POV: Markian
I hated mornings like these, I couldn't get a second of peace, I checked my cell phone every moment waiting for some notification to my mail or a call.
I would like to say that I expected to hear good news, but inside I knew that this did not look good.
My name is Markian, I am 21 years old, my hair is red, a typical boy with a few freckles on his face, I am a flight attender, usually for this type of work you need to be very handsome, which I did not consider so, but all people always praised my physical appearance, calling me the prince of heaven, in short I spend most of my time working from here to there leaving little or almost no time for my personal life, fortunately I have one of the most understanding boyfriends that exist.
His name is Ulysses but I call him Uli as a nickname, we have a fairly normal relationship to such an extent that we live together, while I work he studies and we usually spend as much time as we can together.
The problem started 2 days ago, when I returned from my last trip to Vienna, after a shift of almost 48 hours of flight thanks to several delays the last thing I wanted was to have to deal with some problem, but as it is my luck this was not going to be like that.
When I arrived at our apartment in the north area of Seattle I found the place abandoned, it seemed that my boyfriend had not been around as I saw several unopened letters under the door and the soil of Uli's plants did not seem to have watered in a couple of days minimum.
Sometimes when I used to be absent and he felt lonely he would go with his brother and his parents to spend a few days on his return, so I wasn't suspicious.
The problem came when I found his phone on the bed that was completely shattered.
It seemed that a tornado had passed through the room, I instinctively called Casey his brother, asked him if Uli was with him and he said he didn't know anything about him a week ago, so he panicked and called 911 to report him missing.
It had been 2 weeks since I reported Uli missing, because of this I applied for a deadline to be absent from work, but my permit expired today.
Nervously I constantly checked my cell phone, waiting for news about my boyfriend, my nerves were on the knife edge, I barely slept or ate, being attentive to any sound or movement.
When I finally got the call from Officer Hamilton to tell me that they would hand over the case to the FBI and that unfortunately they would stop searching, since it seemed that Uli had disappeared from the fas of the earth without leaving any trace of what happened to him, there was no blood, there was no indication, there was nothing.
In desperation I hung up the phone as tears of despair ran down my face, Uli's cell phone died and not a message could be retrieved and his laptop wasn't there either.
Trying to calm me down I entered the internet with the comfort of finding something.
That was how through research in each annual newspaper I realized that every year a man between the ages of 19 and 30 disappeared without a trace, with the same mobile, just as summer began, either from his university rooms, or from residential houses.
The local police had 15 years with this unsolved case, as there was never anything to look for, leaving incomplete families.
The anxiety this caused me made me walk away from my own laptop.
If only he had been here, he wouldn't have disappeared, the only clue Seattle police had in these years was a pair of sneakers they found on Harbor Island that matched those of the oldest victim up to that point along with his IDs.
It had been a month since Uli disappeared, every day more resigned to never seeing my baby again trying to occupy my mind in work.
From time to time Casey would come to sleep at home, Uli's family was all I had as my own family rejected me when I made my sexuality public.
So his parents and Casey feared it would hurt me by feeling so guilty about what happened to Uli.
When Casey came he tried to distract me with video games, he even lent me mystery books since when I had free time he used it to try to find the last trace of Uli.
Finally, one night while joining several dots with a red cord on a blackboard that I bought I found what could have been the last hours of Uli.
The last person to hear from him was Casey, Uli told him he would go home as he felt a little distressed but it wasn't that much.
So everything was heading to the room I had been avoiding for so long, when the local police came I did not intervene in anything and trying not to hinder their search I did not go back inside thinking that there might be any indication.
Everything was as I had seen it the first time except for yellow laces that fell already by time.
The room brought back memories too painful to bear, but I gathered as much courage as I could and decided to start tidying up a bit.
All his stuff was here, his clothes, his music records, movies we were dying to see and never could.
While picking up unintentionally I kicked against the bookseller and from it fell a book with a small camera on its back.
At some point in our relationship Uli became obsessed with recording us while we had sex, as being absent comforted him.
