In Times of War

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty

   It’s one of the worst feelings in the world knowing that the person you love most is leaving. It’s worse to know that you can’t do anything to stop it because it’s what they want to do. I was having that feeling doubled by both David and Alice leaving me just days apart from each other. The good thing about my last week and a half with them was that we did everything together and we had a great time. The bad thing was that we all knew that they were leaving soon so it put a depressing tone on everything. Knowing that this was the last set of good times we would have together for a really long time was really depressing.

   I had known Alice since before I was born and I can’t remember doing anything without her. We were sisters, blood or not. I had only known David for a little over six months, but it felt like I had known him forever. And that didn’t feel nearly long enough.

“Firecracker,” David’s voice breaks me out of my melancholy trance. “The bell rang a half-hour ago. Are you ready to leave yet?”

“Hmm? Oh, oh yeah. Let’s go.” I intertwine my fingers with his and walk away from Clarion Academy.

“Y’all plannin’ on waitin’ for me or not?” Alice appears on the other side of David. He wraps an arm around her shoulders.

“Of course we were, but then you took forever.” David says, sarcasm evident in his voice. She punches him lightly on his chest and we all laugh as we start walking again.

“Sorry, last time ever at a school I’ve gone to forever, I wanted one last look around.”

“Well, you looked around, now let’s go. I’m starving.” David keeps pulling the two of us towards our houses.

“Whose house are we goin’ to then?” I ask.

   “Mine! The Monkeys have been wanting to see y’all.” Alice drags us in her house. David is immediately attacked by a small flurry of blond curls. Nancy literally climbs up his leg and onto his shoulders before we even get all the way in the door. Dennis just hugs David’s leg tightly. David releases my hand and Alice’s shoulders to hold Nancy and to put a hand on the wall to try and steady himself from the sudden attack. I put a hand on his back to steady him.

   I remove the child from his leg and watch as he tries to pry the child off of his neck. Alice has disappeared into the kitchen by the time David has gotten Nancy off. He holds her out away from him to avoid her kicking legs. He calls up to Alex who was supposed to be watching them, “Alex, what did you give the Monkeys for snack?”

“Nothing,” he appears at the top of the stairs.

“You sure?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Because they’re acting like they’ve had a dozen bowls of ice cream, that’s why!” I call.

“Well, Ms. Rose might’ve given them a cookie or two. I think I smelled some when I picked them up.” He walks down the stairs and takes Nancy from David.

   “Did you check their pockets for any extra cookies?” I hand Dennis to David and walk over to Nancy and Alex. I put my hand into the small pocket of Nancy’s dress and pull out a couple small, crumpled cookies. I indicate to David to do the same and he checks Dennis’s pockets, also pulling out another crumpled cookie. Nancy puts on her most adorable innocent face and puppy dog eyes. Dennis looks down in shame. At least one of them seems apologetic about stealing.

“Nancy made me do it!” Dennis suddenly exclaims, pointing at Nancy, who sticks her tongue out at him.

“Nancy, did you ask Ms. Rose if you could have extra cookies?” I ask. She nods her head, obviously lying. “Nancy…”