Exodus Chapter Five

Chapter Five
The Call of the Pack


"Child of mine! Your friend is here."

I woke up and looked at the clock, it was six in the morning. That meant Wolf. Nobody else was ever up that early. I was amazed that mom hadn't killed him and tied him to the front door as a warning to others. I looked at my phone. Wolf had texted me five times. I had left my phone on silent and not heard it.

I scrambled into some clothes and ran downstairs to see, not just Wolf, but Owl as well. Owl could get up early to go hunting or fishing or camping, but he generally preferred to stay up late. He looked exhausted too. Wolf looked fine, of course. I wasn't sure that he knew how to sleep.

“We need to go downtown. I'll explain on the way. My dad needs help with something.” Wolf said.

“Mom, is that okay?” I asked.

“Are you going to have some breakfast, or are you going to starve yourself for a good cause like Gandhi?” she asked.

“We have oatmeal bars ma'am.” Wolf said.

My mother shook her head, “Go. It's not like you have much in the way of school right now.”

I pulled on my shoes and followed as Owl and Wolf took off at a jog, tying my shoes in fits and starts trying to keep up.

“You were going to explain what's going on.” I called after them.

“It will easier to explain when we get there Bud.”

'There' turned out to be the center of the downtown area, at the intersection of Second Avenue and Main Street. The place was deserted, no cars in sight and no people besides the three of us.

“Okay, so what's going on?” I asked.

“Wait for it.” Wolf said.

And so we waited in silence and, one by one, three other boys roughly our age wandered to the intersection. Lion first, then Mouse and finally- to my surprise- Skunk. Skunk didn't look any happier to see us than we were to see him as he rode up on his yellow bike.

We all mumbled greetings and got comfortable. The others were clearly waiting for something. I looked at the group in front of me. Skunk was sitting there looking annoyed. Lion and Mouse were talking to each other a little ways from the rest of us. I noticed Russell wasn't there, which didn't surprise me. I couldn't imagine Wolf's Dad wanting help from the Mayor's son.

"So what's going on?" I asked again.

Lion turned around.

"My Dad told me to meet Wolf's Dad out here. He didn't give me a choice in the matter. Said I was going to be involved in important work that I would be proud of when I was older. Which is kind of pretentious."

Mouse nodded, "Wolf's Dad told me that I could help with something important too. He told me we would be laying the groundwork for tomorrow."

Wolf nodded, "My dad didn't tell me that much. He just said for me to bring you and Owl out here to do work. I guess he does feel he has to explain things to his son."

"That's because he has you trained like a good little soldier." Skunk said with a snort.

Wolf's eyes flared for just an instant, and then he said, "That's right. You never got trained like my dad trains me. So yeah. He says, 'jump'. I jump and then ask if he needs me to jump higher."

"That's lame. Why don't you just blow him off?"

"Because he counts the time that I avoided him, and adds that time to my training. And I'm not tough enough to handle that much training."

"That sounds kind of wussy to me." Skunk pressed.

Wolf shook his head, "You think so? When he gets here, you ask him to train you. After that, then we'll talk. That's if your jaw isn't swollen shut."

“This has to do with all the secret stuff that the grown ups are lying to us about. Obviously. I want to see if I can find out what that is.” Owl said.

“Just don’t get my dad angry Bud. I have to deal with him when he’s angry.”

“We’ll all be careful.” Owl said.

“Isn’t your dad one of the good guys? Like trying to help the town and stuff?” Mouse asked.

“I know he thinks so.” Wolf said.

“Guys, can it. He’s here.” I added, and we all looked east down Second Avenue and watched as Wolf’s dad walked towards us out of the cold morning sunrise.

He didn’t say anything as he slowly and deliberately marched up. When he reached us, he deliberately walked back and forth in front of us, eyeing us up. I found myself straightening up as he stared at me. I noticed that we had all straightened into a line, almost like soldiers for inspection. And then I noticed that once we were all in a reasonably straight line, he stopped pacing and stepped back to stand just far enough away to see us all at once.
             
He waited quietly, as we fidgeted, looming like a monster in front of us. Finally, he smiled a hard and unwelcoming smile.

"Boys, this is moment that everything changes. I shouldn't call you boys anymore. You are going to need to be men from now on. Something big has happened in the outside world that is going to change Safehope Bluff, and we men need to be ready to protect our town."

"What do you mean sir?" Owl asked.

"What do you boys know about oil?"

"We use it to make gas for our cars. I know that." As Owl answered, I got very worried. This is what Bart had talked about, this is what Mildred had talked about. We were getting into secret territory.

