Thud.
West collapsed to the ground trying to catch his breath.
The memory hits him like a truck disorienting him, he gagged on the spot, saliva drenching the grass.
The commotion immediately drew the attention of those who arrived on campus. In just a matter of seconds, West was flashed by a camera and ridiculed from afar. The crowd passing by him couldn't help but snicker and comment.
Taking deep breaths, he gripped his luggage tightly for support; the ridicule of the crowd faded away, and his mind constantly replayed Zach's figure without his permission.
"Country bumpkin" Someone snickered
"Do you think this is gonna get viral" A person laughed, zooming his phone at West
"What do you think happened?" A guy asked his friends, glancing at West's hunched figure.
People commented on him, but no one dared to come close, His pain drew them closer, not with compassion but with quiet fascination.
"Sir, are you okay?" A feminine voice from his side, West looked and took notice that it was the same person who was handling the flyers of James's missing poster.
"Yes," West nodded, wiping the saliva in his mouth.
"That's good" She sighed in relief
"first time travelling?, my first time riding a bus was the same, if your still feeling disoriented, the nurse's office is open" She said giving West her hand.
"Thanks, but I'm fine" West shook his head, standing up with the help of his luggage, still disoriented he almost toppled over but was caught by the girl.
"I think you're not, sir" She mused "The nurse's office is just down the hall, you'll see it"
Taking a quick breath caught off guard by almost falling face-first, he looked at the person who steadied him.
"If you can't walk on your own I can help you" She said, cradling a stack of missing posters. The blonde girl was petite, a head shorter than West, she wore these round glasses that almost covered her entire face, except for that smug smile that seemed impossible to wipe away.
"Thanks" West stood up "but I'm really okay now"
"...." The girl sized him up before sighing and handing him two posters "Take this at least, maybe you've seen them before"
"Sure" West accepted the poster and looked at the missing people.
"Zach" He mumbled, catching his words the girl nodded "You know him?"
West almost nodded but a meek "no" escaped his lips.
The girl looked at him weirdly for his response but shook her head before saying
"Well, bye. I still need to finish distributing this"
She headed to the crowd by the bench nearby while West was still looking at the poster.
It was the same background, that cursed forest, that thick tree.
"I need to go there again" West mumbled, the paper crumbling under his fist.
.....
Knock knock
He knocked at the old white door, stained by who knows what, the small brass plate rusted by time on the door, had the number 206 etched neatly in black.
Moments of no one answering, he facepalm himself.
Creak
The door opened and the room greeted him, A slender beam of sunlight slipped from the only window, cutting across the neat room, and it landed on the bottom bunk bed illuminating its white sheet.
It was neat and lacked personality, without any word West put his luggage to the side and climbed into the top bunk.
Thud
He lay there, eyes closed.
Moments later, he rummaged in his pocket and grabbed his phone, the light almost blinded him when he opened it.
1:35
Seeing the time he put it to the side, sinking on his bed, West closed his eyes again letting the quiet of the room wash over him
"I'll start moving in ten minutes" He mumbled a soft sigh escaping his lips.
1:44
West walked outside the building.
Scratching his wavy hair, he searched his phone for any nearby hardware stores.
Three results, the nearest was 3 kilometers from campus.
It was close enough to reach on foot, just 10 minutes of walking down the road.
...
Opening the door to the hardware store, West marveled at the rows of shelves.
The tiredness he felt from heading here vanished almost immediately.
"It's bigger than what our town has," West muttered looking around curiously.
The aisles were sectioned with tools, fasteners, paint, and other signs too far away for West to read.
West wandered in the tools section, the aisle was lined with hammers, wrenches, and rows of pliers. Metal tools that were cold, heavy, and within his reach.
He first grabbed a hammer, and with the shock of others near him, he swung it wildly before putting it back in its shelf.
"I don't think I'm strong enough to use this, I need something sharp " West shook his head
Blunt damage was the worst thing he could have gone for when fighting that creature.
He wandered further before getting a flashlight and heading deeper into the aisle.
....
Thud
"Is this all, kid?" The man behind the counter asked
He glanced at the counter, and there was a tool bag, a screw driver, a flashlight, and a utility knife
"Yes" West nodded
"Mmm, going cheap isn't always the best, kid. This knife isn't sturdy enough for practical use" the man behind the counter mused fricking his finger with its blade
"I only need to use it once" I answered making the man chuckle.
"Well, it all sums up to 55 bucks, how would you like to pay?" The man spoke putting his items in a plastic bag.
Rummaging in his pocket, West found a couple of crumpled bills.
Hesitating, he knocked on the counter to get the man's attention
"Hm?"
"Without the knife and bag, how much would I have to pay?"
At his words, the man smiled politely.
"28 bucks"
Weighing the bag in his hand that cost him an arm and a leg, West could only sigh as he exited the store
"I hope I'm making the right decision" he mumbled to himself looking ahead at the long street he had to cross to get back to the campus
He looked up at the sky, the sun shining brightly, before another sigh escaped his lips
"I really hope I'm making the right decision "