Have you ever been through an image of you're being in an apocalyptic travel with some zombies and this kinda think of and did you have an imagination or a dream that you're fighting your way through to find a cure out of it and make your own story...
I actually fell asleep in the yard and when I wake up my back aches from lying on the hard ground. I sit up and see that the sun has risen into the sky, but it isn't bright, as the smog covers too much of it to ever be really bright.
Looking to my right I see that the green sprout is still in our yard, right by the fence where I found it last night. The idea of something just coming into being...the idea is mind-blowing, and I'm not buying it. My best guess is Ofelia, and all the dirt, have something to do with it.
I stand up and clutch at my back. After I recover from this, I think, I am never going to complain about my bed again. The hard mattress has always been a dispute between Ofelia and I. Not exactly something to bring up, but now I know she was right all along, as usual.
I step inside the back sliding door into the kitchen and stop short, startled to find Ofelia up and sweeping the floor, all traces of dirt from yesterday combined into one small pile by the broom.
"Oh, there you are," she says all too casually. "Went for an early morning stroll outside, did you?"
Not willing to mention my restlessness or the sprout, I reply, "Yeah. What are you doing?"
"As you were so upset last night, and I was a bit hard, I thought I'd clean up this mess for you. Aren't I nice?"
She's trying her humor on me, which usually works, but I've change overnight somehow, and I don't know why. "Where'd all the dirt come from?"
This time she doesn't bother trying to hind anything but quickly replies. "My client. Came in, shook out his coat and boom, dirt everywhere. Even had it on his hands, went to get a glass out of the cupboard and there it was all over the wood, too." Ofelia continues sweeping but I stand in her way, so she stops again and looks up. "Something else, honey?"
I wince, trying not to show how much I don't believe her. "Did you do any gardening yesterday?"
This throws her off, I can see that plain enough, and she frowns saying, "No. Why?"
It's a short sentence for Ofelia and I realize she doesn't know anything about the sprout. I quickly cover for my mistake. "Oh, just the yard looks so nice." This is sarcastic, which is how I usually behave and she's back to normal, unsuspicious again at my questioning.
"Ha! You trying to tell me something?"
"Maybe." I smile and step around her. "You know, I think I'm gonna go into town again, today. If you have clients, now'd be the time to have them over." I wink and walk to the door grabbing my grey coat on the way.
"Right O, dear. You going to go see Griffin? Make amends?"
The thought makes me want to gag, but I nod. "Yeah, something like that." I turn and leave before she can see me shudder.
Once I'm outside, without thinking I start to walk down the street and when I'm about a quarter of a mile away I stop and start to panic. I run my hands through my hair pulling at the roots and start to gasp. This is not something to freak out over, I tell myself. But...I just don't know what to do.
I stop and throw myself on the side of the road, in a small clump of grassy weeds, and continue to pull my hair and scream through my teeth. "It's just a...a plant," I tell myself. "Isn't it? A tree sprout. Or a weed."
I know it's not a weed. It's too green. It couldn't be a tree sprout either. It's to delicate and leafy. Then what is it, begs the question.
I stand up again and brush off my pants. I head back on my way into town. I know what I'm going to do.
I reach factory square and walk into the corner market. It's the only drug store in town. I waltz in, all to casually, and when the store clerk asks me if I need any help, I brush her off and make my way hurriedly down isle five. I'm actually mortified that I know right where I'm going.
Once down the isle, I stop near the end and step over to the right side. I scan the shelf until I come to the bottom where there are numerous shapes and sizes of different bowls. I grab one, a plain brown ceramic, and hold it under my arm. I walk to the next isle and grab the biggest spoon I can find. Then I hurry back to the checkout counter and wait in line. There's a man in front who eyes me quickly then pays for his items and leaves. As I set my two things on the belt I hear a woman's voice behind me say with a laugh, "Baking something special, are we?"
I'm confused, then I come to with a start and look at my bowl and spoon. Duh! "Oh, uh, yeah," I try and laugh back. "Broke the last spoon at home. And we need a bowl for the...uh, dog." Stupid. I know this sounds stupid, but thinking impromptu is not my strongest feature.
No one in Ash buys anything, and I mean anything, without really needing it. I hope the dog sounds important enough. The cashier rings up my items and the total comes to $5.98. $5.98?! I'm an idiot. No need to look at prices, Adler!
"I, um..." I swallow and pull out the cash hanging loosely in my pockets. I pull out a few bills and quarters fall on the floor. I reach to pick them up and my knitted hat slips off my head, too. I reach to pick that up and after I've collected everything, the boy at the checkout is sighing loudly and popping his gum, annoyed.
