You know Eddy," Robert looks at the card, "I don't need you looking out for me. Besides, I still haven't forgotten how you slept with Ava..." He tosses the card outside, at the end of the driveway.
"Now then," Robert continues, "I wish to get back to my book. Good night Detective Shepherd." before slamming the door and locking it.
Ed sighs softly and walks down the driveway, "Can't say I didn't try Olivia..." he thought to himself as he got to the end of Robert's driveway, getting into his car and driving off.
"Eddy's heart was in the right place truthfully," A ghostly voice narrates over, haunting and with an echo, yet can be heard clear as day, "He wanted to warn me, but my petty grudge got in the way... I should have heeded his warning, just as your dad should have..."
About a month has passed and Robert arrives at a bar in his car, parking along the curb and sighing before turning off his car, getting out, and closing his door. This time wearing a white dress shirt and a loose red tie, black slacks and brown wingtips. He locks his door and heads into the bar before taking a seat.
A few hours pass by as people enter and leave before Robert finally steps out and pulls out his phone, dialing a cab, stays on the phone for a few minutes before hanging up and leaning against his car.
As Robert waits, he looks around, scanning the busy street and pinches the bridge of his nose, "Can't wait till I get home and out of this loud place..." He says softly with a groan, "Americans, I swear..." He then mumbled.
Suddenly a female's scream is heard from across the corner and Robert suddenly perks up from his dulled state, becoming alert immediately.
"I don't know if it was my drunken state making my senses extra heightened and more sensitive, or if it was just that loud... But when I looked around, I saw no one was reacting to the scream. They were just continuing on with their night. Then I heard a women shouting "no no no, let go of me freak!" I was sure I was the only one hearing it, so I must be so drunk I'm hearing things, but I reluctantly went to go around the corner to locate the source. It was coming from an ally down the way where no one was walking by. So, Against my better judgment, I went to investigate... Something I regret EVER doing..." The ghostly, echoing voice narrates more.
Robert walks down to the ally and sighs, looking around the corner and with shock, he sees this skinny, tall man. He clearly either had too much to drink or was cooked up on something! He wore torn up jeans, a torn up grey t-shirt and worn down tennis shoes. Across from this man was a woman in a bright blue dress and had blonde hair tightly done into a ponytail and black heels with black pantyhose up her legs.
The man was gripping on her arm, very tightly.
"Come on hun, I just want a kiss!" The man said loudly with a nasty grin, clearly from the south.
"I SAID NO! LET ME GO!" The girl shouts back before the man pushes her against the wall, holding her in place...
"Oh man... Now I have to step in.." Robert thought to himself, "I can't live with myself if this wanker takes advantage of this women..." He finishes his thought before stepping into view.
"HEY!" Robert shouts out at the man, causing the man to look over...
"What, you want in on this buddy, plenty to go around!" The man calls out, laughing with wickedness in his voice.
Robert steps forward up to the man and grabs him by his shoulder with a firm grip and shoves him to the ground, standing over him. "Look, mate, you've clearly had too much to drink. Go home, rest up, try a different girl." Robert explained, an expression of 'not having any of your bullshit' washed over his face.
The man stands up and dusts himself off... "Look 'MATE'," The man obviously mocked Robert, "You're clearly not from around here so I'll go ahead and teach you what we do to pigs who can't mind their own business!" The man shouts, swinging his fist towards Robert as he finishes his statement.
Without hesitation, Robert takes the hit...
"There was something that I had forgotten to mention..." The ghostly voice narrates, "I was a Rune Keeper. To be exact, I held the Rune of Defense."
When the man punched Robert, the charm on his necklace glowed a light green and as the hit connected, there was a humming sound before in a burst of kinetic energy sent the man flying back into a dumpster, knocking him out cold.
"I warned you," Robert said softly under his breath before turning to the woman and straightening his tie.
"Miss, Would you like me to give you a ride home?" He asked as the taxi honked its horn.
"I-I'd love that, Th-Thanks..." The woman answered in a stutter, still caught off guard from what all just happened.
Robert signaled the cab over to the ally. Once it came to a full stop, he opened the door, letting the women get in first.
"I exposed myself to her... I showed her the power I carried just by performing a simple good deed." The voice narrates over the story as Robert got into the cab and they drove off.
About 30 minutes later, Robert arrived at her house. The girl explained to him that she didn't exactly feel safe staying there alone tonight for the simple reason that the guy that was harassing her in the ally was her ex-boyfriend, and he knew where she lived. Having seen how well Robert defended against him, she asked for him to stay over. Robert agreed.
Robert and the girl got out of the cab after he had paid and walked up to the front door. The girl opened it and let him inside.
As they entered, Robert undid his tie and unbuttoned his work shirt.
"Nice place you have here," Robert said.
"Oh, thanks!" The girl responded, sounding a little bubbly.
"So, what's your name? I forgot t--" Robert is cut off by a piercing feeling in his neck and his vision suddenly became hazy.
"W-What the?!" Robert shouted, pulling away before whipping back around to see the girl holding a syringe with a devilish smirk on her face.
"Sorry baby, but you have something I want.." The girl spoke, her voice becoming distorted as the screen fades to black...
Robert fell unconscious...
"You see, My rune disperses the kinetic force of an attack and directs back to the attacker with twice as much energy. However, it's drawback is that it works off one's own adrenaline, so I have to be expecting the attack, and even with it's passive, with the event of the man attacking the women being over, combined with my well-intoxicated state, my guard was completely down and she was able to inject something into my neck." The voice explains.
Robert wakes up in a chair, strapped down and stripped to his boxers. What's worse, his charm was missing!
Just then, he notices a figure walking towards him, holding a serrated saw.
"What do you want?!" Robert shouts, but in vain for the figure responds with, "The others." as he sees the same devilish smirk, but wider and more twisted.
"W-What??" Robert question as the figure steps towards him. He struggled harder to get free but was stopped when he felt cold metal against his skin...
As the camera zooms over a wide and dense forest, blood-curdling screams and begs for help echo out, carrying out through the trees.
The Screen cuts to black...
Suddenly, the ghostly voice that sounded almost inhuman begins narrating again, only, as it speaks, the voice becomes more and more clear, Robert's voice, smooth and with a British accent.
"As you can see, Little one, by simply doing a good deed in which anyone should do, exposed a gift I was given to me when I was young. There are quite a few Rune Keepers that walk among you in your world, and I was one. I carelessly revealed my power to someone, and just like that, she wanted the power for herself, thinking she could wield it. Humans crave power, Sarah Night. They crave that which they do not understand and once they find it, they shall stop at nothing to get it."
Robert steps forward from the shadows, dressed in a ceremonial looking black robe, his eyes glowing bright purple and smiles before continuing,
"You remember that old riddle, right? 'If a tree falls in the forest, and no one is around... Does it make a sound?' "
Robert pauses,
"I digress. Find your father Sarah. I have shown you what happened to me, now use this knowledge and you will find him... And remember, Look backward, never forward. Might save your life, child." Robert chuckles softly as a bright flash of light consumes the black screen, "Good luck, Sarah Night." Robert says, his voice making his final words fade along with the white light.
The camera zooms out from Sarah's eye as it slowly turns a deep purple color. Her facial expression revealed to be a mixture of shock, confusion, sorrow, and a slight hint of determination as tears run down her cheeks.
She clenches her fist and grabs her backpack, her dad's journal and races out the front door as Luke follows behind, closing it behind her with a slam...
So, The truth is revealed. The only questions that remain... Who was the woman? Where was her father? Is this all connected? Why would this woman want Kevin?
To be continued...