Running along a narrow path and barely missing large trees while dragged by a very fast Sam, through gasping breath Gary managed to spew out a question.
“What happened? Where are we?”
Thinking that they might finally be safe, she stopped and looked back. Although just barely through the dense trees, she saw the security gate in the distance. After catching her breath she explained what she thought might have happened.
“It was dad. He saved our lives again.”
“But how? We were in the crystal cave deep in the tunnels and then suddenly we are here. How did he do that?”
“I have no idea. All I know for sure is that dad is getting a huge hug when I get home.”
What he said next confused her.
“You mean if we get home.”
Looking at him, she saw him franticly pointing down the trail they had come from. From the security gate ran at least ten guards and they were coming fast. There was no need for her to grab his hand this time. He ran as fast as he could right behind her.
It was not by plan, for she had none and didn’t know exactly where they were but after an exhausted run they suddenly stopped in front of a clearing cluttered with junk cars. Knowing that they could not outrun the men, she decided their best chance was to hide in one of the cars. Running into the middle of the Used Car Lot, she pulled open the door of a rusted out Pontiac and dove into the back seat. Gary landed on top of her. After a brief struggle, she was able to get him off her. That was when Gary made a disgusting sound and said,
“It’s all moldy and stinks.”
She had other concerns and slowly lifted her head to look out the side window. At the edge of the forest, she saw the lead man point and spread his men out in all directions. She understood they were positioning to do something she was hoping would not happen. They were going to search all the vehicles. She crunched down and whispered,
“Stay low.”
From their hiding place they heard doors open and slam close. Someone yelled,
“Clear.” And somebody else yelled,
“Check the old Ford over there.”
After a few intense minutes, an ominous shadow crept over the Pontiac they were hiding in and stopped. Both knew it was a guard and this car was going to be searched next. Suddenly somebody yelled,
“Over here. I got them.”
The shadow darted away and both started to breathe again.
Although scared, Sam needed to know what was going on and so slowly raised her head just enough to peek outside and see what was happening. Gary tried to do the same but she pushed him back down saying,
“No, stay low. I’ll tell you what happens.”
Just a few junk cars away, she saw a boy and girl roughly hauled out of a wrecked car. Although she didn’t know them, they were Evette Duncan the mechanic’s daughter and Jimmy Lockley. Apparently, the Used Car Lot was their favorite haunt for whatever young teenagers do in the back seat of cars. Sam could not hear what was said but by body language it was clear the security guards knew it was not who they were looking for. The man who she thought might be the leader made a jester that indicated for the kids to ‘get out of here’. With the help of a fast pace, they fled the used car lot. She saw the man again signal for everybody to continue searching the cars.
Although Sam had never heard the adage, ‘desperate times call for desperate measures’ she understood such a time was now upon her. Unless she did something desperate, they were going to be caught. She didn’t want to know what was going to happen to them if that happened. As the men spread out and continued to search the cars, Sam did something desperate. She slowly opened the back door and slipped out between the Pontiac and another beat up car. Gary was about to follow when she turned around and fired a halting hand into his face. He understood the ‘stay’ command and obeyed.
She crept up to the front of the Pontiac and raised her head above the hood, cupped her hands to her mouth and using her best masculine deep voice shouted,
“There, by the blue car, they just ran into the woods.”
As hoped, everybody turned in the direction of the blue car and chased into the woods.”
When it was all clear, she signaled Gary to come out of the Pontiac. Staying low, he came to her and said,
“Nice one.”
She accepted the compliment and said,
“I know right.”
Chapter 40
With Sam’s knowledge of the woods and the trails, they managed to get out of the forest and eventually step onto the far end of Jasper Street. In order to get home safely they knew they had to stay off the street and so stuck to the alleys and a few times snuck through a few back yards. Satisfied that they were seen, they managed to safely reach the edge of the empty block of what Sam had named her ‘Forbidden Forest’. Being furtive and vigilant, making sure nobody was around, they made it to the base of the large tree and her tree house. After a quick scamper up the ladder, they were finally inside. Sam commanded,
“Let’s take a look outside and see if anybody saw us.”
When finally deemed safe, that there was no army of men running through the woods after them, both flopped down on the mattress and breathed great sighs of relief.
Knowing that they were now safe, it didn’t take long for exhaustion to invade both. Within minutes, they were sound asleep on the mattress. Hours later, night had arrived and it was dark outside. Black overhead clouds greatly added to the darkness of the night. The first to finally stir and sit up was Sam and that woke up Gary. That was when another realization hit both. They were starving. Because Gary knew how to get into his house through the basement window, a plan was conjured to sneak over and bring back food. Sam was desperate to sneak home and change clothes. Both thought they could easily be back here within the hour and that was the agreement.
