Final Chapter

YEARS LATER

She looks at me with wide grown eyes, clearly speechless as I grin to see her reaction. She's not the first one to feel this way but I still enjoy the reactions people give off.

She fidgets a little in her chair as she holds out her tea-cup, but her hands are trembling slightly which compels me to raise my eyebrows, having second thoughts about this meeting. No one around us notices how the color from her face has drained, looking paler than ever.

"Umm Ms. Drew?" I say, lightly, not wanting to startle her.

She blinks, coming back to reality, "Oh, I'm sorry. I zoned out for a second there."

I smile, nodding knowingly, "It's fine." Then giving a glance at the cup she's holding, I add, "Your tea is getting cold."

She flushes with embarrassment, deciding to give up on her drink altogether,

"Sorry if this is awkward."

I chuckle, "Not at all."

She looks out of the window of the café, her face scrunched up in a frown. Then, she stares down at the recorder placed among the food in between the table, reaching out and clicking at the button on the side, presumingly closing it.

"Your story is quite...interesting, Mr. Wells." She says with seriousness in her eyes. "It almost seems...seems...." She hesitates a little but I know what she wants to say.

"Real?" I grin.

Her eyes shine at that, as if I stole the words right out of her mouth.

I laugh, closing my hands tightly into fists before reaching out for my own drink.

"Yes, I get that a lot." I say, "You'd be surprised at how many interviewers before you, said that."

Ms. Drew shrugs, leaning back in her seat, "I've read your book, Mr. Wells. Nail-biting it is. The way you describe the emotion in it is... out of this world! Almost as if you've experience everything yourself."

That hits the mark for a second. My face flinches at the comment but i recover before she could notice.

"If you don't mind me asking," I say, with a tight smile on my face, "How long is this interview going to take?"

"Just a few more questions." She replies, sipping her tea.

"Now, how long has it been since your book was published?" She asks, turning on the recorder one more time.

I smile, meekly, "I believe its only been half a year."

"Amazing!" She exclaims, "In half a year your book managed to become bestseller! You must be proud!"

"Very."

My story is known worldwide. Many wanted to turn it into a movie. But i tuned the offers down.

Why would i want to re-live what happened...?

"Alright, then. There're two more questions your fans have been dying to ask."

"Do go on." I rest my head on my hand, placed on the table.

"Why did u name the book "The Lost and The Gone"? Any specific reason?"

I tilt my head slightly, wondering it myself.

"A trick question?" Ms. Drew asks me.

I sit up straight, smirking, "No, not really."

I take a deep breath, gazing at the blue sky,

"You see, that in my story, the main character had lost someone quite dear to him. His sister. So if i put this bluntly, she was GONE forever. So the second word symbolizes that. Meanwhile the word LOST has more depth in in, with the main character struggling to find out the truth, confused and agitated. So in a way, he was lost in all these problems in his head with no where to go. That's it. A simple meaning."

"I see." She gives a long pause before calling out, "Alright, next question! And this is the last one: Will you story have a sequel?"

Sequel?

Why would you want to know what happened next?

Why would you want to know the horrors of it?

I give a weak expression, "I-I'm afraid not."

Ms. Drew's face falls with disappointment, "Oh? Why is that?"

"Let's just say that..."

That, what?

That you cant remind yourself of the past? Don't be ridiculous Lukas!

"Not every story has a complete ending, Ms. Drew."

She sighs, "I suppose you're right. You are the Writer after all."

"My fans have enough imagination to think what happens next, I'm sure." A weak attempt to lighten things up.

She takes he recorder and closes it, permanently ending the questions. She places it in her bag and smiles,

"Thank you for telling me the whole story personally, Mr. Wells."

I gulp down my coffee and nod.

"Would you two like anything else?" The waitress asks us.

I refuse, an itch to go home.

************************************

My story. My story that everyone thinks is made up.

No one knows if its true and i dont want them to find out either.

That night....that night is still bright in my mind. Engraved forever as if carved on stone. The night i was betrayed. I remember all my research.

Who would have thought I'd get myself involved in some cult?

Everyone was in it.

My best friend, Josh. The shopkeeper, M. Walker and even the DS Rickson.

I had so many questions.

Why did they do it?

Why were they like this?

And most importantly, why did they kill so many people? Why did they kill Jesse?

But none were answered.

Because I found out even my parents were in this bloody cult.

I don't know what happened after they took me. I don't remember of they took my other friends. It's like a memory of mine is erased. Like a part of me is.

I escaped that town.

I managed it all alone.

But the guilt and regret of leaving HER was too much.

Sophie. The girl who was just like me.

The girl who believed me.

I wonder if she found out the truth as well? If she was there with me? Whether Skylar was a liar or not?

I wrote it all down. To let go of the burden.

I could have thrown it away.

But i decided to publish it instead.

I want Sophie to find me.

I dont know what became of her.

But I believe that she'll come.

She'll come and with her, she'll bring those memories of Jesse.

For that day, I still wait...