CHAPTER TWENTY SIX

Somehow Ceaser was able to convince his mom that Noah was going to stay at their place but only for a few days. She wanted reasons but soon succumbed to her son's plead.

So after dinner,Noah and Ceaser went to Ceaser's room, exhaustion slowly began to settle into the bones of Noah,who found himself standing in his friend's room, surrounded by familiar yet comforting surroundings.

His gaze wandered around the room, taking in the scattered belongings and the warm glow of the bedside lamp.

A sense of weariness hung heavy in the air as they exchanged tired glances, the long day finally catching up to them both.

With a yawn escaping his lips, he hesitantly broke the silence, his voice betraying a hint of vulnerability. "Hey, um, are we going to sleep on the same bed?."

His friend's eyes met his briefly, he gave subtle smile, a trace of understanding reflected in it. "Not really , two guys sleeping on the same bed, that's just gay," came the response,

Noah's eyes narrowed in annoyance" Then where do you suggest I sleep then?"

"There's a spare room down the hallway if you'd prefer that."

"Oh, I didn't know you had a spare bedroom ".

"Yeah, it used to be my aunt but she moved to another city so the room is basically vacant for the time being. You're lucky my mom hasn't turned it into a library or something ".

Curiosity piqued, Noah followed his friend's lead, traveling down the dimly lit hallway towards the simplicity of the spare room.

Upon reaching the door, they found themselves faced with a modest interior, devoid of any extravagance, yet somehow inviting in its simplicity.

It spoke volumes of the previous owner, offering a glimpse into her unpretentious nature and taste for practicality.

"Not bad, won't you agree?".

"Yeah, well goodnight then".

Noah said walking slowly to the bed at the center of the room.

"So, what now?", Noah asked , sitting down on the soft mattress and staring at his friend with concern.

Ceaser came and sat down beside him and sighed. "Honestly,I'm not sure. I was certain we were going to get information from that place but I guess I was wrong". He sighed again. "Now my head can't think of anything else".

Noah knew his friend was doing his best for him but it seemed like they weren't getting any closer to their goal.

"But don't worry , we'll skip out on school to search harder".

"Search where exactly?". Noah inquired, mindful not to use their effort on something that wasn't going to be worth it.

"I'll text my friend this night and I'm sure tomorrow he'll find more clues and and then we'll check it out", he assured Noah, with his usual innocent grin.

"Alright then. I just really hope we don't run into similar incident to this one".

"Don't worry, we won't. I just know it".

Noah felt slightly better with how optimistic Ceaser was and he felt relieved again that tomorrow was going to be another opportunity.

"What of your cousin? Is she going to be okay?".

Yawning out loud and stretching his arm, Ceaser walked to the door, getting ready to go back to his room"Don't worry, she'll be fine".

"Won't she rattle us out to them and tell them where we live".

"No she won't, she's not like that. She'll definitely cover for us but she will be in a lot of trouble with the boss, but she'll sort it out. She always does".

If he said she was going to be okay then he needed not to be worried but somehow he wondered if she was actually even trying to help them at all.

With a shared sense of anticipation, they acknowledged the necessity of rest and bid each other goodnight.

The door clicked shut, separating them from the outside world, leaving Noah alone to find solace in the unfamiliar room.

He stood by the side of the bed, his tired eyes gazing up at the ceiling, the weight of his thoughts bearing down upon him.

Contemplation filled his mind as he wrestled with the events of the day and the uncertain future that awaited.

Time seemed to stretch endlessly, as seconds turned to minutes, and minutes stretched into hours.

"I hope Mom and Nora are okay?" . He whispered to himself.

Yet, a voice of reason found its way into his head, reminding him everything was going to be ok.

Drawing a deep breath, he resolved to push aside his tangled thoughts and embrace the rest he so desperately needed.

Slowly, he sank onto the bed, the faint scent of freshly laundered sheets enveloping him, offering a sense of comfort and security.

Closing his eyes, he allowed the weariness to gradually lull him into peaceful slumber.

As the bright morning sun crept through the curtains, casting warm golden hues across the room, Noah slumbered beneath the cozy covers of his bed.

His dreams danced with serenity until the tranquility was abruptly shattered by the shrill sound of a door creaking open.

"Get your ass out of the bed, we're late for school!".

Noah's eyes fluttered open, wide with confusion, as his friend Ceaser stormed into the room with a sense of urgency etched into his voice.

Startled, Noah sat up abruptly, his groggy mind struggling to make sense of the commotion.

"Why are you yelling so early in the morning?".

