Honestly, Beautiful -- Amber Liu and Eric Nam FF

6. Breathe Again

James and Amber got out of the cab together. Eric's brothers were already there directing people where to go. They showed everyone how to mark out the areas that already been searched using their phone apps.

"It's not looking good. We have covered almost 80% of the streets within a mile radius and nothing. I don't think he's gone that far from here, assuming he got away," said Eddie.

"Thanks to your call to action. We've had about 200 or more people combing the area that hasn't been cordoned off by the police. We'll do another sweep soon," said Brian.

"Okay, James and I will try and recreate the scene. Think like Eric," said Amber pointing towards the café.

"That's hard to do," said James. "He's always surprising....". James remembered the time Eric drew his ideal "type". He smiled a sad smile as he thought of his friend's weird sense of humour. 

They stood staring down the road where the shooting took place.

"If you were Eric and starving after a concert.... the adrenaline sustaining you the whole day had drained away after the music faded and the lights dimmed...."

"....so hungry that I didn't bother to change. I just dashed out for food..."

"Definitely not noodles or waffles....too light,"

"Yeah, I agree. Café food? Yes, the coffee but sandwiches and pies?"

"Let's look at that menu."

James towered over Amber as they scrutinized the menu. Their heads almost touching when she turned and said, "I don't think he was in there. He would go for something Mexican, steak and chips, pasta or anything heavy on the meat."

"Like that?" asked James pointing at the fusion BBQ restaurant across the street. The restaurant was looked almost empty. A very bored looking manager was at the bar counter. His untidy brown hair, crumpled clothes, pale face and slight tremor in his voice showed that he was suffering from Post Traumatic Stress.

"Hi, we're wondering if you were open last night. We're looking for our friend, Eric" asked Amber taking out her phone and showing him pictures of Eric.

"How about you buy a meal while I refresh my memory? I've had no one come in all day. They're all worried about safety. The gunman turned his gun on himself when he was surrounded by police but people are worried about undetected bombs.... It's safe now so please stay and order something..... food or a drink, doesn't matter... anything" muttered the man with a look of desperation on his face.

"Okay let's sit here", said James pulling up a chair in the middle of he restaurant. He still suffered trauma from the freak incident that changed his life so intuitively he understood the manager's emotional state. Once a huge glass windowpane next to a door smashed onto him, crushing his left shoulder and slicing through his left wrist. It took him years to recover but he still couldn't use his thumb or play the guitar anymore.

Amber looked at her friend. He had been through so much and yet he was here, ready to go all out for a friend. Others wanted to cancel concerts and schedules to be here too but she had stopped them. There were more than enough people combing the streets for the moment.

James grinned at Amber as she stared into her glass of water.

"Hey, don't worry okay. If he's around these parts, we'll find him. Cheer up, sad llama."

"James seems so normal now," she thought to herself as she drained her glass. "Nerve damage, physical pain, a court order to stay in a mental hospital when he tried to sue for damages. He has been through so much and yet he is still positive, hopeful—a real inspiration. Now to top it off a blood clot in his brain."