Max to Ben

Live from Koko Boarding House:

Ben turned on his laptop and got online. He logged onto Skype. Right away, he noticed a chat invite. Hm? Who is it now? He clicked on the box. The young man raised an eyebrow at the name.

Who is QuickSilver? Usually, he would hit ï¿½decline,ï¿½ close the box, and that was end of it. But, this name was different. For one, Ben had seen it somewhere else before. But I canï¿½t remember where. He dug through his brain to find the source. As he did so, the young man clicked ï¿½accept.ï¿½ A new chat window popped up on the spot.

QuickSilver: Ben! Itï¿½s been so long. How have you been?

*Ben*

Okayï¿½ I stared at the message and began to type.

Wired Little Geek: Uhï¿½ who are you? And how do you know me? Have we met before?

I sat back and waited. Then, a reply popped up.

QuickSilver: Itï¿½s me, Max!

Wired Little Geek: Huh?

QuickSilver: Max Thaws. Remember?

Wired Little Geek: Noï¿½

QuickSilver: Oko Elementary School. Did you go there?

Wired Little Geek: Yesï¿½ Did you?

The next response blew me completely out of my mind.

QuickSilver: I drew on the classroom wall on the day of the fire.

Puzzled, I typed:

Wired Little Geek: What did you draw?

QuickSilver: Kamion, the dragon. You remember him?

Wired Little Geek: Vaguely? Red eyes and yellow teeth?

QuickSilver: Yes!

Wired Little Geek: And black wings?

QuickSilver: Yes!

Wired Little Geek: With the stumpy arms and legs.

QuickSilver: YES!

Thatï¿½s when the lights all flipped on in my brain. Crap!

Wired Little Geek: Max? Maxxie?

Then, a video feed request popped up for me. I looked up at my webcam. Couldnï¿½t hurt to see this guy, could it? I turned on my webcam and clicked ï¿½accept.ï¿½ The channel popped up on my screen. A guy with dark jet black hair and white blonde streaks stared back at me. He had on some black pajamas. I blinked at him as I slid on my microphone. Max gave me a little wave.

ï¿½Sup?ï¿½ he asked.

ï¿½What happened to your hair and did you just get out of bed?ï¿½ I asked.

ï¿½I highlighted it years ago,ï¿½ he said. ï¿½And yes.ï¿½

ï¿½Okayï¿½ how did you find me?ï¿½ I asked.

ï¿½Your webcam journals,ï¿½ Max said. I blinked at him in a blank way. People are actually watching those things?!? Max gave me a little grin.

ï¿½I donï¿½t get it,ï¿½ I said.

ï¿½Get what?ï¿½ Max asked me back.

ï¿½Why get in contact with me after all of these years?ï¿½ I asked. He just gave me a small shrug.

ï¿½Felt like it,ï¿½ he said. ï¿½But, youï¿½re not the only one I need to find.ï¿½

ï¿½Iï¿½m not?ï¿½ I asked as I cocked my head at him. He shook his head at me.

ï¿½Uh-uh,ï¿½ Maxxie said.

ï¿½Who else?ï¿½ I asked. He took a moment to run back all of the names in his head.

ï¿½Letï¿½s see, thereï¿½s Lisa, Gordon, Russell, Robin, Krista, Matt, Kele, and Julie,ï¿½ he answered. Wow, that many people!

I then unintentionally said, ï¿½I donï¿½t know how to get in contact with the others, but I can give you the work e-mails of Kele and Julie.ï¿½ Maxï¿½s deep red eyes looked really big and amazed.

ï¿½You would really do that?ï¿½ he asked.

ï¿½Yeah sure, hang on,ï¿½ I said. I brought up my e-mail, wrote a quick message with my best friend and girlfriendï¿½s e-mails, and hit ï¿½send.ï¿½

ï¿½Got them?ï¿½ I asked.

ï¿½Just did. Thank you so much!ï¿½ my old friend cheered.

ï¿½Anytime,ï¿½ I said with a smile. I donï¿½t know what happened in that hour I was alone in that apartment of the boarding house, but I think I just opened us all up into one complicated curveball into another.

And for that my friends and girlfriend, my bad. Seriously and utterly my bad.