The Mystery of Hector Forrest
Chapter Five

November 22nd, 1975

But despite it all, I knew I wasn't going crazy. My mind continuously began working, like clogs in my brain. My body was working in overdrive to find an explanation for the bizarre hallucination I was currently having.

There were many reasons why a person resembled someone from many years ago.

Descendants, family members, and even just my mind playing a complete and utter prank on me.

I blinked several times, attempting to find the perfect explanation.

A dream would also be possible.

Maybe he was right and I've got concussion.

"Rosie," came Hector's uncertain murmur as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Where exactly are you from?"

I found his question to be nothing short of an interrogation.

I thought for a moment about what answer I could give him. There was something strange going on in Maple Park, that was all I found to be certain. I didn't know whether I could trust Hector, despite every bone in my body telling me I could.

Any answer I gave, could land me straight into a trap or find myself an unlikely ally in a town I was unfamiliar with.

"New Jersey," I commented, after a moment of deliberation.

It was safe, short and to the point.

"That's a little ways away from here. Did you move with your family?"

With a shake of my head, I shifted my position on the bed. The ringing in my ears had dulled to a small, incessant hum across the back of my skull. My stomach felt as if it were in knots, like a bad feeling I couldn't shake for the life of me.

It was now or never, to explain why I was even here.

"I'm looking for my mother," I replied, honestly. "The trail ends here," I added, staring straight into Hector's forest-green eyes.

"Did she used to live here?"

He was definitely persistent, I'd give him that.

"Yeah, a long time ago," I mumbled, uncomfortably. I had already told him much more than I planned and I wasn't going to tell him much more.

Slowly, I unhooked the chords from me, ignoring Hector's protests. I needed to get out of here. I was only wasting time by explaining myself to a stranger.

I shifted into a sitting position with my feet hanging from the bed. My mind whirled as my vision flew out of focus.

The world's worst hangover.

Hector flew to my side, steadying me.

"You're definitely determined if you're disregarding your health for this mission of yours," he commented with a chuckle.

I lightly pushed him away from me, knowing despite his warmth feeling like a safe haven, I knew that this stranger also rubbed me the wrong way at times too.

"I'm fine," I coughed, "It's just a silly hangover."

"So you admit you were drunk on school grounds," he chastened with a small laugh. "You're lucky I caught you instead of anybody in a position of power to arrest you."

Then it hit me.

"Why were you even on school grounds at that time?" I asked, narrowing my eyes dangerously at my rescuer.

Hector shuffled a little, growing a deep shade of red.

"I may have been breaking into the school to grab the answers for Monday's exam," he shamefully admitted to me.

He was honest, I'd give him that too.

"Why?" I persisted, feeling as if Hector was much more intelligent than he led on. There was something else, much more interesting, going on and I was going to find out.

But instead of the interrogation I was planning, he simply laughed. His eyes twinkled in this way that almost fascinated me.

"I've got this friend that doesn't really have time for studying. I was retrieving the notes for them instead."

I raised an eyebrow before I asked the question on the tip of my tongue.

"Why couldn't they just do it themselves?"

"I was going to surprise them?" He said, sounding less sure of himself the more I probed him.

"Weren't you worried about getting caught," I asked, staring at him for a moment.

He cocked his head to the side, seeming confused.

"No," He finally said, shrugging.

"No one was supposed to be at the school at midnight."

I furrowed my eyebrows, knowing full well that reunion party wasn't scheduled to finish until late.

Either he didn't know about it or he was certain it wasn't supposed to be held on that night.

The truth was, the more questions I asked, the more confused I became. Something weird was definitely going on in this whacko town but my money was definitely on the high school itself.

A smirk found its way upon my lips, "I don't believe you for a second," I said as a plan began to form inside my brain.

"But I'll let it slide. If you keep what you saw last night a secret, I will keep yours," I said, holding out my hand for a handshake.

It wasn't even a second later that Hector clasped his white hand into mine to shake on our newfound deal.

"Deal," He agreed as he thought for a moment.

"I'll help you find your mother, if you want," he offered.

"Are you after another bargain?" I asked, not believing he'd want to help me for nothing.

"No," he said, "Well.."

"Spit it out, Hector."

"There's this girl I like," he started and I rolled my eyes.

Hector had a crush, that was cute but definitely not something I needed to get involved in.

"I don't need your help to find my mother," I spat out, pushing him out of the way so I could stand. I stood on unsteady feet, feeling a rush inside of my head like a tidal wave, before crashing back down onto the bed.

"I can help with that too," he smiled, but that glint in his eyes wasn't hard to see.

"Plus you owe me," he stated, simply, before wrapping his arms across his chest.

He had a point there, unfortunately.

I thought for another moment about all that could go wrong if I decided to help the stranger who rescued me but before I knew it, I found myself agreeing anyway.

"Fine. You better be less trouble than it's worth."