Skylar's eyes accidentally spotted something under the table. Skylar looked down to get a better look at what turned out to be a spilled medicine tube with its contents splattered here and there. Skylar's eyes widened when he found out what medicine it was.
Skylar chose to sit contemplating in Neil's study chair. He silently observed the object in his hand and wondered why Neil was using it. Is this Neil's? Or his father's?
Skylar sighed, he pulled the drawer open and put the medicine tube there. His eyes instead found a rusty cutter and broken glass from a flower vase scattered in his drawer.
He knows Neil very well, he always maintains cleanliness especially for dangerous trash like this and why does Neil keep it?
Skylar blinked, reminding himself to do the thing he had from home planned to find the book, just in case it was here.
Because when they were little they used to read it together and Neil always showed more interest than Skylar himself in the book. Skylar just hopes he finds him quickly.
Skylar's eyes searched the rows of books lined up there, but he couldn't find the book at all.
Did Neil get rid of his, because he doesn't like his anymore? Or was it his father who kept it in the barn?
Skylar ran a hand through his short hair and heaved a shaky breath. He stood up and paced. His eyes occasionally stopped back at the pile of books on the study table.
Skylar's eyes wandered around Neil's room carefully, looking for anything Neil could be hiding. Neil does sometimes always keep everything to himself as if all the burdens in this world are his responsibility.
Skylar was frustrated with his current state when he was at the end of a dead-end. Like himself in a pitch-black maze, looking for a way out blindly which is only in vain. There are no clues, just looking and looking, not knowing where the end and the beginning are.
Skylar's steps came to a halt as his dark brown eyes fell right onto Neil's wardrobe, his lips immediately forming a straight line.
He walked over, Skylar grimaced as he opened Neil's wardrobe like a thief. However, Skylar just wanted to know if the book might be here. He was immediately confronted by a pile of Neil-smelling clothes neatly arranged, just like a Neil.
Skylar's eyes fell into the closed drawer. He pulled out a drawer that was there, suddenly astonished Skylar with a hardened face. There were so many empty medicine canisters like the ones Skylar first encountered in this drawer. However, for what?
That has always been a question that has been stuck in Skylar's head recently. He did know Neil was not okay, but he didn't expect Neil to reach this stage. Does Raihan know? Because the drug seems hidden.
However, something red popped out that caught Skylar's attention from behind the pile of tubes. Skylar immediately smiled happily when he found him there.
Skylar knows and feels, even though Neil doesn't remember about this, Skylar knows that Neil must have kept it close to him.
Skylar slid his hand into the book, which immediately felt the velvety surface of the red book cover. He pulls it out, Skylar remembers he read this book with Neil. However, the book now looks shabby and the corners of the cover at the bottom are slightly curved inward.
Skylar retreated to sit on the edge of the bed, a simple-looking book that only had Mirror And Blood written in gold and the author's name in small print at the bottom. RN
Jemari Skylar opened the book to the first page and made him gasp, he remembered this very much Skylar encountered on the blog yesterday. It had his name and Neil on it handwritten.
He turned to the second page which caused his brows to furrow in confusion, as there was a large drawing scribbled on the page. The house without doors and windows is drawn with a black ink marker. It looks like it was made when Neil was a kid. However, Skylar felt awkward with his depiction.
A knock on the door was heard from outside, followed by Raihan entering the room. Skylar was still focused on the book and realized that his father had come after sitting next to him.
"Father?" Skylar turned.
"What did Skylar see?" asked Raihan glancing at the book Skylar was holding.
Skylar didn't answer right away he glanced carefully at the cupboard and sighed softly when he found it had been closed. "This is a book I read when Neil and I were little. Do you remember? But I just found out that Neil drew this here."
Skylar gave the book to Raihan. His father looked at the front cover and opened Neil's scribble again, Raihan seemed to be silent watching the picture as if it had another meaning. Raihan opened the next pages which were also filled with pictures in the corners, above and below the writing of the book. The drawings are not visible, however, Neil always uses dark colors from the colored pencils listed there.
Skylar flinched as Raihan closed the book hard and stood up with an instantly dulled expression. "Father, what's wrong?"
Raihan seemed to realize what he had done then massaged the bridge of his nose. He took a deep breath as he said, "Sorry, Dad was surprised by what Neil drew."
"What do you mean Dad?" Skylar asked curiously and felt a bad feeling well up in his stomach.
Raihan shook his head, Skylar noticed Raihan's eyes were watery and reluctant to look directly at Skylar. His father then said, "Dad is so blind. I don't know what happened to Neil really. Neil is too secretive, but you should have known a long time ago. After seeing this, a house without windows, doors, feet, hands, dark colors. It should be. I know."
"What do you mean, Father?" Skylar asked again.
Raihan did not answer his eyes still focused on the book in his hand. The veins looked tense in Raihan's neck, Skylar wanted to know what his father was thinking. Is that something bad?
"Father!" called Skylar, shaking Raihan's arm. He didn't understand Raihan's reaction after seeing the pictures.
Raihan gave the book into Skylar's hands. He was looking at Skylar this time with a blazing face, there was a hint of anger visible that his father was hiding. "Father trusted your mother to take care of you, Skylar. Skylar has been okay all this time?"
Skylar frowned in confusion, but he still replied, "I'm fine Dad, why?"
The blush on Raihan drained from his face. "Father has to go see Jana."
Raihan sped away looking in a hurry, leaving a dumbfounded Skylar. Raihan is the same as Neil.
thank you for reading