Concealed

Chapter 8 I am waiting… staring at my blinding white screen for a whole 22 hours for a reply that could lead me to the star player. The calm blue sky became smeared with an array of warm

eloquent colours. Schools started to reply, but each one simply apologised and shut me down, one after the other. I checked my emails one last time before the clock hit 3. FINALLY! A positive reply! They send over his profile with all his information. But something seems off… His name is different. The name Umpire gave me was Tommy Figus, but his profile now says Wallis Jones. I wonder why he changed his name… is he hiding from something? Someone? …I’ll figure it out later. But for now, it seems like he’s become an umpire at this school. I need to find him. Chapter 9

As I drive into the school with Umpire next to me, excitement fills me. It finally feels as if all the pieces are coming together, allowing me to see the bigger picture. I was finally going to solve this case and find the star player who went missing so many years ago and I can find out why. Why did he disappear right before the biggest match of the season? As we arrive, I park out front and run with Umpire through the front gate all the way to the cricket pitch, where I see him standing there as a group of teens run back to class. He looks older now, but the features are still the same. He is stockily built like Umpire, but slightly taller. “Are you Tommy Figus?” He looks from me to Umpire and sighs, “I used to be, before I left that life behind. I go by Wallis Jones now.” As he says this, I notice a passing shadow of doubt and sadness cross his face. As soon as I blink, it’s gone. I’m about to say something, but before I can say anything, Umpire embraces him, and I realise that they must have been close. I think back to the photo I found of their old team, with them standing next to each other and It makes sense now, why Umpire would not want to relive that day. I look back to this man who calls himself Wallis, “Why did you run?” He thinks for a moment before answering and just when I think he isn’t going to say anything he answers, “I had to, there was no other choice. His brother wanted me gone. I didn’t want to cause trouble, so I disappeared.” I look with wide eyes at Umpire, that say, “Your brother did this?” and I know he can tell. Suddenly another piece of the puzzle clicks into place and I understand the motive behind why someone would want him gone. I originally imagined the Umpire would due to jealousy, but they were friends so that wouldn’t make sense. Instead it was his brother, who must have been jealous for the Umpire and wanted him to be the top player. “My brother moved out a long time ago.” Says Umpire and Wallis looks hopeful, “You could have come back, get the old team together. It wasn’t the same without you.”