Shock

-21-

Two hours later, the rain was still hammering down on the roof. It hadn't lessened even a little. If anything, I'd gotten worse.
We were now playing hide and seek. I was crammed in between the table and the wall. Trying to keep my body as still as possible, I listened to Paisley's footsteps. She passed my hiding spot a dozen times and I was beginning to think she wasn't even trying. I sucked in a breath and peeked over the table top.
Paisley was standing about five feet away with her back towards me. She was slowly making her way towards the doorway on the opposite wall, but then apparently changed her mind and headed in the other direction.
I felt the table move slightly and sat back down, releasing my breath.
"Hey," a voice whispered.
In my surprise, I bumped my head on the table and had to choke back a scream.
I whipped my head sideways and saw Nathan, flustered and panting, sitting next to me.
"What the-"
"Shh!"
I looked at him sideways.
"What are you doing here?"
"Same as you." He whispered back.
"Hiding."
"Where were you two minutes ago?"
He pointed across the room.
"Behind the closet. And before that I was in the stairwell."
"Why? Did she see you?"
"No. That's the point."
"The point of what?"
"My strategy."
I still didn't understand, but instead of asking further, I just stared at him in confusion. He peeked near the leg of the table.
"I used to be the undefeated hide and seek king of Charles Dickens Primary school. I've got my own special technique of switching hiding places, patent pending." He added proudly.
A smile crept to my lips.
"Well, you might have to fight Peter for that title. He's the best in the business."
Nathan raised his eyebrows.
"We'll see about that."
And with that, he raced off towards the cupboard in the corner.
I grinned as I watched him settle into his new hiding place. I'd never seen a seventeen year old that excited about hide and seek, but I was glad he didn't bother trying to hide his goofiness. Though I did wonder about the effectiveness of his technique.
"Charlie! Seen!" Paisley shouted suddenly.
One thing was for sure, it was more effective than mine.

"Just come out already! We've been playing for hours." Paisley whined.
I looked up from my game of patty cake with Haley.
"Actually, it's only been twenty minutes."
She shot me laser eyes.
"Still too long."
"They're just that good."
"Okay. Then they won. Game's over!"
I shook my head.
"Peter doesn't quit. He wants to win."
"Well, he did. It's a tie."
"Yeah, it doesn't work that way. He'll want to beat Nathan."
Paisley sighed and I turned back to Haley.
"Who do you think will win?"
She shrugged.
"They never play together. And they both always win."
"Yeah, I figured as much."
"Do you think we'll find your family?" Haley asked.
"God, I hope so. Peter would be devastated if we don't."
"Won't you be sad too?"
"Of course I will. It's just... I'm older"
"So you don't get sad?" She curiously tilted her head. "Do you think Nathan isn't sad mummy's hurt?"
I swallowed a lump in my throat.
"No, I do. I think he's very sad. But, see, when you're older, you've been sad more times already. So you learn that it will pass. You learn how to deal with it."
"Oh."
"Nathan! Seen!" Paisley erupted suddenly.
We both looked up. Nathan appeared from behind the doorway.
Haley rose.
"Peter! You won!" She shouted.
Two seconds passed before we saw the brown curls coming out from the closet.
"I won!" He exclaimed.
"Congratulations," Nathan said, smiling broadly.
When he arrived at our side of the room, I raised my eyebrows.
"Looks like you got beaten, hide and seek king."
"Yeah, your little brother's really good."
"You sure?" I'd played hide and seek with Peter. He was good, but Nathan was too. And after successfully staying hidden for twenty minutes using his special technique, I doubted he had made a mistake at minute twenty-one.
"You sure you didn't let him win?"
He puckered his lips.
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
I smiled.
"Thanks."
He nodded in reply and turned his head to hide his smile.

Now the rain had been reduced to a drizzle, we were getting ready to leave the Ugly Duck behind.
"So, we're checking Youth Music next?" Paisley clarified.
"Yep. Shouldn't be too far off now."
We started down the road and towards the charity centre.
The rain had turned the streets into mirrors, reflecting the ruined city. The air smelled of plants and gravel at the same time, and everywhere around us, water was dripping from rooftops.
I could hear Peter elaborating on his victory, telling Haley all the details of his experience in the game.
Behind them, Paisley, Nathan and I were walking side by side.
"He's so different from Dexter," Paisley remarked.
He was. But even though he and Peter were too different, he got along pretty well with Cam.
Considering the twins spent most of their time together, Peter and Dexter were sort of 'friends-by-association'.
"What about you?" She asked Nathan.
"Where's your family?"
He looked at Haley.
"Right there," he said with a nod.
I wanted to ask about his parents, and I could see in Pailsey's expression that she was thinking the same thing, but we both kept quiet.
"So I was thinking," Nathan said, changing the subject.
"If we strike out again at Youth Music, maybe we should check some schools. See if gyms are being used as a shelter."
"Good idea," Paisley agreed.
I wasn't too fond of the idea of striking out again, but he was right to have an alternate in case it happened.
St. Joseph's, Peter and Cam's school, was about two kilometers from our home, so the walk would take us maybe twenty minutes.
My feet ached just thinking about it.
For the past day, all we'd done was walk, with the exception of the time we'd spent in the Ugly Duckling.
I stared down at my worn-out sneakers. Dirt stained the once-white tips and mud clung to the sides. I could feel water seeping through the heels, where the rubber had started to deteriorate.
Nathan seemed to be having the same situation going on, though he sported Nikes, instead of converse, like me.
Looking over at Paisley, I noticed she was wearing flats, and they didn't look comfortable.
Her feet had turned red at the ankles and the shoe seemed to be slicing her skin.
"How are you able to walk in those?" I asked her.
"To be honest, I hadn't really planned on hiking through the city."
"Don't they hurt?"
"Yeah," she huffed, "But I'm not walking these streets barefoot."
I looked at her painful feet and then back at mine.
"Let's switch," I offered.
She looked at me with a confused look on her face.
"Shoes," I clarified.
We used to have the same size, I hoped her feet hadn't grown too much since middle school.
"You still a six?"
She nodded. I called to the kids to wait up and squatted to unties my laces.
"Char, you don't have to-"
"It's my pleasure," I said without looking up.
She stopped protesting and took off her own shoes.
When I finished untying mine, I crossed the distance between us barefoot , feeling tiny rock and puddles of rainwater on my soles, and handed them to her.
"Thank you," she said, and gave me hers. When I put them on, I was surprised by my lack of discomfort, though I suspected that would change quickly once we started to walk.
"They look great on you" Paisley said.
"Thanks."
As I watched her lace up my sneakers, I became reminiscent of the days we were still best friends. When we would see each other every day and still find things to talk about. When I would braid her hair -she didn't dare touch my unruly curls- and we'd make popcorn and watch movies.
"Oh my god, I think my feet just found heaven," Paisley pulled me from my thoughts. I chuckled.
"Let's go," I motioned for the kids to move on, because in the distance I saw the youth music centre.

"You wanna do the honours?" Nathan, who had arrived several seconds before me, asked.
"Why not?" I shrugged and walked over.
I didn't see any hinges, meaning the door opened to the inside. Figuring it'd be locked anyway, I decided to do my best Karate Kid impression and kicked it with my left leg.
Only, it wasn't locked.
The door swung open with ease to reveal a jam-packed hall full of people, staring at the group of weirdos that had just kicked in their open door.