Here is a new chapter of Nick's Talent, hope you enjoy it. This is a sequal to the story coach's assistant. Let me know at noway16@hotmail.com. Read more of my stories at www.timsfunplace.com
What was going on? I tried to refocus on reality, but somehow I was unable to let my vision go.
The feeling of something big, something terrible, something crushing overwhelmed me. Suddenly I was in a locker room. I recognized it ... it was where David and Francis trained. What was happened? Why was I picturing this? It wasn't empty ... a lot of people were running around. Then I heard Francis's phone going off. The sound must have brought me back as I was suddenly lying on the sand instead of sitting up.
Francis ... there was something wrong ... I knew it. I stood up and ran to the house. I needed to contact him. I heard Randy and Nick C. calling out, asking why I was running but I felt I couldn't stop.
I found my phone and, with shaking hands, I punched in his number. What was going on? It seemed like some kind of vision. His line started to ring. I just thought it would go to his voicemail when I got through ... but ...
I didn't recognize the voice that answered. "Who is this?" the voice asked.
"What?" I said.
"Who is calling? You showed up as Nick. Who are you?" he asked again.
"Where's Francis?" I said.
"This is Francis's phone."
"Yeah, who else's phone could it be?" I started to shout.
"Please keep calm, Nick ... I presume this is Nick?"
"Yeah ... where is Francis?"
"When did you last talk to Francis, Nick?" the voice asked.
"Who are you? Why are you answering his phone? Where is he?" Tears streamed down my face as I realized that my vision had arrived too late. Something bad must have happened.
"Is that Nick?" I heard in the background.
"Yeah ... he seems unwilling to talk at all. You know this Nick?"
"Yeah ... I know him. Give me the phone. I'll tell you all about him in a moment."
I could hear the phone handed over.
"Nick ... this is the coach."
"Coach! Where is Francis?"
"I don't know, Nick. When is it the last time you spoke with him?"
"Hmmm ... maybe a week ago or so ... we ... well ... you probably know ... haven't been communicating very well."
"Yeah ... but after that ... you've received no messages from him?"
"No ... not one."
"Damn! I'd hoped he'd been in touch with you."
"Coach ... please ... tell me what's going on."
"I don't know, Nick. I think you'd better call David ... he knows the whole story. I've been asked to leave here ... so give David a call ... and, after you talk to David ... contact me at my regular number, OK."
"OK ... if that's what you want."
I hung up, got David's number from my address book. I could hear his phone ring.
"What is going on with Francis? Where is he? Tell me, David!" I shouted the moment he answered the phone.
I could hear him swallow in the background ... he was also chatting with someone in the background. I kept yelling as he didn't say anything.
"Nick... calm down," I heard my Dad's voice.
"Dad! What is wrong with Francis? Why did a strange man and the coach answer his mobile?"
"Damn!" I heard him say.
"Dad ... come on ... tell me."
"If you promise to keep calm, Nick."
"What's happened, Dad?" I said in between some deep breaths.
"He is missing."
"What?" I yelled.
"He didn't turn up at practice yesterday morning. Since then there's been no sign of him."
I wasn't sure what happened next. I heard a faint voice in the distance ... "Nick ... wake up, Nick ... come on, Nick ... stay with us."
I felt like I was lying on the cold marble stone floor. Where was I? I opened my eyes and I saw Randy's face. Oh ... I know ... I was in Florida with Randy, Nick and Thomas.
I heard Justin speak in the background and then, when I became aware of my surroundings again, I heard him say, "No ... it seems he is coming around again. OK ... I'll tell him ... yeah ... OK."
"Randy," I stammered. "What happened?"
"You were screaming, Nick, and when we came in ... you were laying here on the ground."
"Get him up, Randy," someone said.
"Here ... drink this," Thomas said, giving me a glass of water.
"Hmmm ... Nick ... do you remember what you were doing before you screamed and fainted?" Nick asked.
I looked at Nick and saw that he had my phone in his hands. I'd obviously been on the phone. Oh, no! "I was on the phone with Dad ... there was something about Francis being missing," I said and I started to cry.
"Damn! What is going on, Nick?" Randy asked.