"Well, sorry!" I huff. "Here." I place four dollar bills and three quarters on the stand.
"That's not enough."
"Well, I..." It's all I have. Literally, all.
The sound of change hits the table and I turn to see the woman behind me placing another bill and 98c more worth of change in front of me.
"There," she says. "I won't have that dog of yours going without a proper feeding bowl."
I feel awful and all I can do is force a smile, not looking her in the eyes, and I take my bag, rushing out of the store.
Once outside I lean against the wall of the building and slump to the sidewalk. I breath deeply trying to swallow my lies and the embarrassment of not enough money. I hate it; the humiliation of showing you don't have enough to barely get by. It's the worse feeling I've ever experienced.
I close my eyes for a second but am awoken by the sound of the clock tower striking noon, straight up. I glance at the gates and see them slide open and watch as the men and a few women exit. The turn to go their ways, heading for their hour lunch break. I'm about to move when I see Griffin exit in the rear, shutting the gates behind him. I stand ready to flee but he turns around and sees me as I'm about to head off. I don't move. I just stare at him, not sure if he will decide to come to me, or if I am suppose to go to him.
He comes to me and I'm once again sick with yesterday and want to run away. Too late, he's standing next to me.
"Hey," he says. More like whispers, that's how quite his voice is. Is he mad at me, or...
"I'm sorry, about yesterday," he fills in. "I shouldn't have yelled at you."
I'm silent and afraid he'll get upset if I don't speak so I hurriedly tell him, "Oh, that's okay."
Wrong thing to say. He looks up and scowls. "That's all you have to tell me?"
Am I supposed to apologize, too? Of course you are, Adler! "Um, I'm sorry too, truly."
Too late. He snorts in his usual way with "Oh, are you? I had to come over here to say I was sorry, but you can't say you're sorry until prompted?"
I'm silent.
He sighs, loudly, exasperated and says, "Listen, I don't want to be mad at you, but –"
"Oh, you don't?" I yell. I don't care if people are looking at us. They can talk all they want. "Then why are we having this conversation?"
"Why are you all up tight?"
"I'm not!" Then I realize, I am.
"Yes, you are! And what's in your bag?"
"Don't change the subject," I tell him, shoving my items behind me. "It's none of your business. I was in a drug store, you do the math." The only thing that comes to my mind isn't exactly good. I pray that isn't what he's thinking, too.
"Oh...I see." I look away, then Griffin suddenly seems defeated. "Listen, Adler, I wanted to...to tell you something, but not if I can't trust you."
I'm intrigued, despite myself. "What is it?"
He stares at me and I grab his arm, gently, like he did to me yesterday. It affected me so, won't it him? It's rude to do, but I want him to tell me and I'd do anything to hear it.
He still doesn't speak but when I bring out my bag and open it, showing him the contents, he actually laughs and says, "That's what you bought?"
"Yeah." He'll never know what it's really for, so I don't have to say anything. I just smile sheepishly.
"Come on." Griffin grabs my hand and tugs me away from the wall. We run off down the center of the street and I haven't any idea where he could possibly be taking me, but I'm desperate enough to find out what he knows to follow him anywhere; especially after what happened last night.
We run all the way out of town and to the western boarder near the woods on that side. As Griffin pulls me farther from the city, I realize where we're going.
"We have to go all the way to the barn to talk?" I try to stop short but he continues pulling me.
"It's not something I can just tell you anywhere. We have to be alone."
Then I actually do stop and wrench my arm away from him. "Why?" I'm nervous. There are so many things that he could have to say, but I'm embarrassed to admit only a few distinct ones come to mind. "What is it that's so important that you can't tell me here?"
Griffin stares at me for a moment amused. Sometimes I feel like a little girl under his scrutinizing glare, but he's only two years older. As he continues to look me up and down, my arms folded defiantly over my chest, I notice his smile vanishes and he spits sharply, "You don't trust me."
"No. Now what is it you have to tell me?"
"Not here. I won't tell you until we're at the barn."
I continue to stand and look away, at the road, at anything, and act uninterested. When I turn back I see him nearly 100 yards away headed off, obviously not into arguing with me.
"Hey! Hey, where do you think you're going?"
He doesn't answer, probably because he can't hear me. I don't wait to find out but sprint after him. Thankfully, I'm an excellent runner.
"Decided to come after all," he mocks.
"Save it for the barn," I say, rolling my eyes. We eventually reach it, in the meadow on the outskirts of town. It's just what we call it; an old, run down barn that was used years ago...for what, we're not sure. Walking inside I throw myself up onto a pile of crates and sit, hands on the edges, staring at Griffin. This is my usual way to let him know I don't feel like talking, nor will I until he's said his fill.
