Finding Fates Way

Chapter Two

As she was leaving, I put the money into the cash register. That was the first payment all week so that's pretty much all our cashier consisted of. I was surprised that the pharmacy hadn't gone out of business yet like most places had. No one around here has any money to afford anything and the occasional people who do buy things have to save up for a long while to get them. Several hours passed and my shift had finally come to an end.
"Alright Jason, I'm off!" I called as I hung up my apron.
"Hazel, thank you so much! Let me just grab your weeks pay!" Jason replied as he approached the cash register, pulling out five dollars. "Here you go Hazel, and thanks again for coming in today! Make sure you say hi to May for me!"

"You're welcome Jason, and I certainly will. Thank you!" Tucking the five dollars in the pocket of my coat, I left the store and headed for Mays school to walk her home. The school was buzzing with energy and excitement as the school day and week came to a close.

After the rush of kids had exited the doors of the school, May came last, happily skipping. "Hazel!" May called, running to my side and hugging me.
"Hey May! How was school?" I asked hugging her back.

"It was good! Can we open the letter from mum and dad when we get home?"
"Of course." I smiled. "But first, we have a few stops to make!" I continued.

I'd managed to go most if the day without thinking of Lincoln and now looking back, every minute that had past had been torturous. "First stop, the bakery!" I exclaimed as May and I entered the shop. "Hello Hazel. Hello May! How are we today?" Mrs Cripps asked with her golden and comforting smile. "I'm good thank you." I replied smiling back.

"I'm good too!" May began "I'm so glad it's Friday!" She finished as Mrs Cripps listened attentively. "So Hazel, what will it be today?" Mrs Cripps queried. May was staring at the pink frosted cupcakes that looked like roses that bloomed in the springtime near the border of Urica. "A loaf of bread and two of those pink cupcakes, please." I replied watching May's face light up in excitement. "That will be two dollars please!" Mrs Cripps said as I handed her the money and took my food. "Thank you!" I called before leaving the bakery.

"Anytime girls! Stay safe!" The walk home went by in a blur. May was constantly expressing her excitement about not only the cupcake but getting to read the letter from mum and dad too. I was excited as well. As I unlocked the front door and found my way inside, I grabbed the letter from the kitchen and placed the cupcakes on a silver tray which we use only for special occasions and I bought them all out to the living room where May was waiting eagerly.

"Here we go!" I said as I placed the tray on top of the coffee table in front of our old couch. May grabbed her cupcake and I grabbed mine. We both took a bite and let the flavor of the cupcake savor within our mouths.

Once we were half way through our cakes, I picked up the letter and looked at May for approval of opening it. She nodded once and I flipped the envelope so the back of it was showing. I carefully ripped it apart and pulled out and opened the stained brown paper which was inside and read it aloud.

"Dearest Hazel and Sweet May,
Your father and I hope you are well and are doing good. It's truly beautiful where we are, you both would like it very much. Urica is full of all magnificent things and you wouldn't believe how much people have! I found you both something I think you will enjoy. I don't know when you will get this letter but we will be home on Sunday with some VERY extravagant news that will take you Hazel, mostly by surprise. I'd love to write more but because we're here for business reasons only, we have certain things we have to abide by. I'll see you on Sunday my gorgeous girls.
Love from Mum and Dad xx"

I placed the letter onto the table and let the words sink in. I couldn't wait until their arrival on Sunday, but something tells me that the surprise I'm getting, isn't a good kind of surprise. "I wonder what they got us!" May exhaled with a large grin on her face.

"I'm sure it's something lovely!" I replied finishing off my cupcake. I don't know why, but something about the return of our parents is making me feel unwell and nervous. "Why don't you go wash up May, and I'll get dinner started!" I suggested, trying to change the subject. She smiled and nodded before heading to the bathroom to clean. Heading back into the kitchen, I grabbed the bread and any other food I could find lying around in the fridge and pantry. Taking a quarter of a cooked chicken, the bread and a large tomato, I cut them all up and made a sandwich for May and myself.

It wasn't much but it was better than nothing at all so we sat there at the kitchen table eating the very little of what we had. After dinner and after I tucked May into bed, I once again grabbed my shoes and coat and left the house, ever so quietly to meet Lincoln at the same place that I met him yesterday.

Being a Friday night, all of the houses were oddly silent and dark as I approached the wall of vines. Once climbing over, I heard a loud, desperate scream for help. I could tell it was male by the pitch of the voice.

Then it hit me. The only person I know who is out this late at night would be Lincoln. "Lincoln!" I called, not bothering if I got heard or caught by the patrols. Not wasting a second, I sprinted forward and turned a sharp left to the clearing where we were yesterday, only to see Lincoln getting dragged away in the opposite side of the meadow by three large men. There was a gash on his forehead that was dripping blood all over his tanned face, and his white shirt was now stained red from a different cut somewhere on his torso. "Lincoln!" I cried again running to his side.
"Hazel, no! They'll get you too!" He replied urging me to stay back. But it was too late. One of the three men had released his grasp on Lincoln and started making his way towards me. For a moment I was frozen.

This is it. I thought to myself as I just stood there watching the man coming for me, his black baton raised above his head, ready to aim. "Hazel, RUN!" Lincoln snapped me out of my frozen state and I abruptly turned and began to head back the way I came. "Get back here!" The buff man called as I passed the vines managing not to trip this time. Instead of taking my usual route down Brue Lane, I cut across to Trune Street. Although I was much more exposed along there, it would get me home more quickly. And so it did.

Quietly closing the door behind me, I took off my boots and jumbled into bed beside May. Listening carefully for any movement outside, I heard footsteps and heavy breathing of not one, but four patrol officers. He must have called for backup.

Of course he would have! I mentally cursed myself. "She was just running up here a moment ago, and now I've lost her!" The first guy to chase me stated.
"Well did you get a good look of her?" Another asked.
"It's dark! All I saw was her brown hair and that's it!" He replied.

Thankfully he hadn't seen more or he'd go door knocking to find the person who broke curfew. "Well the other kid's gone to the lock-up, we can ask him questions if he ever wakes up." I heard all four of them laugh. So Lincoln's been knocked out and they're here laughing about it? This messed up government makes my bones fill with fury.

After many agonizing minutes past, I eventually fell into a deep slumber, dreaming of a future with Lincoln in a completely normal world.