Nick came closer to me and caressed my face with his hands. "You can cry, Nick ... let it out ... but your Dad is waiting for your call."
I looked up at him. "What did he tell you, Nick?"
"He said that Francis was missing ... nothing more."
Oh my god! It wasn't a nightmare ... the vision I'd had, had come to pass. Now what? I couldn't stay here ... I had to go. But what could I do to help?
"You go ahead and call your Dad if you're up to it, Nick. I'll go and see what flights are leaving this afternoon, OK?"
"Check the flights for two," Randy said, looking at me seriously.
I gave him a weak smile as I then looked at my phone. I opened it, looked at it again and pushed my Dad's number.
I was dreading what I might hear, but I wanted to know what was happening, too.
"Nick ... are you OK?" was the first thing I heard when Dad's phone was answered.
"Yeah ... I fainted ... sorry."
"No ... don't apologize ... are you sure you're OK?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. So what is going on, Dad? Where is Francis?"
"We don't know, Nick. He didn't show up for practice, so the coach started to look around to see where he was. Finally, when we came to the conclusion that no one had heard from him recently, we called the police this morning.
"At the moment that is all I know, to be honest. We're flying out later this afternoon."
"So, you already knew he was missing yesterday? Was that why David called?" I asked with more anger in my voice than I wanted.
"Yeah ... sorry ... we didn't want to alarm you yet ... as we were just trying to find out where he might be. When none of his fellow students, gymnasts, or close friends had heard from him, then we got worried, so I urged the coach to call the cops. So how did you find out, Nick?"
"It was strange, Dad. I was sitting at the edge of the lake here when I suddenly envisioned what was happening there. I could "see" the locker room in a state of turmoil and some guy getting a mobile phone that was ringing out of the basket. I went cold and I felt involved, but at a distance. I knew I needed to phone as I felt something was wrong ... so I guess I saw a vision of what happened a moment later. The guy didn't see everything, though, and the coach explained some but was told to get out of the locker room."
"OK ... that's strange. So you haven't been in contact with Francis?"
"No. I've called him a few times since the exposition but I only got his voice mail."
"Damn! Well, maybe with his mobile we can at least establish when he left."
"OK. So, are you guys flying back?"
"Yeah, we have a flight in two hours ... we're just ready to leave for the airport."
"OK ... as soon as I know when my flight is, I'll let you know, OK?"
"Are you sure you don't want to finish the job you're doing down there first, Nick?"
"No ... I need to be there ... maybe I can help."
"OK ... just be careful, OK? And don't start blaming yourself, either, you hear?"
That was easier said than done. From the moment I realized why I had fainted, I'd gone over the conversations that I had been having with Francis over and over again. I'd keep doing that ... there was no stopping my mind.
"We'll see. Talk later, Dad, OK?"
I put down the phone and just went blank. Now what, I thought ... where could he be? At Brian's, perhaps? Maybe, I thought. Is that what's happening? It all got to be too much and he went into hiding at Brian's?
"Nick ... are you OK?" Randy asked from beside me.
"Yeah. No one knows anything. They're trying to find out when he was last seen."
"OK. I've got your plane tickets ... you leave in three hours ... so that means we have enough time to get your things together and get you to the airport on time."
"Thanks, Thomas. Sorry I won't be able to finish what I started but I'll be back when we know Francis is safe and sound. I'm sure he can't be that far off."
"Don't worry, Nick. Francis's well-being is more important."
"I don't know what to think, Thomas. You just make sure you keep yourself well, OK?" I said with a faint smile.
"I will, Nick. Don't worry, I want to hear how this ends and I loved having you around ... that was great." He stood next to me and hugged me. "But for now, I have to go lie down, OK?" he whispered.
"Go. I'll ring you later this week," I whispered back.
He just smiled, gave Nick a big hug and walked towards his bedroom. A sad smile came over Nick's face as he watched Thomas leave the room.
"OK ... we better get the two of you ready," he said.
When we arrived at the airport and saw that the plane was on time, I called Dad. We would arrive about the same time, so that was good. They'd probably have to wait 15 minutes or so for our plane to arrive.
I'd thought a lot about where he might be and I tried to call Brian but I got his voicemail. I just asked him to call me back.
