90 Miles to Freedom (2 page)

Joey wanted nothing more than to attend Florida Tech to obtain a degree in Oceanography. He loved the ocean, its creatures and everything else about it. He found it all extremely intriguing. Joey could often be found reading and studying every article he could find about what went on under the sea.

“
Having an ocean as a backyard is better than a fenced in yard with grass and a swimming pool,” Joey would say when people asked him where he might live in the future. “Besides, I wouldn’t care much for mowing a large yard of grass.”

When George’s tie was finally knotted properly, Betty got behind him and shooed him toward the door, clicking her tongue as she went.

“
I’m not sure why you’re having Empty Nest Syndrome symptoms, George. After all, you are hoping our boys will continue to live at home, right?” She grabbed the keys to the car and rushed towards the door. “It’s not as if living on a boat which is docked in our backyard is exactly moving out, you know!”

George ignored her comment, continuing instead to mumble and complain about how quickly his boys had grown into men. Collin stood in the living room, watching all the commotion. He was planning to go on his own to the graduation a little later on.

“
Let’s go, old man,” Betty said when George hesitated in the doorway. “We’re not getting any younger. Joey will never forgive us if we’re late!”

“
But -” George started.

Betty let out a sigh and rolled her eyes. “Oh, for Pete’s sake. God help us. Get in the car!”

“
When this is over, remind me why I married you. I’ll need to remember so I don’t kick your ass before the end of this day!” George said, chuckling. He gave Betty a light slap on her backside while they were walking through the door, and she answered with a flirtatious wink. He pulled the door closed behind him, then gave it a wiggle to make sure it was locked. Collin could hear his father talking through the door.

“
Don’t worry, old woman. We have three hours before graduation starts. I’m fairly sure we’ll not only get a front row seat, but a front row parking spot as well!”

Chapter 3

George and Betty hurried down the front walkway and Collin, who was watching his parents through the large bay window, smiled when he witnessed his father open Betty’s door for her. Such a sweet gesture, he thought, reminding himself to do that with Morgan later on. Once Betty was in the car, George walked around to the driver’s side and closed his own door. Then they just sat there in the driveway, not going anywhere.

Collin yawned and peered out, wondering why they hadn’t moved. He could see them in the car, looking at each other and talking, but the car hadn’t even started up. It was strange that his mother was allowing them to simply sit there after she’d been in such a hurry before.

All of a sudden George and Betty bolted out of the vehicle and raced back to the house. Collin nearly laughed out loud at how entertaining all this was, but restrained himself to a low chuckle. The front door smashed open and slammed into the wall, making so much noise Collin thought it could have been mistaken for the police knocking down the front door during a raid.

“
Collin! Collin!” Betty yelled shrilly.

She was panting as if she had just finished her first marathon. Collin frowned, feeling a flicker of concern over his mother. It was completely out of the ordinary for Betty to lose her composure, and her anxiety at that moment had certainly risen to a new level. George kept a close, fast pace behind his wife, almost bumping into her when she stopped short.

“
Our car won’t start!” she said. “Can we borrow your car?”

George appeared to be a little nervous, too, which was unusual. Collin could see him fidgeting in his pockets; he appeared noticeably uneasy.

“
Yes, of course,” Collin quickly replied, handing his father the keys. “But how will I get to Joey’s graduation?”

Betty spun around to face George, and anyone could have heard a pin drop in the midst of the silence that suddenly filled the front hall. If looks could actually kill, Collin mused to himself. The entire scene was so unexpected and comedic that Collin wanted to laugh. He didn’t, though. It didn’t look like anyone else would think it was funny.

“
Call Triple A,” George muttered. “The number is in the phone book. I was planning to get a new battery this week, but I never got around to actually doing it.”

George kept his eyes on Collin, out of the range of Betty’s piercing glare. Even so, Collin could swear he saw a hint of a nervous grin showing at the corner of his dad’s mouth.

He will never hear the end of this, Collin thought to himself. He still fought the urge to laugh, but knew that if he gave in to the mirth he would have to endure his mom’s wrath for many days to come.

George’s expression changed very subtly when he caught a glimpse of Collin laughing under his breath. At first he started to flush with embarrassment, but before long he apparently saw the humor in the situation. George started to giggle, then quickly covered the sound with a loud cough. He thumped his chest with his fist for added effect.

It was easy for Collin to envision his dad listening to his mom’s uninterrupted complaints all the way to graduation. He was so relieved that it was his father on the end of his mother’s fury, not him or Joey. It made Collin even happier that he wasn’t going to the graduation with them.

Oh, how fun this week was going to be, Collin thought, feeling only slightly sorry for his dad. His dad didn’t make too many mistakes, usually, so he fully intended to play this one to the hilt. Teasing his father about this was going to provide great entertainment for awhile. He thought it might be that much more hysterical if he actually went to the auto parts store and picked up a battery himself, instead of calling Triple A. Yes, he decided. That’s what he would do. He had time. By doing that, he would gain brownie points with his mom. Then he’d be able to sit back and watch his dad’s expression while his mom raved about how wonderful Collin had gone out specifically to buy the battery.