"We also use oil to make tires for cars, to make plastic, to make pesticides and fertilizers to grow food. Oil runs our world men. Do you know where we get oil?"

"We get it from under the ground or at the bottom of the sea." I said.

"We get it from the Middle East. And from Alberta." Lion added.

"All correct, and one of the countries in the Middle East has reached a point where they can't produce enough oil anymore. They had been lying about how much they had left. And now they're practically out."

"What does that mean?" I asked.

"It means people and governments all over the world are panicking. No country had more oil than this country did, and now we all know that they have lying. Now everyone wants to know if other countries are lying too, and where they will get their oil from now. Countries with oil are trying to figure what to do. Everything is very tense right now and things could get very, very messy."

"What do you mean by messy?" Skunk said. I was surprised he said anything at all.

"We are going to have food shortages, and gas shortages, and maybe energy shortages and similar problems. It will all be temporary, just until governments are able to switch over to other methods of fueling cars and making things like plastic and fertilizers and pesticides. But we men will need to keep a strong hand on the wheel to keep the town safe and calm during a time of shortage like this."

"What kind of strong hand?" Mouse asked.

"Weaker minds tend to panic in times of shortage. People loot and riot and run around like chickens after the axe has fallen. Brother turns against brother, and the soft bodied weaklings cling to the strongest figures around, either from protection or to drag them down. The real men need to be role models and disciplined. They need to be like military officers and keep order. Without strong figures to maintain order, everything falls apart in times of shortage. Without Winston Churchill, Britain would have crumpled during the Second World War. This is like that. We need strong leadership and strong support for those leaders."

"You are my son," He said looking at Wolf, "I know I can count on you."

He looked over at myself and Owl.

"Rabbit, I've known you since you were in diapers, you are ready to be a man. Owl, I can see a man in you trying to get out. When the time comes, I know I can count on the two of you as well. Lion, Skunk, Mouse. I don’t know you boys, but I have been told by men whom I trust that you are ready to become men as well. That’s why you are all here.”

I tried my best to look grateful and excited, not worried and suspicious, "Thank you sir."

The others did the same. I think they were as scared as I was.

"You boys are going to be my soldiers one day. Not right now, not just yet. But you're all becoming men, and we will need real men in the coming days. And so I'm calling on you now. Until the day that I call on you to be soldiers, you will be my scouts and my rangers. And this is where it starts."

"Where what starts? I mean what are we talking about? My dad didn't tell me anything when he sent me here?" Lion asked.

"You have been paying at least some attention to the recent events I hope. The outside world is in turmoil, in crisis. A oil shortage in key countries has pushed the price of oil through the roof. It has set of regional and civil wars all across the developing world and has exposed extensive cracks in many parts of the systems that keep our first world lives so safe and comfy. Governments are trying to cope and deal, but small towns like ours cannot expect help. We will be on our own. And nothing short of exceptional planning and action will allow us to prosper in these times."

"Why is that?"

"Because in times of uncertainty and unrest, those who have are prey for those who who are willing to take. Look at Sumter's Ridge. High unemployment. Very little in the way of infrastucture or resources that can help them weather the shortages brought on by global unrest. Where do you think they will look when their belts get tight and the bellies are empty?"

"So what do we do?" Mouse asked.

"You spread the word. I believe that our town is strong enough to weather the coming storm if we pull together and act like a unit. But people need to undestand the need for action now, before the situation turns bad. Things are still stable, but that stability is fragile. If any surprise crisis pops up, that may break that fragile system beyond our ability to repair. We need people ready before surprises leave us unable to react or adapt. We need to change before it is required."

"I'm giving you all some pamphlets, approved by the city council, to put up around town. Spread them out. Make them impossible to miss. Awareness is critical to preventing this international crisis from spreading to our little town."

I looked at the pamphlets as he handed a bundle to me. I recognised them as being the ones he got approved at the meeting, but something was different. The bottom right corner, which had been noticably blank previously, now had the City Council coat of arms and read 'BY ORDER OF SAFEHOPE BLUFF CITY COUNCIL'.

“Okay men. Let’s get working. I don’t want anyone to tell me that Winter’s girls did better than we did.”

Owl looked up, “Winter’s girls, sir?”

“That’s right. Girls. Power is shifting and we all need to be ready. In times of change we need all the tools that we can get, and even a girl can be useful if she’s set to the right task.”

Owl turned to me and whispered, “ Which girls is he talking about, do you think?”

