SYMPATHEIA

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Darkness | σκοτάδι

Nearly two hours later, after stopping to grab a few bags of ice at a convenience store that was somehow open but accepting cash only, Janet parked along the curb at the house on Hollister Road. Sage still had a key, so he let her in and they made their way to the kitchen. Sage found two coolers and pulled the frozen meat from inside of the freezer, placed it in one of them, poured iced over it and put the other bags of ice in the other cooler and in the freezer.

Janet sat on the sofa in the living room after helping Sage get things together in the kitchen, and Sage grabbed the cordless phone from its charger base. It didn't work.

He looked at Janet, exasperated. She smiled.

"Got any cards?" she asked as she stood up.

"She's got some board games somewhere. What are we going to eat? Nothing is thawed so I can't use the grill."

"Does she have bread?"

"Probably."

"PB & J?"

"I'm sure she does," Sage said. "It's a shame she has an electric stove. If it was gas it would be on like Donkey Kong right now."

"Haven't you ever camped out? We can get creative and still use the grill," Janet said. "Long as you have foil. Or skillets. But we're seriously gonna have to open some windows."

"Yeah. It's hot." Sage looked around the fridge. "Lunch meat, too."

"We can pig out on junk food," Janet said, walking into the kitchen to rifle through the cabinets. "On second thought, maybe not. Your Gramma's not too big on snacks is she?"

"She likes tortilla chips and picante sauce. That's about it. And oatmeal creme pies. But I don't see any of that here," Sage said, leaning back against the counter. "This is going to suck."

"No it won't. It'll be fine," Janet said. "We can go back out and grab a few things at that corner store that was open. I've got enough cash on me."

"Nah. I really don't wanna go back out there. Maybe for a walk later. Maybe. I gotta see where all her candles are. I don't even think she has a flashlight."

Janet helped Sage search for candles and placed what they could find on the kitchen counter. Then, they went around the house opening all of the windows. When they were done, they both leaned against the counter again near the sink.

"She's seriously not prepared at all for an emergency," he said.

"That's probably because she's never home, right? She's a doctor?"

"No, she's a director or something. Normal office hours. But she stays late. She's usually not home 'til after six or seven. Sometimes eight."

"Well, those aren't normal office hours and it's about six right now," Janet said.

"Yeah, and it's gonna take her awhile to get here."

"Good. Gives us time to get into trouble."

"What?" Sage looked at her.

"You heard me. Where's your old room?" Janet spun around and pulled on Sage's shirt to free it from i's tucked position in his pants. He looked down at her. Her brilliant bluish gray eyes were a rolling sea that had brightened in color as she smiled back up at him.

"Um, that would be so awkward if she walked in here and you and I were back in my old bed making creaking noises with those rusty springs," Sage said, trying to move away.