The Lost Me

Author's Note:

Hi, my name is Lubna. This is my first story published here in Story Mirror. I hope you like the story! Now onto the story.

Introduction:

In the town of Evergreen, rests a magnificent tower hidden in a grove of bewitching trees. The whitish fog engulfs the castle, making it invisible most of the year - what a rare phenomenon. The fortress and tower are conjoined into one colossal structure, the strange fact is that the residents of the town have themselves never visited the place. But, there was one adventurous fellow who had the guts to explore the castle but… 

 

Adam, my bosom buddy from way back, the one who shared even the first-day first show of my favourite Spiderman movie with me and went out of the way in many instances. He was a good egg. Where is he? Dead or Alive? Vanished or famished? Questions like this cloud me every day and then I start my mission Adam on the days when I am not slaving at work. I always head to the possible locations where he could be found. Today, I found a rather suspicious trace of him mentioned in a post. I didn’t read through the posts in much detail before he vanished but these days…. Immediately, I smash my laptop keyboard to search for this weird mention of “Evergreen town castle”; doesn't it even sound like a name, I thought. My search left me flabbergasted since I was now in a position to join the dots. I took a step ahead and I instantly booked the bus tickets to head to this town. That is when the madness bloomed. 

 

I headed straight to the town along with stacks of posters of Adam. Completely awestruck by the dynamic environment of the town; I took a whiff of fresh minty air; suited up with layers of sweaters; I now longed for a sip of a coffee that would nourish my famish. The lapis lazuli skies; panoramic view of heaps of green mountains huddling together was a sight not-to-be-missed. Amidst all this, I never forgot my mission and kept posting posters here and there with no signs of success. 

With all questions and the taste of failure on my tongue lingering and reminding me of Adam. 

I found a grey-haired old-timer sitting along with the beautifully handcrafted water fountain next to the clocktower. His skin sagged with wrinkles formed a special pattern, especially around his forehead He was supposedly guarding the fountain with a cane in his hand. I crouched next to him, delved deep into his hazelnut eyes and brought the poster right in front of him with a hope of a clue though a small one. Squinting his tired eyes, there was a slight movement in the then frozen body when he moved his upper eyelid to see my face. The next moment his lids closed and he acted as if he never saw anything. I was stuck and wanted to know the reason behind his behaviour which was not natural at all. I asked him, I pleaded. I even bent on my knees but somehow it wasn't my day. The feeling of losing a soul mate was killing me but my hopes were still fresh, green and unwithered. I walked around the castle for a clue but found nothing. I turned every rock that came my way, I looked in every possible direction for any clue. I gathered my guts and walked up the castle. Every step that I took shook me to the core but I kept moving, hunger was now growling all around. I was thirsty but had no way out. I went back home with the hope that I might succeed. The next morning I followed the same path and met the old guy who was still where I had left him last evening expressionless. He never wanted to answer any of my questions. This was the biggest positive of all negatives that I had been revealing for a long. I climbed the tower again with no clue it was a tiring day as I wasn't able to conclude. I came back with my eyes all welled up with gallons of tears and fell on my knees with my folded hands. The wind too supported me with a forceful gush but there was a response and the old guy got up from his place. He now agreed that he has a clue which might be precious to me but I need to pay for it. Pay? what? h-how much? Again the interrogatory senses were in action. He started rambling; I had all my ears to him, I tried listening and piecing together his words like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. He was a bit adamant when he said he won't be able to come

 

I reassured him and pleaded to take me to the dreaded tower, but he agreed to guide me through; He raised a condition now he said he would need a brick out of those that were used while constructing the tower. What!!! Such a suspicious request but I agreed hastily as Adam mattered more than anything now. 

 

The dark orange hues stretched across the sky signalling us to leave; the bewitching view seemed to hide its secrets. We again made our way to the eerie castle through the treacherous trees and spooky cobwebs dotted across the mountain. The crimson red and white bricks stacked in a mosaic pattern were mirrored in the lake behind. I caught a glimpse of a blurry figurine of someone standing at the french windows as if it was inviting me to enter the castle. The old man demanded I head inside to grab the brick that he had requested in exchange for bringing me here. With no choice, I headed inside with an intuition that something wrong might happen to me if I entered the castle. But it was a “Eureka” moment.

 

What do you think happened to him? Stay tuned for the first chapter!