Violet

Chapter 4

    The rest of the day we spent getting shoes and walking around the city. When school let out we rushed back to the bus and began to pack up our things. I didn't have much to pack. We also went and left a note for his mom telling her where Josh would be and to come meet him at the bus in a week. By then we figured we might know the plan and when we were going to leave the city.

That night we fried up some rabbit and listened to some music on Josh's iPod. We listened to a group called One Direction and a group called How it Works. He said One Direction was an old group but How it Works sang after the war. He said Joey from How it works was still alive. He was really old but he was still alive. I liked One Direction. They had good voices and I liked their songs. Josh called them Oldies but Goldies.

       I woke up the next morning with a bruise on my shoulder from that bar under the tent. At least I won't be sleeping in here tonight. I put on the brown cargo shorts and the dark blue shirt. I got up and Josh was awake, he just wasn't out of bed. "Morning." I whispered. "Morning." he whispered back. We decided to go talk to my sister. Josh wrote a note for Brian, then we set out. I realized halfway to the fields that I hadn't eaten breakfast. 

       "So, You knew Brent." 

          "Yeah, I went to school with him." Josh just nods and keeps walking. We see a group of teens heading towards us. 

          "I'm going to tickle you and you run laughing. Close you eyes or look over your shoulder at me when you pass them." he whispers. Then before I can nod he reaches over and tickles me. I giggle. "I'm gonna get you." He says, loud enough for them to hear. 

        "No you're not." I say. Then I take off running giggling like a little girl. It works and after we pass the group no one gives us a second glance. Josh wraps his arm around me and I look around to see who is coming. There's no one there. 

          "You're a natural actress." He says. "This is how you hide your eyes. Don't walk around with a hoodie and duck down behind veggie carts."

I giggle. Why is his arm around me? Is there someone I don't see, or. No. He doesn't like me. There must be someone I don't see. 

         "Is there someone I don't see?"

"No why?" It's harder than I thought it would be to walk someones arm around you. 

          "Well, I thought because you had your arm around me that there was someone here." 

         "Nope. No one in sight. But if it's making you uncomfortable then I'll take it off." 

         "No, It's fine. If you want to keep it there you can. I was just trying to figure out where to look." We walk along the paved roads till we reach the dirt roads that lead to the fields. Josh takes his arm off me but I still feel the place where it was. 

            "Lead the way to where she is." I walk towards the wooden houses that are in the center of the fields. I pass Cassy's house and my grandmothers house. "Will she be in school?" 

           "I don't think so. But if she was, she wouldn't be at the school yet. School starts later here than it does in the city." Josh nods and looks at each house that we walk by. 

        "Where did you live?" 

        "Right up here at the end of the street. Someone else probably lives there now." I see the small house getting closer. I imagine sitting in the back yard and my mother running out to me. I stop in front of it for a minute. The curtains are still the same as they were before. The same flower pot is still on the porch. Maybe she lives here. But just in case she doesn't we should probably go down to Auntie's house. "This is my house but I'm not sure if she's here. I know she moved in with my' I almost say Auntie but it sounds to childlike. 'Aunt so we'll check there first."