If Lewis could use one word to describe Brandon, it would have been Dependable. Or, perhaps, Role-Model.

Although the two did not know each other in an intimate manner, Brandon was his most loyal customer, and he had a keen eye for what Lewis considered the best movies, too.

Lewis was sure this man was often implicated in important business; he was always wearing a suit, and whenever other men would come into his store at the same time, they would compliment his attire. Most woman, would fawn over his person.

It was easy for Lewis to feel jealous. As much as he loved Brandon’s company, it did not seem like there was a single thing the man couldn’t do. To Lewis—who had even run into trouble whilst trying to set up his own, insignificant company, to the eyes of the world—Brandon sometimes appeared to him as a walking offence. Someone who was put here on this Earth just to taunt Lewis, and remind him of his deepest insecurities.

But on this very day, something was off about Brandon, for the first time since they had known each other. The man’s once pale face was flushed a deep red. His breaths were heavy. It was as if he had been running, though, from what, Lewis could not say. “Is everything all right?” he discarded his usual, polite greeting, and decided to switch it out for such a question.

In reality, Lewis hoped for a moment that this was more than Brandon having decided to go on a morning jog. Some dark, sickly part of him was beginning to celebrate at the fact that his neighbour—his favourite customer—was having a slip-up right inside Lewis’s property.

Maybe, Brandon was not so perfect after all, this thought reassured Lewis. He was aware that he was being insensitive, but could not help it. His store was going to be shut down, and if his day was going to be terrible, then he would rather suffer with someone, instead of suffer alone.

“My daughter disappeared last night,” Brandon finally admitted, in the midst of two, pained huffs.

His statement left Lewis with little emotion, and many questions. Had Brandon failed to keep watch over his child? Where had she gone off to? And how old was she, anyway? Brandon never mentioned having a daughter until today.

He wasn’t sure what to say here. “Shouldn’t you go to the police?”

“I did…” Brandon paused midway through his phrase. He sighed again. His shoulders deflated. Lewis had never seen the man look so defeated; he was not sure about how this made him feel. For as long as he could remember, and since the day they’d met, Lewis had wanted to be him. Yet, now… he was glad he wasn’t in Brandon’s shoes.

“They’ve sent out a search team. Here—” Brandon rummaged through his pockets. He took out a large, neatly folded poster. ‘MISSING’, it read, and above the huge title written in big, bold letters, was the photograph of a young woman. She had Brandon’s eyes, and his smile, too, that was for certain; though, her gaze was dull in comparison to his. In fact, she looked rather ordinary, and this disappointed Lewis, slightly.

“So? Will you?” Brandon cleared his throat. “Sorry, I don’t mean to rush you, but I need to stop by the next store soon, or else I won’t be able to get all of these up in time.”

The fact that Brandon automatically assumed Lewis would say yes pissed Lewis off greatly. Not only that, but Brandon, it seemed, had not stopped by to see Lewis in particular. He was just checking on every store and owner that he knew of, as if Lewis was part of a list. A nobody.

Nevertheless, Lewis still grabbed the poster, showed Brandon an obedient nod, and wished him, “Good luck.”

It was early, but Lewis needed a break.

Nobody ever came before noon anyway, unless they were Brandon.

He hung up the poster behind the counter, where it would be the most visible, locked up his store for the morning, then turned the sign that dangled across the door, until it went from saying OPEN, to CLOSED.

There weren’t many hours left before Lewis would have to come back. He also wanted to burn off some steam before dealing with his next customer.

It wasn’t raining anymore, but that smell he hated so continued to linger in the air, like that haughty tone Brandon would always use on him. He thought about calling his mother. Or a childhood friend. However it was barely eleven in the morning; she would have likely been sleeping, and his friend, working.

Lewis found himself inside his local convenience store. He bought himself a bottle of grape juice and a houseplant, before he headed straight back to his apartment.

On his tiny, rectangular dining table, he placed the houseplant, then grabbed his remote control to turn on the news. He watched, as he ate another bowl of cereal, with grape juice this time.

It still tasted disgusting. At this point, Lewis wondered if he wasn’t subconsciously forgetting the milk on purpose.

A news reporter mentioned his town’s name. Something about multiple missing cases, and a single murder that they didn’t know yet of being related to these cases or not. As terrifying as this was, Lewis was not worried. He wasn’t the type to wander around the streets after dark, nor was he planning on meeting up with a blind date anytime soon.

He glanced up to the ceiling and tilted his chair slightly backward. It was a lonely life that he lived, yes, but it was a good, and honest life.

He closed his eyes.

Suddenly, Lewis felt very tired. He rose to his feet, left the bottle of grape juice open across the kitchen table, as he headed over to his mattress, in order to take a nap.