"I think I know where the runaways are," he says, all too casually.
This is defiantly not what I was expecting him to say. I was thinking more along the lines of, "my mother's dead", or "My sister's not really dead", or, "Adler, you're stupid, we're through."
Not this.
"And...?"
"What do you mean, 'and'?" Griffin says. "This is big! I could get a reward and this would fix all our problems!"
I stand. "'Our' problems? Don't you mean, 'your'?"
"No, I mean 'our'. That reward is huge. It would be enough money to settle us both comfortably," he blushes. "I mean, you and Ofelia, of course...and then myself. No more worries." Griffin has grabbed my shoulders and is shaking me slightly. "Aren't you thrilled?"
I am crushed under his words. Of course it's tempting! I want nothing more than to never have to worry about money ever again. Especially after the incident in the store today, nothing is weighing more heavily on my mind than this; but I still manage to squeak out an almost imperceptible, "No."
Griffin lets go of me and gawks. "Why not?"
"Because, as of right now, we don't have the runaways in our custody and you said you think you know where they are. Not you do."
"I know they're here in Ash."
"Well, then that should be easy enough for you to find them, then."
He stares at me, and I at him. "Oh no," I protest. "I am not going to be a part of this."
"And why not? We'd be doing what the authorities want. It can't get us in trouble in any possible way."
"Griffin, what I have learned in my short lifetime, is that, you can get into deep trouble without ever trying to do so. I don't think it's a good idea. Let the police take care of it. It's their job."
"Yes, but they said if we knew anything to contact them!"
"Then tell them you know they're here in town and you will have done your duty."
"Adler!"
I wince. Griffin turn and knocks over a stack of crates with the back of his hand. I imagine it must have hurt, but he doesn't make any sign that it did. Only after I see the blood on his knuckles do I run towards him and grab his arm before he can knock over more.
"Stop this! What's wrong with you? It's not that big of a deal!" He starts to move as if to wrench his arm away from my grasp, but stops suddenly, letting his arm fall and hangs his head low. When I'm sure he isn't going to move I let go and Griffin drops to the wooden floor of the barn, curls his legs up and drops his head on his knees.
"I have to do this," I catch him say, even through the muffled sound of his clothing. "I can't let this opportunity pass by."
I sit down next to him, far enough away that we're not touching but close enough that I can hear him.
"She's dying," he finishes.
I look over and see that he's raised his head, but stares off blankly. I guess he's talking about is mother.
"I called Dr. Fleissner to come when she wouldn't get out of bed this morning. He examined her and said she has it. There's nothing I can do for her, and the only thing the doctor said that would help her at this point is to send her to...to the Western Region and the asylum there."
"Wait..." I hesitate, "You mean Dr. Fleissner said she has both the sickness and she's, you know, insane?"
"Yes. And I can't send her to the Western Region without the proper funds, which I don't have." Griffin runs his hand through his hair and pulls at the roots. "I can't send her away because...then I'll never see her again. But I can't just let her die to be with me, but I love her...I don't know what to do."
I hang my head this time and run my finger through the dust at my feet. I want to help but every fiber of my being says it's a very bad idea. I pound my fist furiously on the floor, the sound echoing through the large building like a gavel for the death sentence. That's what it feels like, anyway.
After a sigh that I hope he can't hear, I turn to Griffin and say, "I'll help. If you think the runaways are here in Ash, then I'll do whatever you want to catch them."
He looks up and though doesn't smile, he nods. "I won't let you down, and I won't let anything happen to you, either."
"Thanks." And though I said yes, I still think nothing quite good is going to come out of this.
I stand up and silently walk to the door. Sliding it open, I step out into the daylight and bright sunlight blinds me. For once, when I should be surprised by this, I'm not. The world always seems to be happy when I am not.
"One more thing, Griffin," I swallow, as what I want to say is not easy. Not in the slightest. "Don't even think about giving me any money. I won't take it."
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Well, that's all for it for today's chapter story and I hope you guys all like it... and if you did, don't forget to smash that Vote Button at the top right corner right there. Leave some comments down below and let me see of what you think about the story and also this chapter... but, thank you all guys for reading and as always what I said, oh bye there...
Want more stories: You Have Been Warned!!! (Warning) Part 1 - Completed You Have Been Warned!!! (School Life) Grade 6 Part 2 - On going Frog and Toad Together - Completed The Broken Hearted Boy - Completed RMS Carpathia - The Ship Who Saved the Titanic - Completed RMS Olympic - More Than A Memory - On Going SPKFSO - Special Police Kids for School and Organization - New
