In the Time of Our Lives

Chapter 2

I woke up because I nearly fell off from a sudden movement. At first I thought that I was in my room and that now I would fall to the floor or turn over on my side, but later I realized that I was in the car. I opened my eyes, it was hard to see, but not because of the dark, but rather vice versa. There was a feeling that I was looking through someone's glasses, and everything was a little fuzzy, and I had to blink a couple of times to see the whole picture again. My father was driving, but all I could see was his focused face. He didn't knew that I woke up. I quietly got up on my elbow and looked out the window. Next to our car was a truck. I looked at it and decided to wait for one of us to fall behind so I could see the landscape. Soon, the truck turned and I was surprised. With one sharp movement, I leaned against the window. There was no one around us. Not a single car. That turn on which the truck turned was probably the last, and now the road rushed to the distance. Around us was a field overgrown with poppies. There was a feeling that the grass was burning with a bright red flame, and the field had neither a beginning nor an end. It was the eighth wonder of the world, and I don't understand how people don't see beauty in such things.

I don't know how much time has passed since then, but I looked at this field endlessly and even the time seemed to stop for a while. The sun was already setting over the horizon, and the bluish sky, which at that time seemed inconspicuous, shone with a variety of colors. Delicate, but at the same time deep shades painted the evening sky. The sun had not yet set behind the clouds, and only looked out from behind the cirrus clouds, illuminating the road with its rays. Our car reached the intersection and we turned right. Now instead of the poppy field, on both sides stood houses. They reminded me of our city, although these houses were about two stories high, all this distinguished the big city and this place. At first it seemed to me that it was a village, but later I remembered that my parents told me that the grandfather's shop was in the countryside.

On my way I noticed adults calling their children home, and children would take their pets by the leash and run to the light of their houses. The sounds shed through the day dissolving in silence. Many owners closed doors and shutters. A small town and its inhabitants were preparing for night time.

I fell asleep in such serenity, and woke up already in bed. Everything seemed like a dream, but soon I returned to reality. It was a situation unfamiliar to me. Near the bed was a wooden bedside table with four legs. On it was a dark red rose, a photograph of my parents and a note that read: "It will do you good. You get close to your grandfather and maybe you'll understand why we were so worried. Love, Mom and Dad. " Great. Excellent punishment! To sit with my grandfather for a while ... And how am I supposed to understand anything by doing so?

I looked around, and my gaze slowly changed from one thing to another. Opposite of the bed was a wardrobe with wood carved shelves. Beautiful wood carving work that fascinated me for a while. I sat on the bed all this time, until the edge of my eye noticed a large piece of paper hanging from the top of the wardrobe. I pushed back the warm blanket and went down to the floor. My feet immediately felt a slight breeze, touching the floor, but I did not shudder or shake, because all my attention was brought to the sheet of paper. Why is it so high up there? I asked myself a question. I'm only ten years old, how do they expect me to climb so high? - I was puzzled. But something in this paper was mysterious, it was as if it's an unsolved riddle, and so beckoning any curious person to solve it. I walked closer to the wardrobe and began to study it. The shelves in it were all closed but the last. On the last shelf there was a match box. In which there was only one match. I examined the match box and where usually the adults light matches, there must be lines from trying to do it, but there weren't any sight of them on this match box. Which means the match box is brand new, unused. But there is only one match ... So, it was put there on purpose. I put the match box in my jeans' pocket. Useful ... - I thought. I decided how to fully examine the room in the hope of finding other clues. I do not know why, but it all seemed as a well mind game, in which I don't know the end prize.