I know it's late, but it's really important. Stuff just isn't going good right now, it doesn't take a genius or even an adult to tell you that. I mean, you heard the news right? There was another riot in the capitol. People were shot, just regular people. Can you believe that? Mom turned off the news and told me to go work on my homework. She hates talking about it. I know it was wrong to leave her, but Mom's a teacher, she's smart and the Jenkin's next door can watch out for her. It's better for her if I look at night and I could find them and bring them home for breakfast!
Dad could be anywhere, but Charlie figured it out and he's been gone for almost three months now. I just know I can find them! Charlie said that he should've known, it was so obvious. I dunno what he means, but I've checked the places that I thought of and the only thing left is the old church on the outskirts of town. No one really goes there, so it'd be a good place to hide. This is just between us, okay? I don't want people thinking Dad and Charlie are going against the government, okay? I'd be in a lot of trouble.
What me? I'm halfway done with fifth grade and I've got the best reading scores of anyone. Math's okay too, but I like reading all of Dad's old books. I told my teacher that I read his Bible and he told me not to tell anyone else about it because Dad could get in trouble. I want to be just like Dad when I grow up, but just like Charlie first! He's the best football player ever!
Do you think your Dad and brother might have been taken by the government? Maybe somebody else found out about your Dad's Bible. By the way, why would that get your father in trouble?
Or, do you think that they're part of some sort of resistance movement? Might that be sort of headquartered around the old church? If so, maybe finding them wouldn't be such a good thing.
Will you be in trouble, besides with your Mom, if you get caught outside at night?
Do you think your Dad and brother might have been taken by the government? Maybe somebody else found out about your Dad's Bible. By the way, why would that get your father in trouble?
Taken by the government? I dunno, Dad's just a doctor and Charlie's still in school, so I dunno why anyone would want to take them. I hope that's not what Charlie thought, he told me one time that they could do that, just take people out of their homes! Some of Dad's stuff was missing, so he couldn't have just been taken and I saw Charlie go with my own eyes but he swore me not to follow him and he gets really mad if I break a swear. He'll already be mad when I find him.
You're not from here, are you? That's cool though! But we're not supposed to have that stuff because it's religious and because it makes some people mad and it's not equal, so we just can't do it anymore or you get sent to jail. Here anyway. I heard that there's little towns that still do it in secret and Charlie said that Dad said that they're brave so maybe he went to one of those places. I just wish he took me with him. I like religious stuff okay, I keep the little cross Mom tried to throw out when Dad left.
Or, do you think that they're part of some sort of resistance movement? Might that be sort of headquartered around the old church? If so, maybe finding them wouldn't be such a good thing.
I bet you're right! Charlie always changed it back when Mom changed the channel and the news was talking about those groups. I know religion was supposed to make people mad or something, but on the news it looks like no religion made people more mad! No, I have to find them! I can help them. I'm really smart, really, and I could fire a gun if I needed to! I watched Dad teach Charlie and then when Mom went back inside he taught me too. I didn't fire it, I just held it, but I could fire it!
Will you be in trouble, besides with your Mom, if you get caught outside at night?
Charlie would be really mad if he knew. I guess if I got caught by bad people I'd be in trouble. I can bike really fast though, so I can get away easy! I don't think the groups on TV would come after me, I'm just a kid. Besides, Mom's cross will keep me safe. Nothing bad ever happened to her when she wore it.
Is there anyone you can ask for help? I know you're pretty old, being twelve and all, but is there anyone you can talk to just in case? You know, kind of like the safeties in football, just in case something unexpected happens.
Could you talk to your mom? It seems she might not like the idea that your dad and Charlie are part of a resistance movement. You did say she tried to throw out your mom's little cross, right?