by A E Faulkner
When she leans down to Chris’ level, he smiles and answers, “I’m Chris.” She spends the next ten minutes chatting with him and joking around. This is the complete opposite of what I expected. When did a welcoming, caring person swoop in and invade Jasmine’s body? We were gone for less than twenty-four hours.
Ambling over to the logs framing the fire ring, we sit. My legs welcome the reprieve.
Chris practically bounces on his feet. Shyly, he looks to Aidan. “Um, okay if I take a look around?”
Aidan smiles and says, “Sure, buddy. Just don’t go too far, okay?”
Chris nods and takes off running. This must be a pretty cool place for him to explore.
With Chris busy, Aidan explains why he’s even here. The group listens intently, eyes following Chris each time he soars past us. By the time Aidan’s done speaking, the guys fidget uncomfortably. Running long slender fingers through her curly black hair, Jasmine leans in toward the group and speaks quietly. “You did the right thing. The world is a different place now, and if that kid can just pack his belongings and walk away from home without a glance back, something wasn’t right.”
The others solemnly nod.
When Chris finally tires himself out and plops down next to Aidan, we rehash taking shelter at Rose’s house.
Jeff slips in an eyebrow waggle when he says, “So, you two were just crocheting quilts or something with grandma all night, huh?”
Jasmine smacks his arm, but I wish she would have aimed about a foot higher because he still wears a smug grin on his face.
Ignoring the interjection, Aidan continues. The conversation turns serious when he shares Chris’ “spy intel” with the group.
“So where did the guys say they were going?” Wes questions. The dark circles under his eyes contrast with the washed-out pallor of his face. Maybe he didn’t get much sleep last night. We haven’t even asked about how they weathered the storm. I tune out the conversation and scrutinize my surroundings.
The shoddy cabins stand. They’re just as rundown as they were the first time I saw them, but they are no worse off. Leaves and branches clutter the paths, but this is nothing like the damage at the trailer park. Maybe trailer parks really are magnets for tornadoes.
I’m yanked back into the present when fingers snap in front of my face. Jeff waves a hand and calls out, “Mission control to Quinn. Come in, Quinn.”
“Sorry guys,” I say, sweeping my eyes across each of them in turn. “What did I miss?”
“Quinn,” Aidan’s eyes widen as he holds my gaze. “We figured it out. We know where Jim and Dan took Riley. Not landing base. Langley Air Force Base!”
Chapter 36
“Oh my gosh! You guys figured that out?” Just having a lead calms my nerves. Never mind that hundreds of miles separate Delaware and Virginia. And we have no transportation. And we’re basing this off of a ten-year-old’s recollection.
Jeff slaps Wes on the back. “Guess this guy actually paid attention in classes,” he says, jabbing a thumb toward Wes.
With a genuine smile, Wes explains, “I’m hoping to be stationed at Langley someday. I’ve never been there, but it’s definitely south of here and the name sounds like what Chris heard. And, not to mention that I, for one, would love to check it out.”
Jeff interjects, “We could probably make it there in a day if we can just get some wheels.”
“Yeah,” Aidan says. “And we were going to Virginia to drop Jasmine off, so this really isn’t too out of the way.”
I glance at Jasmine. She clearly doesn’t share the guys’ excitement, but at least she doesn’t argue.
“So,” I start. “How do we find a car?”
“Why, Quinn,” Aidan teases. “Are you suggesting we steal a car?”
Crossing my arms across my chest, I rebuff, “Not at all. I just want to borrow one.”
Jeff slaps his hands on his knees. “I think it was gonna come to this anyway. At some point, we’d have to steal some wheels to get the hell out of here. I say we form a search party and start looking.”
Wes immediately volunteers, “I’ll go.” He volunteered to check out the trailer park for us too. That must be his personality—putting others first.
I shoot Aidan a look of concern. Shadows hover under Wes’ eyes, and his posture is hunched, making him appear drained. Jasmine must see it too because she says, “Wes, you stay. I’m tired of sitting around this place. Jeff and I will go.”
