Vanished Never to Be Seen Again! *Biblicial fiction* by Summer Cheng

Chapter 3 Search for Him?

           Cody and his mother decide to form a search party for his father. They figure it is well worth the try to see if they can find him.  Sure enough, as soon as the neighbors, friends, etc.  find out what is happening they all gather together.   

           Everyone divides into groups of  four, and off they go!  They look around for a long time.  One group searches well into the next day.  The next group looks in the sheep pen, and comes up with nothing.  Then, checks further west.  The third group goes across town to see if anyone there has seen him.  They hold up a photo to show what he looks like,but still are unable to locate him.  The last group  looks north, then south and hope they will at least find clues as to has become of him.

         One week later, those who agree to search for him begin to think the whole thing is a lost cause!  They wonder why the police who were given immediate details about this case have not found him either.  It is not like everyone to keep coming up empty handed.

        Cody, his mother, older sibilings, and a few cousins continue on though with determination.  It is not like them to give up so easily.  This family is strong, one of the strongest ones in town!  One in the world even!   It is not as though they can understand why everyone else gave up when they did anyway.

           Two months into the search, Cody begins to loose hope himself.  He begins to face reality even at his young age the clear reality that his father is not coming home!  He believes that since they did not find him months ago they should just move on like everyone else already has by this point in time.

         However,his mother refuses to give up!  She says, "Wait, you cannot be serious!  You are willing to just forget he is still out there probably cold, afraid and all alone?"   She does not wait for an answer.  She sees the look of disapproval he gives her today.  Why today, should be any different than any other day is what concerns her?

          "Mom, forget it!   Dad would not want us to waste time away like this! It is useless!  I mean it!   Just get rid of his things, and find yourself a job!   Better yet, find yourself some new!" Cody says.  He is angry now.  He somehow feels he is to blame for his father's  abandonment all those years  ago.  He is also furious with his mother.  He does not get it!  Why should his mother keep up with this journey day and night?   

        "Cody, son!  He is my husband!  He is your father!"  Enoch's wife blurts out. Her eyes full of tears, her voice full of sorrow, and confusion.  Her  attitude one that shows how she still clings to the past.  

        "Mom, that is just it!  Is he really?   What kind of father just up and disappears without so much as a good bye to me, or anyone else?   It makes me doubt he ever knew what love is let alone what a family means even.  Let us face the facts, he is been gone for two months!  If he was going to return he would have long before now, but he did not."  Cody says. His voice full of bitterness, anger and dismay about the whole thing.

        Cody's mother responds, "Cody, I know you and your father were close!  I know it was hard on you too when he left!   I just do  not think he meant to leave us!  I mean how do we know he did not just have some things to work through?  Furthermore, you should not say such disrespectful things about him ever again!"   She is so ticked off that she slaps him!  She actually slaps her youngest son hard across his cheeks.  She leaves a bit of  a hand print there and gasps in shock at what she has done.

        "Mother, Quit!   Do not stand up for him anymore!  You know as well as I do that we were never that close.  " Cody scoffs.

        "Never that close, is that what you call it when you always did insist you help him harvest the corn, the carrots, the other vegetables, and the fruits when they were ready to eat?   Is that really how you felt when you  went out to help him herd the sheep?"  His mother responds.  She cannot believe he would say such a thing. She is still in shock at what has become of the family more recently.

      Cody does not answer.  He is still taken aback by the fact his mother just gave him a slap and the sadness over his father.  He knows she is right that he was close to his father.  He just denies it because the whole thing  troubles him more than he wants to let on right now.  He walks off in a huff.  He goes to his room and slams the door hard. He figures he might as well pack so he can move in with his uncle.   He does not think it a good idea to stay here anymore.

      Cody finishes the packing.  He leaves a note for his mother.  This way she will want waste time looking for him.  He grabs up a few snacks from the kitchen, his canteen with water (yes, I know this was not around in Bible days, but this is a modern day fictional spin off version,and is more speculation, so that is how it is for this part, etc.), and a flashlight.  He sneaks out the door with his things without so much as a glance backwards.  He walks left, then right, after a few more right turns he arrives at his aunt and uncles home.  He knocks on the door.  He can tell they are happy to see him!  He is glad they let him inside with no questions asked.  It is not like he wants to answer such things anyway!

       His mother comes into his room later, sees he is gone and freaks out!  Then, she sees the note Cody left her, sighs a sigh of relief.  She tells everyone else Cody is fine. 

       to be continued in  Chapter 4   File It Under Unsolved Missing Persons/ Odd?