• TEN YEARS AGO


    Ashton

    “Hey, dad, I’ll see you after school, okay?” My seventeen-year-old son, Alex said as he ran out the door. “Sure. We can continue with that project later.” I answered. “Daddy, why does Alex leave every day? I miss him.” I turned toward my five-year-old daughter, Lexa, and took her into my arms. Her short, red locks flowed around her during the sudden uptake. She asked me the same question almost every day, just to test if I remembered myself. “Your brother has to go to school.”

    “Like Momma?” She questioned. “No, Momma has to go to work.”

    “Where do you go, Daddy? If Alex goes to school, and Momma goes to work, why are you here? Where do I go?” I laughed silently at her question. “I stay here to watch over you. My work is here, at home. You stay here as well to keep me company. Without you, I’d go insane.” She smiled brightly at my statement, and I laughed yet again.

    “Ashton, Ashton honey, are you home?” My wife, Janet asked as she walked though the front door. “In here, Jan.” I answered, looking around the doorway. “Alex isn’t home yet?” She asked me as she walked into the room. “Hi sweetie. How are you today?” She asked when Lexa ran into her arms. “I’m home! Any applause?” We could always tell when Alex came home. He always expected to be treated specially.

    “Alex! You’re home!” Lexa quickly ran out of the room and toward her brother’s voice. “Hey there, kid. Hey, dad. I’ve got something to tell you.” His voice sounded stressed, and I was immediately curious. “What is it, Alex?” I asked. Janet followed me out and I met up with my son. “I want to talk to you in private.” He said. He took my arm and pulled me in the direction from which I had just come.

    “Alex, what is it?” I asked. I was concerned now. “Dad, dad. Don’t stress. It’s nothing. I just wanted to talk to you about something. I saw this poster at school today, and you’ve been saying that I’ve been needing a job, so I was thinking that I could go to this place called Hollow Bastion, just for a few days, of course, to see if I could get the job. Plus, it can help me get away from the… well… what’s been going on lately.”

    “Are you sure about this?” he seemed troubled, and I didn’t want to make it any worse. I just wanted my son to be happy. He was right, though. Something odd seemed to be going around Twilight Town, and Alex seemed to be affected by it the most. “Yes, I am. I just wanted to tell you about my decision. Tomorrow’s Saturday, and that’s when I’m going out. I’ll be back in a few days.” That was apparently the end of the discussion, as he turned away and started up the stairs.


    “He isn’t picking up. This isn’t like him. Ashton, how long did he say he was going to be gone again?” I looked into Janet’s green eyes, which were usually bright with happiness, but had now been dull with worry for the past few days. “He said he would be back by Monday at the latest.”

    “It’s Friday, Ashton, Friday! My little boy is missing!” She suddenly broke into sobs and laid her head on my shoulder. “I know, Janet, I know. Everyone’s looking for him. We’ll find him.” I heard Lexa walk over to my side and felt her pull on my shirt. “Daddy, where is Alex? I miss him. Isn’t he coming home?”