Illinois, the sign reads as we pass into the border. It looks different in daylight than night. Snow is fresh on the roads as the car driver, Ben, drove onward to our old home.
We are all in the back. It’s like a bus, but cleaner and smells fresher. The car can hold up to ten or eleven people. There are seats on both sides and an isle down the middle. Large windows made it possible to see outside. I watch outside trying to picture the images I saw the night before, nothing looks familiar. Probably because I wasn’t paying attention last night or I was too distraught to even watch the outside. I turn back around in my seat and fold my hands in my lap. Next to me sat Logan and Ronnie who was busy whispering and talking to Saige. Blake has his arms crossed and his right leg on top of his left.
He looks at me with narrowed eyes and a sullen face. I grin and stretch my hands over my head pointing out my elbows. “What, you can’t be mad at me forever.” I say teasingly.
“What’s the problem?” Logan says leaning forward, resting his elbows on his knees and folding his hands out in front of him.
“Oh, he’s just mad because Kimberley beat him in another match.” Jason says laughing at the end.
“I wasn’t beaten,” he snaps. He turns to me who is still grinning. “I let her win.” He says uncrossing his arms and putting them around his head like I’m doing.
“Wow, you’re willing to go that low?” I say. “You just can’t admit the fact that I won.”
“No, I can win against you anytime any day.” He states lifting his chin.
“Prove it then, when we get back,” I hold up three fingers, “round three.” He grins and smirks. “Deal,” he says. I shake my head frustrated but smile, because he and I have the same amount of stubbornness in us that the other has.
“Is it this drive way?” Logan asks me. I was so caught up with Blake I didn’t realize how far we have driven. Logan points to a long drive way that leads back into the woods. I hesitate for a minute but gulp down my sadness and nod. I feel Ronnie clutch my arm. I can tell she is frightened to be back here. I can’t lie though. I’m terrified.
Ben turns the car down the drive. The road is dirt until we reach the real drive way in front, which was paved. Ben stops the car. Carson who was in the front with him tells him thank you and to stay here, it won’t take long. She steps out and opens the back for us and we start to pile out. Logan gets out and I follow behind him, but stop. Everything seems so vivid. Did this all just happen a few nights ago? Did I really see my mother die in this house? I feel the tears start to run down my face.
“Hey,” Logan turns around and kneels down, rubbing my arm in a soothing gesture. “Hey, it’s okay, what’s wrong?”
I don’t want to show Logan I was a little girl but I am scared and don’t want to see my mother lying on the floor and her body rotting. “I’m scared.” I confess. “I’m scared . . . of seeing my . . . my mom’s-“
“I’m pretty sure the police took care of that last night.” Logan reassures me.
“How do you know?” I ask whipping a tear away from my eye. Logan is silent and looks down. “They announced it on the TV this morning at seven.” He looks up again and stands. “They said the father must’ve taken the girls because they found a note. In the paper today it measured out exactly what it said, ‘Don’t worry my love, for you are gone, and I shall never forget you, but the girls are safe with me. I will make sure that our daughters grow up and become healthy, strong and as beautiful as you once were.’”
“Lies!” Ronnie cries out. “My father never loved us! He lied to us! I shall never trust him again.”
“That aside,” I make a swiping gesture with my hand pretending to move something to one side, “he killed our mom, threatened to kill us and is a Union! So yes all lies. But, of course, the press would believe the letter, it’s the only evidence they have of our where a-bouts.”
“Right.” Ronnie agrees. “But what about our aunts and uncles on our mom’s side of the family? What are they going to do when they call our dad?” Haven’t thought of that. What will our family think of this murder and disappearance? Mostly what will happen when they can’t reach our dad?
“He probably won’t answer.” Carson says loading a gun with bullets. I flinch and get behind Logan. She sees this and sighs, “Relax it’s just in case we have some unwanted visitors. Which occasionally,” she looks around, cautiously, “happens. Many have made it up to North Dakota, trying to invade Canada.”
“Don’t we hate them too?” Ronnie asks.
“Who?” Carson asks.
“The Mexicans.”
“No, they’re just stubborn bastards.” Jason puts in.
“Jason,” Carson hisses, “no swearing.”
“Well, why can’t we join the Mexicans and try to stop the Unions?” I ask curiously. It makes sense. Two against one, why couldn’t it work?