Ceaser's voice boomed through the room, breaking through the haze of sleep, as he bellowed, "Noah! Wake up! We're late for school! You need to take a shower and get ready right now!"

Suddenly filled with a surge of adrenaline, Noah stumbled out of bed, his feet tangling in his blanket from the night before.

"Oh geez men. I totally forgot, today's school".

Hastily, he followed Ceaser's instructions, making his way to the bathroom as if in a daze.

His mind arranged itself in a flurry of thoughts — shampoo, soap, toothbrush— as he quickly turned on the water, allowing it to warm up before stepping into a cascading torrent of rejuvenation.

Emerging from the steamy shower, Noah found himself greeted by a hastily chosen set of clothes laid on the counter by his surprisingly efficient friend.

Still half-asleep, he mechanically slipped into the chosen attire, grateful for Ceaser's assistance in eliminating yet another decision from this chaotic morning rush.

He rushed out of the room as soon as he was done.

Descending the stairs with renewed energy, Noah joined the familiar sight of his family gathered around the breakfast table.

Ceaser's father, a police officer ,preparing for another day on duty, cast a weary smile in his direction, silently acknowledging their tardiness.

"Goodmorning Noah, how was your night?".

"It was fine sir. I slept well, Thank you again for having me". Noah said as he approached the dinning.

Sitting beside him was Ceaser's mother, her gentle aura radiating warmth and love.

"Don't be offended by our way of doing things around here, we just can't tolerate lateness especially if it involves school".

Noah glanced at his best friend , who only shrugged, getting ready to eat his breakfast.

Noah settled in next to Cease, barely managing to stifle a yawn as he eagerly dug into his breakfast.

Ceaser, too, hastily devoured his meal, grateful for his mother's thoughtful preparation.

Time seemed to slip away, teasing them with its persistent persistence, and as the final crumbs disappeared, he and Ceaser rose in unison, their eyes locked in determination.

"Thanks for the meal Mrs Olsen. It was really delicious ".

"You're welcome Noah,now you boys better hurry to school".With a quick goodbye to their family, they dashed out into the world, propelled by a sense of urgency.

Their hurried footfalls echoed along the pavement, a chaotic symphony amidst the morning calm. Breaths came in shallow gasps as they raced against the hands of time.

"So now we're alone , let's get to business". Ceaser said , facing Noah , smiling mischievously.

"What do you mean?"

"This", pulling out his phone from his pocket and showing Noah the phone screen that had a text on it.

"You're friend got back to you?", Noah asked, his eyes widening with excitement.

"Exactly, he had to look up various places that might have something to do with it. And he got one and I'm sure this will finally be the one".

"Where is it though?", Noah said,filled with excitement as he grabbed Ceaser's hand , pulling it closer so he can get a better view of the message written on his phone screen.

"According to him, there's a warehouse that have been abandoned for years now , right?"

"Go on...."

"It was a popular place where the owner of the place worked multiple gangstas who trafficked humans to other countries. Though it was later discovered by the authorities and they shut it down and arrested the owner. But they have been subtle reports of illegal activities, like trafficking. That's where your family could be, probably with some of their other victims"

Noah nodded slowly trying to absorb and understand as much information as possible. If the place was in a warehouse which was shut down, why still pick that same place? It didn't make any sense ..

"Does that mean there's a likely chance we can encounter another set of gangsters like before ", Noah implied just to have an idea of the future threats they might encounter.

"Uhmmm, there could be, it's a high possibility... But then again...".

Suddenly , a blur of energy whizzed past them. Startled, Noah turned his head just in time to glimpse a small child racing down the street. The child's laughing playfully.

In the midst of the child's frantic sprint, a voice pierced through the air, trembling with desperation. "Please stop that boy!" cried a woman, her voice desperate and filled with an intense urgency.

Reacting swiftly, Noah's hand shot out instinctively, grabbing the boy's collar in a firm grip. With a sudden jolt, the child's momentum ceased, leaving them both standing on the out of the precipice of danger.

Little did they know that a gargantuan truck thundered down the road, its monstrous presence creating a deafening roar.

Time seemed to slow as the world froze around them. The truck hurtled past the spot where the child would have been if he had still been running, its monstrous wheels that would have snatched away his young life. The intensity of the moment weighed heavily on heart, his grip tightening as sweat dripped down his forehead.

He glanced at Ceaser who was really shocked at the tragic incident that would have unfolded

Glancing to Noah with bewilderment, he muttered ,"Woah.....".

To be continued.