Tom looked around, His hand on the doorknob, examining the house and it's occupants. making sure everything was okay and in order.

No dirty dishes. No messes. No problems.

Tord was on the couch with the kids, they were going through a bag of spices Namki brought and letting Tord sniff them. They were having fun, in a weird way.

Tom let out a small sigh.

=Yesterday=

"Tord can you pass the salt."

" don't blame me if its pepper. "

Tord reached around on the table until he found the shaker. he shook it to tell whether it was salt or pepper. Pepper has larger pieces but would be quieter.

Tord gently put down the shaker and handed Laddi the other one.

"Good job." Namki commented, nodding her head . "It seems like your practicing has helped."

Tord shrugged.

"A little too well." Laddi smiled. Her mind went back to the whole fork and doorknob moment a few minutes back. " Tord, how come when you throw or do something, it always... " she hummed, looking for a word.

"always goes precisely."

Tord ran his finger along the edge of the glass in his hand.

"I don't know." he sighed and pushed back into the chair. After putting the cup down, his hand lazily dropped on his lap.He really didn't know. " Sometimes I just want to do something and I do it. I dont expect to achieve anything, though."

it's not like he didn't enjoy his accuracy in the tasks he does, really, he was quite impressed with it, it made his blind experience slightly more tolerable.

"strange." Laddi scraped food off the plate with her fork, pushing it into a small pile to pick at.

Tord simply nodded.

And that was one of the small conversations they had, the rest were rambles from the children and small talk from Tom and Namki. Occasionally, Tord would snap out his thoughts and comment or add on to the current conversation.

He didn't seem much for talking though, apparently, it was because he was tired, Tom didn't really understand why he was tired so quickly, but he guessed, when your blind. The more exciting thing to do is sleep and let your mind present you with images that your eyes cant.

"Alright guys." Tom called, getting the kids and Tords attention.

"I'm going to work, I'll ask Namki if I can come back early." Tom opened the door . He then frowned, remembering something. "Laddi can't come. So don't do anything stupid." And he shut the door.

the kids shrugged it off and continued holding up leafs to Tord, who was eating raspberries.

They continued like that for a while, not having much to do. Tom helped the kids with their homework after yesterday's dinner.  Tord had immediately went to bed.

Tom had gone to get his hoodie back from Tord, but he didn't bother to wake him from his peaceful state on the floor.

But today, Tord had his own red hoodie on.

It seemed peaceful, Tord appreciated that. No one was crying. No one was having a emotional breakdown. No dumb teen was being a prick. Finally, some time to just relax with the kids.

though, he couldn't really relax, a empty painful feeling started to bother him.

"I'm hungry." Tord stated. pushing aside the empty bowl.

Soke and Asha looked up. They both seemed confused and in thought.

"I'm hungry too." Soke whined.

Asha frowned.She was also hungry, but it seemed out of place to her. "But, we're never hungry after Tom leaves."

she looked to Soke, and their eyes widened at the realization.

"Tom forgot to cook breakfast!" She screeched .

Asha scrambled off the couch, not listening to Tords repeated "Hey!"

She opened the door and booked it out, Soke followed after.

and just like that, the morning went from calm to an absolute fucking mess

"He's on a bike He's on a bike!" Tord screeched , in an attempt to get up, he fell off the couch, landing on his back. He groaned and sat up.  The impact of the situation hit him again and he shot up and ran to the door.

"Kids!" he called.

" Asha! "

"Soke!"

nothing.

He sighed and clutched his stomach, the pain of hunger now turning into one of air and regret. Now he stood thinking of where they could've gone or how they could get hurt or lost.

They just, ran out like that.

he groaned, turned back into the house and slammed the door.

"wheres my phone wheres my phone..." he mumbled, walking around impatiently.

He remembered where it was last time.

Tom left it charging.

He felt around to go down the hallway, eventually, going pass Ashas room, his hand landed on a doorknob and twisted the handle.