I smiled with that object and I remember in mind, suddenly I came up with something, I ran back to the CPU and connected the camera book to it.
The last video I had was two days before I arrived at the house, the estimated day of Uli's disappearance.
Excited by how smart my boyfriend had been, I opened the file.
What I found left me both hot and scared.
The first image was Uli's face desperately trying to turn on the book's camera.
In the background the recording could be heard a drum and how they knocked on the door of the room trying to force it.
Uli was desperately trying to turn on his phone, but it didn't react.
Finally, the person knocking on the door entered, was a tall and muscular man, wearing black clothes, and had a feather marked on the back of his leather vest.
In one of his hands he held an electrical device no larger than a cell phone from which those drum sounds came out.
Uli tried to hit him with all his strength, but the mysterious man managed to stop the attack easily and subdue him against the bed.
That's when the weirdest thing started, the man without warning tickled Uli in the ribs, squeezing them and making my boyfriend jump, he also whispered things in his ear while forcing my boyfriend to laugh.
This soon explained the reason for the state of the bed, finally subdued Uli completely leaving him unconscious, but not before my boyfriend gave me the only useful clue.
Among his struggles he came to one of his favorite plants, a rose bush which its leaves completely covered the earth.
I immediately arrived at the plant, because no one had taken care of it some of its leaves had fallen keeping the message intact in which a word in Spanish victory was read.
My mind traveled at a thousand per hour, the only thing that came to my mind with that word was Canada.
The police would do nothing, the last thing they tried to pressure they said they had nothing to do as there were no clues in these fifteen years.
I wouldn't wait for those incompetents anymore, if there was a chance to find Uli, this was my chance.
Pack as quickly as I could a few things to go unnoticed to Canada and from there to British Columbia and the Victoria District.
Take Uli's motorcycle that lay in the parking lot of the building and before leaving I called Casey.
If I disappeared he was the last hope, so it didn't take long for him to intercept me in his car.
After discussing that it was suicide to go alone, he reluctantly joined me, said that if something happened to me, he would be in charge of giving notice to the authorities by opening a new case with more evidence.
In a few hours we arrived at Port Angels, we left Uli's motorcycle parked in case we needed to flee at some point, without much cash we had no choice
but to change our phones with a boatman from the area in exchange for him taking us to Victoria.
The sky was covered by thick clouds which threatened to rain.
It took us around 90 minutes to get to Victoria as a polison.
As soon as the disclaimer boatman told us to be very careful as strangers didn't last long in this place.
With this bad omens, he left us near Sunny Lane Beach, the beach was a bit abandoned for being almost midnight.
- And well? What is the plan?
-To be honest I only have a picture of the vest of the subject who took Uli.
-That will be of great help, now we are alone in another country, with no clues what to do.
-On the contrary, Casey, at this time we can find more clues since we are not police, nor do we look like it, so we can ask about this person with the local gangs.
-We look like two very models that are lost, but in that you are right.
-Hopefully we have more luck to vary and that someone knows this subject.
We spent the whole night asking about the guy who took Uli away, but those who deigned to hear us knew nothing.
We ended up in Chinatown sitting outside a restaurant, Casey had brought little cash with him for leaving the house quickly so we could only make a light breakfast and take care of our needs in the toilet.
The restaurant was practically empty except for an elderly man who was the one who took care of us.
-We can not continue with this Markian, we have no more clues than a blurry photo of a face and a vest with a feather, believe me I do not resign myself to the disappearance of Uli but... this is too much, we come to get a needle in the haystack, we should go back and hand over what we know to the police I know, it's more than we had a few days ago.
-I understand that you want to give up, but this is my fault, I'm not going to leave here until I find Uli, I leave him alone.
-Nobody blames you for this Markian, Uli has always been a boy with many secrets, even in his disappearance, I thought it would be an open book after he came out of the closet but it is not so.
-Excuse me guys, I'm sorry to interrupt, but I thought I heard that you are looking for someone, you did not hear it from me but, go talk to Miss Lu Shen, she has special information about all kinds of boys and girls who come to these parts.
