Two Thousand & Thirteen

Chapter 3 Approaching Darkness

A summer thunderstorm is brewing over the city of F.

The lights went out, and the whole city fell into a long darkness. In the apartment, Jue Ming still had his suit and school uniform on, sitting on the edge of the living room, staring blankly at the darkness outside the floor-to-ceiling windows.

Tangled bright lightning flashed from the thunderclouds, connecting the tall buildings standing on the ground with the dark night sky, and the distant scenery swirled in the boy's dark eyes.

The first burst of thunder exploded, illuminating his pale face, something rang out amidst the thunder, the thunder rolled past, and the phone rang one after another in a hurry.

"Dad, how soon will you be home." Jue Ming said.

"Baby!" The man on the other end of the phone shouted anxiously: "What are you doing?! I didn't come back so soon!" "

Yes, I got it." Jue Ming replied, and another thunderbolt exploded.

Zhang Min's voice shouted: "I have to delay on the road for a while! It is estimated that I will not get home until midnight! You have dinner first, there is cooked food in the refrigerator!"

There was a lot of noise on the other end of the phone, as if there was some commotion, people shouted and cursed. The sound of urging, the rushing sound of the heavy rain.

Jue Ming said: "The power is out, and the microwave oven can't be used."

Zhang Min shouted anxiously: "What are you talking about?! Louder! I can't hear you!" The voice was louder, and he shouted with a smile: "Wait for me! Dad will be right back!"

Jue Ming hung up the phone, went to get a glass of water, and sat quietly in the dark house without turning on the refrigerator. He live in campus five days a week, attend high school in City F, come back to reunite with adoptive father once during a rare vacation.

Zhang Min went on a business trip on Thursday and agreed to go out for dinner. After Zhang Min finished his work, he was stuck on the road when he came back on Friday.

It was another two hours before another day, and Jue Ming sat in the dark, motionless.

At twelve o'clock sharp, a call came in, and the whole house lit up in an instant. Jue Ming's pupils couldn't adapt to the sudden light, and narrowed unnaturally.

He turns on the TV, it's all snowy and rustling, then turns it off. There was the whine of an ambulance in the distance downstairs.

The phone rang again urgently, and Jue Ming went over to answer it, but the voice over there was much quieter.

Zhang Min: "Baby... are you okay?"

Jue Ming: "Yes."

Zhang Min's voice could be heard trembling, and his words were broken: "Don't go out, hell, what's going on? Is there someone knocking on the door? Don't open the door if someone knocks."

Jue Ming replied: "Oh."

Zhang Min gasped for a while, and it was very quiet there: "Come downstairs and wait for me, you're entering the city."

Jue Ming replied: " Got it."

Zhang Min immediately changed his words: "No, no, you are at home, um, pack up, take your card, money, medicine, pack a few changes of clothes. Dad will take you to camp."

" Baby, when I come back, don't open the door no matter who knocks. I'll be home in ten minutes."

Zhang Min said: "Don't open the door who knocks! Remember!"