To Give A Life

Chapter 1

        Carl groans in frustration as I try to explain the order in which he is supposed to complete the math problem.“No! First you have to multiply everything inside the parentheses, then you can multiply the leading coefficient by the product you just got.” Sophia (the little darling) leans in to help Carl too.
        “Think of it like christmas time,” She starts, “You have to clean up inside the living room before you can go outside to get the tree, and when you bring the tree inside its needles get on all the things . . . See?” Nodding in agreement Carl starts trying to implement Sophia’s tact on his own problem. And I’m left trying to figure out why Sophia’s more complicated explanation made more sense to him than me showing him what to do.
        “This is why I was never a teacher, this sucks.” Groaning I straighten my legs and start to stand. I hear a chuckle beside me, a soft gentle laugh. “Ope, sorry Carol . . .”
        “No need darling, not everyone is fit for being the patient type.” I envied the tender smile playing on her lips, the fact that with her messed up husband she can still find good throughout her days is a miracle. That poor woman.
        “~in, can anyone hear me?” The radio several paces away from the little study group starts sputtering out a voice, “Please respond.”
        Amy rushes to the radio and is already fiddling with the buttons and dials, trying to get her voice through the radio. “Yes! Yes we hear you!”
        “~I’m heading into Atlanta, if anyone can hear me please respond.” Looking around helplessly Amy tries over and over again to reach the person. By now the kids and others in the camp have gathered around the radio, everyone holding their breath. I know the odds in Atlanta though I’ve never been there. Dale calls to Shane, who tries and fails to reach the person on the radio.
        “Do you think they’ll die?” Sophia stands beside me, her face pale and eyes wide, “I mean, they don’t know Atlanta’s not safe.” I begin to bend down to comfort her when Lori speaks up.
        “She’s right, we need to put signs up, something, we need to let people know what they’re getting into.”
        “We don’t have the time-”
        “I’m saying we need to make time Shane.”
        “No one here is going to do it.”
        “I will, give me a damn car.”
        The tensions rise as the two go at each other. I agree with Lori, we need to let people know, but Shane is adamant so I’m not going to say anything. Lori stomps off and Shane follows, I grab Carl by the hand when he tries to run after his mom.
        “She’s okay bud, and you still have some homework to do.” The best thing nowadays is to just cause a helpful distraction. Carl stands watching after his mother. “Carl, if you don’t go sit down imma tickle you,” As I say it I stick one of my hands in his side. With a little squeal he turns tail and heads back to the table. I give Sophia a look and she too returns to the table, with a little giggle.

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        I stop pinning clothing to the line, Lori pausing beside me, as we hear a wailing echo off of every section of the quarry. Carl runs up next to his mother and clutches her shirt, half behind her as we await Dale’s report.
        “A stolen car is the looks of it,” He states from on top of his RV, sun glinting off his binoculars.
        “Is it them? Are they back?” Amy is anxious for her sister to return, and her attitude has been rubbing off on the rest of us.
        “I don’t know I can’t tell yet.”

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       Turns out the wailing, howling thing, was Glenn’s new car as he returned from Atlanta, though how he got a race car of all vehicles this time ‘round is beyond me. Shane was far from pleased with the racket Glenn caused on his way back, and the fact he didn’t have everyone with him was also disquieting. Amy would hardly leave Glenn alone.
        Now? I hold Amy’s hand as we watch the approaching van steadily climb up the hillside.
        “Amy you’ll tear off my hand.” I joke, she cracks a little smile but doesn’t respond, or release my hand. The tread on the tires dug into the gravel, the echoing rumble filling the tension charged space.
        “Andrea!” Before the van stopped moving Andrea was out and running for her sister, Amy at my side one moment was gone the next as she dashed for her sister. They gripped each other in a tight embrace, sinking to the ground as they held on like they’d never want to let go.
        I watch as T-Dog grasps Dale’s forearm in assembly.
        Morales picks both of his children up and showers them in kisses before turning to his wife. Glenn is watching with a smile on his face, and telling Shane about how they got out. Jacqui is wrapped up with Carol and Sophia.
        Turning away from the merriment I hear a soft whimper and I turn to see Lori trying to consol Carl. My feet ached, longing for a break, but I crouched next to the pair.
        “Group hug?” I suggested. I put their backs to the group and bend down to hug Carl. His little arms wrap tightly around me and he buries his face in my neck. “You’re so strong buddy.” I tell him, I close my arms around Lori, locking them both in a somber embrace.
        That is until I look up and see him.
        Rick.