OO-RAH!

Chapter 1

As I was gazing at the Taylor's wheat farm blowing in the June breeze, a black car suddenly pulled up to the front of the Taylor's house. I then see Mrs. Taylor running out of her front door at the as two men got out of the black car. Both men are dressed in camouflage uniforms with the sleeves rolled up past their elbows. I couldn't make out their faces, but clearly they were in the military. Mrs. Taylor went straight for the man that got out of the passenger side of the car and hugged with all her strength. The man lifted Mrs. Taylor up of the ground as he hugged back. Just then, Mr. Taylor came galloping out of the house and walked straight for the same man that his wife was hugged. The man set Mrs. Taylor back on the ground and went straight for a hug and a pat on the back from Mr. Taylor. The man that was driving the car was greeted, hugged and his hand shaken immediately afterwards.

As I watched this apparently heartwarming scene at the Taylor's unfold, i was curious to hear what they were saying. I grabbed the dish rag that was hanging on the wall and walked back outside to the front porch, where Daisy was still arguing on the phone. I walked to the left side of the porch and leaned against the post with the dish rag over my shoulder.

"What do you think they're talking about?" I asked Daisy. I didn't get an answer, so I looked back to see her frowning as she yelled something that didn't make sense to me to Jeff on the phone. I just rolled my eyes at her and looked back over to the Taylor's. The man that was driving was giving everyone one last hug and wave goodbye as he got back into the car and pulled out of the drive way and driving down the road. The other many, however, was guided back in to the house with Mr. and Mrs. Taylor on either side of him. I took that as my cue to continue minding my own business and make my damn dinner. "Daisy." I say as I turn toward my sister. I was acknowledged this time, but not with words. I was, once again, given her index finger to my face. "What do you want for dinner?" I try and ask her again.

"I don't care, just shut and leave me alone," Daisy whisper-shouts at me. She went back to her argument and went back inside. If she didn't care to give me a real answer, then I was going to make something that had carbs, protein, sugar and fat all wrapped in to one meal: Bacon Cheeseburgers. I grabbed the ground beef and bacon from the fridge once I got back in to the kitchen. I seasoned the beef and got the pan ready for the back. I was elbow deep in burger meat and seasonings when the house phone started ringing. I figured it was just another lady from church, so I just let it ring. The phone finally stopped ringing after ten rings. Whoever it was calling wasn't giving up. I started to shape the burgers when the phone started ringing again, and at that point I knew exactly who it was: Mrs. Taylor. Mrs. Taylor always called a second time immediately after the first attempt to call someone, and her reason for doing so always changed with every phone call.

"Did you get my letter?", "Are you hungry?", "Do you know the name of that one actor in that one movie?" I loved that woman to death, but sometimes I wish she never owned a telephone in her home. I quickly rinsed off and dried my right hand and answered the phone.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Hello? Hayden? Yes, I need you to come over right away!" she tells me. The tone of her voice makes it sound like there was an emergency.

"Is everything alright?" I ask. No answer. "Mrs. Taylor? Hello?" but she hand already hung up the phone. Not knowing what to do I rinse and dry my other hand quickly and race to the door. I grab my boots as I get outside, struggling to hurry up and put them on.

"Daisy, I need you to do me a favor and watch the food in the kitchen. I need to go over to the Taylor's really quick. I think something is wrong." I instruct my sister, totally disregarding the fact she probably didn't hear me over Jeff yelling. As soon as my boots were on I took off jogging down the path that lead from my house to the Taylor's trying to rationalize that it wasn't a big deal, it was nothing to worry about.