Road to Clover (The Breanna Raven Series) (4 page)

“Just do as I say for right now. I’ll be right back. Lock your door. Keep your radio on. If there’s any problem, which I seriously doubt there will be, call me instantly. Same frequency as my dad’s. I don’t care who those people are. Just call me if you have any problems.”

“
Hold up. Let me give you a key.” I step back inside the house and grab the extra one off the hook on the wall. I toss it to him and ask, “How long will you be? It’s dark in this house. I don’t want to be here alone.”

He stops halfway down the sidewalk and looks at me
like I’ve lost my mind. He asks, “Don’t you have a flashlight? I know your parents keep one somewhere in the house.”

Well, don’t I feel stupid all over again. There are two flashlights in the utility drawer in the kitchen
from what I can remember. I go back inside, close and lock the door.

I still wanted
him to tell me the plan before he left, but I have to settle on waiting. I go directly to the utility drawer and find the flashlights. I also find a wallet size picture of my family. I glance at it quickly and put it back. I have to get ready to go. I turn on one flashlight, and it’s dull. The other one is bright. Of course, I go with the brightest one. I make my way up the stairs to my room.

All of a sudden, I begin to feel melancholy. My parents are not home.
Chloe is not home. By this time, dinner would be over. The dishes would be in the dishwasher. My dad would be in his office on the other side of the great room reading through his notebooks. My mom would be getting Chloe ready for bed. Of course, Miss Kiki would be overseeing my mom making sure she’s properly taking care of Chloe. My night would end with me going to bed and barely saying goodnight to my parents, and I’d lock myself in my room. Now, I wish I can say goodnight to them all. I truly miss them, and they haven’t even been gone a day.

Thinking about
them also makes me proud to be in the family. My parents are super smart and highly achieved professionals. My sister is pretty smart, too. She learned how to spell her name early, and she’d been able to recite the Periodic Table and say what most of the symbols mean since she was five years old. That’s my dad’s doing. I guess having parents of overachievers have rubbed off on Chloe.

My mom is a veterinarian. Her
name is Dr. Elizabeth Deanna Raven DVM, PhD. She has the biggest practice in Titan City, and she absolutely loves animals. If she could, she’d buy a farm and fill it to the rim with every animal she can think of. I’m glad we don’t live like that. Not that it’s bad, but animals really don’t take to me. Miss Kiki is proof of that.

My mom has short
jet black hair. She’s short with a thin frame, but she’s taller than me. She has gorgeous blue eyes. They twinkle when she gets really mad. She is a classy lady, too, and she expects no less from me and Chloe. But I’m on a different level of expectation from my sister. My mom has learned to accept me as I am. I’ll act like a lady, but that doesn’t mean I’m wearing tiaras and acting like a princess all day long. I’m not putting on make-up and dressing the part of a prima donna. That’s the only battle I’ve won when it comes to her rules.

My dad’s name is Adalbert Raven
, and he’s a professor at Monroe University located on the far eastern part of Titan City. He has a PhD in Biochemistry. I have never asked him about his work simply because it’s beyond my understanding. He has red hair, a wide face, and a dimple in the middle of his chin. He’s tall, lean, but he’s out of shape.

He
really loves my mom. I can tell whenever he stares at her from across the dinner table. I believe he’ll jump into a blazing fire, swim the biggest ocean, and walk across the clouds for her. My mom knows it, too.

My dad is a funny guy. He doesn’t mean to be. It’s just how he is
. He does quirky things that seem normal to him, but it’s hilarious. One thing that happens every Sunday is that my dad irons five pair of pants for the rest of the work week while wearing silly boxer shorts. The fabric will have pens with smiley faces, different shapes and sizes of eyeglasses, cars with white smoke behind them, or windows. Windows upside down, right side up, and sideways. I don’t even ask why he wears those kinds of shorts openly, but Chloe always have something to say about it…always.

“
Dad, I didn’t know your butt needed eyeglasses?”

“
Very funny, Chloe,” he’d comment with disapproval. He never had a solid comeback, but it took every atom in his body not to laugh. Mom and I would be in tears and unable to breathe because the baby of the family outwitted him.

Another time
my dad decided to wear blue shorts with yellow footprints, and Chloe asked him, “Dad, why do you let people walk all over you?”

He was
confused by her question. “What do you mean? I don’t let anyone walk all over me.”

“Well, you let them walk all over your shorts.”

I had to leave the room. I was done, and the fact that my sister was so serious about the question, made it even more comical.

It’s those
moments that made Chloe and my dad so much fun to be around, but for some reason, I feel like I won’t get them back, like there are no more opportunities for laughter. I have to find Chloe and my parents. They can’t be gone forever, not like this.