Stumbling around inside Toms room, A unknown world since he's never been in it, no memory map to rely on. Due to his lack of knowledge, and the placement of things, he ended up tripping over something on the floor.

"FaenFaenFaenFaen-" He muttered the same swear over and over, hugging his right knee on the floor, though the pain was on his ankle.

He grabbed around for the thing he tripped on, wanting to hurl it across the room. when he felt a soft fabric and a limb, he decided against his wishes. it was the bear he got Tom.

He readjusted himself in the floor, carefully moving his hurting ankle. Eventually sitting on his knees while examining the bear.

For a while he just rubbed the soft fabric, over A small amount of time he snapped out his trance and attempted to stand.

He winced at the pain in his right ankle, all he did was trip but man it hurt.

He grabbed onto the corner of a desk with his left hand. He set the bear down on it with his right.

he pulled against the edge of the desk to slightly limp over to the other side of the room.

Now grabbing onto a chair, he felt around with his left foot against the wall for an outlet, when he felt the familiar coin-slot like hole, he carefully bent down to unplug his phone. When he felt the sun charm, he knew it was his.

It took him 4 tries,keeping the sound up so it can notify him of a incorrect input, but he unlocked his phone and kept his thumb on the home button.

When he heard the little tune indicating Siri was listening, he spoke.

"Call Edd." He said clearly .

"I'm sorry, can you say that again?"

Tord groaned.

"Call. Edd."

" here's what I found for 'Carl Led.' "

Tord blamed his accent and kicked the wall with his good foot. Just light enough to not leave a dent.

"Call."
" Edd. "

Faint silence was replaced with the buzzing of a call. Tord sighed and walked off, phone in hand, his ankle adding to his discomfort. Why was he always getting hurt?

finally, the boy picked up.
"Tord?"

A bit caught off guard, he answered: " Hi Edd. I need you asap. " Tord made his way down into Asha's room and carefully sat on her bed.

Edd frowned, confused.  "what?" He played in his bed with his hand over his forehead, not really wanting to get up for whatever reason he was urgently needed for, and at 8:12 in the morning, of all times.

he added with a grumpy sigh: "Mind filling me in?"

To his dismay, he did not get what he wanted.

"No time. come over to Toms house, it's at the second left walking to my house. It's blue with yellow and white streaks." Tord focused on each word, making sure everything was right, at a time like this, mistakes were not welcome.

but, he couldn't be completely sure.

"Atleast, I think it is."

Edd sighed and patted ringo awake. The grey cat stretched on his lap. Edd gave her a few small pets on the head before she hopped off and walked to her litter box.

"What about Matt?" he yawned, getting up from his comfortable spot in bed.

Tord hummed. Really, He didn't need Matt getting lost aswell, couldn't risk it. but he also needed all the help he can get. He couldn't really be picky.

after a few seconds of contemplating, he huffed. "Matt too."

Edd yawned and agreed he'd come over. After hanging up, Tord put on shoes. changed into a black long sleeve shirt. He patted around the pockets of his jeans for the house keys Tom left him.

At first, he didn't get Why Tom would give him keys, it's not like he'd be going out the house anytime soon.

Turns out Tom just wanted a trustworthy person to hold the spare.

After walking out the house, he locked the door and put away the keys. He sat down by the steps to think about the kids whereabouts. He took enough time with the call, and when Matt and Edd arrived, they would need to speed it up a little before the kids got into trouble.

He thought of reaching out and telling Tom and Namki -

Tord shook his head, ending the thoughts there, not wanting to imagine their reaction, he still couldn't believe the kids just left like that.

eventually, he got tired of sitting and stood by the mailbox. When he felt the swift of a bike coming by and heard the soft jingle of a bell, he perked up.

"Hi Tord!" Edd chimed.

" Edd. "

The boy on the green bike looked behind him. In search of something.

"Matt?" He called.

A yellow bike soon pulled up, it's rider gasping.