Staying cautious and making sure the coast was clear, both climbed up to the roof and the highest branch. From there they looked down to check out the square block of the Forbidden Forest and the only path leading through it. It was well that precaution was taken. Looking down they saw five men walking single file on the path, each scanning flashlights and sweeping bush away looking for them. Gary tapped her on the shoulder and pointed somewhere else. Three other men were off the trail in the thick bush also searching for them with sweeping flashlights. Some looked up in the trees but as planned, the tree house was well camouflaged.
They watched in silence as the men below cleared the square block and disappeared out the other side. Gary whispered to her,
“They are wearing the same uniform as the bad guys in the Factory.”
Sam already knew that and whispered back,
“They knew where you lived and came searching for you.”
Confused, he defensively said,
“No they don’t.”
“Yes they do, you told that man in the office remember.”
Although Gary would soon find out, both were unaware that Warric came to the house a few hours ago and stole his pride and joy from the attic.
After climbing back into the tree house, it was agreed to wait one more hour before Gary snuck over to the house for food and for Sam to get home and change clothes. An hour later, the dark clouds had cleared and a half moon shone twilight through the forest. Although late at night, both were familiar enough with the path to proceed with the plan. At the bottom of the large tree, Sam confirmed the plan saying,
“We both come back in one hour, right?”
Gary nodded and both snuck off in different directions.
Using the shadows for cover, Gary stayed low until he reached the fence of his back yard. From here, he saw that there were no lights in the house. He didn’t think that was odd because it was late and his grandmother would be in bed. Unaware of what had happened to her, that Walter had driven her to a hotel he approached the house with caution.
Because he knew where the loose board was, there was no need to climb over the fence. A gentle push pres
ented a gap that he easily squeezed through. Still staying low, he approached the house from the side. Peeking up and over a small hedge, he was surprised to see a car parked out on Jasper Street in front of the house. It was a blue older model car but otherwise nondescript. Although thinking it odd, there didn’t seem to be any danger. He thought maybe that it was somebody visiting Mr. and Mrs. Crow across the street. Ignoring the car, he snuck around back to the basement window.
The window pushed open and an experienced Gary easily squeezed through feet first. While hanging on to the ledge, searching feet eventually located and settled on the crate below the window. The basement was dark but he knew his way and fumbled over to the stairs. A stealthy hand slowly opened the basement door leading to the kitchen.
Now standing in the twilight of the kitchen, he noticed that it was cold. It was as if grandma had left a door or window open. Although semi dark he was surprised to see the kitchen was a mess. Drawers were on the floor along with broken plates. Something was wrong. He walked over to Ruth’s bedroom and carefully peeked in. She was gone and like the kitchen, her room was in shambles. His room was in the same condition. The mattress was on the floor, drawers were pulled out, and contents scattered onto the mattress.
Tip-toeing upstairs to the attic the first thing he noticed was that his pride and joy, his electronic creation was missing. He was devastated. He ran to the table and reached for the string to the overhead light but it was broken. It didn’t matter. Even in the dim light offered by the gaping hole in the wall, he saw enough to crush him. Why would somebody do that to him?
It was then that the second mystery in the attic presented itself. Why was it so light and cold? He slowly turned around and saw the gaping hole in the wall. Mesmerized by the mystery he took slow steps to the edge and looked through the large gap. In the distance, he saw the downtown lights of Twin Rivers. It looked dark and gloomy down there as if a bomb had been dropped on his town. He felt as if a bomb had been dropped on him. Not only was his love of gadgets gone but so was the only other home he had ever known. Where was his grandmother?
Although filled with concern for her, there was still the task of getting the food. Back in his bedroom, he pulled the slip cover off his pillow and went back to the kitchen with it in hand. He knew there were snacks in the upper cupboard and with the help of a chair scooped cookies and chocolate bars into the pillow case. His big mistake was going to the fridge and opening the door. The man in the blue car parked in front of the house saw a soft light glow through a window and understood somebody had slipped into the house. Careful not to slam the car door on his way out, he snuck up to the house to investigate.
Gary swooped up a glass container of milk, two plastic bottles of water, plastic containers of leftover food and anything else he could get his hands on and stuffed it all into the pillow case. There were apples and oranges on the bottom self and they too were thrown in. When the pillow case was getting too heavy to lift, he closed the fridge and prepared to escape with his loot.
Suddenly from the foyer, he heard the crunch of broken glass and snapped alert. He then heard a soft creak and understood somebody was coming. Being careful not to make the same noise alerting the intruder that he was there, he tip-toed through the kitchen and down the hall to the basement door.
In the basement, he made his way to the window. When hearing footsteps upstairs, he knew he had to escape fast. Standing on the crate, he pushed the pillow case through the window and crawled out after it. Picking it up, he ran as fast as he could toward the fence and the gap in the boards. Just as he tossed the pillowcase through the gap and was about to squeeze through after it, he heard a gruff male voice demanding,
“Hey kid, stop right there.”
