The Only Rings I Have With Me Are the Ones Around My Eye

Jack punched the tiled wall repeatedly, his fists being thrown at the wall harder and harder each time. The cold water ran down his body in the venue shower, but Jack didn’t care. His focus was the wall, and his fists making contact with it. No matter how much it hurt, he couldn’t stop. He was too upset, too angry at himself. Letting Audri go was the stupidest thing he could have done. Believing Brooklyn over Audri was up there too. He couldn’t stop thinking about Audri’s eyes filled with tears. The last time he saw her, he made her cry, and what if she was dead? How could he live with that? The girl he loved so much, dead.

A door slammed open echoing throughout the bathroom, but Jack ignored it. His fists were in total control now. As tears fell from his eyes his fists punched the wall harder and harder.

“JACK STOP!” Alex’s voice came over the running water. Jack shook his head and threw another punch. Soon enough Jack was tackled to the floor, Alex landing on top of him. Alex had grip of his fists, and he was soaking wet head to toe in his skinny’s and Tshirt, his hair clinging to his face. Jack just stared up at Alex who was looking down at Jacks fists. Jack pulled his fists out of Alex’s grip to notice that they were slightly bleeding a bit.

“Alex,” Jack spoke softly. “Get off of me.”

Alex stared at him for a moment, only then realizing he had Jack pinned to the ground, in the shower naked. Alex rolled off of him and stood up himself. Jack turned off the water grabbing his towel and making his way out of the bathroom. Alex watched Jack leave, leading his eyes over to where Rian and Zack stood in the door way watching. Water rolled down Alex’s face from his dripping wet hair.

“GODDAMNIT!” Alex turned and slammed his hands against the wall, then making his way out of the bathroom also.

Alex walked onto the bus two hours later with a Starbucks in his hand. His hair was a bit frizzy because of what happened in the shower before. He was dressed in a hoodie with some sports shorts on. He looked up to see Zack watching Rian pace back and forth.

“Alex thank god!” Rian exclaimed.

“Is Jack okay?” Alex’s voice was raspy.

“He’s been in his bunk. I just got off the phone with Adam,” Rian said sliding his cell in his pocket.

“AND?!” Alex begged.

“They finally found a bartender that recognized Audri. He said she left with one of the regulars named Darren, and that he lived in the area.”

“Oh my god,” Alex said finally showing the first bit of hope in his eyes in a week.

“He also said, that Darren wouldn’t be the kind of guy to just kidnap someone, so Adam and Eric are going to the bar to see if they’ll run into Darren and hopefully it’ll go from there,”

“This is amazing,” Alex said running his hand through his hair. “JACK!” Alex walked quickly down the aisle to Jacks bunk. “Did you hear all of that?”

“Yeah,” Jack said with a soft smile, the first one he’d had in days.

“Alex…” Rian called softly. “The bartender also said,” He paused for a second and took a quick glance at Jack. “He also said he hadn’t seen Darren since last week, the night Audri went missing.”

Alex and Jack stared at Rian who just stared back for what seemed like hours. Jack sighed and turned back over into his bunk and closed the curtain.

“You could have told me that in private,” Alex glared at Rian.

“He has a right to know,” Rian shrugged and turned back to the front of the bus. Alex
grumbled under his breath, thoughts of what could be happening to Audri running threw his head. He spun around and chucked his coffee into the back lounge, spilling everywhere. Zack and Rian looked at him.

“Dude, come on…” Zack cocked his head. “Throw something not liquid.”

“Sorry,” Alex said as he grabbed the paper towel and made his way into the back of the bus. He got down on his knees and started to wipe up the coffee.

*****

Audri starred at the door that was locked in front of her. She was starving, and pretty sure she had already lost 20 pounds from being stuck there. She wanted to tear her hair out of her hair, she was so sick of being stuck in the room. She swore she was going insane.

Her head snapped up when she heard the door click. She quickly scanned her eyes around the room. They landed on the bed side lamp. She unplugged it and took it in her hands, standing up, and slowly inching her way toward the door. Whys he hadn’t thought of this earlier, she had no idea. What mattered was trying to get out. Every time she’d make her way for the door he’d just throw her on the floor and slam the door shut again. She waited, hardly breathing, by the door. Soon enough, it inched open.

The figure stood taller than usual. She didn’t recognize his face, but she didn’t care. She slammed the lamp over his head and the figure fell to his knees. She kicked him in the stomach as hard as she could, and ran off toward the opened front door. Her heart was beating fast as she dodged her way out of the apartment. She took a look around outside to notice that the sun was rising. She didn’t pay too much attention , the only thing that was on her mind was making her way out of this division. She didn’t have a phone, or any money. She looked behind her to realize no one was following. She collapsed to the ground to catch her breath.

Once she finally had caught her breath, she looked around to see a girl with her backpack in hand staring at Audri.

“Uhm,” The girl shifted her wait to her right foot. She had blonde hair, with black skinnies and a Cobra Starship shirt on.

“Do you have a cell phone?” Audri said, still sitting on the girls side walk.

“Why?” The girl asked as she fished her cell phone from her pocket.

“I need to call my boyfriend,” Audri pushed her greasy hair out of her face, dying for a shower.

“Okay, uhm. One question,” The girl asked as she handed the phone to Audri. Audri just stared at the girl waiting for the question. “Are you…” The girl paused for a second. “Audri Moore?”