Who's to Say What's Strange?

Enter Conflict

I looked down at my watch- 11:30. "Mrs. Krempler, it's lunch time for all the patients. I can get a nurse to bring you a tray," I offered. The poor old woman sat on her bed frantically looking through the newspapers and didn't respond. "Mrs. Krempler, please, you need to eat." I turned to look at the nurse leaning on the door with I-told-you-so eyes.

"There he is!" Mrs. Krempler finally exclaimed making both me and the nurse jump. "My little Jackson! See him there? He won first in his district swimming!" She all but slapped the grainy picture on my cheek.

"That's wonderful ma'am, really, but you do need to eat now," I sighed.

"Alright, alright youngster, don't get your panties all up in a wad." I couldn't stop the blush just as much as the nurse couldn't stop her giggling. "This is today's paper, correct?"

"Yes ma'am," the nurse giggled and came to pick up the papers Mrs. Krempler had discarded to the floor or foot of her bed. "Aw, look at this. A missing woman and her two children."

"What, from here in our little town?" Mrs. Krempler asked reaching for the paper out of the nurses hand. Seeing that neither were about to continue picking up, I did it for them.

"I'm home," I called into my bright house. "Hello? You guys home?" Just as I turned the corner, I ran right into, and almost knocked over, Ivan. "Oh, bud, you scared me." I muttered, but he didn't move. "Ivan, are you okay?" No response. He just stood there, staring off and standing like a little porcelain doll, his dark honey hair barely touching his eyelashes. Not to say it was uncommon for Ivan to do this, but usually when you ran into him or even just tapped him on the shoulder he'd be fine.

"Honey," I called into the house, "Rosemary, where are you?"

"Right here, Darling." I looked up and saw her utter perfection turn the corner. Her face was embellished with a large smile and soft eyes. I must've been staring at her for some time because when I snapped out of it, Ivan wasn't there. "Yes Honey?"

"Oh, uh, right. I want you and the boys to be careful around here for a while," I said and set my bag down. Rosemary led me into the kitchen and continued cooking with worried eyes as I talked. "There was something in the paper about a woman and her two children kidnapped in their own home." She set her wooden spoon on the counter. "Don't be scared, just lock the doors during the day okay?" Rosemary pulled her hands to her face and I knew I'd upset her. My darling Rosemary had a soft heart for mothers, and especially children. I walked behind the counter and put my arms around her shuddering form. "Don't worry Dear, I'll keep you safe. I promise."

"It isn't that. Well, I guess that just adds to everything. Ivan had another outburst today. He ran off and it took a while to find him, but when we did everything was okay. I mean, he could've been taken Kevin. Our family… that could've been us…" Rosemary burst into another tearful fit and sunk to the kitchen floor. I got down with her and held her. I didn't know why, but for just a split second, I thought I felt her trying to pull away.

Seems boring, but there was actually a lot of info in this chapter. Pay attention to the details! There’s a comment box at the bottom with your name on it, and I’ll be better about sending out the previews this time, scout’s honor. (Sorry to those who I missed last time).

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