Journey

Attempting to Find Home

"Ok guys, so here is what I have determined. Although we all know that the RV was right there," Zack motioned his arm and pointed behind him ",there is no evidence to show that they left. Madame Legies must have had the maids cover the tracks."

My head turned to Claira, who was standing at my side. She was a bit tired from being woken up, and she wasn't making direct eye contact with Zack as he addressed us. Her eyes wondered.

"But why? Why would she do this on-purpose?" Rachael spoke up, her dark eyes glued seriously to Zack, at his every movement. Rumor has it that she liked him a while ago, but no one was able to prove it. Maybe she still did. 

Zack turned to face Claira, his faced tensed.

"You want to know the reason why? Do you realy? She did this because her -," he paused. I guess he finally was aware of what he was going to say and then stopped. His eyes fell on me. "She did this because she was selfish. She was tired of us. We were a burden. nothing more then that," he said more gently as he cooled off.

"Um. Really, because Claira's mother was quite happy to see us yesterday," I said.

"Yeah, happy to see us for the last time."

"You know that kind of thought process isn't going to save us," this time it was my Claira that spoke.

"Shes right. Maybe we can follow the path back to the main road," said Rachael, still admiring Zack.

"Unfortunately, we can't. Do you remember that wooden bridge on the way here? The river flooded and took the whole thing down stream."

"Crap. Maybe we can follow the river then. People like to live by water right?"

Zack thought for a moment, weighing his options. "Yes, not a bad idea. Ok guys, pack everything up, were going to follow the river."

***********************************************************************************************************************

Well packing up was a disaster. If anything, I would definitely blame the fact that being rich meant being spoiled, which meant that maids and servants did everything, which meant we did not know how to pack up a tent. Yesterday the maids put up both tents in about ten minutes. Today, it took us about an hour to figure out how to take down one without totally breaking it. Thank goodness being rich meant that the tents were strong and not made of cheap plastic.

Once one tent was down, the other one wasn't so hard to handle. Then we rolled up the tents and put them in a backpack. The rest of the supplies we had, which wasn't much, we put in the the remaining three backpacks. So everyone had something to carry, even my Claira and Rachael, although they weren't happy about it.

Zack was right, the river was raging. The water clearly swallowed up the trunks of nearby trees and pulled some of them down with its shier force. Once we started following the river, I made note to hold Claira's hand tightly, God forbid she tripped and fell into the rapids.

"Zack, are you sure this is even the right way down the river?" said Rachael.

"Yea, I saw the road wind down and go parallel to the river, going in the direction it was flowing, I think."

"You think or are you sure," said Claira. She stopped and looked at him, a worried look on her face.

"Positive," he replied.

We continued to walk. Zack led the way, occasionally tripping over branches, followed by Rachael. Claira and I were in the back. She was so quiet. Something was troubling her.

"Whats wrong. Your so quite," I said. She tensed up.

"Nothing. Nothings wrong. I just..."

"What?"

"Well... my mother. Before the vacation idea, for weeks she sort of, disowned me. She wouldn't have time for me. If I asked her a question or approached her she would wave me away. And I didn't know why. I thought... maybe it was because I was... letting myself go?"

"What? That's not true, you look fine. Besides, you mother has been acting weird for a while now," I said, looking at her. She didn't look any different than she normally does, except for the fact that she was actually working. Shocker I know.

"Oh come on. Just because you like me doesn't mean you have to flatter me."

"But it's true! She has been weird. Freaking telling me to leave the manor before dark. That's no fun. Zack, Rachael, Meridith and Steven all there with you. What if something were to happen?"

"I have sooooo many servants. I'm sure they would stop anyhting."

"Yea. Maybe. But they won't treat you like I will."

"Oh please. Look, its still bothering me. What if I'm the reason she left us? Since when does a mother leave her child?"

"Claira, did you ever think that they didn't leave? That maybe something happened?"

"But then why were we spared?"

"Maybe they didn't see the tents my dear. We got lucky."

She stopped walking and looked me in the eyes. "Do you really think we are that lucky?"

"Positively. now come on, we don't want to lose site of Zack," I said as we walked on, the river roaring by her side.

**********************************************************************************************************************

They walked on through the forest. Hours pass, as they move farther and farther from Schmiedberg. The boy with the black hair, Zack, was right of course. The road was parallel to the river, for about a mile. Then it wound back in the opposite direction towards home.

In Schmiedberg, the town was lazy and basking in its wealth. The bourgeoisie fed itself on its servants. They took care of the gardens and the young. The large houses and wide lawns covered the town, the youth choked the schoolyards in the center of town.

In a house at the end of a dead end street sits silently. On the top floor, there are many windows. Large windows, three stories high. Red lavender lines the halls with black Kashmir drapes. A woman stands and watches the children play. The slender woman adorns a magnificent black dress. She watches on as the children at the school yard play with envy. If looks could kill, all the children in the schoolyard would drop dead.

In her mind she trys to recall a better time; a young Claira Legies and a Mr. Legies enjoying the rich air out on the school field. Before the war. Before Matteo and Tyler started fighting over her. She could barely remember a time so long ago.

She sighs, now staring across town. She could just make out the roof of the Reivo manor.

"If only Tyler was better with fists then he was with words"

She continued to stare longingly. The sun was slowly setting behind the faraway mountains, casting long shadows and gold around the mansions. A rainbow explosion. Soon the dark night will fall upon them.