“We can’t because the country is in a deep depression. They fight with the country who can give them the most benefits, or money for that matter. Right now that’s the Unions.” Carson states.
“We hate the Unions because they started this whole mess in the first place by bombing the white house years ago.” Logan says. “We are pretty calm right now though, no major battles have happened for a few years. But I’m afraid that’s about to change.”
“The Unions are getting stronger,” Carson points out putting the gun back in its holder. “Americans always thought that the country, Canada, was like Switzerland, in the middle, but now that the Union has taken over, Canada is a whole new country. They are developing machinery and battle tactics to take over North America. We fight back, but Unions have the upper advantage because so many countries have started to follow them.”
“Why don’t we have the upper advantage?” I ask confused on this whole thing.
Carson looks down at me, “Because almost all Americans have given up hope. Almost everyone is done fighting, done with everything, with this . . . God damn war! Americans have no hope, besides those who do fight.” She pauses and looks around at all of us then at her brother, Logan. “And we Outcasts have all the hope in the world. We may not be as advanced or as strong as the real US military army but we are trying. That’s all we can do.” She spins around and walks to the front door of the house which has already been unlocked.
I walk up to Ronnie and take her hand. She doesn’t pull away. We walk up to the house together and are the first ones in besides Carson. The house looks just like it did when we left it on Thursday. The kitchen was a mess, broken plates, utensils and shards of glass littered the floor. I catch a knife lying on the ground with dry blood on the blade. My heart stops, it’s the knife I used to stab my dad. He’s still alive. I realize Ronnie isn’t beside me anymore and panic looking around for her.
I find her in the living room looking at the pictures of our family above the fire place. She was sobbing. I put my arm around her to comfort her. We both look at the pictures of us together. The pictures are of us when we were babies or toddlers. I can’t help but crying with her. I bury my face in my left hand and start to cry. We will never be that happy again. We shall never forget those memories. We will never be the same again.
“Hey, come on,” I croak rubbing her shoulder, “Let’s get some of our stuff.”
She nods, still crying and I allow her to lean on me a little as we walk upstairs in our rooms. She goes in hers while I find mine at the end of the hall. I walk in finding Blake looking at my things. He holds up and toy horse in his hand twisting it around.
“How did you get up here,” I ask. I guess I surprised him because he spins around frantically and his eyes as big as apples.
“Oh, I-uh, I was just looking at your-” He stutters before I hold up a hand to stop him.
“It’s okay.” I say walking over to him and taking the play horse. “Probably won’t need toys anymore right?” I ask him. He hesitates, thinking for a moment. Then he sighs and sadly nods. “You don’t really need toys anymore, but we have other devices to play with back at the Lodge.”
I nod and put the horse down. “So what will you need?” I ask him.
“Well, when I left we didn’t have much to choose from. We only brought a backpack of stuff to our grandmas then we took it with us when we left. I really don’t know what you’re supposed to take.”
“Well, let’s grab a bag and I guess just start loading clothes in it. You can tell me if I will need it or not.” He agrees to the task and I find my old, blue and black school bag and open one of the drawers in my dresser and find blue jeans and sweat pants. I pack a few pairs then move onto my long sleeved shirt drawer. I take only my favorites and stuff them into the pack. Blake finds another bag in my closet and stuffs some of my shorts and T-shirts in there. I do my underwear part though while he finishes. We move onto the sweatshirts and take a couple.
I grab my suit case and pack up more of everything. Then something catches my eye. On the floor I find a matted up stuffed wolf. His fur is in clumps and some of it is missing. “Shadow!” I screech like a little kid and hug the stuffed animal to death.
“Shadow?” Blake asks. I look up at him and feel my smile fade in embarrassment. “Yah my mom gave him to me when I was little. He is my favorite stuffed animal, and I sleep with him every night.” I didn’t realize how childish I sound when the words actually came out of my mouth. I’m nine years old, shouldn’t I be done with stuffed animals? I just can’t seem to let go of Shadow. He was mine when I was a baby and he is mine now. I stuff him into my back pack. I also grab some of my jewelry and put in small pockets also around my bags.
Blake leaves the room and I’m about to follow when I look back at my room. It is no longer mine I think. I gulp down a sob and close the door to my room, forever.