I go to my room. The flashlight is in my hand, and I’m going through each article of clothing
in my closet. There are dresses with tags on them and old Halloween costumes dating back 6 years ago. I don’t know why I even bother looking in the closet. There’s nothing I ever wear in there on a good day. The top drawer of my dresser is open, and I pull out two pair of wrinkled sweat pants and two shirts. A week’s worth of anklet socks and underwear can’t be too heavy. I throw in deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, and toilet paper from the bathroom. Seriously, I can’t forget the toilet paper. A hand towel and soap are necessary commodities, too. I put everything in the backpack I used my junior year in high school, and shoulder it to test the weight. It’s not a burden at all. Darn, I almost forgot. I still have to pack food, as well.

Trying to figure out how much and
what kind of foods to take are tough, but wondering where we’re going to get food if we run out is a bigger worry. I’m not a huge eater, but I don’t want to starve, either.

Inside of the pantry are canned vegetables and beans, dried noodles, health bars, packaged cream cakes, and two huge boxes of individual bags of chips.
I find packets of juices in the pantry, as well. I put a little of everything in the backpack, except for the canned vegetables and beans. I zip it up and hoist on my back to test out how it feels. Not too heavy and not too bulky. I can probably walk a long time before it starts bothering me.

I hear the
key in the lock and the front door opening. Agni calls out to let me know it’s only him. To my surprise, he’s brought a friend with him. King comes galloping into the kitchen, and he sits like a gentleman and offers his paw. I smile at him and greet him with a handshake. Miss Kiki runs in, as well, and I’m not sure if King will be friendly to her. He simply looks down at her and licks the top of her head where her red bow is fastened. She stands on her hind legs and dances around. She is such a show off.

Agni is out of breath as he sets his backpack on the kitchen table. He remarks, “I have four bottles of water.
When we’re done with them, we can save the bottles and refill them. Did you know there isn’t running water?”

“No, I haven’t checked. We’re really cut off, aren’t we?”

“Yeah, pretty much. Anyway, I got cheese and crackers, peanut butter and crackers, and some other snacks. Are you completely packed?”

“I think I have everything I need. So, there’s one thing
you haven’t told me.” I sit down beside him at the table.

Agni is
staring at me with confusion.

“What is
your plan to find my sister and your dad?”

Agni ex
plains what he wants to do. It sounds like a great plan, but it takes us out of our way. We have to do this, though. It’s probably our only way off the island.

The more we talk about the possibilities and the what-ifs, I
become more nervous, but it’s not going to stop me from what I want. That’s all I know for sure is that if we stay in the cove, I’ll never see Chloe again. Something in my gut tells me this must be done. I’m going to do all I can to get to Chloe. That’s all there is to it.

With all that in mind, Agni suggests we get some rest. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow, and he wants to set out first thing in the morning.
I retire on the big sofa, and Agni takes on the loveseat. That uncertain tomorrow weighs heavy on our minds, and we both discover sleep isn’t so easy to come by. I can only hope we’re ready for what’s to come.

The chimes on my mother’s grandfather clock are singing the
7:00 a.m. hour, and the dogs are outside barking. I guess sleep is out of the question now that I’m awake. Why are they all up so early? I bet Agni is outside playing with them. I can understand why. He wants everything to be normal again. He wants some kind of happiness in all this uncertainty, and I can’t say I blame him.

My bladder is
screaming mad, and I’m not so sure if I’m going to make it as I’m running to the nearest bathroom in the hallway. When I finish, I suddenly remember what Agni said last night. There’s no running water. Oh well, I’m leaving today. So, it really doesn’t matter. I drag to the kitchen to search in Agni’s backpack. He has wipes, and I can at least clean my hands. I already miss having clean running water.

The
barking dogs bring me back to reality. The sliding door is open, and Agni is outside with them. I go to the edge of the deck, and I see King waiting for Agni to throw a stick. Miss Kiki is standing with her front paw on Agni’s leg, and her tail is wagging. Those dogs are so lucky. Miss Kiki and King are oblivious to the fact that the world is different, and I wish I could be that way. It’s too painful to think of what might have happened to Chloe and my parents.

Agni turns
and yells, “Morning, Breanna!”

I smile and wave
at him.

King sees me, and he takes off running. He barrels up the steps in no time flat
. He sits down right beside me, and I rub behind his ears and on top of his head. His breathe is hot and stinky, but it doesn’t stop me from saying hello to him. He barks and runs back down the steps. I rush right behind him.

On the surface, I feel okay
today. The sky is clear. There’s no whistling of bombs and no loud explosions. It feels almost normal, but that nagging feeling in my heart tells me everything is far from normal.

“How
well did you sleep last night, Agni?” I ask as I take the stick from him.

“Not too good, but you were out like a light.”

“I guess I was tired. Yesterday was a long day.”

“Y
esterday was a crazy day.” He adds.

