Burdened Soul

Chapter 6

JOAN's POV

Okay,maybe my teacher was correct afterall, there is surely favour and I think I've been favoured again today unlike Dwayne, He's been through a lot just like me only that He's own problems were spread out evenly while mine have just heaped on me in the last 48hrs.

His brother had died in a car accident,very young. His parents were divorced now because they never agreed on anything. Things couldn't get worse for Dwayne so I probably understand the reason why he believes there is no God, no religion, no Christianity.

"How could there be God,when all these things happen around us? I asked myself.

I had been thinking about all this when the weird tall fellow's briefcase fell and i did something i wouldn't have done under normal circumstance. I helped him. I was sadly thankful i did that afterwards though. I had knelt and picked up some papers, some IDs and then I saw boldly written across one of the ID cards, MATT DERRIMAN and i could feel my heart skip a first, then a second beat. And suddenly, a huge knot formed in my stomach and my mouth went dry. I think the man noticed since he simply roughly packed the rest of his things and strode away and i could guess the look on my face was screaming STUN since Dwayne just looked confused and i felt numb. If Matt was on the same train as i was, that meant and spelt trouble.

"What was that?" Dwayne asked.

I stumbled for words and managed to say, "That man, that's Matt Derriman." Not like it really helped since his face showed more signs of disorientation. I told him i'd explain later and called reached for my cell phone in my purse and dialled aunt Kate's number. A girlish voice answered. It definitely wasn't aunt Kate.

"The Garcia residence, this is Bethany Garcia on the line, who am i speaking to?"

As awkward as that whole introduction sounded to me, i answered anyway half wondering who Bethany Garcia was.

"Um, this is Joan Briggs, I'd like to speak to Kate Garcia."

"Okay, hold on." Then i heard, "Mum, it's for you." and aunt kate's familiar voice came to my hearing.

"Kate Garcia speaking,"

"Aunt kate, this is Joan,"

"Hey, Joan, how are you? Are you in Denver already?"

"No, i just saw Matt Derriman." There was a brief silence and i continued as i figured my aunt was still figuring how to react to that information.

"You know, the guy my uncle is sending..."

"I know..."

"I don't think you should come pick me from the train station." I suggested.

"Okay, i'll send my daughter."

"Who?"

"Bethany, she knows you."

"Okay," I said already imagining meeting my 'long lost cousin".

"Joan, did he recognise you?"

That didn't cross my mind.WHAT IF HE DID??? "I don't know."

"Make sure you avoid him as much as you can."

"Er...Okay."

"Good. When will you get here?" Aunt kate asked.

"I don't know, maybe in the next three to four hours i guess." I replied.

"Okay, stay safe."

"Yeah," Then the line went off.

Dwayne still looked disoriented so i spilled everything out; the mess of my life.

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I said goodbye to Dwayne and walked out of the station. I had not seen the tall saturnine faced man also known as murderer and i was pretty glad. I just hoped he wasn't heading straigght for my aunt's place. I hoped within me that he'd first check into some really cosy hotel and decide to shower and watch tv and take a really long nap and then i realised i was hoping for too much and faced the task of finding my cousin.

"Hey Joan!" I turned around almost startled as I heard a familiar voice call out in ecstasy. I turned around clutching to my suitcase. I could only guess who it was; Bethany Garcia. I remembered her voice from the phone and I sounded so relieved to hear it again! I saw her and i don't know why but this huge, unrepressable grin spread across my face. I guess it's just the feeling you get when you see some relative of yours who you've never met and who you're going to be living one of the most memorable times of your life with. She was tall, just a few inches taller than i was. She had straight black hair and hazel eyes. I was glad i had a really beautiful cousin.

"Hi," I replied.

"Hey, it's nice to finally meet you in person." She sounded so friendly and i just had to ask myself why such species of human beings where scarce where i came from.

"Yeah," was my reply. She offered to help with my luggage and then led me to an honda accord car.

"Is that yours?" I asked.

"Nope, it's my mum's."

"So you're like sixteen..."

"Seventeen."

Great! And i was Fifteen Grow up Joan! I was tired...and although there was much to do,the SPIRIT is willing but the FLESH is weak I thought. It wasn't until after the though i realised that that though was peculiar. I don't know how I thought that but It sort of just just spilled out. I just needed to rest anyway. What a nightmare day!

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We got to the Garcia residence thirty minutes later