"You went too fast!" He whined .

Edd rolled his eyes, getting off his bike and looked to Tord, who was crossing his arms.

'so Why do you need us and our bikes? " Edd asked.

Tord pressed his lips together, he sighed and dropped his hands at his side.

"There's no kind way to say this, but those kids you saw at the hospital? yeah. Their gone."

And as swiftly as the kids left, Tord just dropped the bomb of impact on his friends.

Edds eyes widened as he took in the issue.
"Toms gonna kill you!" he screeched.

Tord shook his head. "Now that your involved, Toms gonna kill us."

Edd groaned and tapped his foot harshly on the pavement.

"So what are we gonna do?" he said, panicked

" Call Tom? " He added .

Tord scoffed. "If you have a death wish, go ahead."

Edd frowned. "Then what?"

"We're gonna search for them." Tord pointed a thumb to his right. " specifically along the path of this house to a tea shack a few blocks down. it's a straight path with one right turn. That gives us a basic radius to stay within."

Tord frowned again, he added:
" however, their children. Remember they won't exactly follow the trail. make sure to branch out to open and small areas, especially ones with light. I don't think they'd go into dark alleys. "

Edd hopped back on his bike. "we should still check those."

" wheres your bike? "

Tord kicked his good foot against the floor and looked down. "Hello I'm blind?" He said, with annoyed questioning tone.

He sighed. "not riding it."

" your gonna walk? " Edd gave a confused look.

"Cant do that either. fucked up my ankle."

" So what are you gonna do? "

Tord sighed, he dragged his hands over his bandaged eyes and clapped them together and pointed behind Edds voice. "hitch a ride with Matt."

" Matt? " Edd questioned, doubting and not believing his choice.

Matt smiled and patted a small space behind him."I'm on my sisters bike. Hers has a spot for you on the back!"

Tord coughed." your sisters bike? "

"Mine is still at repair." Matt pouted.

"alright."

" you sure you wanna go with Matt? " Edd looked at Tord, who was carefully walking over to the yellow bike Matt was on.

He nodded and 'looked' at Edd. "I gotta make sure he doesn't get distracted."

Edd sighed, not having much faith in a blind Tord with his childish Matt. " Alright. Stay safe! " he called, riding off down the path.

"Call me if anything comes up!" Tord called.

He huffed and got on the back of the bike. His back against Matt's as he faced the 'wrong side.'  His hands held on to his portion of the seat.

Matt rode through small roads, staying within the radius by telling Tord what he saw, Tord would have to rely on his memory from his bike ride with Tom to the shack, to tell him if he was getting off trail. It was hard though, considering he had raced Tom and didn't catch much of the scenery the first time.

He missed those moments, where it was just him and Tom and the world was just the least of his concerns.

but, in some way, it was like that.

Asha,Soke and Tom,

they were his world.

"There's a yellow house with two dead trees." Matt said.

" Steer away. Out of reach. " Tord replied.

He really wasn't sure what he could do, with Matt, he was pretty useless, he couldnt even search, and had to put trust in his goof of a friend with the children's lives.

"why don't we check if their at the shack?" Matt suggested, getting bored of riding.

The soft wind blew in Tords face, he liked it.
"it takes a while to get there by bike." His mind drifted back to the lovely memories of him and Tom on the road, soothing his mixed feelings about the overall unsettling situation.

"I doubt they've already made it." Tord sighed, Letting go of the memory and getting tired himself.

" They left for what again? " Matt said, looking at a squirrel run up a tree.

"they left to find Tom."

Matt gave a nervous pout. " I think you should've told Edd that. "

"Its not important."

Matt continued softly pedaling. He went around for a while, it was silent between him and Tord, soon enough he could feel how empty the atmosphere was.

He worried for the kids he played with in that hospital. He hoped they wouldn't get hurt, or worse.

His expression saddened. He then put his focus to the boy behind him.

