Chapter Eight
Chapter Eight
Arborview - October 4, 12:58 p.m.
Afternoon approached and I continued to scan the news online, reading about the main city of Eastvale and its sister cities. Most of my class mates had aspired to go to Eastvale on vacation, it had much more action than Arborview did. No one here could afford to live in Eastvale or adapt to the lifestyle so simply a trip to the city would do.
In comparison to Eastvale, Arborview was a speck of rural landscape with far too few people. Some country town with more cows than citizens. I enjoyed Arborview, it held all of my memories and the bedroom I chose to hide in.
I scrolled down the list of articles until the fuzziness of my father's voice through the shut bedroom door became audible.
"Yes, she knows."
"No, she can't hear through the door, Ines. She didn't even know we held a conversation last night after that unexpected trash showed up. She only knows about the shouting outside."
"Yes, I told her what happened. She believes me."
"Don't worry."
"Pick up the ingredients? That's fine, I'll go to the store and call you. You can list the ingredients over the phone to me there."
"You too. I will call you in a bit." He hung up.
The phrases "she believes me" and "don't worry" rung through my head. Something wasn't right and I mindlessly clicked links in the browser to pass time.
Fortunately, I wasn't eavesdropping in front of my bedroom door when my father bursted in. He looked upset and just as tired as before his "nap." I wanted to ask him about the phone conversation but knew at this point there was information I wasn't supposed to know.
"Moss..." His sad eyes looked at me. "I'm going to the store and I will be back shortly."
"Okay," I said.
Father headed for the door and paused, he looked like he was really going to cry this time. He didn't make eye contact but stared off as he always did, lost in thought, zombie-like. I continued to stare at the computer screen, I didn't want him to see the worried look on my face. "Moss."
"No matter what happens, ever, we will always love you."
He shut my door and left the house. The keys clicked in the front door. He had never said that he loved me before. My mother had yet to. And this was the first time they left me in the house alone.
Something wasn't right. Where was my mother?
Note: Because this chapter was so short, I've added chapter nine as well.
Return to Chapter Seven
Continue to Chapter Nine