The girl on swing

Part Four

It has been two days since Brandon left his friends at the club. Many of them tried to contact him but failed. He even failed to turn up for practice on the weekend. They tried looking for him at his apartment but according to the caretaker, he never return to his apartment. His roommates Alex and Jason also have been searching for him for the past two days. Nobody knows where he went or where he is. Maybe he needed some time to himself and went off grip during the weekend. But it's also highly impossible because Brandon is not like that. He would rather spend his time partying than going off-grid. 

Meanwhile, near a forest reserve some 50km away from the campus, a police patrol car was called in as a car was found in a ditch. As the place was quite deep, a backup was called in. The police together with a few firefighters and forest rangers went down to the car for inspection. Though the car was badly damaged, they found a naked man lying in the back seat of the car. He was sound asleep. The ambulance was called and the man was later taken to hospital for treatment.

Upon inspection, the police later found that the naked man was Brandon. Remarkably although the car went down the ditch, he only had minor injuries. The police later informed his family about the incident. Everyone was shocked as to what happened to Brandon and how he ended up sleeping naked in the ditch. Alex and Jason rushed to the hospital once they heard the news. 

Brandon was treated for minor injury and further observation. His family has placed him in the first-class ward. Upon reaching the hospital, Alex and Jason met with Brandon’s mother while looking for his ward. “Mrs. James, how is Brandon now? What did the police say?” Ask Alex. Mrs. James is Brandon’s mother. She was in her late 50. She looks tired although she still smiles. “He’s fine Alex. But the police are still clueless as to how he ended up there. Come let me take you both to see him” Mrs. James later leads the way to the room. 

The ward is spacious and beautifully decorated. Brandon was lying on the hospital bed. He had a bandage on his head for his injury. Other than that, he looks pretty fine. When he saw that Alex and Jason came, he quickly get up. “Brandon look who’s here to see you, it's your friend Alex and Jason,” said Mrs. James softly. “Alex, Jason come here. Seat here” she said while pointing at the two chairs near the bed. “You guys talk, I'm going out to see the doctor for a while”. Mrs. James later left the room. 

“How are you feeling Brandon? Alex ask. “You've made all of us worried. You’ve been missing for two days”. Brandon seems a little puzzled. It is either he was still drunk from the drink he had two days ago or the side effect of the medicine. He simply said “what? I just went home that's all... when did I go missing?” “Anyway, guys what are you doing here? Where am I? It's like he’s trying so hard to remember where he is and what happen and at the same time was sleepy. “ you in the hospital dude... but it's alright now.. you should rest now” said Alex looking quite worried at Brandon’s situation. 

“Alex maybe we should let him rest, for now, he doesn't look so good, I think it's the medicine side effect making him sleepy,” said Jason. “Yes I agree, maybe we should just wait outside before Mrs. James comes back. Alex stand and said to Brandon “we let you rest for now Brandon, maybe we come back later to see you”. “Water, can you get me some water?” Brandon suddenly said. Alex took the water bottle next to the bed, open it, and hand it over to Brandon. “Here have some water”. “Thank you, Alex.” After drinking the water, Brandon just closes his eyes and falls asleep while still holding into the water bottle. “Well that's was fast,” said Jason. “Let's go outside Alex, I don't think we should disturb him resting now”. Both of them later make a way out of the room and wait outside. Luckily the was an empty chair outside the room.

”Jason, what do you think to happen to Brandon?” Is he gonna be okay? Alex question. “To be honest, I don't even know what to say, he seems fine to me, there is no injury on him besides his scar on his head. But from what Mrs. James said earlier, his car is badly damaged. How he ended up like that no one knows.” Said Jason. “Well, I guess he was just lucky then” Alex added. 

“Well, I don't know about lucky or not but he was found naked in the car, sleeping. Maybe there is something else that had happened before it or it was just someone putting him in that car like that” Jason was dumbfounded as to the sequence of events that lead to Brandon disappearance. “ but then after I think about it, who the heck would do such a thing? Who would put so much effort into that? It just doesn't make sense at all. What do you think Alex? “ 

“I didn't know what to think. I can't even believe what happened to him. Like what you said, it just doesn't make sense. But at least we found him alive. It's good news already” said Alex trying to see the positive side of the whole incident. “Yeah you’re right, we should be thankful that he’s alive and well. Just let the police do their investigation first and we’ll know what happen. Maybe later we can ask Brandon again once he was fully awake” said Jason. 

After waiting for almost half an hour, Mrs. James returns to the room. She was surprised to see Apex and Jason waiting outside the room. “Guys, what are you doing outside here? I thought I already let you in before. Did Brandon chase you out? She asks. She was worried that her son would do such a thing because of the injury or perhaps the side effect of the medicine. “Oh no Mrs. James, we are waiting for you, Brandon has fallen asleep so we don't want to disturb him resting. After all, he looks quite weak.” Said Alex politely. Mrs. James just nodded listening to Alex’s explanation.