- Already?
You didn't hear it from me, but it is said that she manages the entire black market of buying and selling people.
With renewed energy we went to see the woman, her shop was a few minutes from the restaurant.
My heart was beating very hard, if Uli had been the victim of a traffic we would finally find answers.
-Listen Markian I was thinking, only one should enter, because if something goes wrong the other can ask for help.
_Okay I go, but should I ask about Uli or this guy?"
-Ask for the man, if you ask for Uli you could generate suspicion.
-Okay, Casey if something happens to me... No matter what happens to him, promise me that you will find him.
-Don't worry, you are quite persevering, we will find it.
With this I decided to enter Miss Shen's shop which could be identified by a strong aroma of incenses.
-Very good day at one point I attend you.
A female voice sounded from the back of the store as soon as I entered as a little bell at the door betrayed my presence.
The woman soon joined me, she was surprised to see me, without understanding the reason she advanced to the counter dodging all the knickknacks she had scattered around the store.
-Lu Shen to serve you.
-Hello how about, my name is Alistar. -I lied. - I'm looking for a man.
-I see he wants to attract a man, bewitch him, I have some exotic tea around here.
-Oh no, I'm not that kind of boy, I look for him.
I put the photo of the subject on the counter and a very peaceful smile invaded the woman's face.
-I guess it's already that time of year and you come to the party, he usually has exotic guests, but it's the first time I see one so young.
-That's right, I'm a guest of this man, the problem is that I lost communication with him and I don't know how to find him.
-And that as a step?
Shit, the woman was cunning, but I quickly managed to make a perfect excuse that I didn't know where it came from.
-The truth is that I am the youngest prince of the royal family of Wallachia, my kingdom was lost, but our family persists, being one of the youngest my parents are opposed to having a slave, but here I am...
-Go a European, that explains many things, you rightly sound so strange and look like an angel carved by Bernini himself.
I thanked God and Uli internally for having seen the castelvania series before it disappeared, and thanks to my employment I spoke more than one language.
-The party will start soon and I do not want to delay, so if you could tell me where I can find it.
-Yes, just two questions your majesty, what is the name of this subject? And as you knew I would know where to find it.
I started sweating cold as the woman pulled out a gun and pointed it directly at me.
-He told me that if I wanted to find him come to you and your...
-His name!
-As you could see we never told each other our real name, but I know it's called Logan. - I lied.
-According to your majesty, everything is in order, go to this direction and soon find it.
I couldn't believe what was going on, by celestial charity I had guessed the man's name.
-Thank you very much Miss Lu Shen, is there any cost for this information?
I kept playing with my lie of being European royalty.
-On the contrary, it has been a pleasure to help you your majesty, if you like after seeing Logan you can come to see the merchandise that arrives in the morning I assure you will not be disappointed.
-So it will be, have a beautiful day.
I left the store holding the paper with the address, I kept walking in the opposite direction to Casey's which did not take my eye off me.
When I was away from the store I waited for Casey to arrive, which didn't take long.
-He swallowed my lies completely, I should seriously think about becoming a detective when all this is over.
- What happened?
-The woman provided me with the address where to find it.
The Uli?
-A logan, that's his name.
-We called the police and they should arrest him.
-No, the woman said that today she would start that time of year, we do not have time for the police to come.
- So?
-I will go to meet with Logan, I will be a guest at the party, I will try to find Uli and get him out of there, when, I know that he is there and it is okay I will call you to come with the real police reinforcements.
-Are you trying to say that you will go to the mouth of the wolf alone and without reinforcements waiting for me to reach the Gandalf at the last minute?
- Something like that.
-You're crazy, but let's do it.
As soon as we agreed we went to Sant Patrick Street in South Oak Bay, near the Centenial Trail park.
Casey stayed away from me while I waited, something didn't give me a good thorn, for a moment I thought I would go to an apartment or something, since the area was very residential.
