Program: Superhuman *ON HOLD*

Chapter 10: Program: Superhuman

"We need to go to the bookstore," I announced once entering the house again and letting Sammy go of his leash.

Arden looked over the couch, staring at me as if I was crazy. "What did you just say?"

"We're going to The Last Novel. Come on."

"You're kidding me, right? We have a day off of school and you want to spend it by going outside when we have a perfectly fine TV here?"

"Uncle Forge could be gone in a few days - I want to get him before he leaves."

He rolled his eyes. "You're acting as if he actually will be there."

Then my brother lay back down on the couch and continued watching the TV. With a determined expression, I walked over, took the remote off the table by the couch and flipped the screen off.

"Hey!" Arden exclaimed.

"Come on. I'll explain on the way."

I went to the bathroom, where I brushed my teeth and gave my hair a quick comb-through. Then I grabbed my small, black purse, which was around the size of a thick book. The thin strap went around my shoulder, than cascaded around my body until it met with my hip on the other side. After a moment of thought, I decided to bring my hoodie and tied it around my waist, but not before I changed out of my sweats to skinny jeans.

When I went back to the living room, I saw Arden in the exact same position he had been the moment I left him, with the TV switched on again.

"Hey!" I accused, stepping in front of his line of vision. "Get up! I said we're leaving."

"Willow, we have to call Mom. And you know what she'll say."

"I'm leaving whether she likes it or not," I said with finality.

I don't know what had come over me. Maybe my feelings were in just such a jumble that I didn't how to process through; and my only reasonable thought was that Uncle Forge could help. Or maybe it was Junior's visit finally made me snap. He even admitted just a few days before that he wanted the parents together. And now he asked me to break them apart. Besides that, Uncle Forge said he would help us with Mr. Vale's threat. And I didn't see him doing anything now, so my decision? Confront him. If he wasn't at the bookstore, then I was willing to wait all day, whether it would get me in trouble or not. I needed to know. I needed to feel safe again. And I wasn't getting any answers lying around at the house.

Arden stared at me suspiciously as he slowly sat up. "What's come over you?"

"Look, if you don't come, then I'm going on my own. I am going to The Last Novel." I crossed my arms.

He thought for a moment, then sighed. "Fine. But we have to at least leave a note for Mom, in case she comes home and finds we're not here. We've already caused her enough worry as it is."

I reluctantly nodded, seeing his point. "I'll write it. You get ready."

When my brother was out of sight, I went to the kitchen and looked through several of the drawers until finally finding the sticky pad. On one of them, I wrote:

Mom-

We're sorry we didn't call, but we had to do this. We're going to the bookstore again. We'll be back soon.

Love,

Willow & Arden

Reading it over several times, just to make sure it was enough, I finally ripped the sticky note from the others and stuck it on the fridge door. Then I put everything away again. By that time, Arden was wearing a pair of jeans and a light green shirt with a black jacket over. Sammy stood by the door, hoping for another walk. I stroked his head gently, then slipped on my black converse shoes. Arden grabbed the dog's water bowl, which he left outside for him. I grabbed the keys to the house, and we all walked outside together, me locking the door behind us.