When we checked in, I found out that Nick had booked us first-class tickets. I looked at him and he just smiled and said, "You need to rest a bit, Nick. It's a longer flight than you think."
"Thanks, Nick. I really am sorry I can't finish the job right now as seeing you together, I know why you wanted me to do it. With Francis missing, I think I understand the importance of one's relationships even more."
"You'll be fine and Francis will turn up soon."
"I hope so," I said quietly.
He hugged Randy then and I heard him whisper, "Take care of Nick and let me know when you hear anything, OK?"
I must admit it was a restful flight ... at least in terms of comfort, food and my travelling companions ... but my mind was in turmoil. Where could he have gone? I didn't know of a lot of places he'd go and I'm sure that Dad would have known them all and told the authorities. Like his mother's place ... no ... she would have made him call and why would he go to her anyway? Damn! Why was his mobile phone left behind in the locker-room? He'd never do that. Slowly I started to think this was something more than him just running off. I sighed deeply and I made an effort not to cry. I looked over and saw that Randy (who had been watching me for quite some time now) was asleep. It was good to have friends like him, I thought.
I was awakened by a steward who told us to prepare for landing. Randy looked at me. "Are you OK, Nick?"
"Yeah. I think I'm ready, Randy."
"Good. Just as long as you know if you need to talk or blow off steam, I'm here for you. Just remember that everyone else is as worried as you are."
"Thanks," I said and squeezed his hand.
When we got to the gate, we checked to see if anyone was around to meet us. My Dad's flight might have been delayed or they could be held up by their luggage taking a long time. Ours came off surprisingly quickly so we went to the arrivals hall and looked around. It didn't take long as a voice yelled, "Nick." I turned and, before I knew it, I was swept in a big hug from Francis's Mother. "Good to see you! How are you holding up?"
"Probably not a lot better than you are," I said to her.
"I don't know where to look for him anymore. Do you have any idea where he might have disappeared to?" she asked.
"No, I don't. He hasn't returned any of my calls. I haven't checked my e-mail for a day now ... so I'm not sure if there's any messages there. But I don't know ... we haven't been communicating very well lately, you know," I said with a bit of an apologizing sigh.
"I know, Nick ... he told me ... but remember ... he can be very stubborn. There is some of his Dad in him, you know."
"I guess ... but still ..."
"No, Nick. Stop doing that to yourself. He'll show up."
We gave each other another hug. "So, have you seen my Dad yet?"
"No, I'm here to pick you all up, but I think their flight has been delayed a bit."
"Thanks for being here, though," I said.
"Of course, I flew out yesterday as soon as I heard the news. I persuaded your Dad to wait before doing anything more than talking to the authorities. But when that son of mine turns up, I'm going to give him a big hug and then a hell of a lecture about being responsible and communicative." I smiled a bit at that.
We walked towards the gate where my Dad was supposed to show up and saw that the plane just had arrived.
We waited quietly for them to appear. I'm not sure but I guess some of the tension released when I saw my Dad appear. Many hugs and a lot of tears followed ... more hugs and kisses followed when Kathy and David showed up.
"So where to now?" David asked.
"Well, I'm not sure. I'll be staying in Francis's room and I guess Nick might want to join me," Francis's Mother said.
"Hmmm ... for now, that might be a good idea," I agreed.
"You can stay with us, Dad. It might be a bit crowded but it'll work." David said.
"And what about Randy?" I asked. He'd gone to get some coffee to take with us in the car.
"Oh ... we'll see if we couldn't find a room for him to stay with one of the gymnasts or maybe there's a spare room on campus. I can give the coach a call and see if he can arrange something for a few days."
"OK ... that sounds like a plan. Did you make any arrangements with the police to see what they know so far?"
"No, not yet. I'll have to give the coach a ring as he's been coordinating everything so far. It might be that a meeting with the police will have to wait till tomorrow morning though."
We got in the cars and went to the campus. David had a bigger apartment just off it so we wouldn't be too far away from each other.
They dropped David and Kathy off and my Dad went with us to Francis's room first.
Let me know at noway16@hotmail.com. Read more of my stories at www.timsfunplace.com