Forlot: Thunder Will Come Down - Book Twenty-Seven

Chapter Thirty-Eight

My friends and I were in danger. If whoever sliced Destiny's throat could get his hands on her, then all the townsfolk were at risk. Thank gosh that Destiny survived from such a deep cut. Who the crub would want to murder Destiny? Ava? Diversity? There was no evidence that either of them did it, so if one of them was at fault, she got away with it.

I was unsure whether or not I should have been grateful that my cousin was still alive. If anything, she deserved death. What she did should happen to her. She murdered my husband, so it was only fitting that her life should be stripped away from her. On the other hand, it would not be what my husband wanted. He fully agreed that criminals should be punished, however, he also believed that we should show some mercy. I never understood that and probably never will. The crimes that the criminals commit ought to happen to them.

I do understand where he was coming from. God could have condemned us sinners, but because He loved us - and still does - He sent His one and only Son whose name is Jesus to die for us. To take our sins and allow us to spend an eternal life with Him and His Father and the Holy Spirit. If you truly believe and truly love the Holy Trinity, you will be saved. That is mercy. Caleb loves the Holy Trinity and is in Heaven as I speak.

Unfortunately, Caleb was not in peace. He could not catch a break, not even in the afterlife.

Kara was discharged from the hospital and offered me to stay at her place for the night. She confessed that she had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach that my kids and I would be kidnapped or killed by the same person who slit my cousin's throat. I wanted to tell her that she was paranoid, but I could not shake off the feeling that we were being watched.

I took a quick glance over my shoulder, and Kara said, "What are you looking at?"

I turned my attention back to her. "Nothing. It is nothing."

The children and I ended up staying with the aliens that night. We packed the essentials and toys. I reassured Kara that we could sleep downstairs, but Kara insisted that I sleep in her bedroom. The kids would sleep in the guest bedroom, and she would keep them company in case that any of them needed something during the night.

Wendow and Triso were having a sleepover with their best friends Wendy and Tris. Their bedroom was next to Kara's, so I could hear them laughing and whispering to one another. Kara said that the girls would go to sleep at ten o'clock. That way, my children and I would sleep peacefully.

Fast forward to eleven o'clock. Silence filled the house. Not a peep from anyone or anything. It was as if the house were abandoned. Although that I was as quiet as the bugs outside, I was having the hardest time falling asleep. I was not grieving. I was not crying. Did I have insomnia? I guess. My brain had no desire to go to sleep, for it was playing back memories. Happy and sad memories. Memories of me and Caleb.

Some of them were recent. Like when Caleb returned home with our dinner.
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I hurried as fast as I could and reached the bottom of the stairs. Caleb was next to the front door and holding our son. It warmed my heart seeing them together. It is just a shame that Cal had some of Ava's DNA. That boy is nothing like Ava.

Caleb smiled at me and Tamara when he noticed us. "There you two are."

I smiled back at him and walked over to him and Cal. "Welcome back, honey."

We kissed each other on the lips, and Cal pretended to gag. Caleb and I laughed.

"It is perfectly normal to kiss, Cal," I explained. "It is true love."

He looked away. "Blah! I will never kiss like that."

I patted the top of his head. "Your feelings will change when you are older."

I took note that Caleb did not have any bags and asked him if he received our order. He replied that that he did and that he had set them on the kitchen table. Tamara licked her lips and rubbed her belly.
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Or when I gave him a scare.
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"You are only pretending to show pity towards me because the doctor said that you are in the perfect state in the baby department. You are a boy. Boys do not have to worry about having a baby because they are not the ones who suffer with pregnancy!"

Caleb whimpered and shook in fear. "P-please do not do this, Cindy. Please stop talking and calm down."

I pointed at myself. "You are pleading for me to shut up? You do not desire to hear what your wife has to say?!"

That is when Caleb reached his breaking point.

"Stop! Stop it this instant! You are acting like Ava and should be the opposite of her!"
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Or...the argument. The argument that we had...the final time that we spoke...before his passing.
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We remained silent until Caleb said, "What the heck was that? What were you thinking?"

"I was thinking of causing her pain until she begged for mercy."

"First of all, please do not talk like that. The children should not imagine their mom doing that."

"Hayley is anything but a being. She is a monster who is hiding in human skin."

"I could not agree with you more on that, Cindy, but you cannot hit everyone who gives you that certain finger. If they attack you first, you have every right to defend yourself."

"So I should sit back and watch them spread lies?"
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Nothing could prepare me for what occurred next.