In These Walls

Chapter 5

Caleb just stared at me, unbelievingly. "Yo-you're joking. You've got to be joking. There's no conceivable way that-"

"I'm not joking," I replied. "Besides, who was the one just saying that we should change the world, or whatever?"

Caleb glared at me, "I meant tell the police or something! Not just waltz off into the night like some sort of TV show. This is NOT A TV SHOW!!!"

"Shush!!!" I hissed. "We can't let mom or dad know that anything strange is happening!"

"What?!?! Okay, that's it, I'm not doing this."

Now it was my turn to glare. "Caleb, I thought you'd be all for this! We're saving the world, helping humanity! This'll help you deal with the story, don't you think! And, before you say it, no. There is absolutely no way we tell mom and dad about this. You heard what Gramps said. We can't tell them!"

"Well, I mean, he didn't mention dad..." Caleb said, trailing off as he saw my expression. "Fine. Fine, let's just think about the logic behind this. Let's say mom and dad would be fine with it. How will we go to Washington DC? Where will we sleep? Where will we eat? Where's all this imaginary money coming from? And please don't say we're stealing it from mom and dad."

I shut my mouth, about to say just that.

Caleb sighed. "See? There's no way we can do this! Literally no way!" Storming off, he stomped down the stairs, leaving me breathless and alone.

I threw myself onto my bed, and stared at the backpack Caleb had left behind on the floor. That stupid backpack, and stupid Caleb, and stupid story, and stupid truth.

"Stupid," I spat. Stupid, stupid, stupid. I wanted to hit something. I'd been so sure this would work. So sure that together, Caleb and I could stop this for good. But, as much as I currently hated to admit it, Caleb was right. Without money, we couldn't do anything. But there was no real way to get a lot of money quickly...

Suddenly, a thought struck me so hard that I sprang to my feet, excitement roused again. Why had I not thought of this sooner?!

Racing back down the hall, I skidded into the kitchen, where my mom was ranting about something to Dad. "Where'd Caleb go?" I asked, frantically.

Dad's brow furrowed. "I...haven't seen him around lately. Everything between you two okay? Your mom said he seemed a little quiet on the drive home."

I shrugged, trying not to bounce up and down with my newly found excitement. "Nah, we're fine. Do you know where he could've gone, though?!"

At Dad's negative answer, I ran back down the hallway once more, shouting, "Caleb! Caleb, where are you?"

Nothing.

Now, my exhilaration was fleeing, replaced by a growing sense of anxiety. Where could he have gone? Grabbing my tablet from the hallway table, I shouted to my parents that I was leaving.

"Where are you going?" My mom asked hurriedly. "Dinner's almost ready!"

I sighed, once again wishing that truths didn't fly out of my mouth. "I don't know where Caleb is. He's not in the house." I shut my mouth before I explained anything else about Grandpa or the story. "I'm going to find him." I managed to say without blabbing everything.

Mom looked worried now. "Well, okay. But find him quickly, Melissa, dinner's ready."

I went to leave, but then stopped, as a sudden thought came to me. Running to my room once more, I quickly packed us two bags, and slung them both onto my back. Then, I raced out of the house to find Caleb.

Walking briskly down the sidewalk, I mentally made a list of all the places he could be. School – no. We were just there, no reason to go back. Library – maybe. For some reason, Caleb really had a fascination with those hard cover books. Weirdo. Friend's house – probably not. When he was grumpy, Caleb usually didn't like company. So he'd probably be somewhere alone.

"Where are you, Caleb?" I muttered to myself, annoyed at the fact that I'd come up with the perfect idea, only to not find him anywhere.

Suddenly, I heard a beep, and then an automated voice said, "What are you looking for?" Practically jumping half a foot, I turned around quickly. I didn't see anything. The voice had come from behind me, though, so what could it be...?

And then it came to me. It was Dad's pen creation, still in my back pocket from before. Instantly, Dad's words seemed to echo in my head. It can locate any object, no matter how small.

I grinned to myself. Well, dear brother, you are now officially an object.

Pulling out the pen, and turning it on, I pressed the voice icon and then said, "Find Caleb Linden."