I shrugged, “Your guess is as good as mine.”

We started putting up the flyers. Not really spreading out, but sort of moving as a mass down the street away from Wolf’s dad.

As we got far enough away from Wolf’s dad that he couldn’t hear everything we were saying as we worked, I noticed Skunk had started grinning again.

“All right men. Now it’s time to march out and kill the enemies and build me a really big throne made of factory equipment- we aren’t using the mill anymore so I need a new empire.” Skunk said in an overly deep and gravelly voice.

“Just don’t let him hear you,” Wolf said, shaking his head, “Otherwise, you’ll be part of the throne.”

“Shouldn’t you stand up for your dad? He’s your dad. You know?” Mouse said.

“My dad doesn’t need me to stand up for him. And I don’t agree with him. I do what he says, because he’s my dad. Nobody said I have to agree with him.”

“But you guys have been talking about how things are getting strange. Doesn’t it sound like your dad actually has some real answers? You said the other adults were all lying to us. He’s actually told us stuff.” Mouse continued.

“But is he telling us the truth, or just what he thinks will get us to do what he wants?” Owl added.

Skunk laughed, “Listen to the detective agency here. You guys haven’t got a clue.”

“I’ll tell you what though. I wonder about your dad, he seems to have no clue about girls. Hawk would have hit him if she heard what he said about girls.” Sparrow said.

“My mom would have ripped a piece off him.” I agreed.

“My dad has really stupid old fashioned ideas about girls.” Wolf agreed.

“Hey, speaking of girls, are you still in the dog house with your girlfriend?” Lion asked.

“She’s not my girlfriend.” Owl said with obvious discomfort.

“That’s a no.” Lion said.

“So Mister Big Man, not scared of anything, is scared of his girlfriend. Ha!” Skunk pointed and laughed at Owl.

Owl ignored Skunk and kept putting up flyers.

“I don’t know why you’re laughing.” Mouse said, actually stepping between Skunk and Owl, “Have you ever had a girlfriend? Have you ever had a girl even like you? Stop laughing. It's mean.”

“You haven’t either Squeaky.” Skunk said.

“I know. But, I’m not laughing at Owl. You shouldn’t laugh about his girl troubles. Your girl trouble is that you don’t have any girl trouble.” Mouse countered.

“Speaking about girl trouble. I really curious who those ‘Winter’s girls’ he was talking about are.” Owl said.

“I’d say anyone who is afraid of things changing. That’s what Mrs. Winter and Wolf’s dad are all about right? They want to put up walls and protect us from the dangers out there in the big bad world that’s about to go all Summer disaster movie on us. So who’s afraid of losing stuff?”

“I know! I know!” Skunk said, gleefully waving his hand like he was answering a teacher, “ That would be your girlfriend, lover boy!”

“You don’t know Viper.” Owl countered.

“And neither do you, if you think she wants things to fall apart like you do bush boy. Everyone in the school knows why you guys argue. She wants a white picket fence and you want a no trespassing sign. Why wouldn’t she side with the people trying to keep things the way they are?” Skunk folded his arms and grinned widely at his own logic.

“Who’s been coaching you, moron?” Owl said sullenly and turned away.

Owl walked away from the rest of us and began putting up pamphlets further off. Wolf looked at me.

“Well, I don’t think that could have gone any worse.”

“Hi guys! What’s going on?” Wolf and I turned around and saw Raven with her parents and also Viper walking down Main Street towards us. Raven’s Dad looked lost in some dark thoughts and Raven’s Mom looked concerned. Viper looked like she was trying to kill Owl with her mind.

Sparrow looked over at Wolf and shook his head, “You don’t say that. It’s like calling on the universe to smite you.”

“Or in this case, to smite Owl.” Lion added.

“Boys, what you doing?” Raven Mom asked, as they got closer.

“We’re putting up pamphlets for my dad, ma’am. Something from the council meeting. He told us to put them up.” Wolf said.

“I’m thinking of just ditching these things and leaving, it’s pretty lame isn’t it?” Skunk added.

“You’re too much of a scaredy cat to risk getting in trouble with Wolf’s Dad.” Owl responded.

“He’s not my Dad.” Skunk said.

“No, your Dad thought a bike with a wicker basket was a good choice for you. Maybe he wanted a girl?” Owl said without turning around.

“Boys.” Raven’s Mom did that mother voice thing we all know: the tone of voice that told us all that we should stop and play nice. It worked, Owl and Skunk shut up- although they kept glaring at each other.