It takes a little convincing for Wes to agree, but eventually he does. After a quick lunch, Jeff and Jasmine are on their way. The rest of us clean up belongings and make sure everything is gathered to make a quick getaway once we have wheels.
After explaining that the tornado completely missed the campground last night, Wes says that they just hung out in a cabin and avoided the rain and wind. Still, he’s tired from a restless night of howling wind and cracking thunder; he decides to rest while Jeff and Jasmine are gone.
Before he trudges off to the cabin, he points toward the shack he originally showed me and Riley, when he suggested that we sleep there. “I threw Riley’s bag and the blankets you two slept on in there when it started to rain last night. Didn’t want anything to get ruined.” I touch his shoulder and meet his eyes. “Thanks, Wes. That was really thoughtful of you.” Yep, this guy definitely puts others first.
When Chris begs Aidan to explore the outer edges of the campground, my heart leaps at the thought of spending some time alone. I’ve appreciated the group’s company, except for Jasmine’s, but now that we have a solid plan, a solitude breather sounds great. Anytime I needed alone time in my previous life, I’d slip on my sneakers and go for a run. I don’t feel like expending that kind of energy right now, though.
When the boys invite me to tag along on their expedition, I wave them off and instead head to the bug-infested cabin to gather the items Wes rescued last night.
After I’ve folded the red and gray chenille blankets, I sit on the creaky bed frame and open my sister’s backpack. Funny how the last time I was in here, I wouldn’t have gone near this bed. Now I’m much more interested in preserving my sister’s possessions. If a cockroach family decides to join me, so be it.
Reaching into the lilac bag, I smile as I pull out her Kindle. There’s no way she would have gone anywhere willingly without this. I empty her bag slowly, examining each item as if I’m seeing it for the first time. Except what I’m seeing is little pieces of my sister. Each prized belonging renews the smile on my face.
I envision her taming her long brown hair with the purple hairbrush. Pulling it back with the black elastic headband. Curling up with the hard copy of Wanted by You by Steph Nuss. Probably a backup in case she forgot to charge the Kindle. Romance and flowers, that’s my sister.
Grasping her wallet, I flip it open to the pictures. I recognize her best friend, Stacy, smiling alongside Riley in a cast photo from last year’s school musical. All of the other photos feature our small family—splashes of memories from vacations and formal portrait sessions. The faces blur as my eyes well with tears. I carefully return each item to its lilac home and set the backpack aside. As I turn away from the bag, it falls on its side and a small package tumbles out. I recognize the black Trolli pack instantly. Sour gummy worms, my favorite. I don’t know where she got them, but I know they were meant for me. Riley hates sour candy. The tears fall freely as I grab the package and shove it deep into Riley’s backpack. Maybe some alone time wasn’t such a good idea.
Chapter 37
After a good cry, I dry the tears on my sleeves and take a few deep, calming breaths. Within a few minutes, I hear a voice calling my name. My cruel mind assumes it’s Riley and I jump to my feet and rush out the door.
Aidan and Chris come barreling up the path toward me. Chris calls out, “Quinn, we’ve been looking for you!”
“Sorry, I didn’t hear you until just now,” I stutter.
I try to avert my eyes, but I’m assuming they’re puffy when Aida
n asks, “Hey there, you okay?” The last thing I want to do is explain why I’m so upset.
“I’m fine, really,” I lie and turn my full attention to Chris. “What’s up? What did you need me for?”
“We heard a stream or river or something and we thought we could splash around in there to cool off. Aidan was worried about you, so he made—” Chris starts before Aidan wraps an arm around his head, playfully cutting off his words.
“So, I suggested that we come back and check to see if you wanted to join us,” Aidan finishes. “You know, in case you were hot. Well, I mean not that I’m questioning…” His words die off and his face flushes red.
I’m certain my face mirrors his when I start talking just to shut him up. “That was really thoughtful, thanks. Yeah, I could use a change of scenery. Let’s go see this body of water, whatever it is.”
I follow the boys past the path to the washrooms and onto the wooded trail. After a few minutes, the trees start to thin and the dirt path slopes slightly downhill. When the swirling rush of water reaches my ears, I know we’re close.
