The End of the World

Chapter 2

Chapter 2 The New Member

The ride from Lexington to Iola seemed to take forever and a century for Caden who had rested his blonde head against the windowpane.  He thought the best way to get through the misery was to sleep it out, even with the many infuriating bumps, he slept on.  When his parents attempted a wake up where they decided to stop and eat, he refused to open his eyes saying he was not hungry.  His parents knew better; it was because of the mood he was in.  They also knew not to disturb him when he was in “a mood” because the worst case scenarios always came out of them. 

The morning sun had rose high above the clear blue sky in order to light the beautiful earth; however through time the sun has fallen into the depths of the suddenly appearing clouds. 

On entering Iola, the seas of clouds were compacting together creating a dark vicious sky.  It was definitely a sign that they were now on the Kansas side where weather could be completely unpredictable.  Lightning flashed across the sky, which was followed by a deafening roar of thunder.  The rain fell shortly after, chasing them to our new home. 

Finally, they arrived.

Somewhat anxious, Caden hopped out of the car and frowned at the house before him.  The house was a royal blue with white trimming, and it was placed on the corner of Second Street.  As he was walking the pathway up to the house, he inspected his new neighbor’s yards.  There was a trashy looking house to the side of their new home, but that was all that Caden seemed worried about as far as he knew.  These were the things that ended up on his list of Things That Ended up on My List Because I Didn’t like It.  However, on entering the house, he was smacked in the face by shock.

The interior was exceptionally larger than what it appeared to be from the outside.  Inside, the long walls were a rich creamy color.  Caden guessed this room to be the living room based on its size.  To the left of the entrance was a wall dividing other rooms from the living room.  Cattycorner from the entrance was a bathroom.  Walking around the dividing wall was the kitchen—a deep red and the dining room—indigo.  Up the stairs, they found themselves facing a hallway that stretched from one end of the house to the next.  Doors occupied left and right of the hallway; the first door to the right was to become their study room.  To the left, the guest bedroom.  At midway, Caden’s bedroom was to be on the left where across the hall would be the second bathroom, which was much roomier than the other one downstairs.  At the end of the long hall, Caden’s parent’s room laid to the right and in the last room was the workout room.  This was the new house the McKayley’s were going to be living in—a better home than the one back in Lexington.

“This is amazing!” said Caden who was now thinking that moving was not a bad idea after all.  “It’s so big.”

“See, I told you,” said Mrs. McKayley.  “You should have come with us to check it out.”  Caden remembered the day when his parents first made the announcement that they spotted this house and wanted to move here.  Before, Caden did not want to believe it to be true, so when they asked if he wanted to go see it he refused.  He denied all visits.  Now, he could see why his parents wanted this house so bad.

“Caden!’ called his dad who was already back outside.  “Come help us bring stuff in.”  Without hesitation, Caden left to go help his parents and the moving people bring in all furniture and closed boxes. Everyone moved quickly, careful not to let the furniture get too wet from the falling rain.  Once everything was all inside, things were unpacked and put away in their proper places.  That was how Caden spent his first day in his new town Iola. 

The rain cleared up and the skies glowed orange and red.  The day was coming to an end quickly.  Night would soon be falling. 

The day’s work was nothing wasted; mostly everything had been set up in accord to what the McKayleys wanted.  Still, though, boxes lined the walls of rooms where stuff needed to be brought out.  More of that work would continue tomorrow while Caden was at school.  When he found out he started school immediately, he threw a fit.