Raven’s Dad wasn’t looking at any of us kids. He wasn’t looking at his wife either. He was looking at the closest pamphlet taped to the nearest power line pole. His face was scrunched up like a math test you just found out you failed. As the snarking between Owl and Skunk faded, the other people noticed What Raven’s Dad was doing and things got quiet. In the quiet, Wolf’s Dad walked over.

“Checking on our work?” He asked, as he crossed his arms of his chest and smiled down at the shorter man. It struck me as kind of spooky. Because I knew that Raven’s dad was pretty tall. Wolf’s dad loomed over everyone.
 
"You've changed this from the design we've approved. The pamphlet now looks as though the Town Council is the group behind it, rather than simply having permitted it."

"I am acting within the boundaries laid out by the council."

"What do you mean by that? Because I will tell you what I think you mean. I believe you are confident that your union turned thug army is sufficient to intimidate the people on the council and that you can push boundaries even as you pretend to accept them. I think that your words a smoke screen that are meant only to buy time while you attempt to reshape the situation to your benefit through other means. So, am I right? Is that what you meant to say?"

"I like you. You're smart. You kept the band in line when you were in charge. But you're too limited in your thinking, and too limited in your view of what can and can't be done. I like you, and we don't have to be enemies. Don't make us enemies."

"I didn't realize we were in a situation where people had enemies."

"People always have enemies. If you don't know that, then all it means is that you're making things easy for them."

"What is the purpose of this pamphlet? Where's the value in putting it up? Are you trying to raise awareness and educate, or spread fear and mistrust?"

"Fear is valuable. I don't see it as a negative thing. Fear is what keeps you alive."

"And fear makes people reactive, and easily persuaded to do things that they wouldn't normally agree to do."

"Fear is a very good motivator."

"It isn't very good and providing perspective or guidance though."

"That's what leadership is for."

"Whose leadership?"

"Those strong enough to withstand fear. Those strong enough to be aware of it, but unconquered by it."

“You are trying to speak in shadows. And I’m sure that’s effective most of the time. I’m asking you for a real answer. What do you mean by ‘those strong enough’? Do you mean yourself? I suspect that you do. And that leaves me deeply concerned.”

“And that’s your weakness. You don’t get angry. You get deeply concerned. You stepped down as band chief because you were tired of the infighting. You were doing a good job, and you would have done a better job if you had simply been willing to drag the idiots into line. You’re certainly smart enough that you could have managed it.”

“I have no desire to be a dictator. Particularly within the reservation system. I’ve seen that stereotype play out far too often. I did what I could and then stepped down.”

“And now your support is largely nominal, and your power base is non-existent. Whereas I have a steadily growing power base. Even the the younger generation understands. We have allies everywhere. Even schools children understand that strong leadership is required to protect our way of life."

“You aren’t building a power base. As I said earlier, you are building a reactive mob led by fear. And you are relying on that fear to push your ideas through.”

"Only cowards like you are beaten by fear."

Raven’s Dad shook his head, “Don’t mistake civility for cowardice. And don’t think that this won’t come up at the Council meeting. You’re trying to be Phillip of Macedon. You’re trying to act like you’re negotiating in good faith. But you keep trying to advance during the negotiations. I’m watching you. I don’t like what you’re doing.”

As the parents spoke Viper and Raven had moved, gravitated, slowly over to the group of us boys. As Raven’s dad finished speaking, Viper whispered to us, too quietly for the adults to hear.

 “I think he’s pretty clever.” She said,tilting her head to indicate Wolf's father, “He’s done like Azula from 'Airbender', tell them what they want to here and betray them later."

"Isn't Azula the villain?" asked Owl.

Skunk snorted, "And people think I'm dumb. But that sure sounds to me like I was right. What you do you think Owl? Am I right? I am aren't I?"

Owl didn't say aything.

"Maybe I'm just talking to me here,” Skunk continued “But I think I'm right on this one. Maybe I've been right about a lot of things. People just don't listen, but they know. They know."

Skunk leered at Owl, looking pointedly back and forth from Owl to Viper- who was turning an angry shade of crimson.

I kind of thought Skunk was wrong about Viper. I mean maybe, maybe, Viper was one of the girls Wolf's Dad had mentioned. But we were here putting up his pamphlets and we were also talking to Bart. So even if she was, I figured that it was probably something like that.

But Owl wasn't saying anything and Viper could tell she was being bad mouthed by Skunk.

"So, apparently I'm not worth defending. I defended you, even when we were fighting. So why aren't you defending me?" She said loudly.

