The Risen

Chapter 3: I Lie to My Grandma

        I watch the speedometer. 20 miles per hour. 30. Somehow, the men are keeping up with the car. I suppose their new and improved muscles are helping. Mom's green eyes flick worridly between the road and the side mirrors. Without warning, she slams on the breaks. I lurch forward. My seatbelt locks and digs painfully into my upper-body. I start to sit back up, but I am flung forward again as something slams into the back of the car.

        "Hang on!" Mom yells.

        She floors the gas pedal, making gravel fly as she tears out of the driveway.

        I look out the back window and see the mutants wearily standing up. They do not follow. I figure out that when Mom stopped they must have ran straight into the back end of the car.

        Mom switches the car back to the computer and says, "Ollie, take us to Grandma's. Quickly!"

        The male computer voice replies, "I will glady oblige, Beth Rado." 

       I stare out the window, wondering if I will ever be able to come back.

        "Holli. HOLLI!" I suddenly become aware of Mom calling my name to get my attention. 

        "Huh? Oh, what?"

        Mom looks over at me in the passenger seat and instructs, "Explain!"  

        "Ok. So, Dad was trying to fix 023's problem of having no muscles. He made this mixture that he fed to 023. Then 023 turned into an evil person and killed dad," I start. I let Mom soak this up before I continue. 

        "I knocked 023 out with a frying pan, hence his lumpy head. While he was unconscious, I went through the process of bringing Dad back to life and fed him the mixture so his muscles would grow back. They did, but then he turned evil, too. I tried to run from him, but 023 was awake, and they cornered me and tried to find something to kill me with and then that's when you came in," I relate.

        Mom looks light headed and dizzy. "Oh, just that. So my husband is now a man who wants to kill everyone." 

       Halfway to Grandma's house, I almost swear. Instead, I bite my fist and try not to scream. Mom notices.

        "What in the world are you doing?" she wonders.

        "I left my book at the house, which is currently occupied by your mutant husband and his evil minion dude, meaning I can't get it back!" I explode.

        "Really? You're freaking out over a book? Your father was just turned into a murderous madman, and you're worried about a book?" Mom looks at me in disbelief. "How in the world did I end up with a daughter like you?" 

        "Well, maybe it takes my mind off of things. It's not like you would understand," I snap, suddenly defensive.

        "Guess what, Holli? I read three pages yesterday!" I mimic the words my mom had said earlier this week. 

        Mom frowns at me. I turn my face away from her and glare gloomily out the window.

        We finally arrive at Grandma's three story house. 

        We can tell my grandma isn't expecting visitors. She is still dressed in her lacy flower night gown, even though it's around 4:00 in the afternoon. Her short white hair is sticking up like a lion's mane. Her radio is blaring so loud that when we step inside, the floor is vibrating and the sound of the screen door slamming shut is not heard over the 80's racket. Mom and I enter the kitchen, where Grandma is burning something (she never was very good at cooking) and is using a spatula for her microphone while she dances around the kitchen and sings along with the singer. 

        Mom and I glance awkwardly at each other. We stand there for a minute, waiting for her to notice us, until eventually Mom goes over to my grandma and taps her shoulder. 

        Grandma jumps a foot in the air, and I at first I think she is having a heart attack. She turns out to be fine though, after some heavy breathing. Grandma goes over to the radio and shuts it off. 

        "Beth, don't scare me like that! Where's Matthew?" Grandma asks. 

       "Sorry we didn't call, Mom. Uh...Matthew is on a buisness trip. He'll be in China for a few weeks," Mom lies. 

        She looks at me. Just go with it, she tells me with her eyes. I keep my mouth shut.

        "Oh!" Grandma smiles. "Well, you are welcome to stay here. Do you have any bags?"

        "No. We were in a hurry because..." Mom starts. She glances at me for help. 

    "Because there was a snake nest in our roof. You know how much I hate snakes! The exterminators and the electricians are at our house to kill them and make sure they didn't upset any wiring," I say, saving Mom.

        "I didn't know you don't like snakes," Grandma says. 

        I nod. 

        Grandma shrugs and remembers that she is supposed to be cooking something. 

        Mom lets me have the guest bedroom on the highest floor of the house, and she takes the sofa in the living room, which is located in the basement. I go upstairs and fall onto the bed. I'm exhausted, but I can't sleep. The reality of the situation finally hits me.

        My father died today. I brought him back to life. He tried to kill me. He is no longer my father. I escaped to my grandma's house. Hopefully he won't find me. I lied to my loving grandma. She doesn't know anything about our actual situation. My book is stuck at my house.

        I fall apart. Tears escape my eyes. I am too tired to wipe them away. Memories of my father, before he died and came back to life, surface in my mind. I go through them, as if I am on youtube. I relive them, forgetting about now.

        But memories can only last for so long before you have to come back to reality.