Jake trudged through the forest, his eyes fixed on the device in his hand. The circular indicator beeped steadily, guiding him closer to his target: Alastair.
Jake had been trying to reach Alastair for a while. When Alastair first missed school, Jake assumed he was sick and sent a message, but Alastair didn't reply. He tried calling, but there was still no answer. Finding this odd, Jake decided to visit him the next day. Upon arriving at Alastair's house, he knocked on the door, which was answered by Alastair's mother.
"Hello, Mrs. Wynton," Jake said.
"Oh, hi Jake," Alastair's mother replied warmly. "Come in, come in."
Jake entered the house and sat down, meeting Alastair's father and little sister in the living room. However, he couldn't find Alastair anywhere.
"What brings you over?" Alastair's mother asked as she offered him a glass of water.
"The same as usual, ma'am," Jake replied, taking the cup.
"Oh, and what's that?" she asked with a smile.
Jake was momentarily taken aback, expecting her to know what he meant. He assumed she was joking and said, "I'm here to see Al."
"And who's that?" Alastair's mother asked, looking genuinely puzzled.
Jake almost choked on his drink. Regaining his composure, he said, "Come on, Mrs. Wynton, I really need to see Al."
"I don't know who that is," she said, her smile fading.
"What?" Jake asked, now seriously concerned. "This isn't funny anymore, ma'am."
"Who are you talking about?" Alastair's father asked, chiming in.
"Al? Alastair? Your firstborn, your son?" Jake said, desperation in his voice. Alastair's mother and father exchanged a confused look before bursting into laughter.
"Oh, Jake, you tell the funniest jokes," Alastair's mother said. "We don't have a son; our firstborn is Emily."
Jake's face turned pale with horror. This couldn't be right. It was impossible—how could they not remember their own son?
"Emily, you remember your brother, right?" Jake asked.
"What are you talking about? I don't have a brother," Emily replied, bewildered.
Jake stood up from his chair, his mind racing as he looked at Alastair's family, unable to believe what was happening. "I have a picture," he said, pulling out his phone and scrolling through his gallery until he found a photo of Alastair. "Here he is, your son Alastair. This is him."
The family looked at the picture, their expressions a mix of confusion and curiosity.
"I'm sorry, but we still don't know him," Alastair's mother said, shaking her head.
Jake was now certain: they didn't remember Alastair. Panic set in. "I need to leave," he said hastily, heading towards the door.
"Okay, get home safe," Alastair's mother said, her smile returning as Jake stepped outside.
Once outside, Jake was overcome with dizziness and confusion. He knew one thing for sure: Alastair was missing, and no one seemed to be looking for him. He considered contacting the police but realized that without a missing person report from Alastair's family, they wouldn't search for him. Determined to find Alastair himself, Jake resolved to take matters into his own hands.
Jake's eyes fixed on the tracking app on his phone, his heart racing with anticipation. He had installed the app on Alastair's phone months ago, just in case. And now, it was leading him deep into the forest.
Jake had waited until the weekend, when his family was busy with their own activities, to sneak out and track Alastair's phone. He had told his parents he was visiting Alastair's house, just in case they asked. But he knew he wouldn't be going there. The tracking app had shown him a different location altogether.
As Jake walked through the forest, the trees grew taller and the underbrush thicker. He could feel the weight of his backpack, filled with supplies and water, digging into his shoulders. But he didn't stop. He couldn't stop. Not until he found Alastair.
The tracking app beeped erratically and went silent. Jake's heart skipped a beat. What was happening? Had Alastair's phone died? Or was something more sinister going on?
Jake's eyes scanned the forest, but he was alone. He took a deep breath and tried to calm down. He would find Alastair. He just had to keep looking.
As he rounded a bend in the path, Jake caught sight of a sprawling estate in the distance. His heart raced as he realized that this must be where Alastair was. But something felt off. The estate looked abandoned, its windows boarded up and its gates rusted.
Jake's mind raced with questions. What was Alastair doing here? And why had he gone dark without a word?
With newfound determination, Jake approached the estate, his eyes fixed on the entrance. He would find Alastair, no matter what it took.
And with that, Jake stepped through the gates, into the unknown.
"Hello everyone,
I hope you're all doing well! I just wanted to let you know that I'll be taking a two-week break from posting to focus on some educational commitments. I'm excited to learn and grow, but I'll miss sharing my story with you all.
Don't worry, I'll be back soon with more updates and adventures! Thank you for your understanding and support.
Best regards, Stylios"