RAIN

Chapter twenty eight

The rain was drumming on the roof and the walls of the quiet house. He could feel the cool air beginning to rise as he stepped out of the shower. He dried his body, his mind was floating from thought to thought. Every time he thought of his family's betrayal his heart broke in his chest with enough violence to make him feel sick.

He stopped and stared at himself in the mirror. He was trapped in a place of confusion and uncertainty. He could go to the police with the evidence that he had but he was sure that no one would help. His grandfather was just too powerful, his connections ran too deep.

He got dressed though he didn't feel like even leaving his bed. The weight of this betrayal weighed heavily on him, the truth was suffocating. He fastened his watch and gold bracelet around his wrist and walked out the bedroom door.

The house was quiet. There was a stagnant hum in the air that greeted him in the living room.

"Mom!" he called and then waited for her to appear with a warm smile on her face. He wanted to tell her about what he had learned but he didn't know how. "Mom!"

There was no response, only that terrifying hum that made goosebumps break out across his body. There was a document sitting on the coffee table. He picked it up and skimmed through it, now faced with a decision. Did he allow his grandfather to cover up that bog and his secrets or did he try to stop it? A heavy breath huffed out his mouth and he dropped the document back on the coffee table.

"Jet."

He jumped and spun around. His grandfather emerged from the downstairs lounge, a smile plastered on his wrinkled face. "I see you're up."

"Ya. Where is everyone?"

"Out doing some last-minute shopping. I see you found my document. Why don't you come out with me and watch the action? We can have a chance to spend some time together before you leave for America."

Jet pondered over the question. He was surprised at the level of fear growing in him but the valid reason to return to the bog was tempting enough to make a smile cross his lips.

"Sure. Why not."

"Good. You can watch the dozers fill in the bog. We can grab lunch and talk."

He wrapped an arm around Jet's shoulder and led him toward the door.

The rain was still drizzling when they arrived at the village. It was a bleak reminder of the first time he had seen this place. Gloomy skies and the faint and distant rumble of thunder brought back those memories that haunted him.

He sat in the car as his grandfather spoke on the phone. He was standing outside under an umbrella. Jet wasn't able to hear the conversation but he assumed he was talking to the workers who were supposed to be there to fill in the bog but were absent from the scene.

The old man hung up the phone, opened the door and looked into the car. Jet smiled, trying to mask the anger and fear that he felt.

"They're running late because of the rain."

Jet smiled, a sense of dread taking control of him. His grandfather was a powerful man, people didn't just run late when they were working for him.

Jet opened the car door and stepped out into the drizzle. The sound of thunder made the scene restless.

"You should get back in the car. You're still recovering from pneumonia."

"I'm fine. I'd like to take a walk and stretch my legs a bit."

The old man nodded in understanding and then handed the umbrella to him. Jet shook his head, keeping a nonchalant look on his face. He continued walking toward the bog, feeling his grandfather's eyes on him.