Riverside Bench

Lost and Found

He had a dream. 

A wonderful dream that shone out from all the nightmares. 

It was a sunny day, the world was bright. Smiles covered the faces of everyone. The weather was clear, perfect. He felt this indescribable feeling of joy in this dream.  Jessie was there. She wasn't visible, he could just feel her presence. Her presence was warm, and Alan's memory of Jessie was not fuzzy. 

An echo blurred out as if it was a megaphone. "Alan. Wake up." 

It was from Amelia. Her smile seemed to be bigger than usual. She tapped him awake. "You said to wake you up at nine am sharp." 

She tugged the hospital blanket over herself. "I promise when you feel better we'll go out to yoga." He smiled at her. She was still at the hospital, and he had been sleeping there for two days. He didn't want to be alone. "My mom has Calvin, so it's alright if I stay here." 

She turned around in her bed, "If you want to, you can go home. It's uncomfortable here. "

He got his jacket on, "I just think, for the first in a while I don't feel alone." 

"Have a nice day at work." 

He waved and left for work. 

                                ----------------------------------------------------

At work, he bumped into Sam. "Hey, Sam."

"Perfect. You are on time. I have some bad news."

Alan sat down in Sam's office, his heart started racing. 

"I just got a call from the prison. Calim, he's gone."

Alan put his head in his palms. "He escaped?"

"Yes. Somehow he broke a loose bar in the window and used it to escape through the window." Sam sighed slowly.

"We've worked so hard, to get him in jail. He confessed."

Sam nodded. "But I have other news."

Alan sighed, "Oh no, what is it now?"

"You and me, we are going to catch him."

"How? Sam, at this point I'm lost." 

Sam smirked, "With you."

Alan lifted his head, "How am I going to catch him?"

Sam tapped Alan on the shoulder, "With the same thing you used to find out Jessie was murdered."

They exchanged those 'let's do this' looks.

They searched his house. His house was dark, aching of misery. It was a miserable place full of unwanted memories.  The rooms were empty, with no pictures. No toys. No sports trophies. "It's empty, let's think of where else he could go," Alan yelled over to Sam. 

No response came. Alan grew worried. He ran into the other room. Sam was shushing Alan, "Someone's here, upstairs." He hid next to Sam, "Let's quietly leave. There's a backdoor over there." Sam nodded, "On three, run. When we get out of the house. Run to the creek. We'll meet there."

3...

2...

1...

Alan and Sam sprinted over to the door. They ran out as fast as they could. 

He ran through the wind. Ducking under the trees. He could see the creek in the distance. When he ran, he lost a sense of control. Fear had taken over his senses. He just ran, he couldn't see Sam. All he saw was the creek, all he felt was gushing fear crossing through his body. 

Suddenly, he felt like was flying. He had tripped on a tree branch. He fell face-first into the dirt. A hand was in front of his face. He grabbed it. It was Jessie's hand! "What are you doing here?" Alan mumbled to himself. Then, he opened his eyes to find himself lying by the river. At the park. He wondered how he got here. "Sam?", he mumbled. A raspy voice answered, "Your friend's over there." Sam was tied to a tree, with a gag cloth in his mouth. 

His vision came back to him. Calim stared at him. He was sitting on the bench. Alan crawled away to the tree. Calim smiled, "Don't be scared. I won't be going back to prison."

Alan was scared to the core. He shivered as he leaned on the tree. "Please. Don't kill us."

Calim gave him an evil glare. "Don't worry. You are just here to watch. I realized something. How can people get peace with me, if I'm alive?" 

He stared at him, grappling himself to the tree. Calim moved closer to the deadly edge. Finally, he got the courage to speak.

"What are you trying to tell me here, Calim?" He stared Calim down. 

He stepped closer to the edge. His foot almost dangling off. 

"I'm going to jump, Alan Brender. I'm truly sorry for the terrible things I've done. I can't be alive to witness the guilt."

Alan widened his eyes. "Wait! Don't do this, please." A sudden rush of memories came to Alan's mind. The wretched memories. 

Calim had tears running down his cheeks. "I truly wish you the best."

Alan cried, "Please, what about Amelia?" 

"Amelia is strong. She doesn't need me." He cried at the sound of her name. 

Alan screamed, "Please. Why? Just take a deep breath. Step away from the edge."

But at the unthinkable. He jumped. 

"NO!" Alan buried his face in his hands and cried. 

He was gone. The windswept differently that night. Alan twisted and turned in the bed. Shivering and crying. Amelia reached her hand out from her hospital bed. He grabbed her hand and cried. Throughout that endless night.