“So, what time do you want to leave
?” I ask as I make a feeble attempt at throwing the stick. King gallops playful over to it.

“I’m not sure if we should. There were more bombings last night.” Agni reveals. “You slept right through it.”

“Were they here on the island? How long did it last?”

“Until like 3:00 a.m. or so, but they weren’t on the island. I heard
on the radio that Washington DC was taken. They’ve bombed New York City so bad to the point where most of it is inaccessible. Mexico City, Rome, Hong Kong, and other cities around the world are destroyed or close to it.”

“Have they said who they are?”

“No, I only heard individual call signs. Nothing to indicate who they are. I don’t think it’s a good idea for us to leave.”

“
I’m still going, Agni. I have to find Chloe. Don’t you want to see your dad again?”

“I do
, but it may be too dangerous, Breanna.”

I know how he feels. I’m afraid to leave, too, but my greatest fear above anything else is not seeing my sister again.

“Agni, you know why I want to leave.”

He
stares at me, and I can see clear concern in his eyes. I hate to think that I’m forcing his hand, but I have no choice in the matter. Too much is at stake, and waiting is absolutely out of the question. There is no other way.

We all go back into the house, and we put on our backpacks. I adjust the straps to make sure the weight isn’t heavy.

“Have the dogs eaten?” I ask as I look down at Miss Kiki who is dancing around my feet.

“
Yeah, I fed them,” Agni answers.

He opens his arms for
Miss Kiki, and she happily jumps to his chest. King tries to mimic her and attempts to jump in my arms. That dog is bigger and stronger than I am, and he knocks me right off my feet. He immediately starts licking my face and my hair. Of course, Agni is laughing. It is kind of funny, but I’m trying to be serious as I’m trying to get the behemoth away from me. After I’m back on my feet, I pet his huge head. I can’t even get mad at him. Silly dog, anyways.

As we’re preparing to leave, my heart is racing. My life is in this house. There are so many memories, and I wonder if there’ll be more. I really don’t want to
leave because it feel like I’m abandoning a huge part of my life, but I know I have to. The house is an empty shell as long as my family is not here.

I have one last thing to do before I
officially leave. I take off the top sheet of paper from my mother’s floral writing pad that she keeps on the console in the hallway next to the bathroom, and I write down instructions just in case my parents get home before I do. On the note I tell them that Agni and I will turn on our radios every three hours for ten minutes starting at 9:00 a.m. today. I let them know the channel to use to contact us, as well. My last written words are for them to be safe and that I love them very much. I get all choked up, but I manage to swallow the lump and hold back my tears. I leave one of the radios right beside the note, and I make sure it’s turned off. Hopefully, the battery will work if they return before I do. With that done, I meet Agni, King, and Miss Kiki on the front porch. I lock up the house, and I give the key to Agni so he can put it in my backpack for me.

I
remind him, “Agni, we need to go over to your house and get the other radio.”

“We’re good to go. I went over there while you were asleep
and got the other one.”

“Did you write your dad a note, too?” I ask him.

“Yep, I got that done, too.”

“I guess we’re all set then.”

“I guess so.”

Without looking back, Agni and I
start walking down Rose Court together. The dogs are at our side. The streets are so eerily quiet. Usually this time of morning, there are people getting into their vehicles and going to work. Buses would be going through the neighborhood picking up kids. It’s like the cove has stopped existing.

I shake those thoughts out of my head. Honestly, it’s too depressing.
We take the path down the middle of the road. I have all kinds of emotions going through my mind. I’m scared. I’m happy. I’m excited. I want to cry. I can just go on and on. I wonder how Agni’s feeling. He looks like he’s really scared, but that’s all I can read from him. He’s looking straight ahead, like he’s trying to avoid eye contact. He wants to stay. I feel like I’m making him go. I don’t want him to be resentful towards me later if something goes wrong.

I ask with concern,
“Are you okay, Agni?”

“I’m okay.”

“Are you sure? Because you don’t have to do this. I understand if you want to stay. I can go by myself.”

“There’s no way I’m going to let you go off by yourself
, Breanna.”

“But you
are so unsure about this.”

“
Yeah, I know, but I’m going to do it, anyway. I want to see my dad again, and I don’t think I will if I stay here.”

When we get to the entrance of the cove, we notice the cars are still blocking the way out
. There wasn’t an explosion after all, but I can still smell gas. As we approach the gate, we hear someone calling Agni’s name. We turn and see Jessica Fox jogging our way. Wonderful, what did she want?

“
Where are you two going?” She asks breathlessly.

“
Why are you asking?” Agni says with clear annoyance.

“
I’m just wondering, that’s all.” She seems uneasy, unable to stand still.

I
answer, “It’s none of your business.”

“
You can lose the sour attitude, Breanna.”

