Trapped Journey

IV

Brad opened up his eyes to see peaking sunlight in his room. It was Sunday morning and Elizabeth was still not home from yesterday. He figured he should go and change into his church clothes. A white shirt and black jacket with some black pants too. He got up and quickly changed. He could see his mom wearing a dress ensuring that they are still going to church. He went into the kitchen to see dad cooking again like how he did yesterday.

"We're running late so hurry and eat this bacon; you can get a donut at church," he said.

He ate his breakfast as his dad went outside to get the car ready. His date with Lexy was awkward but they agreed to go and look for Elizabeth around one'o'clock today. He was still worried about her.

He could hear the car roaring outside. He quickly shoved the last piece of bacon in his mouth and jogged outside to see his parents waiting for him in the car. "Coming!" he said as he came over, his dad beckoned him to hurry up. He then hopped into the car and they continued their way to church. He looked outside the window to tree branches littering the ground left and right and not just small branches, big ones that could go through the shed roof if heavy enough. He thought they couldn't go through a house or an old one if that. But then again, he never thought his sister would be missing either. He shrugged his shoulders to then realize they were pulling into the parking lot. He read the sign that said, First Baptist Church, he then unbuckled himself and hopped out of his seat. He then went out around to help get Elizabeth out since she sometimes had trouble with the door handle when he remembered she wasn't there. He came up to the front of the car to see his parents waiting for him. They walked up the parking lot and into the building. The church was really big Elizabeth's friends would say that it looked like a castle. He went up to the second story to wear the sanctuary and then up to the third where the youth room and youth sunday school, where age ranged 7th to 12th grade. Him and his sister always went on Wednesdays to youth groups. They would race on who would make it there first by elevator or stairs. He just felt like using the stairs today. It was good exercise.

He walked in where they were just about to begin, their sunday school teacher Brother Mark said, "Hello Brad, we were just about to start. Where is Elizabeth?" He didn't realize what he was going to say to excuse her absence. "Um she was at friends yesterday when the storm came. They were outside on one of the old bridges when it happened." He saw Lexy staring up at him in her white and pink dress as she sat on the couch. He then suddenly began sweating very hard. She beckoned him over to sit down and they began the lesson. He kept fiddling with the ring on his finger. It was gold with two silver bands on it. One for Lexy and one for Family. On the Family band there were three streaks of color blue, purple, and red. Red for his dad, blue for his mom, and purple for Elizabeth. He never went anywhere without his ring. He saw Lexy fiddling with her necklace. It was a silver chain with the same kind of ring as his. A band for him and band with streaks of color for each member of her family, including her long lost sister Shelly. She always wore her ring around her neck. The rings were there thing that they got together after both saving money to each get one. They were matching. He was secretly saving up money for another ring, an engagement ring he planned on proposing to her when they graduate which wasn't for another year.

He couldn't focus right now, couldn't stop thinking of his sister when he studied the purple band. It was harder for him to since he didn't know where she was. He glanced over to Lexy paying close attention to the scripture Mark was reading. Did she feel like this when Shelly left? How did she get over it? What if he never gets to see his sister again and if he does what will he say? He was the one that got her mad or atleast provoked in the first place.

"Brad? Brad? Brad are you listening?" Mark said but Brad didn't hear him.

Lexy leaned into his ear, "Brad! Mark has called your name three times now!"