Chasing the Sky

Chapter 3- Fugatives

The house was silent and dark that night, and it seemed as if the whole world was fast asleep. Except for Humphrey and the singing crickets that were keeping him company. The waxing crescent moon smiled down into Humphrey's window and cast a shadow onto his floor. Humphrey felt bad for the shadow because no matter how hard it tried to reach the light, something was always blocking it. As he and his shadow gazed up into the speckled cavern sky, he couldn't help but think that somewhere in this world, a stranger was looking into the same sky, at the same moon.

Humphrey knew what he had to do.
He had snuck out many times before, but this time, he wasn't going to come back, at least not for a while. He rummaged around in his toy chest once again, but very quietly this time, so to not wake anyone. He finally extruded Joseph's old mail-bag that he had given to Humphrey after his days as a paper-boy were over. In it, he put his favorite Amos and Andy Taxi, a deck of cards Mr. Carter had given to him, his piggy bank, and a small photo that had been taken of him and his family during the holidays. Humphrey had been only two years old, so he didn't remember it.

Humphrey then tiptoed down the hall and into the kitchen, being especially quiet passing Mama and Papa's bedroom door. He placed a small amount of food - not wanting to leave his family with nothing - into the bag. After adding a change of clothes and a toothbrush (Mama would be ashamed if he didn't brush his teeth while he was gone), he decided that he wanted to make Mama and Papa proud. So he quietly rushed back to his room and hastily stuffed the floor mess under his bed and locked up the rest in his toy chest. Besides, if in the case that he never saw any of them again, he wanted to leave on a good note.

He turned to walk out his bedroom door. Humphrey jumped back and stifled a scream, for what he thought had been a shadowy figure turned out to be Emily.

"What are you doing up?" Humphrey scolded.

"You woke me." Emily responded, "So, what are you doing?"

"It's none of your business," he said promptly.

"True, but it is if you don't want Mama and Papa to find out."

"Okay," Humphrey gave in, "I'm running away so that I can find Mama and Papa money. If I don't, they will sell the house and send us to that batty Aunt Alice in England."

"You'll never make it on your own."
Humphrey was mildly offended, "Sure I will."

"I'll come."

"You can't."

"Okay. I'll just holler for Mama and Papa right this second and you won't be able to go at all."

"Oh - alright! I just don't see why you want to come so badly. Go get all the money you've got."

And with a smug, satisfied face, Emily disappeared to go fetch her belongings.
Once they were all set to go, Emily reminded Humphrey that they should leave a note. In the vast darkness, Humphrey scribbled a note on some stationary that was left on the counter. It read:

Dear Mama and Papa and Joseph and Mabel,
We are leaving to go find some money for the family because we need it. We don't wanna move nor do we wanna go live with our Aunt in wales. So we are going to go get money somehow but will be back soon. I will try to write letters if I get the chance. But don't worry, we have lots of food and clothes and the two dollars 'n seventy-two cents we've saved up doing chores. Also, mama, I brought a toothbrush so it's okay. We love you.
Love, Humphrey and Emily

With a somber glance at their past, Humphrey and Emily walked out the weathered back door, hand in hand, under the forever sky.