Tired I sat on a bench to observe the sea, this had brought me here ... That was my last thought...
I woke up hours later, dizzy, annoyed by the light that was sneaking into the place where I slept.
It seemed mid-afternoon, his hands were tied behind his back, a ballgag in his mouth, and he was locked in a small cage made of wooden logs.
The most curious thing about all this is that it was in the treetops.
As soon as I fully recovered from the blow I could see several cages similar to mine, in these there were men my age or so, all wore only their shoes and wore some strange devices on their genitals.
I tried to move to drop the cage, but this one was so small that it barely allowed me.
My legs were falling at one end and my arms were tied through the wooden bars.
The sun that fell in the west let me see the ocean, I did not know where it was, even if I was still in Canada.
Many of the boys around me slept, although I doubt the comfort of these cages.
Having put on a navy blue cardigan that reached a little below the knee, jeans a little fitted and a set of military-type boots that reached my calves, it could be said that I was getting hot.
The ballgag in my mouth didn't help much to prevent my dehydration either as some of my saliva would sneak in from time to time falling on my t-shirt.
I tried to make all the noise and movement that my little prison allowed me.
Little by little and as the sun descended some of the young people around me woke up from their lethargy.
I couldn't read the sun, but I was sure it would be four or five in the afternoon when I was lowered.
Slowly my little cage descended from the treetop aided by a pulley that took care of this.
My heart started beating at a thousand an hour, although I wanted to get out of this cage I didn't know who was pulling me down.
When I reached the ground I could see that several cages had already been lowered, the prisoners inside were moaning trying to speak, some were crying and others growling.
When I reached the ground completely my eyes narrowly came out, these at the same time were filled with tears, in front of me was what so much or rather to whom I had sought so much.
Ulysses was in front of me blindfolded, a ballgag in his mouth and again that strange object on his limb, in addition to the sneakers with which he disappeared, although to be honest they looked very worn.
A tall man of about one meter ninety approached the cages.
It had the appearance of a woodcutter who had been exposed to hours and hours of work in the sun.
He wore a beard and the same vest with the feather on his back, had brown boots and jeans
The man stood in front of me with an evil smile which I could see and finally did.
Uli was the first to be released, my boyfriend fell on his back on the leafy ground, he didn't know it, but I was watching him.
The man forced him to stand up in front of me, my boyfriend was lovely, blond, with blue eyes and a few gym muscles once a week.
He took a feather from his pocket and began to tickle him, his ears were tortured, Uli is sensitive, but this man had taken him to a new level, with the slightest touch Uli laughed through the gag and danced at the pace that the man marked.
-Hahahahah mpghhhhh ahahahhaha plshahahaha
Furious I kicked inadvertently activating the opening mechanism of my cage falling backwards against the roots of the tree.
The man saw me and stop torturing Uli who was panting through the gag.
One thing I should mention about Uli is that he likes to be tickled, but at the same time it makes him very hot.
The man came up to me and I got up, shaking a little of the leaves that had stuck to my clothes.
-What do we have here? A lost prince of Europe or maybe something else.
I was left wanting to answer him since he was still gagged.
-Oh true my fault.
The man abruptly removed my gag.
-Let us go.
As soon as Uli spoke he became very restless, he would recognize my voice anywhere.
- Why should I? Now they are my prey and after tomorrow's party they will be someone else's problem, but for now you will be my entertainment.
-I will not be part of your sick little game.
-Tell me prince, are you ticklish?"
The simple thought of being tickled made a chill run down my back, I was the most tickling person I knew, I couldn't walk barefoot because the least plush carpet in the world could tickle me.
My feet moved with discomfort inside my boots just imagining this man trying to tickle me.
- Of course not.
-We will see, from the few possessions you had with you when I capture you I can deduce that you are not a prince and that more than anything else you come looking for this little bombon.
The man hugged Uli and started kissing her on the neck making my boyfriend laugh and squirm a little by moving his neck.
-Leave it alone!
- Guess what?
-Fuck u
To be continued in this month’s story section
