~Part Eight~


Swirls of white clouds cluttered the sky’s edge, pushing down the encrusted patches of green shrubbery lining the horizon. The sun stood firmly in the middle of the ocean blue canvas, enveloping the earth at its highest point. Stretches of small houses pushed away as a small car freed itself onto the peaceful countryside.

“Remind me again why we’re doing this,” Hamilton said to his mother, turning from the transparent window to face her.

“Oh, come on. We haven’t gone on a family picnic for ages. Besides, we hardly get to spend time together as a family anymore,” she replied, directing the last statement more towards her husband.

“I was beginning to think that was the point,” Hamilton countered, jokingly.

“All right wise guy, we’re her any how,” his mom said, turning around as they pulled into a small parking lot.

Hamilton heaved a large sigh before opening the door and stepping out of the car. “This place looks a lot smaller than I remember it,” he said, surveying the small grassy hillside lined with trees that no longer seemed to scrape at the sky.

“Of course it does,” his father replied, stepping around the car next to his son.  “You were only nine the last time we came here.”

“Munchie, could you come back here and grab the picnic basket please?” his mother asked, her head looming inside the trunk.

“Sure.”  Hamilton walked to the back of the car and grabbed the wicker basket as his mother pulled out a neatly folded blanket, closing the trunk behind them.

They walked into the tall grass, finding a lightly shaded spot before deciding to settle for lunch. “Hamilton,” his mother said as he set his load down, “why don’t you go explore while we set everything up.”

“Thanks mom,” he replied, beginning to walk away.

 

“Before you go, I need to tell you that we’re having someone from the school board coming to over see the completion of the repairs. So I’m going to need your help next week for that, as well as for the open house I’m setting up for the committee, and one for the parents,” his father said, helping his mother set down the blanket.  “Also, there are a couple of new students coming in a week from Monday, so I’ll need you to show them around. They’re from the Girl’s Academy, so you might have to miss a few classes.”

“Fine dad,” he said absently, leaving to re-explore his past.

. . .

Jacqueline sat by her hospital window, watching a few children climbing on the play ground at a park just across the street. She had pushed the window open a few inches and was drinking in the sound of their laughter, taking long breaths of the warm fall air. The weather was beautiful with small cotton balls dotting the edge of the horizon, slowly drifting away, carried by the slight breeze. It had been five weeks since flames had taken part of Rawley Academy and she was more than ready to return to the life she had become so very fond of.

“Sneaking about again, are we?”

Jacqueline spun her head, startled by the sudden intrusion into her thoughts, smiling when she found Emma standing in the doorway, balancing bandages and treatment cream for her legs. “You know I wouldn’t be happy just lying in bed all day long.”

Emma set down the items and helped Jacqueline back into bed, beginning the ritual of removing her bandages to replace them with new ones. “I heard you might be able to go back to school soon,” she said warmly, twirling the used gauze wrap as she spoke.

“In a little less than a week and a half, if everything runs according to schedule!” Jacqueline replied excitedly. “I can’t wait to get back. You know, when I first came to New Rawley, I never dreamed that I might want to stay.”

“You can be certain you belong somewhere when you know you’ll miss it the moment you leave,” Emma stated, watching the smile on Jacqueline’s face grow.

“Wow that’s cold,” Jacqueline hissed, as Emma began applying the cream to her legs.

“You can feel that?” Emma asked, rubbing more against the new skin. Jacqueline nodded her head, shivers running down her spine from the sensation. “It looks you’re starting to get some feeling into your legs. With any luck, they’ll be as good as new in no time,” she stated, this time the excitement coming from herself.

“You mean my legs could be healed soon?!” Jacqueline asked, watching as Emma rewrapped her legs.

“Well, it takes months or years for everything to heal.  But off of the record, I’d say you won’t have that many more months to wait!”

. . .

Hamilton sifted his hands through the tall grass, letting his arms come to rest underneath his cushioned head. His eyes drifted shut, tracing a picture of the blue sky into his memory, the soft aroma of the settled morning dew tickling his senses. “Jake would love it here.”

After a few minutes he forced himself up from the pleasant green bed, walking down the hill towards a small structure he could barely make out in the distance. The shade thickened as he made his way down, more trees gathering at the bottom. A small stream crept into his view as he approached what seemed to be a bridge...the bridge.

“I can’t believe this is still here!” he said to himself, laughing. “I wonder...” He made his way onto it, peering off of the side in which the land had been blocked off by a tall stonewall many years before. “It is!” A large smile crept onto his lips and he turned, walking back up the hill.

. . .

