Stranger Nights

Chapter 7

It was a cold rain. The kind that made your face go numb. Even so the three of them stood and looked up at the sky. Henry let it wash away and even though the rain stung it felt very soft on his face.

In the town, the town's people were holding a meeting in the church.

"Is god going to destroy us!" someone in the crowd yelled frantically, "Is this God's wrath!"

"What will happen to us!" another person screamed.

"Please settle down my children!" Minister Elliot said standing at his podium.

Next to him in their chairs sat the four council members each sharing worried glances to one another.

Three of the council members were elders. You have heard me mention the elders a couple times. The elders were people who were alive long before the sun disappeared and that is why they are considered the wisest among the village. There used to be four until Harry Buckley, owner of the big house where all the teenagers hang out now, but he died from a heart attack last year. That left an opening in the council. The boy who filled it was named Oliver Martinez.

Oliver Martinez was Arthur Martinez's grandson therefore he was the most popular person in Roanoke. He was at every social event, he was there everyday at church, and if you needed help he was there in an instant. That's why all the adults loved him and why he was automatically nominated and voted into the council. In reality, Oliver Martinez was just nothing more than a rude narcissistic snob who looks down on others and wore too much leather.

Minister Elliot was head of the council which is to be expected because he is the minister in a seriously religious town. Being head of the council gave him most of the political power. That and his sermons that almost everyone obeyed, he could easily be called the most powerful man in town.

"Just because the sun has disappeared does not mean the weather just stopped!" Minister Elliot said.

"But Minister! Why has it not rained in sixteen years?" Debby Henderson said standing up from her spot.

I suppose I should tell you a bit about Debby Henderson since I have mentioned her quite a number of times. She is a redhead, she is very religious, her baked goods are the best in town and are sold for a very high price at special events, and she was widowed when the sun disappeared. That is all you need to know.

"I'm sure this is god's doing." he answered taking off his glasses. His comment caused a few whispers in the crowd, "He has probably decided to stop punishing us! That is why he has brought the rain clouds back, so that our field workers don't have to do any of that back breaking work of bringing water to the crops from the river! We should not fear god at this moment.....no we should be thanking him!"

Applause thundered through the church, the exact response the Minister was looking for. He smiled. When the applause settled down, he continued.

"Since we are all here why don't we make a few announcements. Oliver."

Oliver Martinez stood up and took his spot at the podium while the Minister sat down in his seat,

"Alrighty then," Oliver said cheerfully, "So for the garden festival we have four chaperones for the ball..."

While Oliver continued to talk, Linda Baker leaned over to her husband and asked.

"Have you seen Henry?"

Henry Baker was now walking through the woods along with his friends, Charlotte Baker and Freddy Elliot. Clothes soaked and hair sticking to their face they walked back silently. Henry looked at Charlotte who was beside him. Then Henry looked down at his muddy church clothes. His mom was really going to kill him this time. He snorted at the thought.

"What." Freddy asked grumpily. His knuckles throbbed from punching the boy in front of him and he still felt terrible about it. Henry stopped as Charlotte kept walking.

"We really are idiots, huh?" he said to him barely containing a laugh. Just like that the two boys started to laugh. Charlotte stopped and looked back at them raising an eyebrow.

Freddy was keeled over and holding his sides while Henry's head was thrown back laughing. Eventually, Henry's lungs couldn't handle the lack of air and the cold so he started gasping. This really just made them laugh more and Henry could barely stop in order to get his inhaler in his mouth.

They were like that for what seemed like forever.

"I'm sorry for beating you up." Freddy said still laughing. Then the laughing stopped and Henry smiled sadly.

"Don't worry about it. It's not like it my first time getting beat up." Henry said to him. Then he ran off saying how he had to get home and Charlotte and Freddy were left alone.

"Wha-"

"He was bullied in school." Charlotte answered before he even asked. She kept on walking and Freddy caught up to her.

"What do you mean he was bullied in school?" Freddy asked her but she ignored him and kept walking. "Charlotte!"

He stopped in front of her. "Tell me."

"Listen," she said tugging her damp scarf up to her nose," Do you ever wonder why Henry doesn't have very many friends?"

"Sometimes." Freddy shrugged.

"Do you know Oliver Martinez?"

"The spanish kid with too much mousse in his hair?'

"Yeah. Well, he didn't like Henry's happy go lucky attitude. So during school at lunch they'd beat on him. Pretty much like you just did.....just with smiles on their faces. I would try to stop them, but they were bigger then me....and one time they...I'll just let Henry tell you."

Then Charlotte left and Freddy was alone again.