"are you scared?" he said, quietly.

Tord held his breath and  hid his lips.

Matt didn't think he was going to get a answer, there was a couple seconds of silence after his question. He just wanted to know how his friend felt about all of this.For the most part, he seemed pissed.

But when he said his answer, it surprised Matt.

it was said so softly if you weren't paying attention you wouldn't hear it.

"I'm terrified."

The crack in his voice sent a crack in Toms heart somewhere.

Edd rode down the trail, wishing the best of luck to the other search team, really, they should've called Tom and Abby, or even better, get a proper search team, like the cops.

But no, the high schoolers always have to be the independent idiots to do everything but what their suppose to.

for the fourth or third time, He called out their names

"Asha!"

" Soke? "

He felt a pang of worry when he didn't get a response.

"Tords looking for you!" he called out, hoping they'd hear and come to their senses.

again, no answer.

He huffed in disappointment and shame.

"I'm looking for you. ".

He didn't like this, it hurt him, he has been hurting for so long now, hearing that Tord in the hospital made him full of fear on friday, it was actually Matt who asked for permission to leave, for Edds sake, and his own.

so many things were happening, Toms eyes, Sidney, Tord and somber, he could name a lot, he hasn't even gotten much time to breathe before another tragedy strikes.

there seemed to be more heartache between Tord and Tom though. He felt it. sometimes the air just seemed sad around them.

But he could tell there was also a special link between the two, he liked that link. He hoped it would strengthen over time.

He kept his assumptions to himself, halted and turned his bike around, Roads empty, not surprising for a early Sunday. He didn't think he'd be in a desperate search for kids at 8 in the morning.

"for once I'd like some fucking peace! " He spat.

His bike rode into a nearby alley, one that led to a small park, he expected to find them there.

but he didnt.

so he rode through the safer alleyways. weaving in and out behind houses or small bundles of townhouses or stores. He hoped to atleast see one of them.

but he didnt.

full of frustration and impatience, he started to ask anyone he saw if they had seen the kids, he expected to get at least one sighting.

but he didnt.

Not sure how to feel, panicked or Mad, he just wanted to scream.

so he did.

after releasing his distress, he heard something rustle in a bush, then heard the distant sound of a trashcan falling.

His head shot to the sound, over his right shoulder.

He moved his bike to go to it.

"Maybe I can try calling their names again." Matt chimed, with his positivity and the squeak of the gears that was killing Tord.

"ASHA!"

" SOKE! "

"IT'S ME!"

" THE BEAUTIFUL MATT! " the ginger said, in a sing-song voice.

Tord groaned, annoyed.

"If you keep screaming like a lunatic, I can't hear them. " he said, straining over his words.

Matt frowned. "There's a bigger chance that they'll hear me then you'll hear them."

Tord scoffed in amusement.

"when did you become such a smartass?"

more moments of silence until someone's scream filled the air.

Matt perked up, his face a display of concern. "I think that was Edd!"

Tord yawned. "It was."

" Should we go after him? " Matt said, as he slowed down his bike.

Tord shook his head. "that was a scream he does when there's no more cola."

Tord paused and frowned.

"he better not be shopping."

A sharp clatter of a trashcan alerted the two, both looked in the same direction, Tords left.

"should we go after that?" Matt squeaked.

Tord hopped off the bike and started running . His ankle's slight pain being unimportant to him.

"Matt go after it!" he called.

He felt the swift of air as Matt zoomed by, Tord just needed him to block off that side so he could go around it and corner the kids.

yes, then he'd finally stop this blind search and go home, wait for Tom, and just get a wall deserved break.

Filled with determination, he kept running until he heard a crash and two familiar screams.

He paused, than ran over to where he heard it. He stopped in the entrance of an alleyway,

and in front of  him were two fallen bikes and it's riders.

the groans of Edd and Matt confirmed his suspicions.

"Did you two idiots crash into eachother?" he screeched , throwing out his arms at his sides in disbelief and disappointment.

