Eager Beaver

Chapter Twenty-Eight - Getting Dark

Alex couldn't seem to sit still. She was a flurry of energy, running around the workshop pointing out things that might be useful.

"There's a heater, but it's broken." She told us, opening up random cupboards. "And we used to have some spare wipes in here, but we used them all up. Oh!" She exclaimed excitedly, holding aloft a dark blue canister. "Deodorant!"

We all looked at her askance. The problem wasn't that we smelled bad. Still, Alex seemed happy just scurrying around the storage areas like a feral racoon digging through a dumpster. At least she was staying positive.

Without power the place was pretty dark and a little bit spooky. The sharp tools and weird furniture didn't look too inviting - the tall, strangely shaped workbench looming over us like some kind of hulking sharp-toothed monster. We hardly felt at home.

Still, I had managed to wipe off some of the mud from my face and hands with some of the musky old towels that were lying around, and Zach had had us take off some clothes to try and dry off. I had shucked off my dirty jeans and shirt along with my one remaining shoe so that I was huddled up in the corner in just my mucky pajamas, while Charlie and Laurie had followed Alex's lead hanging up their sodden beaver vests and hats on the hook on the wall. Second only to me on the muddiness scale, Zach had pulled off his mud-mired trainers and water-logged shorts; pacing around the cabin in only his filthy Cub polo and a pair of faded orange camouflage boxer-briefs. Alex had given a titter at the sight, but a threatening glare from the Keeo had soon shut her up. He wasn't in the mood for teasing, no matter how light hearted.

Zach now sat on the ground and leaned against the door frame, looking out onto the parking lot. The sun was setting, but the littlest bit of murky gray light was still straining through the clouds to illuminate the porch outside. His face was full of worry and he was taking deep methodical breaths. Charlie, Laurie and I were sitting just inside on the ground. A small pile of mud had already formed around me.

"I'm c-cold." Laurie complained through a shiver. Zach kept staring outside, but opened one arm inviting Laurie to sit underneath it, which he rushed over and did. Zach let him lay on his lap as he draped an arm over him.

Meanwhile, Alex had finally produced a pair of old dirty looking blankets. They seemed like they had seen a lot of use since their last wash, marked with various mysterious stains and reeking of damp. Still, I wasn't in a position to complain. She gave me one and pointed to Zach and Laurie as she draped the other around herself and Charlie.

I nervously approached the brothers with the musty smelling blanket in hand, feeling almost like I was intruding. The two were breathing in exact unison, Laurie looking completely safe and secure cuddled up on his brother's lap. Zach didn't hesitate to include me, however. He patted the other side of his lap and I sat beside him, getting his polo even messier in the process as I rested my muddy thicket of hair against his shoulder. He took the blanket and draped it over the three of us, and even though I was still cold I felt a lot better.

Zach continued to look out to the parking lot, his lips lowered into a worrisome glower as the evening slowly turned into night. The looming clouds and rain brought an early sunset, the storm soon suffocating the last little bit of light from the sky. "How long until your Dad comes home?" Zach asked abruptly, turning around to face Alex. She and Charlie were cuddled up together too, Charlie's head leaning on her shoulder.

Alex just wrinkled her nose, a confused look on her face. "I don't know." She admitted. "I've never been here without Daddy."

Zach sucked in another methodical breath. "Where is he usually?" He interrogated further.

Alex frowned. "He picks me up from Charlie's after school and then we come here." She said, getting a little frustrated. "Sometimes it's already dark out."