Part 2

The cool night dragged on as that bright orange moon just hung in the deep ebony night sky. It made the eerie feeling that something bad had happened even worse for me and James. The glow of the street lamps seemed to create odd shapes from out of nowhere. This night certainly hadn't ended the way anyone had expected it to. After at least ten minutes of silence I finally spoke up again in as quiet a whisper as I could, "So, what do ya think happen to Norton? He just left the gym without a word; his parents must be freaking."

“Freaking ain't the word for it." James answered, his voice sounding a little confused.

James was a tall young man and quiet handsome too. His long blond hair had darker streaks of blond that gave him that ‘just been to the beach’ look. He had a very nice build to his frame, with well defined muscles like that of an athlete. Not one other guy in our class could compete with his smile. It simply melted your heart away. I had known James since grade school. We lived two houses from one another and there wasn't another person that I knew and trusted more than my buddy James.

We turned down 2nd street which was about a quarter of a mile from our neighborhood. Almost at the same time, we turned to look back at where the high school sat. Blue lights could still be seen flashing from the gym. It was a mess down there as police and parents roamed around trying to figure out where Norton Gibbs, one of the smartest guys in our senior class, had disappeared to without a trace.

Stopping at the intersection of 2nd street and Juniper, we stood looking back at where we had just come, from knowing that something very odd was about to take place.

Out of nowhere my cell phone rang, nearly making my heart stop beating, “Holy moly, man that scared the crap out of me!" I said as I took the phone out of my back pocket to answer it.

Looking at James I shrugged my shoulders, “It’s my mom man. Hi ya mom what's up?"

“You okay? Just worried, where are you at?" she asked with that concerned parent tone.

“Not far from the house. Don't worry James is with me. Everything’s good, I promise." I said reassuring her as much as I could, while smiling at James as he rolled his eyes.

“Don’t be too late. Things are crazy, don't make me worry unnecessarily, okay?" she said. "Sure. We're fine I promise. See you soon."

Huffing as I finished talking with her, James gave a little smirk as he commented, “Well at least she gives a damn. That's says a lot, right?"

“I guess so. I get why she's worried. Man can you imagine how Norton's folks are feeling right about now?" I replied as we both turn at the sound of voices coming our way.

Now what was going on? James and I look at each other as the group of boys stepped out of the woods that line the entrance of our neighborhood. We both waited, holding our breath a bit, watching to see who it was that came our way.

“Well, what do you know? See-Moan and Sir James, what are you two doing here? Hiding Norton's body in the woods?" the tall slim young man asked, as the five guys behind him snickered at his words.

Oh my goodness. No it wasn't, of all people, the one person I couldn't stand. "Well if it isn't Dusty and your little entourage, the dusty-mites. What's up boys?' James gruffed at them.

“Dude, you really want to get started with me tonight of all nights, Sir James?" Dusty gritted back.

This just wasn't the night for all of this kind of crap I thought as I spoke up, stepping a little in front of James, “Dusty get out of our way. You and your little dusty-mites go along and bother someone else. Why don't you volunteer to look for Norton? Maybe he'll do your homework for you again."

Dusty turned to look back at his group of followers smirking as he spoke, "You little slag, move out of my way. I don't have time for low lives like you two; besides See-Moan as if I need to answer to you, I am going to go look for Norton. Why aren't you helping?' he said with a sneer on his face.

"My name is Simone, that's the female pronunciation you idiot. Anyway the police don't want no more kids in the way. It's their place to look for him right now. You coming James? I can't stand here with this creep and his bunch of zombies." I said as I stepped around Dusty and headed for home.

“This isn't done. I'll see you later Dusty-mite." James sneered back at Dusty as we moved on down the road.

As if things hadn't been awful enough, a class mate had gone missing, the night sky looked like an invitation to zombie land, and of all things James and I had to deal with Dusty Rolands. He was one of the meanest, unkindest class mates of all.  

Was it possible that things could get any worse?  Would we ever find out about Norton? This would be the questions that James and I would ask ourselves for days to come.

        With a slow deliberate pace James and I walked on towards our houses with that bright orange moon still hanging high in the ever darkening night sky, watching us, as if we couldn't fathom what was waiting to come our way.