Aidan leads the way, but Chris’ anticipation seems to build with each step we take. He pauses to throw a smile over his shoulder at me before pushing past Aidan and bounding toward the sound of a bustling stream.
Just a few steps behind, Aidan and I reach the clearing a moment later. We see Chris standing a few feet away from the water. I figured he’d be splashing around in there by now.
“What are you doing?” I ask. “Why did you stop?”
He turns toward me slowly, his expression downcast. “It’s dead, Quinn. The water’s dead.”
As I edge closer to him, my eyes fall to what was probably once a vibrant stream. The water is an ashen gray color with blobs of dirt-specked foam sitting atop it. It looks like a flutter of concrete with murky bubbles sliding over its surface. We can’t cool off in this water. We shouldn’t even touch it.
When my eyes reach the water’s edge, I’m even more disturbed. Death lines the land. Crayfish carcasses and lifeless fish—what’s left of them—litter the bank, rocking back and forth from the carpet of bugs feasting. The scuttle of activity is a dark contrast to the death just beneath it.
“What happened, guys?” Chris asks innocently, looking between me and Aidan.
Without taking my eyes off what was going to provide some relief from the grating heat, I solemnly respond. “It’s poisoned. We can’t touch this.”
Aidan meets my eyes. “Yeah, Quinn’s right. How about we go splash around in the washroom to cool off? We’ll just need to make sure that water still looks okay.” Great, if this stream is part of the campground’s water source, the group may have already been exposed to this putrid excuse for water.
With nothing left to say or do, we trudge back to camp. Chris keeps his eyes downcast the whole time. I feel bad for the kid. We had this one chance to goof around and do something fun with him and just like that, it’s gone.
While my body moves on autopilot, my mind wanders with questions. What turns a stream teeming with life into a sickening display of death? How long ago did this happen? Does anyone know or care about this? Is anyone doing anything to fix it? Is it happening anywhere else?
The three of us head straight to the washrooms on our way back to the cabins. Chris and Aidan check the water in the men’s room while I check out the ladies’ room. None of us detect any discoloration in the liquid that pours from the faucets or showers. Aidan explains that the group stopped drinking the water from the sinks because it tasted bad, but that’s not all that strange for a campground, especially one that’s clearly not been used in years.
We offer to have a splash battle with Chris, though secretly I don’t think it’s a great idea to handle this water any more than necessary, but his playful spirit has dampened.
With no clear conclusion and no reason to stay there, we head back to the cabin area. Wes sits on a log around the fire pit. “I was wondering where you guys were,” he says, stretching. I can’t hide my relief at his improved appearance. “Wes, you look soooo much better. I’m glad you got some rest.”
He straightens up and cocks his head back proudly. “Well, thanks for noticing, Quinn. You’re looking mighty fine yourself.”
I giggle and playfully punch his shoulder.
The four of us sit in content silence peppered with small talk until the rumble of an engine permeates the campground.
Chapter 38
We all shoot to our feet and run toward the sound. Peeking around one of the ramshackle cabins, I spot a cloud of dust fanning out behind a gold car that is quickly approaching.
“That’s a Chevy Malibu,” Wes says. “Let’s hope it’s Jeff,” Aidan adds.
“Um, just in case it’s not, why don’t we blend into the scenery a bit?” Wes asks. The serious look on his face conveys that it’s not a question. We all cower behind the closest cabin while Wes peeks around the corner every few seconds, keeping an eye on the approaching vehicle.
As the car nears, Wes breaks into a smile and announces we should greet our company. Stepping around the corner, I watch two passengers sway and bob as the vehicle traverses the uneven dirt road. Sure enough, when they park a moment later, Jasmine and Jeff emerge from the vehicle. Slapping the hood, Jeff calls out to us. “How do you like our new ride, guys?”
After the guys nod their approval to Jeff, we all meander to our unofficial meeting place, the fire pit log area, and sit. Jasmine and Jeff explain how they happened upon a local used car lot and Jeff used his covert skills to unlock the office door and find the keys. While Jasmine wanted to find a bigger car to better accommodate the six of us, Jeff insisted on a compact car, thinking it would last longer until we ran out of gas.