After a quick squeeze, fear powered fast legs toward the Forbidden Forest. From behind, he heard,
“I told you to stop kid. Don’t make me chase you.”
Although slowed by the weight of the food, he refused to drop it. He reached the safety of the forest and ducked down low behind a bush. He hoped that it was dark enough not to be seen. The only thing that could give him away was a pounding heart and loud gasping for breath.
He watched as the man entered the forest and scanned a flashlight left and right. Staying low, bulging eyes watched as legs walked past him only a few feet away. The beam of the light swept past the bush he was hiding behind but did not reveal his whereabouts. Eventually the man gave up and walked back toward the house. From his hiding place, Gary saw him get back in the car. After waiting a few more minutes, just to make sure that whoever it was would not be coming back, Gary thought it was safe to return to the treehouse.
Chapter 41
Sheriff Walter Cornwall and Edith were eating a late supper while watching Jeopardy. It bothered him that he might have known the answer if only he had a few minutes to ponder the question. Edith, bless her soul, always blurted the answer out sometimes faster than the contestants did. Except to her, he always admitted that he had married one hell of smart woman. As it was not bedtime, he was still in his uniform and his boots were at the front door at the ready.
When the TV was turned off, lately it had become their practice to sit and leaf though real-estate brochures. As had been proven all too many times, this big house was too hard to maintain. With no children in the marriage, they now saw no reason to live in a three bedroom, two bathroom house. Yes, the house was filled with memories but as agreed, they will pack and take them along to the apartment with them. Moreover, it bothered Edith to no end that once a week Walter would go through the house to test idle light switches and make sure the other toilet still worked.
Until bedtime, they sat side by side on the sofa looking at pictures and information on what was soon becoming too many nice apartments. Walter thought it odd that they had been married for all these years and he was still learning things about his wife he never knew, or as she so often said, never paid attention to. A sewing room? Why would she want a sewing room and how was he to know that she had desires to be an artist? She knew he wanted a den, or as she understood it, a man cave for all his awards and certificates of merit. She had to know that, after all he had mentioned it often enough. The phone rang.
That was what she always hated about his job, those afterhours phone calls. He reached for it and put on the speaker phone. The caller ID showed that it was Isaac Rutherford. As always with late night or in this case late evening calls he answered with a stern,
“This better be important.”
Not expecting such a snappy reply, Isaac hesitated and gave thought to if it really was or not. A tentative voice responded,
“Well, I think it might be sir. I might have something to report on that missing boy you told us to be alert for, Gary Albright.”
Suddenly Walter paid attention. Ruth had used very colorful language and torn a strip off him for not keeping an eye on Gary while she was in the hospital. Now with the house burgled and practically destroyed, there was a real concern Gary might have to be put on the list of other missing children in Twin Rivers. Edith too perked up and said,
“Oh no, not another missing child?”
“Get on with it Isaac. What have you got?”
“Well as you are aware, when it came to a nightshift watching the Albright house I drew the short straw. I hope it was the short straw rather than just being assigned the duty because I am the rookie.”
Walter snapped,
“It’s getting late rookie.”
Suddenly Isaac understood why he was assigned this mundane surveillance. He will complain later but right now the boss was getting irritated and so he wisely continued with his report.
“At 22:17, I observed a dim light in the kitchen area of the house. When I went to investigate, there was nobody there. However, outside I saw what appeared to be a young boy running away with a parcel in his arms. I chased him into that empty block adjacent to the house but lost him in the bushes and dark. I went back to the house and discovered that he ha
d taken food from the cupboard and refrigerator.”
Walter cut in,
“So you think it might have been Gary Albright?”
“Yes sir. If as you say he is missing, it might be because he saw who did this to his house and ran off to hide. If it is the boy, he might be hiding in an empty house nearby.”
Walter understood that it was a possibility. He hoped that was what really happened. Edith leaned over and spoke to Isaac,
“Are you sure he is not in the basement or shed out back?”
“Yes ma’am. I checked the attic as well as the basement. The shed still had his bike in it so I don’t think he is too far away.”
Walter said,
“Very well Isaac, good work. Maybe do another sweep of the house and surrounding area. I’ll get others to sweep the area tomorrow at first light.”
For reasons of their past, Edith was greatly relieved that another name did not need to be put on the missing children list. She leaned back to her side and stared blank eyed straight ahead. Like a tsunami, a torrent of painful and overpowering memories washed over her. Walter hoped what Isaac had proposed was true, that Gary fled the house because he was a witness to the burglary. He wondered what terrible thing he saw to make him flee.
The Factory Page 23