I meet up with Ronnie in her room and see she is packing as well. Saige and Carson are helping her. When Carson looks up from what she is doing she grins at me carrying a backpack and rolling a suit case. Blake carries the other duffle bag full of clothes.
“I see you’re all packed.” Carson giggles.
“Yah, didn’t know what I needed.” I admit adjusting the straps on my pack. “How’s Ronnie coming?”
“Almost done,” Ronnie says sitting on her suit case, flattening it down.
“Okay,” I say before leaving. I throw my stuff at the bottom of the stairs. Blake copies me. “What now?” I ask.
“Hey Kimberley,” I hear Logan call, from down the hall. He is in my mom and dad’s room. I run in and stop when I see the whole room has been trashed. Mostly mom’s jewelry boxes and purses. Jewelry and clothes are splattered on the ground with purses and shoes. I look at Logan, “Did you do this?!” I gasp.
“No, I wouldn’t do this, but here.” He hands me a piece of folded paper. I unfold it and find out it was copy of the note my dad left for mom when she died.
I feel anger building inside me and the paper crumples under my clenched fists. I roll the paper up into a ball and throw it across the room. He will pay for what he did to my mom. I will make him pay!
“Well, your dad left some jewelry, maybe you would like to rummage through and pick some out you want to keep?” Logan suggests. He has a point. It could be either sold for money or a keep sake so I will always remember her.
I open the boxes on the dressers first. Most are empty but I find three necklaces and five bracelets in some, some are just lying on the counter. I place them in my big pockets in my coat. I find some more on the ground and stuff those in my coat pockets as well. I find earrings, more necklaces, and rings. I stuff them all in my pockets. Then I lift up a box that looks like it hasn’t been touched.
It’s sitting on the bedside table. I stand up and take it. Logan and Blake come over to watch me. I flip the top open and look inside it. It’s another necklace, but it’s one she never wore. The pendent on the chain, is a bald eagle. Its beak open and its wings above him like he is flying. Between the wings flying is the word, written in silver on a sash, America. The eagle is also holding a sword with an American Flag attached to it, having the illusion of swaying in the wind. The end of the flag is bunched up because the eagle’s talons are holding it but the blue part where the flag starts is flared out.
The pendent itself is sliver on the back. Only the American flag is red white and blue. The eagle is copper and its head is white along with its back, tail feathers and tips of its wings. Its feet and beak are gold plated. The pendent is strung onto and silver chain to go around your neck.
“Wow, it’s beautiful,” Blake gasps. He’s not wrong, the necklace is very elegant. I take it out of the box and hold it by the end of its chain.
“Here let me see it.” Logan says already reaching for the necklace. I hand it to him and he admires it. “Amazing.” He says rubbing his fingers on the pendent.
“This is truly amazing.” Logan says.
“It’s a necklace.” Blake narrows his eyes in boredom. “How exciting can it really be?”
“All of this is real gold, silver and copper, that’s why it’s so exciting!”
Blake’s mouth drops open and his eyes become huge, “That’s makes things a little different!” He squeals in shock. I rip the necklace away from Logan. He jerks his head to me.
“No one is selling this if that’s what you both are thinking. This was my mom’s. It’s mine now, I will not let you take this necklace into your own hands.” I pause before shrugging, “But we can sell some of the other things I guess.”
“Kimberley I was never, never going to do that.” Logan says reassuring me. “That necklace is priceless, it might actually be the only one of kind.”
“No there’s probably more you just haven’t seen them.” I say. I look at the necklace one more time admiring the details put into it. Then I hand it to Logan and pull my hair up. “Do you mind putting it on me?”
“Sure,” He says wrapping the chain around my neck and clasping it in the back. When he lets go I put my hair down and feel the pendent on my chest. It isn’t really heavy but it does have some weight to it.
“Thank you Logan.” I whisper.
“You’re welcome.” He says back to me.
“Logan!” We hear Carson scream. Logan stands up surprised and runs out of the room. Blake and I follow but Logan was faster than us. He slides down the stair railing, standing up, while we walk down. Carson is standing behind the entrance to the doorway and has Ronnie, Paris and Ivan behind her. Her gun was out and she had it close to her. “Unions,” she hisses.
At the sound of that Logan pulls two guns from his belt and loads them. “How many,” He whispers silently.
“Jason told me about six. Men all with guns, we are outnumbered.” Carson breaths deeply. If I don’t know any better I’d say she’s scared.