With everything packed and a set of wheels waiting, we load up our belongings and crowd six butts into a vehicle meant for five.
Jeff rushes to the driver’s seat, the only one guaranteed to have a whole seat to himself. Jasmine and I move to opposite backseat doors while Wes slides past her and sits in the middle. I claim the seat behind the driver, satisfied that I won’t have to be crammed up against Jasmine. She immediately glides in on Wes’ other side.
Aidan opens the front passenger door, glancing at Chris. He ruffles the kid’s hair and says, “Well, buddy, looks like you and me get the front seat. That okay with you?” Chris belts out a hearty affirmation while Aidan looks anything but thrilled.
Jasmine insists she can guide us in the right direction. Attempting to follow her orders, Jeff navigates the car south, sometimes off-roading it to dodge obstacles. Avoiding Route One altogether, we make our way to Route Nine and head west. We pass other vehicles now and then, but the most interaction we share with them is a curious passing glance.
Once we’re set on a course, Aidan brings up the stream we found at the campground today.
I sit quietly and observe their reactions. My worry reflects in their eyes.
“Do you think it was pollution?” Jasmine asks angrily.
Aidan and Chris both shrug.
“I think that’s a good guess. Whatever it was, it killed everything that lived in it,” Aidan says.
“And it sure made the bugs happy,” Chris says. “I never saw so many bugs in one place.”
“Hey, have you noticed, we haven’t seen many animals on this trip?” Wes asks. “No deer, no rabbits, no squirrels. How can you be outside for days on end and not see a squirrel?”
“Well,” Aidan says. “It feels like the weather’s been extreme. Even for summer. We go from scorching days to freezing nights.”
“And you think that’s affected animals?” Jeff asks.
“Animals adapt to their environment,” Aidan explains. “Cave crickets and cave fish are completely blind, but they thrive in their environment.”
“What is a cave cricket and how is it different from a regular cricket?” Jasmine asks.
“Maybe it’s a regular cricket that just lives in a cave,” said Wes. “But you don’
t call regular crickets yard crickets or street crickets.”
“Not relevant to the conversation,” Aidan dismisses, furrowing his brow. “You know how blind people can have really good hearing or other senses? They adapt to the loss of their vision. Their other senses become heightened. It’s the same thing we’re seeing here.”
“So, what does that mean for us?” Jasmine jumps to the point.
“Yeah, right. He doesn’t know,” Jeff teases.
“Well, earthquakes and tornadoes are normal weather events,” Aidan interjects. “But not necessarily for this part of the country. So why would we have two unusual events happen so close to each other all of a sudden? And, the weather patterns have been strange too. We’ve had weather extremes during the day and at night. That’s not typical for the East Coast. It’s like… Are these events building off of each other?”
“That actually kinda makes sense,” Jeff says. “Maybe it’s all connected. But why now? What started it all?” Just as I’m about to mention the fracking incident, Jasmine chimes in.
“I think Mother Nature is finally tired of seeing us poison her streams, rivers, and oceans. Mistreat her beautiful creatures. Destroy her wonder. I think her only answer is to eliminate the source of destruction: us.”
Eyes wide, Chris looks to Jasmine with awe. Wes rolls his eyes and whispers, “She’ll make a great lawyer, huh?”
Jasmine continues undeterred. “Over and over humans have proved they are unable to regulate themselves. This world is turning on us. Every day rivers are tainted from pollution. Fouled water sources are killing the life that once thrived within them.”
I tune out as she drones on and on. Maybe she’s onto something here. If animals consume a tainted food or water source, then wouldn’t this contamination work its way through the food cycle? Wouldn’t it eventually make its way up to the life form that dominates them all?
By the time I tune back into the conversation, Jasmine is questioning if Mother Nature is laughing at us now. If she’s watching, waiting to see what we’ll do. If she is right about all of this, will anyone realize what’s happening? Will anyone try to fix what is broken? Probably not.
