Seeking The Truth

Chapter 5

The surface of the blanket feels fleecy. It is like a sign of safety in my mind, greeting me warmly. I collapse face down on bed, exhausted. At last, peace. All I need is peace and some food to rest for a while. My forehead buries into the pillow. My feet are ice cold, barefoot.

Joshua paces in the bedroom, his arms crossed on his chest.

"What are you thinking?" I say, sounding suppressed by the pillow.

"Well," he explains factly, "they have a boss and a plan. They're leaving in two days."

I remark, "The principal is helping them." He must be, the way the stranger said his name in a kind way tells the difference between partners and enemies.

"Or being part of their plan." His face grimaces. "There are too many theories. I can't sort my thoughts out, Stew."

I look up. A storm spreads in the sky and it thunders, streaking across the windows. Flashes of light illuminate Joshua's body, a shadow forms on the wall for a second. Rain droplets drizzle over the pavement of the streets. Fog is ascending.

My stomach warms with satisfaction about the return of the storm. "Do you think it will be raining again?" I'm bewildered. It thunders outside again, a shadow forms on the wall once more.

He glares at me, seriousness drawn to his face. "Rain can't save your life." He stops pacing and thinks with his foot tapping the floor several times. "I'll make up a plan." He scoffs, snorting, "How can you ask such stupid question of a time like this?" His words feel like a sting on me.

My stomach churns. "Then I'll just shut up!" I'm bursting out. My arms fling out to punctuate my frustration in him. Something electrifies my nerves, my forehead gets hot. Joshua, idiot. He doesn't understand what I see through the windows. All I see is a dark sky about to explode water down on town. Isn't that good somehow to citizens like us? Sometimes I even wish to be in a state that rains more often.

0 0 0

Evan's face plasters on top of his spaghetti plate. His golden locks are rumpled -the sign of my mother's efforts to wake him. His tiny fists dangle on the sides of the highchair tray, snoring loud as a lawn mower. I envy his simplicity of falling asleep easily.

My mother puffs. "I officially give up. Wake him up if you can, honey." She withdraws from the dining room with dishes between hands, claiming my father to see if he can awake Evan instead.

Maybe my parents will see what I see when speaking of raining tonight. I comment, "Have you noticed it has been raining lately these days, dad?"

"Yes," replies my father, "I watched the news this morning with your mom when you walked to school. The weatherman said there will be a drastic change in climate. From warm to cold instantly." He snaps his fingers to show how quickly this event will turn out.

"Sounds awesome," expresses Joshua, sitting beside me.

His hippocratic opinion about the subject makes me roll my eyes at him. He was not like this in my bedroom, upstairs. I swallow the last crumb and leave the dishes in the kitchen sink. When I head to the living room, my mother turns the Tv on and watches the news. I pause at the staircase. Something captured my attention.

Images of clouds in the sky show up in the Tv screen and a couple of reporters appear is the west coasts, stating that signs of a tornado are about to arrive to California and Arizona. Scientists believe this is the main cause of the climate changing, primarily, in California.

The images dissolve and the news man returns with a worried look on. He also states that another murder has taken place somewhere in Orange. Typical, I think. This case has been identified as an unknown purpose for the victim's death. The FBI explicates that the murderer, after being interviewed recently, claims he only committed the crime because the victim had a religious belief.

My mother shrieks from the couch, "Oh my!" A photograph of the victim rolls in momentarily. "I met her a few days ago!" Her face immobilizes by horror.

"What was her name, honey?" My father approaches her after leaving the dining room with Evan in his strong arms. Evan is still asleep.

"I can't remember."

Joshua also abandons the dining room after the sudden news. He walks close upon me and whispers, "Don't tell Evan. Our mom doesn't want him to realize how fallen apart the society is."

I nod.

"Until he's at the right age, we will let him know everything from the beginning." Suddenly, Joshua looks like our dead grandfather. I see the resemblance between them: long nose, big round eyes, and sharp cheeks. We've not visited our grandmother since the funeral -it has been almost seven years now, she comes from my mother's side.

I wonder if I will ever meet a member from my father's family side though. He never mentions them to us without an explanation.

Aunt April must be old by now. Years have fled away after she disconnected from us. Sometimes, when I find a person looking similar to her, I cling on to short memories of her and me reading a certain book. A book that might have ruined our lives after the loss in our family -and it's the Bible.

"Stew, did you hear me?" Joshua snaps his fingers in front of my face. I blink a few times and note we are standing inside the bedroom now.

"Where's Evan?" I ask, scratching my belly.

Joshua plops on the bed and he grunt. "Dad carried him to his bed while we were watching the news with mom. So many deaths nowadays. Pff."

"Oh."

I shut the door and lie down along the side of him. My feet don't reach the end of the bed as he does, I'm pretty short compared to him. My ears pick up the sound of two things: my mother weeping downstairs and rain increasing outside.

"I'm sorry about saying that your question was stupid," he exhales it like it was stuck in his throat.

"What question?"

"About the rain." His index finger points at the windows over there. He sighs and clarifies, "I don't want to lose you as I did with her. Nor Evan. That's all."

"And that has to do with ...?"

"Focus on what will happen these last two days before the inspector leaves with her staff." Joshua gets back to his feet, and steps out into the hallway again. "Don't mind about the weather right now, there are more things important -like your life."

I find this hard to understand. Rain is hardly ever in the city. Why wouldn't he let me enjoy it for a while? I snap, "Fine."

"Night."

I prop myself over the bed and stretch my arm to close the door. Then, I reply, "Good night." A lighting passes above the neighborhood and creepy shadows form on the walls. I snuggle under layers of blankets. The lights turn off.

Theories have been created about California's future weather. I hope the tornado will not force us to move out. I also hope Ms. Dixon doesn't have sinister intentions for us. School is hard enough without having to deal with an untrustworthy administration. I think back on that spotless office and am thankful we didn't get caught ... but caught by who?

And what did the man place on top of the desk? A file?

As the moonlight finally peeks out of the midnight, I drift off to sleep.