According to my watch, the storm dies down at 3:27 a.m., the sun rises at 7:44 a.m., and I blow out the last candle at 8:02 a.m. I didn't sleep at all. Sitting around doing nothing seems unproductive, so I find a broom and start sweeping the kitchen.
"Morning." I hear a voice say behind me.
"Good Morning Kitty," I turn around and reply. "I like your bed head." She smirks.
"What have you been doing?" She asks.
"Cleaning." I answer, still sweeping.
Kitty then grabs a wet washcloth and starts wiping down the table. The two of us clean silently for a while, and I ignore the urge to cry.
Now is Not the time to lose it. Just focus on getting through today.
We have cereal for breakfast, then I help Kitty load her suitcase into the trunk of her car.
"Be safe." I tell her.
"You too." She replies and gives me a hug.
We wave until the sedan disappears. Mrs. Richardson goes back to the house while I decide to go climb a tree. It's up there, way above everything else, that I feel free to think. Without anyone around, the fake smile slips from my face and I stare expressionless at the river.
What could possibly have given those kidnappers the incentive to take them? It can't be the government, why would they burn our flag? How in the world am I going to help? I don't even know where they are!
I stay in that tree for hours, mulling over what to do. Eventually, I decide to begin my descent back to being bubbly, happy, giggling "Heather." Ugh. About 15 feet from the ground, I hear a vehicle come up the driveway and instinctively I stay put. Once parked, the truck doors fly open and Paxton starts yelling "We're Home! We're Home!" Mrs. Richardson comes out of the house and hugs Pax, then Cole, and kisses Mr. Richardson.
"Oh, I was so worried!" She exclaims.
"Where's Heather?" Pax asks. "She's on the news!" At this statement I immediately scramble out of the tree.
"I'm what?" I say running over to where Pax stands.
"You're on the news!" He repeats. A million questions run through my mind, but I just stand there looking baffled.
"Pax, let's explain it after I hook up the generator." Mr. Richardson states. He then takes the generator from the back of the truck and walks into the garage.
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We're sitting in the living room, all the lights are on and the faint hum of the generator is driving me crazy. No, not the generator, it's the waiting. Waiting for the explanation. Finally, Mr. Richardson comes in carrying a laptop. I look at him expectantly. He begins.
"When we got to survival everyone was in the house watching the T.V." He pauses. "It was a story called The Missing Fairfields and talked about how no one's seen them in days."
"But, that's just a local story right?" I interrupt.
"Not quite." He sighs. "They're looking for you, just watch this." He hits the space bar on the laptop and a video clip plays.
"Everyone these days seems to be wondering about the Fairfields. Isaac Fairfield, a former US Marine, his wife Caitlin and four of their five children just disappeared from their home in Hunter's Station, Idaho sometime last week. No one knew about it until this disturbing video was discovered, take a look."
YOU ARE READING
Incessant Calling
Ficção GeralWhat would you do if you couldn't die? Brooklyn Alice Fairfield is a mild mannered teen who's life is upended by the kidnapping of her family. While running from unknown adversaries, she and her friends race to find and rescue their loved ones. But...
