Looking for Heaven

Part One: Chapter One

The Riggs family lived in a modest little two story house on a modest little street. It was painted a pleasant cream colour, with grey window sills, which was a rather pleasing combination. There was a typical wooden fence around the property that was painted an earthy brown and this was lined with neatly tenanted flower beds. There was a straight gravel path that led to a white front door with a sunburst design window in the top half.

All in all, the combined effect was one of a perfectly ordinary family living a perfectly ordinary life. And by all means they were an ordinary family. Two parents, a daughter and a younger son. The daughter – Susan – was some years older than her brother – Justin – and lived in another town a fair distance away.

Justin was in school and though not a straight-A student, did not have many difficulties in school. He did struggle a bit with maths, but honestly, doesn't everyone? Justin was a quiet 17 year old and preferred the company of a small group of friends to a large gathering. Not all that social, he occasionally went out with a few people or to someone's house, but mostly interacted with friends at school or on the phone. He dreamed of being successful, making a mark, getting a car, having a relationship, et cetera. A normal, average teenager.

Of course outer appearances can be deceiving, but for many years, what you saw with Justin was what you got. If he did have any secrets or troubles inside, he kept them safely hidden from everyone around him. But even the strongest safe will begin to weaken and crack, if left to the world.

Justin's mother Hazel sensed that there was something bothering him when she got a short phone call. It was a Tuesday afternoon and she was throwing old magazines and newspapers in the recycling bin when she faintly heard her phone ringing from inside. She slammed the bin lid shut and ran in.

She grabbed the phone off the draining board of the sink just as it stopped ringing. She checked the caller ID, it was Justin. She looked at the clock – school would be out around now. She rang the number back and held the phone to her ear. It rang once, twice, three times, four... finally there was connecting click on the line.

There was a second of silence. "Justin?"she said.

"Yeah, I'm here," came the reply. His voice was quiet.

"Were you ringing me?" she asked.

"Yeah," he answered. "I missed the bus. Can you pick me up?"

She ran her hand through her hair. "Yeah sure. I'll be there in a few minutes."

"Thanks," said Justin and before she could say anything he had hung up.

She was a bit disconcerted by this exchange. There was something in his voice that she didn't like, almost a trembling sound. He was obviously uncomfortable. Hazel pulled a coat over herself and grabbed her car keys from the bowl on the window sill. As she went out the front door she called down to Monty, who was in the office answering emails (they both were employed in a small local company that supplied mechanical parts. That was how they met in the first place), that she was picking Justin up. He answered with an absentminded "Okay. See you then."

The school was about a fifteen minute drive away, but luckily there was little traffic, so it took her no more than ten. It was a very bright day, but the air was bracingly cold, enough to send a shiver down someone's spine. She pulled up in front of the school. Justin was leaning against the front fence, one headphone in, eyes looking at his hand, which he opening and closing repeatedly. He was so engrossed in this act – like he was studying it – that he didn't notice her for a second. She flashed the headlights at him and he looked up. With barely a change in expression he flung his bag over his shoulder and got into the car.

She pulled out and started driving before she said anything. "How are you?"

"Grand."

"Why did you miss the bus?"

"There were too many people blocking the lockers," he said slowly. "I couldn't get my books."

"I see," she said nodding her head. The lights were red and the car pulled to a stop. She drummed her fingers on the steering wheel and clicked her tongue. Oh God she thought, stopping herself. What a cliché thing to do.

"Any news?" she asked breaking the silence.

"Not really.

"Did Miss Mose have her baby yet?" Miss Mose was recently married and was technically Mrs Crawford, but everyone still called her Miss Mose.

"I don't think so."

"She was surely due before now."

"I wouldn't know."

He was quiet again. Too quiet. For the rest of the car journey neither of them spoke a word (apart from a brief shout by Hazel at someone who cut her off). She pulled the car in and before she had even taken off her seatbelt Justin had jumped out and made a fast entrance into the house. By the time she got inside, he had hidden himself in his room.

This wasn't right.