The Search for Will

Chapter 3

     Cole practically bounded off the saddle and tripped over Maria's leg in the process. He was finally in his home town, and he could wait absolutely no longer. "Bye Maria! Thanks for the ride!" He threw over his shoulder as he ran down the main road. She didn't have time to reply before he was gone. He was almost out of breath by the time he came down to the end of the road, turned right, then left, then right again, into the farm. He ran across the small dirt path and into the clearing just around the house.

     Cole lept up the three steps, threw open the door with a bang! and ran into the house. "Mom! Dad! I'm home! It's me, Cole! I'm home!" His parents weren't downstairs. He ran up the staircase and into the two bedroom second story without a second thought. His parents room was empty. So was his. The kitchen and livingroom were empty. No one was home. Cole started talking to himself.

     "It's fine. It's nothing. They probably all went to the market to fetch something, together because they didn't want to separate after Dad was gone so long, and they took Will because he couldn't stay home alone. It's fine." With this thought in mind, Cole grabbed his second loaf of bread from his pack, along with the rest of his dried fruit, and went outside to wait on the bench. He sat there munching, waiting, freezing, hoping against hope. He had a sinking feeling in his stomach but he knew it wouldn't last long. It would go away when his parents got home.

     He couldn't stand the cold of the night any longer, and eventually Cole went inside to grab a woolen blanket. He looked around for a while, and eventually pulled the sheets off his straw bed. That blanket would do. He walked back outside now, wrapping himself up and sitting on the bench, half a loaf of bread beside him. He looked out into the night, into the bright stars, into the rows and rows of cornfields surrounding him. He waited and waited. He waited some more. What is taking them so long? He tried to keep his eyes open until they came home, but he couldn't after traveling all day, and eventually, Cole fell asleep.

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     Cole woke up early that morning. His ears were freezing and he tried to cover them with the blanket. He slept for as long as he could, but the birds wouldn't stop chirping and he couldn't fall back asleep for the life of him. Tired as he was, he rose and went inside. He had no idea where his parents were. Maybe they got home late last night and went to their own rooms, not wanting to wake him up. He checked Will's crib. Maybe they slept with Will because he was being fussy. Cole shrugged his shoulders. There were numerous possibilities that could explain why his parents were missing, and why they would return home shortly. Yeah, and all of them are unlikely. He was angry at himself for thinking that, and dismissed the thought. He went upstairs and into their room quietly. But none of his family members were in their beds.

     Cole started to think of what could've happened. For the first time, he realized his Dad might not have made it back from the war. He could be gone forever. His eyes got teary at the thought, and he went downstairs, hoping to find something happy there. But there was only Will's empty crib. 

     He had no idea where his mom was, or Will, but he knew they would come to him sooner or later, and he decided to go milk the cow. He had only milked it once before, and that was with Dad's help. Dad doing most of it, actually. On the way to the barn, he passed a large stone. He thought nothing of it and kept walking.

     He knew not to frighten the cow, so he opened the door with a cheerful whistle. "How you doing today. . ." His shoulders slumped as he saw the barn empty. "Where's Meg?" He looked around, behind the hay, in the water bucket, as if Meg were hiding there. Then he let out a long sigh of pent up breath and went back outside. He wouldn't milk the cow. He wasn't old enough anyway. But I can make breakfast for Mom! had smiled at the thought of her coming home to a breakfast he made all by himself, and she would tell him how good of a cook he was and how much she missed him, and how excited she was to finally have him home for good. 

     He walked back to the house with these thoughts in mind. He noticed the large stone out near the back of the house again. That's strange, he thought.  But nearly everything is strange. He stepped closer and found there were words inscribed on it. He came around so they were right side up and tried to read them. "A brave ... mother." He wrinkled his eyebrows in confusion. "A brave mother? What does that mean?" He went back inside, confused at the stone. Then he realized what it meant and ran back outside. "No! No no no no no. It can't be. How? How?! No. She can't be dead. What about Will? Where is he? Where's Dad?" 

     Tears streamed freely down his soft cheeks. He knelt down before her grave and hugged it, wanting his mother's warmth and getting none. He felt empty. There was nothing in his heart. His mom was gone. He kept crying. Every time he thought he had his emotions almost in check, Cole opened his eyes again and saw the small words written across his vision. A brave mother. A brave mother. A brave mother. He closed his eyes again. He cried out in anguish. 

     "Mom! Mom. I miss you. Where are you?  Why don't you come to me? Come comfort me. I need you. I'm only ten!" He whispered now. Whispered to the grave stone. "I can't live without you. I have no one here. No one anywhere. I hardly know where I am. I can't. I can't." He cried and cried. There was nothing he could do. He hadn't seen his mom in a month, and he never would again. He choked on his tears. His lip quivered. He couldn't stop. He sobbed and sobbed. For hours on end, his only thought was Where is my family?