A day gone

Jason shakes his head. “I can’t think of anything he said at all…you’re right though…I don’t think he would have gone back to the Agency, even if he’d wanted to. Maybe he got scared, I don’t know. If he stopped at Mom and Pop’s, he’s still long gone. I called Katie a while ago, and everything was fine. Con is with Jamie, so I’m not worried about that, and Carson wouldn’t dare mess with him anyway. I guess all we can do is go back out and search some more.”

…The day drags on. Jason stops in the hospital to see Katie but has to leave again. He’s supposed to practice with the band that night, but now knows he probably won’t make it, and asks Katie to call Mike or Kyle for him. Lunch is brief and Jason and Nate continue search the town and into the next town, with still no luck.

Back at TJY, it’s already suppertime, and spirits are low. It’s the breakroom again where they end up, trying to regroup.

Reese shakes his head. “I don’t know…maybe we should just let it go. We’re not getting anywhere. I feel like we’re wasting time.” He looks up as he hears Susanne’s voice over the intercom, telling him he has a call. Picking up the phone, he speaks for a moment, his eyes widening. Hanging up, he turns around to Nate and Jason. “That was as contact downtown. He spotted Carson, drunker than a skunk down at Freddy’s Bar.”



Carson downs another shot of whiskey, letting it slide easily down his throat.

A holler goes up around the table as another round of beer arrives. Smoke hangs thick in the air, laughter and loud voices forming a scene of chaos. A waitress gets whipped to the side, her tray tilting and a glass falls to the floor with a crash. Two fighting men have to be removed from the bar.

“Bottoms up!”

Carson joins in the small group at the table, raising another glass of beer. “To life, may it be short and oh so sweet.” His words come out slurred and he has a bit of trouble aiming the beer to reach his mouth.

“I think you boys have had about enough,” one of the bartenders intervenes.

Carson tilts his head back, his eyes glazed, a crooked grin on his face. “I’ve got me a diver dresignated.”

“I bet you do.”

“To divers!” Carson makes another toast. “May they not….not crash into the ditches with y’all…in the back seat.”

One of the other men belches his reply, causing a round of drunken laughter before their glasses are emptied again.

“Hey, hey now…” The guy on the left slaps Carson’s arm. “You..you never said why’d it was you’s came here anyhow. Your turn I’d say.”

Carson furrows his brow, thinking hard as his eyes follow the other man’s wavering beer mug. He stifles a laugh. “I can’t remember.” He grabs a cigarette and lighter, having some difficulty getting the flame in the right place to light up. Just adding to everything else he’s been doing to stay in a stupor, he takes his time before putting the smoke out and going for another beer. Somewhere, depression still loomed, and he was determined to snuff it out, one way or another.