Hamilton stopped at the top of the stairs, collecting his withdrawn breath, staring down the dormant hall. He picked himself up, after a moment, to enter a large classroom a few feet to his left. The room was bustling with workers, bringing in sets of chairs and adding final touches to the flowing white paint and equally perfect floors.

“Here you are sir.” he said, directing his statement to a man in a business suit, apparently supervising the other men in the room, then setting a few large bags onto the desk closest to him.

“Thank you Mr. Fleming,” the man replied, turning back to the work at hand.

“I’ll just be across the hall if you need anything else.” Hamilton stated, turning on his heels without waiting for a reply.

For the past four days Hamilton had served as a runner of sorts for Professor Conrad, the man sent from the school board to over see the final repairs. He was sent out with messages, asked to retrieve various items, along with many other tasks that would have normally seemed ridiculous to perform...including getting lunch. It wouldn’t have been as bad, he told himself, if he didn’t have to keep up with all of his classes at the same time, leaving him with a lot less free time.

Hamilton made his way over to a desk in the corner of the empty room and sat down, pulling out a book from a backpack that had obviously been there for a while. He heaved a sigh, opening to a marked page, “Back to History.”

 . . .

Bella walked through the corridor of New Rawley Hospital, shifting her eyes back and forth between the rooms down the hallway. She wrinkled her brows, walking back up to where she had begun, obviously looking for something that was no longer there. After pausing for a brief moment she walked down again, turning the corner towards the receptionist’s desk.

She had only gone a few paces when a small nurse emerged from a room directly to her right, barely giving her time to stop before crashing into the woman. “I’m so sorry...Emma?” Bella’s face immediately brightened when she recognized the aged nurse.

“Bell! How are you darling?” Emma drew her in for a long, tight hug.

“I’m doing great! How are you?” Bella asked, pulling back from her smiling friend.

“Busy, as usual. But I’m guessing you’re here to see Jacqueline...hmm? They just moved her to another room a few days ago.” she said, walking down the hall.

“I see everyone still tells you everything around here.” Bella replied, laughing.

“How else is this old broad supposed to get any adventure?!” Emma stated, leading her down another hallway. “Here she is.”

Bella gave her another quick hug before knocking lightly on the door to Jake’s room.

“Come in.” Jake said, peeking over the top of her novel.

“So, I heard you’ve been talking about me.” Bella said grinning as she walked into the room.

“Bella, hey girl!” Jake replied, setting her book to the side, giving her friend a long hug.

Bella stuck her hands into her pockets after breaking away and sat down on the edge of the bed facing Jake. “Sorry it’s taken me so long to visit you again. My dad has been gone, so I’ve been swamped at the gas station. So how have things been going with you and your mom?” she asked bring one leg up underneath her.

“You know, I just can’t believe how good she’s been the last few weeks,” she answered, shifting herself into a better sitting position. “It’s like she’s finally become the mom I’ve always wanted her to be.”

“That’s so great for you two.” Bella said sincerely, smiling.

“Agh!  I can not wait to get out of this hospital and back into school,” Jake said, fidgeting again.

“Now that’s something I don’t think I’ve ever heard.” Bella stated, laughing. “So how are you and Hamilton handling everything?” she asked on a more serious note.

Jake looked at her, slightly confused. “Handling what?”

“You know, the whole getting...” Bell paused for a split second when she realized Hamilton hadn’t told her yet, “...to go back to school thing.” she finished, stumbling over the last words.

“Oh, I know it’ll be weird at first, but it’s definitely worth it. Besides, I have too many friends here now, it would be hard to have to just get up and leave everything.”

“Yeah.” Bella replied, looking down at her hands. She took in a short breath, looking up, “So, do you want to get out for a minute?”

“I thought you’d never offer.” Jake said, throwing off her blankets.

. . .

Hamilton stared into the large reception area, full of stuffy board members and teachers. The school’s repairs had been completed that day under the supervision of Professor Conrad, perfectly on schedule. So Hamilton’s father had set up an evening to ensure the committee that the school was indeed completed in it’s repairs...and Hamilton was stuck playing the perfect son at another boring dinner.

“Mr. Fleming,” Finn’s voice came from behind him, “I hope you have your English paper ready for tomorrow.”

“Seeing as how the only thing I’ve been doing this week, besides running favors for Professor Conrad, has been homework, I can honestly say that I am prepared.” he replied with an underlined sarcasm.

“Good to hear.” Finn said, placing one hand on his shoulder. “Well, I’m off to mingle.” Finn stood for a moment gathering his composure before heaving a large sigh and walking towards the guests.