"Viper honey, let's keep things polite. Skunk, remember your manners, this isn't a political rally." Raven's mom said.

"Well?" Viper said.

"You don't even know what he's talking about." Owl said.

"You're right, I don't, because you haven't told me."

"It's not important."

"So I'm not important?"

"I didn't say that."

"Yeah, you did. Skunk is talking about me, and apparently, according to you, what he's talking about isn't important. So if I'm not important enough for you to explain things to, or to defend when I'm being mocked; then I guess you're not important enough to spend any more time trying to fix." And with that, Viper turned on her heel, really dramatically, and marched off away from us.

Raven looked at her mom, "Mom I need to go be a good friend."

Her mother nodded, "Let's go then. Skunk, mind your manners. Owl, you need to talk this out later. Dear, we're going."

Raven ran off after Viper. And Raven's mother gently took her husband's hand and headed off. Raven's dad gave Wolf's dad a look that could cut through concrete before he turned around to walk with his wife.

"You can't trust women you can't control." Wolf's dad said, looking at Owl as Raven and her parents disappeared from sight. "You need to bring them in line or get rid of them."

Owl didn't say a word.

"Think it over, you'll understand in time. In any event, I have additional things that I need to put into motion. You men finish up here. I'll call on you later."

And then he turned and head in the opposite direction of Viper and Raven.

"You could not have screwed that up any more than if you flat out called her ugly." Skunk said with a grin.

I noticed a change in Owl's posture. The other kids did too, everyone but Skunk.

Lion turned back to Skunk, "We're friends and all my man. So take this as from a friend. I think you may be pushing things too far."

"What's he going to do, cry on me?" Skunk said with a laugh.

And Owl punched Skunk twice, hard. The first punch smashed across Skunk's nose, spurting blood across the sidewalk and bending Skunk's nose at a weird angle. The second punch buried itself in Skunk's stomach and made him double over. Owl followed it up by grabbing Skunk by the shoulders and driving a knee into the older boy's groin. Owl let go, and Skunk fell to the ground in a limp pile of arms and legs and pain.

“I warned you,” Lion said, “You got no sense of how far you can push people. And some people push back.”

Skunk made several gasping attempts at talking, but couldn't manage to get enough air to make any words.

Owl stood over him, his face red.

"What are you going to do Skunk, cry on me?"

Skunk pulled himself up to his knees.

"I'll make you cry, you cowboy freak." he said, and then pulled out his pocket knife.

He was reaching for the folding blade with his left hand to open the knife, when Owl brought his right foot, cowboy boot and all onto Skunk's hand and drove it to the sidewalk. Skunk let out a scream of pain, and Owl twisted his heel, forcing Skunk's hand to open and release the knife. Owl lifted his foot and sharply kicked the knife into the alley between the diner and barber shop.

"What's the deal Skunk. Are you just trying to make us all as miserable and pathetic as you are?"

An authoritative voice shattered the moment.

"Stop that this instant! Before I call your parents and make them pick you up in my holding cells!"

I didn't look up. I didn't need to. I knew that voice. My mother was here.

"Owl! What on earth do you think you are doing?"
 
Owl didn't respond.

"Skunk had a knife ma'am." Mouse said in the looming quiet.

My mother looked around, and turned back to Skunk, "I don't see a knife. Skunk, is this true? Do you have a knife."

Skunk looked confused and held out both his hands, as if to say, 'what knife?'

"Oh come on!" Wolf said.

"I have as many knives as Owl does." Skunk added, licking the blood from his lips as it dripped from his nose.

I froze, understanding Skunk's meaning perfectly. I saw Owl's hand move reflexively to his back.

Owl shook his head, "I'm sorry. I didn't see a knife. We were just fighting. He insulted my friend and I got mad. I started it. It's my fault, my responsibility."

Skunk grinned.

"Don't you grin like that young man. I am almost as furious at you. I know you. How many times have I had to call your parents about you stealing bikes or worse? So this time somebody else threw the first punch, but don't think I don't know you had a hand in this."

"Thank you ma'am." Owl said.

"Oh no, don't thank me. I know he's a delinquent. But I expect better of you. You're friends with my son, and I know your parents. Don't think I'm going to let you fall through the cracks like I let happen to your father. I am going to watch you and ride you. There is no way I am letting another member of your family waste his potential."

"Mom, don't you normally say that we should stand up for ourselves and our friends."

