Final Departure

Chapter Four

Chapter Four

Back at home, Nick quietly unlocked the front door and held it open for Jamie and Eric, who tip-toed in, careful to step around one of the squeaky floorboards in the living room.

Johnny was nowhere to be seen. Jamie opened her mouth to say something, but Eric put his fingers to his lips and she quickly closed her mouth again. Nick pointed to the kitchen and made some frantic motions. When Jamie looked puzzled, Nick tip-toed over and whispered to her that Johnny was probably in the kitchen having his after-school snack.

Jamie nodded and moved her mouth as if to say "Oh." in a mime.

Eric led the way. Nick whispered to Jamie that if Johnny was in the kitchen, he'd probably be sitting at the bar with his back to the door. They opened the door to the kitchen and peered in.

No Johnny.

Jamie whispered, "Maybe he's already up in his room?" to Nick and Eric, so they all boarded the stairs and quietly tip-toed up to Johnny's bedroom.

                                                                *   *   *

        Johnny had been a little late. He had gone into the grocery store to get a Dr. Pepper.  Dr. Pepper was his favorite, but his mother wouldn't allow them to be kept in the housee, complaining about the excess sugar and chemicals. Now I can drink all the Dr. Pepper I want.  Johnny thought as he fished a bottle from the back of the cooler, where they stayed the coldest.  I can drink Dr. Pepper all day long and no one can say a word about it. 

        Johnny paced outside the terminal, drinking his soda and touching the train ticket in his pocket.  It was still there, still safe.  He had been afraid it would fall out at school--that someone would see it and catch on to his plan--but he was relieved that it had remained hidden all day.  The hard part was over--now all he had to do was wait for the one-thirty train. He hated waiting. Johnny fished in his pocket and pulled out a note that Rose-Marie had passed him during math class. He paced as he read, and he kept getting farther from the platform.

Johnny, the note said, Jenny loves you! You should see her room, it says I Love Johnny all over the place! She even has your picture on her wall.

Who cares? He had written back.  But he did care, actually.

        The more he thought about Jenny, the more he hated the idea of leaving Medford at all.  Whether or not her room looked as Rose-Marie had described.

Suddenly there was a loud beep and Johnny dropped the note and spun around. He had been pacing so long he was almost in the parking lot of the grocery store. The beep had come from a large black car. In the drivers seat was a tall man with dark hair.

         "Johnny?" The man asked, opening the car door and stepping partially out.

        "Are you Joe's dad?"  Johnny asked, shifting his weight. He hadn't expected him to arrive by car--and where was Joe?  Why didn't he come with him?  Johnny felt uneasy.  This wasn't part of the plan.

        "No," said the man.  "My name is Mike, I work with your dad.  I've been looking all over for you."  He looked a bit relieved, but his relief soon gave way to a more serious expression. "I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this, but there's been an accident at the plant.  He sent me to get you." 

Perhaps this should have worried Johnny, but instead he smiled. It was a true smile, one that Johnny seldom used. He picked up his duffel bag off the ground, opened the back door to the black car, and tossed his bag inside.