Agni
asks, “Jessica, why all of a sudden are you so concerned about what we’re doing now?”

Under normal circumstances,
Jessica would ignore me and Agni, like we were the plague, and if Jessica did say something to us, ten times out of ten she was being a real pain in the butt. Simply because everything around us has changed doesn’t mean we’re new found friends.

She remarks,
“The homeowners’ association is getting ready to send out notifications.”

We say nothing to
her.

She
continues, “You might as well just go back home.”

Agni and I are
staring, still with nothing to say.

“
There’s a meeting later this morning, and you have to stick around for it.”

“What meeting?” Agni asks.
I hate it that he broke the silence, but he’s always curious. Anything worth knowing, he’s going to ask about it for sure.

“
The homeowners’ association is giving the meeting at the clubhouse, and everyone in the cove is required to be there.”

“What’s the meeting about?” Agni asks.

“A lot of people didn’t make it home. So, the board members are trying to spread out duties.”

Now I’m curious. So,
I ask, “What kind of duties?”

“Well, for one, we need to get the cars moved out of the way
from the front gate here. Every single house needs to be searched for anyone that’s hurt or dead. The elderly must be checked on. We might have to send people out for food and medicine. There’s a lot that needs to be done, and we need all the help we can get.”

“We’re not staying
.” Agni responds.

“The board members won’t like it. You have to do your part.”

“The board members are not our parents, and we don’t have to do anything they say.” I remark.

Since when does
Jessica have a sense of civic duty? She only cares about cosmetics, and how many boys she can get to pay attention to her. She must be kissing someone’s butt to show what a great person she is, but she’s a phony.

I don’t know about Agni, but I’m done talking to
her. She’s trying to boss us around, and I’m not having it. I start climbing over the mangled mess of cars. Agni grabs Miss Kiki, and he’s right with me. King leaps over like there’s nothing to it. The day I see Jessica Fox again will be too soon.

She’s yelling at us to come back, and I yell back at her, “Go away!”

She huffs and sets off to where she came from. Good riddance!

As I’m about to start walking, t
he sight outside of the cove takes my breath away. I stop right in my tracks. I’d forgotten that people were run over yesterday. The resulting carnage is absolutely horrific. Some have their heads crushed or split open. I can see tire tracks on bodies and clothing, and the blood has stained the grass crimson. The smell is nasty, and the bugs are all over the place. The worst part is that there are bodies up and down the grass on our side of the road as far as the eye can see. I’m about to lose my stomach. I’m so glad I didn’t eat before we left.

Agni is the only one that’s thinking clearly between the two of us. He makes King sit, and he
hooks the leash on his collar. He gently places Miss Kiki down on the ground, and she instantly starts whining. She doesn’t like the dead bodies, either. He hooks the leash on her, as well.

“We’ll walk
in the middle of the road.” He says as he takes my hand.

We
head for the middle of the road in between the cars. I can still see some dead bodies but not as many. At least, I can hold my head down and pretend like none of it exists.

We’re silent as we head west
on Calla Lily Road. There are cars still lined up bumper to bumper for miles. Some are crashed into one another, and no one is in them. We even find a few with the motor still running. With dead people on both sides of the road, we decide taking a vehicle is out of the question. I can’t stomach driving over dead people. It’s not right and disrespectful, and Agni totally agrees with me.

Calla Lily Road goes a few miles to the east before reaching what once was the Olympus Bridge, and it goes west on the island ending at Sun Drop Highway in
Allium Center, our first destination. Sun Drop Highway is the only main thoroughfare to the two major towns on the island. The first town is called Perennial Lock, and it’s on the northern tip. The second town is called Penny Valley, and it’s in the most southern part. If I can describe how big Watermeal Island is I’d say it’s an hour or more when driving from north to south, and it’s not that wide. An uninhabited barrier island and the Gulf of Mexico are to the west.

We get about half a mile down the road when we hear an unfamiliar nose. It’s far away, but it’s getting closer. I look back
at the congested road from where we came from, and there’s no one. There’s no source to the sound at all.

I’m glued
to one spot, and I gaze up at the sky. In the distance flying objects appear. They look like mosquitos, but they’re really helicopters. Five of them are flying side by side, and they’re coming in fast. At first, I’m certain they’re going to start shooting like I’ve seen in action movies. My mind is telling me the bullets from the automatic weapons will start sparking up the asphalt towards us, and we need to run for our lives. People in the movies running from gunfire like that always make it. I finally realize there is no gunfire, but there is something coming out of the helicopter. It’s yellow, and there’s a lot of it sailing in the air like falling leaves in autumn. The helicopters finally fly over us, and hundreds of sheets of yellow paper are raining down. It’s crazy. Miss Kiki picks up one, and she commences to shredding it to pieces. I take one that is stuck to a windshield, and Agni and I read it together.