"Of course I say that, but that doesn't mean beat another boy bloody for name calling. If you don't know the difference, then clearly we need to have a more careful discussion on the matter. And what are you children putting up here, anyway?"

She grabbed the pamphlets from my hands, and stared at them as though she were trying to use heat vision to burn holes straight through them.

"This is not what the council approved. What on Earth are you boys doing putting these up?"

"My dad told us to ma'am." Wolf said.

"And did he explain why he changed this pamphlet from what was approved?"

"No, but Raven's dad got in a fight with my Dad about the changes on the paper too. My dad said that the change was okay. Raven's dad didn't seem to agree though. It was almost as though Raven's dad was fighting with him. I've never seen him like that, like he was actually angry." Wolf said.

"Of course he's angry. Your father is claiming authority he doesn't have. And you boys are helping him do his dirty deed. What do you have to say for yourselves?"

"Should we have disobeyed a grown up, a parent?" Owl said.

"You shouldn't have to be in a situation where you would need to ask that question. Damn!" She kicked a nearby street light, "I'm sorry boys. I'm not angry at you. Okay, that's wrong. I'm furious with at least two of you. But I'm more angry at the way people around here are acting, and I was taking that out on you."

"That said, you and I are going to have a long talk about proper ways to stand up for our friends tonight young man. And if I see either of you boys fighting, heaven help you. And heaven help you if this mythical knife actually shows up."

"And furthermore, you're right. I shouldn't be angry at you for obeying an adult. But I don't think any of you will be very proud of this moment when you grow up. You need to think about what you are doing and whether or not what you are doing is the right thing. Too many people end up doing far too many things they later regret because they were doing what they were told to do."

“Do you want us to stop?” I asked.

“No, you finish doing what you agreed to time. I want you to grow up to be a man of your word. But you pay attention to what you are agreeing to do in the future. I’ll see you at home. And Skunk? Owl? I will be speaking with your parents. So expect a long conversation when you get home.”

My mother headed off as abruptly as she had arrived. Nobody spoke. Everyone was silent now, even Skunk- who quietly retrieved his knife before going back to putting up pamphlets. Eventually the pamphlets were all taped up to buildings and lamp posts and power line poles and whatever else was in the city center that packing tape would stick to. After we finished, the other boys wandered off. Skunk with a smug grin, and Mouse and Lion with off had good byes.

“Well, that went well.” I said, once the three of us were alone.

“Did anything that could go wrong, not go wrong?” Owl asked.

“Well, Viper could have slapped you bud.” Wolf said.

“I would have preferred it.” Owl added.
   
“So the problem isn't what's happening? That isn't what the adults are hiding. We know it's to do with oil suddenly being harder to get and how that's acting like dominoes in all sorts of other stuff in Professor Tuttle's spider webs as some people try to protect themselves and some take advantage and some panic.” I said.

“The problem is that everyone is still hiding things from us. So if that isn't what they're hiding, what are they hiding?” Owl asked.

“Well, it has to have something to do with everything else, I mean the stuff that we thought they were hiding. It's just a more secret part of that stuff.” I said.

“So maybe the secret is that the adults aren't sure that we can get through this. Like, everyone is going to starve and they don't want us to know, 'cause we'll worry.” Wolf said.

“No, they've talked about that. I mean, nobody has said 'we're all going to starve', but people have done the whole hint so strongly we know what you mean thing. So that's not a secret, people just don't like to talk about it.” Owl said.

“Okay, well what are the adults keeping from each other? What are secrets they aren't just keeping from the kids? Maybe it's that.” I said.

“Oh, that's not good. That's what the secret is. Everyone has their own plans on how to get through this, and they don't agree with each other. The secret isn't a secret, its lots of secrets. That's why everyone's arguing, everyone is fighting over how to get through what's happening.” Owl said.

“So we were right about there being teams. But this isn't a race I don't think. This is fight.” I said.

“No bud,” Wolf said, “This is more than a fight. This is a war.”
             
I didn't do much after I got home besides think. I had wanted to watch the news, but my Dad was watching hockey. And so I went to my room and play 'Oregon Trail' on the computer to try and clear my head. And then my mother was calling us all for dinner.

The Pinchens were yelling again tonight. Nobody commented as we ate our dinner. My mother was the Chief of Police and I wondered what it said about her that she just kept eating like nothing was wrong.
Mrs. Pinchen was yelling something about her husband being crazy and paranoid. And then she stopped yelling, mid sentence, and suddenly we were eating in silence again.

And I knew that Mrs. Pinchen would be wearing sun glasses in Winter again tomorrow.