The Ring of Fire

Chapter 2

That fine spring morning, Catherine was on her way to wake Alice up and giving a reminder to Albert that this Sunday he had to take the kids on a day out. Alice had to accompany them in spite of requesting and badgering. After half an hour Castor, Alice and Albert were standing on the doorway. "Bye sweetheart", said Catherine while readjusting the cap on Castor's head and hugging Alice. "No mischief. If I find that you did something wrong, you will be grounded till summer break." warned Catherine.

"Shotgun!" called out Alice and hopped on to the front seat which was preceded with a groan from Castor.

The sun was brushing the treetops, there were little to no clouds visible throughout the boundless sky. Lilies were blooming at the roadside unaware of any sadness and growing with no worry of the world. The birds were chirping, signaling that spring had commenced.

As it was Sunday the Coolwaters' did not encounter any traffic and were zooming to the museum. "Dad, do you know that the museum has five floors each one retained for a civilization or two." Castor said giving a cue to start a conversation. "No castor, I didn't know about it." Albert replied.

"Dad, I looked on the internet today, they said that the museum's artifacts are really old and cost a fortune to collect. They said it is very big. How big do you think it is?" Castor spoke. Albert looked at his son and smiled fondly. He chuckled and replied. "I have no idea boy, but it's definitely bigger than you." Alice who had been sleepily looking out of the window suddenly perked up and said "It's a museum Caster, so obviously all the artifacts are old. You are so silly" Alice stated with all the seriousness of a seven year old.

The rest of the car ride was spent with Caster asking questions and stating random facts while Albert tried to reply to them and Alice teased her older brother.

As they were nearing the museum,Castor could see a huge white colored building standing on a huge piece of land. "I wonder where they got this big land downtown, it must be worth a fortune", Albert muttered to himself as he got out of the car but Caster who had been standing nearby heard him speak.

After parking the car and passing the security test they were standing facing the entrance of the museum. The plot was divided in two halves, one serving as a park for Sunday picnics, and the second was for the museum.

The museum had a huge glass dome at the top, which was gleaming under the sunlight making it hard for the visitors to gaze at it.

They bought the tickets and moved into the museum. The museum floor had a stunning floral design making a big circle at the very center of the museum. From that point one could see that the museum had 5 floors which were divided into two wings each.

Castor made his way towards the elevator who was followed by his dad shouting at Castor to slow down and a bored Alice trailing behind lethargically.

He snapped out of the memory when he heard someone knocking on his door. "The door is open. Come in", he shouted. Edin stood at the threshold seeming somewhat out-of-place and rather uncomfortable. "Hey, how have you been holding up?" Edin asked. "I'm fine," Caster lied. Edin raised an eyebrow and looked at Caster in the eye. Caster relented and replied. "It doesn't feel real. It's as if someone is messing up with me, playing a terrible joke on me. I don't like it, Edin. I. Hate. Death. It's killing me to not know what happened to him. And it is all so sudden." Caster then suddenly took a deep breath and composed himself and then said, "I'm fine, or I will be fine soon enough. It is Mom and Alice that worry me." Edin looked at him for another minute, his brown eyes calculating, then he moved to sit next to Caster and said in the most comforting and reassuring voice he could muster, "I know this has been hard for you but I also know that you are strong and that you will heal. You are not to forget your father. No. You need to see all the wonderful memories of him when you think about him. I know that your father would have wanted you to be happy and I also know that this is going to be hard but I need you to try to think about all the good times you had with him instead of all the sorrow and anger that you keep bottled up inside you. "

Caster looked at Edin in shock and wondered when his friend became a philosopher. Edin then chuckled and said, "I'm no philosopher, Castor." Caster looked at him in surprise and questioned, "Did I say that out loud ?" Edin just nodded with an amused look on his face. Then the two friends just sat there in a compatible silence until they were interrupted by a knock on the door. "Come in, the door is open." Caster replied. The door opened and Emma walked into the room dragging a very sleepy Alice by her wrist.

"Hey Caster, Hello Edin. How have you been?" Emma asked, with concern lacing her voice. "Just peachy", Caster replied sarcastically to which Edin rolled his eyes. "So, ....um....no offence but .. um....you have been cooped up at your house for a whole month now. I know you have been having a hard time but you need to take care of yourself ", Emma stated.

Alice and Castor just looked at each other and saw in themselves that Emma was right about the fact that they had been sitting at home. The two had bags under their eyes and the usual twinkle in their eyes had dimmed. Their skin had lost its color and was pale. They saw the sense in her words but they did not want to step out of their homes.

Emma being the stubborn girl, literally dragged out Alice by her wrist while threatening to do the same to Caster. The two siblings complained all the way to the Park but obliged nevertheless. They finally reached their favorite spot near the top of a low hill. There was an apple tree that would have blood red fruits hanging from its branches during the very beginning of spring. The tree provided a shade from the scorching heat and the lush green grasses speckled with colorful flowers which were a welcome reprieve from the gloomy atmosphere in their house. They sat beneath the tree, facing the swings and slides and the narrow creek that ended in the fountain in the middle of the park.

The four friends sat there in comfortable silence disturbed by the occasional chirping of the birds. Emma and Edin started plucking flowers and weeds and weaving them together. Alice looked at Edin, her mischievous smirk returning and taunted him "Wow Edin! I never knew that you could weave flowers, they look very pretty. Are you gonna wear them?" Edin being the mature seventeen year old, just stuck out his tongue and half-heartedly glared at her. Caster just looked at Edin and grinned. They sat there for some time more when they heard the horn of the ice-cream truck. That day the siblings felt that some great weight had been lifted off their shoulders, they knew that they weren't really fine but with their friends to help them, they were positive they would make it.