WE #22 CK

     Two nights have passed since my brother disappeared. Prior to his vanishing, Chase talked of strange things, always muttering under his breath. "It's almost finished," he'd whisper. "Must never tell. The moon is approaching its optimal position." Nervous glances follow his words as he hurries about the room. My brother is a nerd, constantly absorbed in experiments and just about anything science-related. But what fascinates him the most is astronomy. There were nights we'd slip out into the yard and lay in the grass together to discuss life beneath the starry sky. He'd point out the various constellations to me through the lens of his telescope. The night of his disappearance, though, was cloudy. No stars, moon hiding behind a wall of gray fluff. Good for cover, I suppose. But right now, I'm less concerned about the sky and more about where Chase is and if he's ok. Stealing one last glimpse of the house, I cling to the hand of darkness, I forge my escape. I'm going to find my brother.
     It's been a week and I'm starting to get desperate. My supply of cookies and cheez-its from the house are running slim and after investigating all of the suspected hideouts where Chase could be, I'm beginning to lose hope. Slowly traversing the worn path near the gorge our family frequents during the summers, I feel as though I'm wandering aimlessly. A heat wave sweeps over me as exhaustion starts to kick in. I'm just about half-asleep when I trip over a rock. Wait a minute! That's not a rock. "What the heck?" I mutter into the void. The shiny, slender, almost banana-shaped object lies nestled against my foot. I scoop it into my hands.
     "It's a...phone," my voice carries off. The chord glides gracefully across the space between the mountain faces and a raven is perched mockingly at the other end."Is this a joke?" I think to myself. I grasp the phone, pressing it to my ear."Hello?" I speak into the device. This is stupid. What is a phone doing here anyways? Suddenly, there's some scratching at the other end.
     "Uhh...is someone there? Helloooo!" More scratching, then a voice emerges.
     "Come find me. You're close now." It's Chase! I attempt conjuring up a conversation, but he's gone. Only the silence remains. As I journey through the night, however, I know something's changed. Far above my shadowy feminine figure, the stars hang and it's like I can hear his voice through those wispy veins of light. There's hope and somehow I realize that even the universe can't break our familial bond apart.