zombie versus time

Chapter six

Luana watched Peters as he silently glanced out through the window.

He had been standing there, like that, for hours now. She knew that she had to do something about it.

Her child was worried sick and it was a pain that she couldn help him in any way. She knew that he cared about his father, but never had she ever thought that it was this much.

”Peter ”, she finally called out to him, breaking the thick silence in the air. ”You know, you needn be too worried standing there all by yourself. Youd develop weak legs ”, she added after a while.

He turned around to look at her and she was taken aback when she saw that there were tears rolling down his face.

”Youve been crying? ”She questioned but it sounded more like a statement that she was saying just to confirm her own fears.

”Didn you say he was going to be back before I returned from school today? ”, Peter reminded her of her words from earlier that day.

He didn shout, but it did look like he was going to scream out at her.

”Your dad probably got stuck in some extra work at the office. Or he didn leave early enough ”, she was walking towards him now. Her eyes looked straight into his eyes.

”But then, how do you explain that he isn picking up his phone and calls? ”. It was evident that her son was having a hard time.

What she didn know was if there were some other problems attached to his ”daddy emotions ”.

She thought up quickly, she had to watch her words if she was going to successfully calm down this young teenager.

Since she didn want to make things any worse for herself, she went for the most reasonable excuse. ”We, its against the laws to use a phone while you
e driving ”, she smiled a little when she said this.

She saw Peter blink continually for a while. It seemed like her words finally got into his head.

Now, it was time for her to ask her own question. The question that she should have asked since.

”Peter, why have you been acting all up and worried? Its just some minute past ten and you
e being all dramatic. All this is a mask, right? Whats the real problem here? ”

She placed her palm on his face in a comforting gesture.

It became clear that he was hiding something from her when his face contorted like he had been sprayed with cold water.

Indeed, Peter —her son— was fighting some kind of internal battle.

******

Peter stood transfixed to the spot, his mothers question hitting him hard in the gut.

It was the same question he would ask himself if he wasn so caught up hiding his fears.

Something about how warm his mothers palm felt on his face made him loosen up a little.

Why was he so differently worried tonight?

He also didn know. Or was it because of his dreams?

Maybe. But how was he going to explain to his mother without sounding crazy.

He also recalled that he had told Zamuel that they weren going to tell anyone about their dreams, yet.

”Uh… Are you alright? ”, His mothers voice came again, disrupting his flow of thoughts.

He looked into her hazel colored eyes and nodded. He knew he was telling a lie but he silently turned back towards the window again.

He was just quick enough to notice some quick movements in the shadows by their house.

He looked again, but again, just like in the morning, there was nothing there.

It was probably a plastic bag that was being tossed around in the wind. Peter was about to turn away from the window the second time when a certain sound and sight caused his eyes to pop open in excitement.

A red Chevrolet sped into their parking lot at godspeed. ”Woah! Father still drives like a demon! ”, Peter exclaimed. His heart was springing forth relief and happiness.

Please already skipping towards the door, not sparing a second for his mom to catch up.

Mother and son hurriedly opened the door. Their faces were equally bright with smiles. Until his fathers face popped up from the car.

Peter was fast to notice that something was wrong. Something was missing. It was his trademark smirk.

Instead his dads face was drained of colour. Even though it wasn much, there was a slight hint of fear on daddys facials.

”Dad. You don look good. You look like youd pass… ”, Peter began but his father cut him off sharply.

”We need to get out of here now. We have to go! ”, Jack blurted immediately as he stepped out of the car. Even his eyes didn stop darting around.

”What is it? What has gotten over you? ”, Peters mother asked, she was equally as confused as Peter was.

Peter was sure he had never seen his father terrified before. His dad was always looking super. Like some kind of hero out of a movie scene.

Jack was the kind of person that would remain calm in any disaster, so seeing his father like this actually did make his skin crawl.

”Me? Im fine! Its the city! Come on, we have to leave now. Right now! ”, Daddy said, pulling mum by her arm.

It didn come as a shock when Peters mother withdrew her hand, she went into the house after she had shook off Jacks hand from hers.

Now, both father and son were left outside.

Jack looked down to Peter like he wanted him to say something. His eyes were literally pleading that Peter come to his aid.

Peter, torn, looked away and without saying another word to his father, walked in to sit beside his mom. Both of them waiting for Jack to come in and give a proper explanation for his behaviour.