“Where is Jason?” Logan asks. Like a cue line Jason runs down the stairs getting behind Logan. He’s breathing heavily and has a knife in his hand.
“Are you okay?” I ask paranoid.
He holds a hand up trying to catch his breath. “Ten,” he gasps out. “Ten strong . . . heavily armed men.” I see Carson go pale. She curses out loud and Jason covers our ears.
“Sorry, but I had to say it,” she snaps. She walks out of the doorway, rubbing her head with her hand. She grumbles in frustration. “What do we do?” She whispers to herself.
“Wait,” I speak. Everyone turns to me with blank expressions on their faces. I look at Ronnie, “Is mom’s car still in the garage?” She is silent but nods slowly. Carson comes over to me and puts her hands on my shoulders, “Where are the keys?”
I knew there is going to be a downside. “I-I don’t know,” I stutter.
“Ugh, that’s no help to us.” She snarls. “Unless . . .” she turns to Logan, “Can you hot wire the car?”
“Oh God, I haven’t hotwired a car in years, I-I don’t remember.” Carson grunts again running her fingers through her hair in frustration.
“I know how to.” Jason spoke stepping out behind Logan. All our eyes fall on Jason. “Frank taught me, so if I ever needed to ‘barrow’,” he put air quotes around that part, “a car I could.”
“Perfect, how long will it take you?” Carson asks. I could already hear the men muttering outside.
“About seven minutes, you need to cover me and I’ll do the rest.” Jason says. Carson and Logan exchange a glance.
“Alright,” Carson claps her hands together. “Where’s the door that leads to the garage?”
“Ronnie, you show them, I need to grab something real quick.” Without a response I hand my suitcase to Logan and dart into the family room. I grab all the photos on the mantle and some on a table by a window. I stuff them into the little room I have left in my pack and run through the kitchen, to the door that leads to the garage.
I shut it behind me and lock it. I throw my stuff in the back and hop in the car. It was an eight person seater. The triplets were in the back while Jason was up front working quickly on the cars wires. Blake was in the middle and I climb in next to him, bending down to protect myself from any blast that may come in through the steel garage door.
Carson and Logan are outside the car ready to shoot at any minute. I slowly reach for my boot and feel my knives. “You won’t need them,” I look up to see Blake watching me.
“You never know,” I say back. He shrugs and gets low again when the car engine starts.
“Alright get in!” Jason shouts crawling to the back with us. Carson takes the driver’s seat while Logan is in the passenger’s seat.
“Everyone get down on the floor!” Carson shouts at us. She doesn’t wait for us as she slams her foot on the gas and the car takes off. The garage is still closed but she shoots through it like it’s a wide open doorway. A loud boom follows and a huge bump makes us all scream in surprise.
I look outside and see angry Unions yelling and shooting their guns at us. “Hold on,” Carson says swerving to one side.
The shots keep coming and I keep my head low. I hear one get shot through the window. “Oh my god.” I whisper frightened. Jason puts his hand on my arched back.
“Oh my God!” Logan gasps. I lift my head up to see what the gasp was about and see the Unions pour gasoline on our house and the car we drove here. I see one light a match when Logan pushes my head down. The last thing I hear is an explosion go off as Carson drives the car out of the drive way and back onto the streets.
“Whoa, now that’s how you drive a car,” Blake laughs sitting up. We all get up off the ground and sit in our seats, not as enthusiastic as Blake.
Then I realize something horrible. “Wait, where’s Ben?” I ask quietly. Nobody moves. Everyone is looking at each other. Sadness crosses all our faces. Carson bows her head in disappointment. “He was back at the house wasn’t he?” She asks. Again nobody says a word. He was only the car driver, but he was still a person. Carson heaves a long sigh as she drives. “It’s okay,” she says holding back a sob. “He was a strong soldier, he would’ve wanted us to get out.”
We all nod and say a prayer for him. I thank him for driving us to our old house and making us see that house one last time. It was a good, fine house. But now . . . it’s gone along with my mother and father, my family. But I’m not sad. I have a new family.
I smirk a little and look at Blake, “So Blake, how about round three?” I hold out my hand. He smiles and takes it. At that moment I knew everything was going to be alright. We were safe, for now, and have a new family. Things seem to finally be going uphill for us . . .
Until five and a hlaf years later . . .