uninvited

chapter four

unwell

The storm arrived with the morning. Dark and angry clouds rolling in. Rain falling, wind howling and thunder that rattled the house.

All of them became obsessed with waiting for answers from the thirty-two-inch screen.

By noon they were a basket case. Even her mother was having a hard time pretending all was well.

She was pale. Her hands shook. Mel could feel the tension in the house and was sitting quietly with Cupcake. None of them knew what to do next. Forming a single thought seemed too difficult to manage.

Then a heartbreaking scream echoed within the rooms.

Mel's tears fell silently.

Jess felt like she was frozen in a time and place that was thick and suffocating. A place that only knew dread and grief.

Her mom stood but with a shake of her head, sat back down. It took her a few heartbeats before she could pull herself together. "I'll go to her. We'll wait until the rain calms down before we try to...." She looked upstairs where her sister's cries were coming from. "Someone should stay here just in case there's news."

Without looking at any of them, her mom stood and left the room.

Jess got up and went to Mel. She didn't know what to say, so she just held her. Julian held both of them.

The skies outside would not control their rage anytime soon. Night came and if anything, the storm only worsened.

Aunt Sarah had finally stopped crying, or it was low enough now that they could no longer hear it over the alarm that was still being transmitted.

"Still hungry, Booger? I could_______."

"I'm okay,"

She didn't look okay. None of them did.

"I should go check on mom and Aunt Sarah." What she couldn't do is sit here another moment.

Julian found her a few minutes later in the rain, in the dark, hacking at the earth like it was alive and trying to eat her.

She wished it would open up and swallow her.

"You need to come in. You're going to get sick."

"I'm sure I will. I hope I do."

"Don't say that. I mean it, don't say that."

"Go back inside. I can handle this."

"Can't. Not without you."

"Mel needs you."

"I need you. We all do. You might think you belong in that ground but you're wrong." His voice lowered. "He didn't leave because of you."

"Shut up."

Her anger and her strength evaporated. No longer trying to punish the ground, she started digging. "This isn't about him."

"This isn't about you. You think you can choose who's worthy enough and who's not? Well, you can't." He grabbed a shovel. "I hate your dad. I really do. This virus is too good for him. I hope he gets mauled by a bear."

"You're starting to sound too much like me."

"Good. I wish I was half as strong as you are. Half as funny too."