THE LUNATIC

Chapter two

'Hey Jethro it's time to go to school. Any second longer and you are going to be late.' Heather told her son as he was having his breakfast. God she adored her son. He was Jason in the making. Everything but his black hair that was Heather's.

'Mummy it won't take me a minute to finish up. I will choke if you don't let me be in peace.' Jethro frowned looking up at his mom.

'You have been saying that for the last ten minutes.'

'You haven't done your make up anyway. You look really good with your new lipstick on by the way.'

'Oh thank you darling.....hey smart mouth stop changing the subject.' She said her blush turning into a glare. This boy was something. 'Am going upstairs I need to get back when you are done eating young man.'

'Okay. Could you please come down with my back pack.'

'Sure.'

Almost five minutes later, Heather came back down stairs armed with his bag in one hand and her purse in the other. She had planned to do some grocery shopping after dropping Jethro at school.

'Hey honey here's your bag. It's time to go.' Heather said slumping the bag on a chair in the sitting room and continued to the kitchen but found it empty.

'Honey, where are you?' No answer. 'Look I don't know what game you are trying to play but we need to get to school on time.'

He still didn't answer her.

'Jethro!' she called out more loudly this time. 'mummy is getting mad now!'

She was now freaking out. Checking the kitchen cabinets one by one hoping she would find him curled in one. The first, no. Second, no. Third, no. Fourth, no.

Where on earth was he? She ran to the sitting room, upstairs to his bedroom, bathroom, the balcony and the back yard. But still there was no sign of Jethro. She was now freaking out. She even tried going up the attic just to find out if he was there but decided against it because there was no way he would climb up there.

What if he had been kidnapped? She didn't want to think about that. There is no way on earth that would be accurate. They were just new in the area. They hardly knew anyone. And that's what makes you more vulnerable, an inner voice said to her. She couldn't help it. She just cried.

Where on earth was her son? She had just left him for only five minutes to put that lipstick he said he loved and pick his bag from his room only to come back down and find him gone.

Then a thought came to her. Call Jason. He always knew what to do in such situations. He was a fixer. She pulled out her phone from the back pocket of her jeans and dialled his number. Please pick up, please pick up. She found herself saying a silent prayer. Then she heard a familiar voice at the other end. Relief washed her face.

'Hey darling. Funny I was actually planning on calling you too. How are you doing? She could hear the smile in his voice.

'H-E-Y' she said between sobs

'Why are you crying? Is everything okay?' he asked with concern.

'Everything is wrong Jason. I can't find Jethro.'

'What do you mean you can't find him?'

'Like I can't seem to see him around the house. I left him having his breakfast and went upstairs to get his back and fix my makeup. Only to find him gone. I only left for about five minutes.' She was now frustrated.

'Okay calm down. Please don't panic. Breathe in and out for a few seconds. It will help you think straight.'

'Are you seriously telling me to breathe right now? Jason our son has just gone missing and you are telling me to breathe?'