[HANSON STORIES]

To See Beyond The Surface

Chapter 7 - The Search For Taylor Hanson - Continued




Walker slowly walked into the busy camp. He noticed there was more people now in the camp then when he left with the search party early this morning. He noticed Diana talking to a older man near the door of their camper. As he approached Diana turned around looking at him with her sad beautiful eyes.
"Did you find anything Walker?"
"No... we called and called for him, but no response. I just don't understand how he could have just disappeared. If this man took him to help, why doesn't he ...."
"That Monroe is one strange person," interrupted Old Ben.
"What? Who are you?" asked Walker.
"Oh this is Ben... Ben Johnson from the store in town. Where I went when we needed anything during the past two weeks." Diana added introducing the man to her husband.
"Hi....nice to meet you Ben. What do you mean "strange" person?" Walker inquired looking concerned while shaking Ben's hand.
"Well when he comes to my store once in a great while he never talks to me or anyone. He is one awful looking son of a gun. Don't like him much. Just comes in buys what he needs and leaves. Not so much as a hello!"
"I was telling him that you and the boys said that you thought it was him, that found and took Taylor." Diana said with a shaking voice.
"Well Ike and Zac think it was him, but we can't say for sure. We shouldn't jump to any conclusions."
"But if he didn't..." Diana cut off as tears of fear formed in her eyes. She wanted her Taylor back with them. She felt so helpless not knowing where he was. Images kept forming in her head with Taylor being alone, hurt and probably terrified. Walker reached out and took her in his arms. They silently held each other trying to find comfort in each other's arms.

Old Ben felt very sorry for them with anger forming inside him.
"That monster of a man took their young son and who knows what he is doing with him. People like that are just no good." He thought and backed slowly away from Walker and Diana, not wanting to interfere with their moment of privacy.
"If I find that son of a bitch and if he hurt that kid... I'll kill him." He thought angrily.
He really liked the Hanson family and didn't like to see them hurting so much. He remembered meeting their son, Taylor, earlier in the week when he came into the store with his brothers. They were really a nice bunch of young men, even though he thought they should all get haircuts. He found out from his twelve year old granddaughter, Amy, that they were some big musical group. She went nuts when she found out they were here on vacation, but he wouldn't tell her where they were camped. He thought they probably wanted their privacy if they were as popular as she said they were. She was pretty angry with him, but now she was helping also to look for Taylor with a bunch of other people from the area.
He looked around trying to find out where she was hiding herself. Suddenly he saw her buzzing around Zac Hanson. He thought it was kind of cute how shy she appeared, to afraid to approach him. He walked toward the tent where he could get a nice hot cup of coffee.

Zac sat by himself eating his breakfast, that he wasn't much hungry for. All he could think of was his brother Taylor. Where was he? Why couldn't they find him or the man who took him? He let out a deep sigh and put down his plate. In the corner of his eye he thought something was moving on the side of him and turned to look. He noticed a girl with long red hair eyeing him. She caught eye contact with him and he noticed she immediately turned her eyes away from him. She was very pretty, he thought as he stared at her.
"Hi!" Zac said trying to get her attention. She jumped and almost dropped the soda she had in her hand. He chuckled noticing that she turned a deep shade of red.
"Hi...hi!" Amy murmured meekly as her heart felt like it was going to burst out of her chest. She couldn't believe that Zac, her favorite Hanson, actually said hi to her.
"Here to help?"
"Umm... yeah. I...I wanted to come when I heard about what happened to your brother." She said sadly casting her eyes to the ground. She noticed her knees were shaking a bit and hoped he wouldn't notice.
"Well thanks.. ahh.. ahh.. what's your name?" Zac asked trying not to sound too depressed, even though that is how he felt inside. He wanted to be brave and in control for his brother.
"Uhh.. my name is Amy...Amy Johnson!" Amy exclaimed smiling at him.
"Nice to meet you, Amy. Want to sit down?" Zac asked patting the seat next to him.
She walked slowly over and sat down and shyly looked up at him. She couldn't believe she was actually talking and sitting next to him.
"I hope they find him soon. I heard he was badly hurt. I wish I could go out on a search party to help find him, but they won't let me." Amy grumbled a little angrily.
"Well... that's sweet of you, but they know what they are doing out there. You're helping me by keeping me company though." Zac admitted with a half grin.
"Oh.... I want to do anything that would help!"
"Did you say your last name was Johnson?"
"Yeah." She looked at him a little confused.
"Is Old Ben related to you?"
"Oh..yeah! He is my grandfather. He owns a grocery store in town."
"Yeah we have been going there for the past week."
"I know... my grandpa told me. He didn't even know that you are the group Hanson! Well he is out of touch when it comes to popular music." Amy stated staring into Zac's brown eyes.
He smiled at her and turned to look out over the mountains in the distance. Zac was feeling a little better talking to Amy. She seemed nice and he couldn't help but notice she was even prettier up close. He wondered how Ike was doing. He was still sleeping in the camper. Also he wondered if he was going to be angry that no one woke him when they started to go out searching for their brother.
"Do you want to be alone?" Amy asked noticing that Zac suddenly became very quiet and seemed to be thinking deeply about something.
"No... no stay here and just sit with me Amy. Okay? I need the company right now." Zac confessed sadly with a pleading look on his face.
"Sure...sure."
"Thanks Amy. You're really nice and easy to talk too." He said with a shaking voice.
She reached out and slipped her hand in his. He grabbed onto it softly trying to hold back his tears. It tore at her heart to see him in pain. She wished she could take away the hurt that he felt, of not knowing where his brother Taylor was.
Tears started to run down his face and he quickly wiped them away with the back of his hand. He didn't want Amy to see him like this, because he just met her. It made him feel stupid to let someone he didn't know see this side of him.
"It's okay Zac... to cry I mean. I would if it was my brother out there hurt and alone. Please don't feel like you can't cry in front of me. I understand." Amy consoled trying to comfort him.
"Th..thanks. I..I just want Tay back! I can't stand the thought of him out there and hurt." Zac sniffed still trying to hold back the tears as he blicked his eyes rapidly.
She squeezed his hand and he shyly looked up at her with tear soaked eyes lashes. He gave her a weak smile.
"I know we will find him soon! They have to! So many people are out there looking and praying for him!" Amy said trying to sound sure of herself for Zac.
"I hope so. It just makes me angry sitting here and doing nothing. I feel so helpless. I hope my dad lets me go out with the next search party. I need to help find Tay!" Zac stated loudly.
Amy cast her eyes down feeling suddenly sad that she couldn't go herself, but her grandfather said she was to young to go searching. That she would be helpful around the camp, serving coffee and donuts to everyone. They both sat there wishing they could do more.


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