Eliot Strange and the Prince of the Resistance

39) Finding My Dad

You know what to do. That's what my dad's note said. I do know what to do. When you get separated from me, don't go home, he said. Follow the plan. If you're in a town, go to the nearest high school. Meet me there. Go to the baseball dugout. Home side.

That is the plan. That's why me and Steven always used dugouts for our rendezvous point if we were separated. It was a shout out to my dad.

The last time I was in a dugout, I met Steven here after we first found the prince. It was Steven who recognized the prince. He was president of his local fan club and an expert, but even Steven didn't know that fans were fed lies. I would like to say it was a safety measure, but apparently the lying was just for fun.

When I get to the dugout, no one is waiting for me, but there is another note. This one's from the prince. It says:

          My Lady,

          Meet me where we first met.

                    Your Prince

No doubts this note is from my prince because who else calls me "my lady." My dad or Mr. Thomas would not know this. My heart is beating fast again almost as fast as when I last kissed Gus. Geez, I am a terrible person.

I walk towards my old school.

East Central High School has changed since my glory-less days there. The main difference - smells. The smell of battle and large scale death surrounds my old high school. Many people fought and died here barely a week ago. Weirdly, even though it stinks now, I am excited to see my old school. It feels like that "first day of school" excitement where you're a little afraid but can't wait too. I am excited to see Torin too. I have decided I am going to call him Torin until he tells me different. It's just too hard to think about him being another person.

When Torin said to meet him at my school, I was not sure if he meant in the classrooms or the gym because I met him both places. Since the gym is easiest to get to, I go there first. I visit my favorite place now in the gym - the boys locker room showers. It is the same place that Steven and I decided we had found a prince. We spied on a naked Torin, and we decided he was Torin, not Jack. I look in the exact shower we saw him in, and I'm not surprised Torin is not there. There is only one way out, and I believe Torin has at least learned something from me. Always have an exit strategy.

I backtrack and decide to go the same route I went that first day that Steven and I saw Torin. I enter through the science wing. I walk quietly and respectfully past the room where a long dead family had their last picnic. I do not look inside to see if they are still there, and I try not to think about what it looked like before when I peeked inside. I want to stop and say a prayer for the little girls, but I am too creeped out.

As I walk on tiptoe like someone or thing might hear me, I remember that this this is the same room that Torin said he stashed some dead soldiers. I shiver remembering this. I pick my step up in case the dead soldiers come after me.

Funny, the tricks your mind plays on you when death and darkness surround you.

I round the corner to head towards the history wing. I walk past the office area and teacher's lounge. Nothing looks disturbed since I was last here, except when I get to the history wing doors, the lock is no longer there. Torin must surely be here, inside Mr. Ramsey's old classroom. Right where I first laid eyes on 'ol Blue Eyes, which is what I called him before I knew his real name. Ha, that is funny, his "real name" because who knows if Torin is his name at all.

I don't care what his name is - I have to find him.

Up to this point, I am tip toeing through my old abandoned high school. I don't know why. So far, there are only dead people left to hear my steps.

I start to run. I don't care how much noise I am making. I slide and stumble over some abandoned homework, but I'm a runner and have good foot work, except the bottom of my feet are still tender. I look like a cat in a frying pan, but I recover quickly. I run up the stairs and down the hall. I get to Mr. Ramsey's room, and I throw open the door.

Torin is not here.

I am disappointed. Torin is not here, but sitting at the teacher's desk with his feet propped up, a can of coke in one hand and a rifle in the other hand, is my dad. He's wearing his "Jack the Bulldog" hat. My dad, who I have not seen in over two years, looks like he has aged ten years. He is dusty and bandaged, which is to be expected since rumor has it that he was blown from the roof to the moon.

Neither of us say a word.

I walk over to the desk and he gets up, and we meet in the middle of the room. I hug him, and he hugs me like we thought we would never see each other again because that is what we both thought.

My dad, who has been teaching survival at all costs for most of his life, says to me that he is sorry. "I'm sorry for all the bullshit I tried to teach you. Sorry for all the rules. It just confused you. There was always only one rule."

"Just one?" I say. There must be a thousand.

"Just one," he says, "Family first and always."

"That's a good one," I agree. "Except, if I hadn't learned some of the other rules, I probably wouldn't be here at all." I squeeze him one more time and say, "Thanks, Dad."

"You're welcome," he says. He doesn't waste time. It's not his style. "I got you back, and now I'm gonna go get your mama."

"How?" I ask and then I see Mr. Thomas standing behind the closet door, and I ask him, "Where's Torin?"

Mr. Thomas nudges the door forward. My prince steps out from behind it.

I try to be reserved and act like it's no big deal that he is here, but Torin says, "My lady, I found you,"

That's all I need. I want to run to him, touch him, kiss him all over and cry all at the same time. Just like that, and I'm thinking again in corny cliches and sickening sweet turns of phrase. Goodbye Gus, nice knowing you.

I don't care at all because my daddy is alive, my prince is here, and I am happy.

I am deciding what to do next when, my daddy says, "Prince Torin, we'll give you two some alone time. So you can talk it over. Meet you in the dugout in half an hour."

My dad hugs me one last time and kisses my forehead and says, "I'm going to go get your mother now."

"Wait, I'm going with you."

My dad just shakes his head no and walks away so I can talk things over.

Talk it over. Well, we certainly need to talk some things over, but how does my dad know that?