When Civilization Collapses

Chapter 13- The apartment

Laurens POV-

*1 Week later*

“I will be coming back at 4 so that gives you 2 hours to do what you want”

“Yeah, bye dad” I was really eager to go to the apartment

We took a bus to the apartment building and made our way up to Clements flat. I did not know what to expect and what to find.

“So, here it is” Abi said, stating the obvious

“Wow, you don’t say!” I just had to take this opportunity to be sarcastic!

“Ha Ha, very funny!”

“You guys just stop it!” Melissa said, sounding annoyed

“Ok, Melissa just take a chill pill!”  Abi said randomly.

I ignored them both and reached into my pocket for the key. I checked 5 times before we left the house so it should be here.  I finally found it. I slowly put the key into the hole and I reached for the handle. I opened the door.

“Wow! This apartment is MESSY!”

“Abi, stop being so judgemental!”

I hate to admit it was Abi was right. It was messy and that made it hard for us to find that right paper. The paper telling the location of the place which is safe. I suddenly had an idea.

“Hey, you guys, we should split up and search the apartment”

“Yeah, there’s 3 of us so I think that Abi should search the bedroom, Lauren should search the living room and I’ll search the kitchen”

“Ok Melissa” Me and Abi said simultaneously.

I doubt the paper will be in the living room but I’ll never know until I actually search the place.

“I think we should literally tear this place apart to find it because it is unlikely Clement will come back and live here!”

“Abi! That is…. Actually a good idea!”

Abi started smiling and walked into the bedroom and Melissa went to the kitchen. I really hope we find it. I doubt Clement would be lying because he did give us a lot of information but there’s always that what if idea in my head.

Abi’s POV-

I felt really happy for 2 reasons. One was that Lauren actually approved of my idea and the second reason was that I could go absolutely CRAZY and throw everything on the floor just so we could find that paper.

 I would always do that when I lost things like when I lost my library book, I tore my room apart to find it and I then realised, my dad had it.  Typical of me!

“Where to begin?”

I finally decided to start with the wardrobe. I swung open the doors and stared at the wardrobe. It had no clothes but 2 big boxes and some pieces of paper at the bottom. I got excited at the thought of ME finding the paper!! I looked through the papers and found out it was his will. He had 1 daughter and 1 son. He left them £3,000 each. He also gave some other things to family members. I was still mind blown of the fact that he had children. Maybe he was married?

Next I searched the boxes and found it to be photos and souvenirs from places he’s been. Nothing in the wardrobe then. I checked underneath the wardrobe just to be sure and found nothing.

I then searched his bedside table. I found a photo of him, a woman and two children. The woman was pretty and Clement looked quite young. Must have been when he was less crazy.  An alcohol can was on the desk and I did not want to touch it because I do not know how long it has been there or who has touched it.

The last thing was the bed. I hope there was something there.

Melissa’s POV-

Why did I volunteer my self for the kitchen? There would be nothing there apart from moulded food and bugs! I opened the oven, expecting to find nothing. I looked and I laughed. Nothing. Wow, I’m physic!

I slowly looked through the kitchen and found some pieces of paper. I put them in a pile and decided to read them when I’ve finished in the kitchen. I checked every place possible and I even checked the kettle. Absolutely nothing. I sighed and walked to the papers. I looked at them and I saw that they were holiday brochures.

“Lauren, I think I found something2

“Wait a minute, I’m coming!!”

She came a few minutes later.

“Yeah, what is it?”

 “I found holiday brochures and they are all islands which are not well known”

“Maybe one of them are the safe place”

“Yeah. But which one??”

“Its hard to tell, we need a piece of paper telling us exactly the place.”

“Well, how’s the living room search?”

 “I found money, photos, and magazines”

“Anything useful?”

“No, not really.”

“Nothing at all? No papers?”

“Well I found some papers but all they were about was the mental asylum and other stuff”

“Clement has a family”

“Yeah I saw pictures, but I really wonder where they are”

“His children seem old enough so they probably moved out and his wife might have died or left him as soon as she found out he was mental”

“Yeah, maybe”

“LAUREN, MELISSA, I FOUND SOMETHING!!!!”

Abi was so loud. Me and Lauren rushed to the bedroom to find the bed on the floor, papers scattered everywhere and some boxes upside down. She really must have enjoyed the freedom.

“What is it?”

“I found out the safe place!!”

“Yeah, I found out it was an island because I found some brochures in the kitchen”

“Yes, but mine actually says the island!!”

“Then tell us!”

“Its this island which I have never heard of and it is called Cephalonia which is in Greece”

“Ok…”

We found out what the island was and I did not know what to do next.

“So now what? We found out the name of the island so now what do we do?”

“I don’t know” Lauren surprised me when she said that. She always had ideas so it came as a surprise.

“Well we have to tell dad”

We all agreed on that but the hardest thing was how to explain it to Jim.

We had half an hour left so we went to a clothing shop and we bought some t-shirts and then we bought some shoes. As we left the shop, Jim’s car was there and we set of home all wondering the same thing; will he believe us?