The clock will always circle back to the number it used to be, it will tick over and over again, despite the same number being shown, it will signify something new.
The gates of arrival and dismissal shared one pathway, only a thin line was drawn over the resembling two within the pits of futility.
To leave meant to enter, once the cogs on the wheel signaled the same position as the day before, they would all rush back in the following day…well I guess not tomorrow, it was Friday. They'd be off tomorrow.
Red and brown brick sealed with cement; the black-hatched metal shot out from the top of those bricks, painting a blurry image in my still mind.
A few students lurked outside the gates, backpacks lined their backs and weighed down their voices as they spoke with smiles on their faces, talking about weekend plans or gossip from in class, they were loud amongst the clatter. They stood out from the muddled streets of rush hour, people lined the sidewalks in a rush circling around us.
All were there except the one we were looking for.
I walked towards the group of girls I spotted, mismatched in an array of muted blue and green blouses, the school colours. Their crimped black skirts that reached below their knees ruffled slightly in the breeze the ocean carried over to the city.
I spoke to a girl with blotched-blonde hair cut to a bob, her bangs loomed over her eyebrows, I could see a glimpse of those black hairs rising slightly as I opened my mouth.
Arlo was talking to some other group I wasn't too keen on conversing with. They were bold, he got along well with people like that, I think.
I glanced back at the girl, raising my voice slightly so the others could hear in on the question I asked.
"Excuse me," I pursed my lips as I paused whatever they were talking about before. "Do…do you happen to know Colton, uh, Colton Rourke? He's in first year."
Another girl with her hair tied up in a blue ribbon scrunched her eyebrows as she thought; mumbling his name like a mantra.
She shook her head, said she was in second year, that she never heard of him. She looked at her friend beside her, a shorter girl with large black eyes.
"Is he that ginger guy? Short hair?" She motioned her hands to the sides of her head in small cutting motions. I paused for a second and nodded, she continued. "Yea, he's in my second period class."
"Did he like, show up to class? Or, have you seen him at all today…or yesterday?"
"Uhhh, no. Not today, I don't think? Pretty sure he was here yesterday."
He went to school the day before, but just never came home.
I looked back at Arlo, his discussion seemed to be over. One of the guys he had been talking to stretched and yawned, another guy with some crazy hair gelled up into little tiny spikes all over his head ruffled Arlo's hair.
The group dissipated, leaving a frizzled Arlo lurking by the gate alone by the time the bleached-bob girl I spoke to first slowly enunciated a couple words I couldn't catch to her friend.
"Thanks," I quickly raised my hand and waved goodbye before turning away and heading to Arlo.
He smoothened out his hair using his fingers as a comb.
"Anything?"
"He wasn't at school today." I shook my head. "And you?"
"Nobody knew him, or saw him, at least."
He sighed loud enough for me to hear his impatience.
We walked down that dark concrete, the rush had died down in a matter of minutes. The once still wall of brick that lined the large school's property came to an end.
"...So where to." I shielded my eyes from the sun that didn't seem to give up its glare. "Arlo?"
"He's probably just playing hooky or something." The words spilled out of his mouth like a quiet truth he told himself over and over again. He stepped forward, past each crack; not paying any mind to a destination, as he thought he would reach the conclusion some way or another.
All things had to have a conclusion, right?
"He wouldn't do that." I frowned.
"Yea, like you'd know."
A breath tirelessly left my lips, I stood on a crack in the pavement, it took him a second to realize I wasn't trailing behind him.
"I don't know. Like, was he acting weird or something…" My hands were communicating better than I was. "...like, I don't know, anything?
His fists clenched.
"No."
"Why don't we go to a, uh, police station or something. They can probably find a way to help him, or…something."
A glare lit up his eyes when he stepped back towards me.
"What, no? That's just…"