It’s not like George had a job or was working forty plus hours a week. He’d had more than enough time to have their car battery replaced. He was just too busy with his endless list of projects. Betty, on the other hand, kept busy with her lists, enjoying the whole process of planning events. Although it was only the middle of May, Betty’s mind was already thinking of Christmas. She was constantly making notes of things that needed to be done, and what needed to be purchased. She searched the internet looking for good deals, always telling the others, “To get a good bargain, you should buy certain items during a certain time of the year.” To prove her point, every year Betty bought Christmas wrapping paper after Christmas, usually at fifty to seventy-five per cent off.

“
Don’t worry about a thing, Mom,” Collin told her, giving her a friendly wink. “I’ll look after this and see you both at the graduation.”

“
Thanks, son. You’re a star!” Betty said, smiling. She kissed Collin on the cheek and patted his arm as if he were a young boy. “Now don’t forget to take your nap. And make sure you remember to set your alarm so you’re not late.” She kissed him again then ushered George once more toward the front door.

“
We love you! See you there!” Betty called back over her shoulder.

Collin just smiled, then yawned again, stretching his arms up high so that he nearly touched the ceiling. A nap. That sounded perfect. He could definitely use some shut eye after the late night. He strolled towards the back door, headed for the dock. He had time to lie down before he was due at the ceremony.

At the exact moment in which Collin grabbed the handle and began to open the back door, the world exploded. The house rocked and the front windows smashed in, fragments shooting like knife-edged bullets down the hall and through the kitchen. Metal clanged against the roof and the walls and car alarms went off. Picture frames blew off the wall, and one of Betty’s favorite lamps fell and shattered.

The impact of the blow threw Collin onto the floor, and he covered his head, seized by terror. Metal clanged, hammering the roof and the outside of the house. Car alarms sounded outside and the screams of terrified neighbors filled the street.

Chapter 4

Joey didn’t find out until after graduation. He had waited among his friends and other graduating seniors, standing with their parents for at least a full hour after graduation. Several times he had tried to call his parents and Collin, and he had even sent text messages. None of them were answered.

In the end, Joey gave up searching through the huge crowd. The light mist that had hung over them all day was giving him a chill and making him even more miserable. They hadn’t come. He’d hunted, but never found them, and didn’t expect to find them now. Knowing his mother, if his parents had been there, they would have been in the front row, cheering him on. Now that evening was closing in, Joey decided to drive home.

This was really strange, their not being there. They had been talking about it for over a month now. His mom had even bought a new dress for the occasion. Very strange. Something important must have come up.

His mom would be upset because she hadn’t been able to take any photos. She loved her scrapbooks. At least some of his friends had taken a few group shots, and he knew he’d appeared in some of those. He would ask his friends to email him some copies for his parents. It would be better than not having any at all, he thought.

Joey turned onto his street, but was forced to pull over. A policeman in a yellow raincoat was directing traffic, informing drivers that the road was closed.

Joey muttered something about it being his street and parked by the sidewalk. He got out of his car without bothering to either turn off the engine or close the door behind him. All his focus was on the horrifying scene before him. Red lights lit the early evening, bouncing from a slew of police cars and fire engines, hitting neighborhood houses, reflecting off windows and sparkling on the rain-dampened road. Yellow tape ordering bystanders “Do Not Cross” was strung along and across the road. Water hoses sprawled in a tangled mess.

Two ambulances were parked outside his home, their doors wide open. Except they weren’t ambulances. Their side panels read: “Monroe County Coroner”.

Joey headed towards the main hub of activity, moving more urgently as he realized everything seemed to convene in front of his house. The air around Joey’s head felt funny, as if it buzzed - though that might just have been in his mind. He shook uncontrollably, feeling sick to his stomach.

Something bad had happened here. Something awful. Something life changing.

A local news van was parked in the middle of the street, within reach of a reporter who was talking to a camera. A crowd of neighbors gathered close in the surrounding yards, talking amongst each other, some crying openly.

In the blur of faces, Joey didn’t recognize anyone. He looked around, searching for any kind of answer and his gaze fell upon the burned car in his family’s driveway, still smoking.

“
Oh my God,” he whispered.

Then he saw Collin. He was on his knees, rolled into a ball in the neighbor’s yard. Both of his hands covered his face and he sobbed helplessly through them, loud enough that everyone could hear. “Oh God!” he wept, saying it over and over.

Joey raced to his brother and skidded on his knees in the wet grass, stopping in front of Collin. “What’s going on, Collin? What happened?” He grabbed Collin’s shoulders and shook him, but Collin stayed hunched over, crying, unable to answer any of Joey’s questions.

Joey shook him harder, unable to stop the tears that came to his eyes as well. “Collin! What happened? Collin! For God’s sake, say something! Where are Mom and Dad?” Joey screamed.