OH NO! OH GOD NO!

I had to find him! If there is even a sliver of a chance he is okay, I need to find him!

I set the note down and immediately went to Mrs. Hardy.

"Where is your grandparents house?!?"

"Wait what?" She said confused. "Does this have to do with the note?"

"Yes, I'll have to explain later, but can you please send me your grandparents address?"

"Sending it now" she said as she whipped out her phone.

As soon as I heard the ring on my phone meaning she sent it to me, I ran towards the door before turning back to grab my keys.

"WHAT DID IT SAY?" She yelled for me to respond

I grabbed my keys and opened the door to leave.

I was about to go, but something inside me told me I should give her hope or clarity.

"He said he loves you." I told her out of sympathy. "And he said he loves me too. That's why I have to go Mrs. Hardy. Because I love him. And if you've ever loved your son, I would start praying for him, no matter how religious you are."

She nodded. "Should I come with you" she said grabbing her keys.

"No" I said swiftly "you wouldn't like what you saw."

At that last remark, I left. I had no idea what was in that shed or if Mrs. Hardy wouldn't like what she saw. I only know that no parent should have to see their child in the mental state that Christopher Hardy is in; dead or alive, it doesn't matter.

I hopped in my car and slammed on the pedal. Only the wind could stop me now, I thought.

As I drove, I finally got a second to think about the letter I had just read. It doesn't matter what Christopher did and how angry it could possibly make me. I love him. I never got to say that to him, but it is the truth.

I love him.

Whatever I find in that wooden shed will not change the fact that what we had was real. We built up a bond that was real. A friendship that was organic. A love that was true. Whatever happened a month ago happened. It's not worth taking your life for.

As I got lost in a train of thought, I realized I was going 30 miles above the speed limit. Instead of slowing down, I went even faster. I was racing against time, but nothing was going to stop me from finding him. Nothing.

The road grew dim as the light posts started to die out. As I raced out of the neighborhood and towards the wall of trees that somehow allowed cars through them, I followed the map on my phone. I was an hour from his location. An hour from seeing my lover; dead or alive, it doesn't matter.

The road was dark now. The further I went, the darker the road. The harder I pressed on my petal, the less I could see, and the darker the road.

30 minutes from his house.

15 minutes.

5.

The road wasn't just dark now, it was pitch black. The headlights did no favors, as the road consumed the light. It was as if the road knew where I was going, and wanted me to stop. My brain told me to slow down, but my heart said I wasn't going fast enough.

I came to the straight road where the house was on; it was on my left.

The road was black, and it started to dissolve into the dirt. It wasn't long until there was no road, only dirt.

The trees around me started to funnel inward. They became so closely attached to the road that running over one small rock could lead to my death.

The road wanted me to turn around.

I didn't.

I pressed forward, leaving my previous thoughts on the road before, and taking with me great courage.

At the end of the road was a dead end. Mrs. Hardy's grandparents lived in a nice home. It was a brick house painted white. A lovely house for such a horrible occasion. I saw the shed now, a wooden shed with two door. It had a lopsided appearance; as if the left side of the roof had caved in on itself.

I left my car, forgetting to lock it, and walked towards the shed. I opened my phone and turned on the flashlight setting to make sure I didn't step on a snake or something. The path towards the shed was dark and narrow, but it only became wider as I approached the doors to the shed.

Mrs. Hardy's grandmother, Christopher said she was called Nana, was on a rocking chair outside. I could hardly see her, but she could see me with the phone flashlight I was using.

"Hey you, get away from there!" The old lady yelled. It was possible the sweetest yell I've ever heard.

I heard her say this, but didn't acknowledge it. I had too much to think about.

I grabbed the wooden handle holding the doors together. I wanted to knock but I was scared that could make the situation worse somehow.

As I opened the door, I didn't see much at first. Some shelves, an old lawn mower stowed up high. It was when I looked down with my flashlight that I knew my search was over.

It was at this very moment, seeing him there, that I knew I had made a grave mistake.

I wish I had turned around.

I wish I would have listened to the road. The darker roads. They told me to turn around.

My thoughts began to form words now.

I talked out loud as if there was someone to listen to me.

"Why didn't I listen to the roads?" I cried out.

If that Nana would have heard me, she would have thought of me as no less than a lunatic. If Mrs. Hardy heard me, she would have thought I was out of my mind. If my parents would have heard me, they would have said I was batshit crazy.

Only somehow I knew that Christopher Hardy would have understood me. I believe he was on the same road as I was; only his road was over, and mine had begun.

"Why didn't I listen to the roads" I said for good measure; only there was nothing good about this situation, only bad. Only darkness.

A tear ran down both of my eyes, something that has never happened to me before or after this moment.

Why didn't I listen to the roads?

Why?

~The end of Tracy's story.~

Christopher Terrance Hardy died at the age of eighteen years. He died scared and alone in a shed at his grandmas house. He was buried a week later next to his sister, Emilia.

Tracy Claire Beck died a week after Christopher did. She died at the age of 18 years old. She died confused and alone in a river 2 miles from the shed. She was found by a 19 year old boy named Trent, lying in a lake next to a golf course where the river came to a stop.

She was buried next to Christopher.

22 people visited Tracy's funeral. Tracy had a bunch of her friends show up along with her family and other loved ones.

Christopher had his family show up. His Grandma (Nana) and Grandpa (Pops) . His mom and dad. One of his cousins and an uncle and aunt. In total 7 people showed up to his funeral, all of which were of his relatives. None of which were his friends.

Both Tracy and Christopher loved each other, until the very end.

The dead end.

When Tracy left Mrs. Hardy, she left her alone with her thoughts. She couldn't take it. When Tracy left, Mrs. Hardy read Christopher's note. Mrs. Hardy also read the back of the note, something Tracy never did.

Here is what the back of Christopher's note said..

Read this side last my love,

Tracy. I know you will want to find me. I want you to get closure, I really do, but please don't come looking for me. You wouldn't like what you saw. Please don't come after me my love.

Please.