Matt whimpered in pain and Edd only grunted a "yeah."

" I can't believe this. " Tord groaned.

He rapidly tapped his good foot on the ground. His hand on his hip like a angry mother.

"I'm calling Tom. I'd rather be dead than deal with this bullshit." He spat and  turned away and pulled out his phone.

" But Tord! " Matt whined from under the bike. "What about the noise!"

everyone turned to the sound of a low meow from Edds beloved cat, who hopped from behind a trash can and purred while rubbing itself against Edd's cheek.

Edd nervously chuckled, knowing this was giving him his seat in death row. row

"Hi ringo..."

both of them then dared to look back at Tord, who held his phone in one hand, the other at his right side.

and just a blank face as he looked over his right shoulder.

"I wonder what would happen if someone found your bodies."

" your dead bodies... "

"Sokey it's not down there!"

" Yes it is! "

"How would you know! Your always asleep during the car rides!"

Asha and Soke argued at the corner of a intersection.Sitting down, Behind them was a small market that they had initially walked into for water.

the shopkeeper was currently trying to find the two kids guardian by social media. Searching through pages and mostly pictures to see a familiar face.

Asha loudly sipped the small cup of ice water. Soke clutched his stomach.

"this is bad this is bad." He whimpered .

"We need to find Tommy so he can make food." Asha reassured her younger brother with a pat on the back.

" But. " Soke whined.

"But nothing." Asha handed the cup to Soke, who nervously drank it. "Tommy doesn't want us to starve. We have to eat."

She stood up and patted off dust from her pajamas. Soke stood up and held her hand.

"let's go find big brother now that we got water." she chimed , walking down her right.

"we should've stayed." Soke whined. sluggish movements of his legs signifying he was tired and in disagreement with his decision to follow Asha, but, as her brother, he always thought he had to stay by her side.

Asha sighed." I already told you no. "

Soke let out another whimper as Asha tugged him along Windstreet.

" do you want me to kiss it? "

"yes." Matt quietly pouted.

Tord groaned and looked back at them.

"would you two stop being gay for one second?"

Edd rolled his eyes.

" says the gay one. " he mumbled. Gently patting down a fresh band-aid on the gingers hand. He gave him a reassuring smile and stood up.

As Matt picked up Ringo, Edd looked to Tord.

"Not answering?"

" No. " Tord frowned.

He gave up on his attempts to reach Tom.

"What about calling Abigail?" Matt suggested , after Edd took his cat and carefully placed her in the basket of his bike.

"dont have her number."

Edd hummed in thought.

"Missing posters?"

Tord sighed. Really low and stupid, but Seeing it as the only thing they could currently do, he gave his okay on it.

"knock yourselves out."

=====================================
Notes
slightly longer chaoter, almost 4000 words

I'll do the banner later, right now I don't know what I wanna draw.

Anyways, Friday is the final day to vote for the cover. There's 215 views but about 76 comments.

remember, your vote is a large impact on this book.

voting ends on Friday, 12 @ night on the dot.

special chapter comes out Saturday, I will
announce the title of this book and the winning cover,
I will answer a few questions so ask away.
I will answer the hiatus riddle. (feel free to try and get it.)
I will exploit some of my old art, and I also want to redraw some old trends that I used to like.

there could be more, feel free to ask about the story or myself.

and on sunday I will actually update the cover and the name of the book.

so, cast your votes of you havent!

now, FANART

it's not of this book, but it's still fan art so I'm putting it here.

the following amazing drawing was drawn by pink_turtle_punch

That's not all-

MMan I still can't express how much I love this-
usually I'm not a big fan of it when a artist colors hair and then draws some strands but you really made it work to the point where it's one of my favorite things about it!
besides the really cool droopy drips and the bright happy color scheme that really goes well together.

Thank you so much for this lovely piece!

and thank you for reading and following the development of this story!
cya next chapter!
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