Disaster in the Rain

“Are we nearly there yet?” I asked my mum. She shook her head.

“One hundred and twenty three... one hundred and twenty four... one hundred and twenty five...” I listened to my younger brother Adam counting droplets of rain on the window as we drove. I rolled my eyes. He was so annoying. I listened to the tyres screech as we stopped before the traffic lights. Puddles of rain splashed on the car. Dad grunted at the muddy marks. He hated getting his car dirty. The car started moving again. I opened my mouth to ask another question, when I car crossed straight in front of us. Shattered glass flew everywhere, my mothers scream. Dad trying to pull the car to a stop. My brother crying.

“Mum? What’s happening?” She reached for my hand. She squeezed it.

“I love you honey.” She spoke to me, barely a whisper. She held onto my hand as the car crashed through the front seat. Dad first. Then mum. She let go.

“Mum!” I cry, as the car flips.

************************************************************

I gaze above me. Everything is blurry. I see white-hot flames burning our car. I hear crying. I race to the car. I unbelt my brother first, and I yank him out the car. I run to a bench to put him on while I helped my parents. As I place him down, I turn back to the car, when I bursts up in flames. I gape at the car as it gets engulfed in the fire. Mother... and father. I clasp my hand over my mouth. I run to my brother. My face in one hand, I sob, holding my brother in the other arm. Why wasn’t the rain putting out the fire? I race into a store. As I open the door, I choke on the smoke. I realise it is a bookshop. Everyone in the store looks away from the window to look at me and Adam.

“Well don’t just stand there!” I scream at them, “Call the police!”

They nod, and once they finish working out who is going to call, they press numbers into their phones, and soon, a police car, ambulance and fire engine arrive at the scene. Once they put out the fire, they pull out mum and dad.

“I’m sorry to say this Elizabeth, but your parents have perished.” I stare at the policeman, then look at Adam who is playing on the staircase with another boy and his dad. Laughing. I understand that he is little, but why is he laughing at such a horrible time like this?

************************************************************

“Why are we in a p’lice car?” Adam asks me, looking at the policeman.

“Are we in trouble?” I smile and shake my head. I start to silently sob.

“Are you ok? Was it me? Where are mummy and daddy?”

“I’m ok. Mummy and daddy are going to be away for quite some time, ok? But don’t worry. I won’t leave you. Not for a second.” I grab my brother into a hug, and silently whisper into his ear.

“I promise.”

************************************************************

“You’ll have to tell him eventually.” Policeman Joey tells me. I look through the window. I watch Adam playing around in the interrogation room while the policeman gave up asking questions to play with him. The policeman and him are playing tag.

“That’s not my job.” I tell him. “That’s your job. You’re responsibility.”

The Joey sighs, then nods. He knocks on the interrogation room door, and they both stop. The other policeman opens the door, and Joey whispers something to him. The policeman nods and says bye to Adam. Joey tells Adam to sit down for a minute. He listens, and plops into a black chair. Joey lowers his voice and talks to Adam. His smile suddenly disappears. Tears trickle down his face. He looks at me through the window, and I look at my feet. Why did it have to happen like this?

************************************************************

As we are told we have to go now, I grab Adams hand. He looks up at me, eyes red from the tears. I smile sadly at him, and he hugs my legs. I pick him up and hug him. At that moment I realise. We are orphans. Will we go to an orphanage? Or family? What about the house? And what about Billy, our dog? Will he be ok? Questions. “Hey, Joey? Are we going to an orphanage?” Joey gulped. He shook his head.

“No, you will be staying with your great aunt, Matilda.”

“Who? Never heard of her. Why aren’t we staying with auntie May? Or grandma and grandad?” Joey nervously scratched his head. “Because they are all incapable of looking after your dog, let alone you! I assure you, her criminal record has expunged and-”

“Wait wait wait... criminal record? I don’t want to live with a felon!” “You won’t have to,” Joey said impatiently, “as I mentioned before, it has expunged. Now would you please stop complaining, and hop into the car. You will pack your bags and immediately go to your great aunts. That or you will both have to go to boarding school, while your aunt May gets an adoption licence. But boarding schools are private, and private schools are one gender only, so you’ll have to go to seperate schools. And I am sure you don’t want to live apart so soon after this terrible accident, do you?” I look at Adam. He looks back up at me. He shakes his head.

“No.”

************************************************************

When we get to our house, the warm tingly feeling has gone. The only happiness was Billy greeting us at the door. Memories of picnics in the garden, games of tag, planting flowers. I run into the house which Joey unlocked. I go into my room and open the wardrobe door. I pull out my suitcase and throw my clothes in. I’m about to scream when Adam comes in.

“Lizzy? I can’t find Binky.” I smile at him.

“Let’s see if we can find him.” I help look in his room. Everything that used to be filled with joy feels so... empty. So empty and grey. I lift his pillows up. There was a little soft bunny in the shape of a square. He was kind of like a handkerchief but also a cute toy. “Here he is.” I pick him up and hand him to Adam. “Thanks... Can you help me pack?”

“Of course.”

************************************************************

As Adam and I pulled our suitcases behind us, Joey taps his watch. “You’re late.”

“Oh, so were on a timer now, are we? Our parents just died. Give us a break.” Joey awkwardly smiled, obviously embarrassed. He nodded and lifted our suitcases into the boot. We hopped into the car, and I carried Billy in a dog carry-me-cage. I placed his cage in the middle seat and turned to Adam.

“You excited?” Adam shook his head. “No. Why didn’t mummy or daddy tell us about her?” I pondered about this for a moment then shrugged.

“I don’t know. But what I do know is, Billy is upset because you are.” “He is? But how?” I smiled at him.

“He is like a human. He has emotions too.” Adam nodded.

“Here we are.” Joey said to us, stopping the car.

************************************************************

“Come on, Adam. Don’t be shy.” I nudge Adam on the shoulder. Billy barks happily. Adam shakes his head. It starts to rain.

“Come on. We don’t want another disaster in the rain.”

He looks out the window, then takes in a big breath.

“Let’s do this for mummy and daddy. Let’s do this... for us.” He says as he opens the door. He tugs his suitcase out the boot. I do the same. We say goodbye to Joey, then roll our suitcases up the path. “Let’s do this.” We say at the same time.

“We love you mummy. And you too, daddy.” Says Adam. “Of course we do. We love you guys. Let’s knock on the door.” “But what about the doorbell?” Adam asks.

“Let’s do it the good old fashioned way.” Adam nods.

KNOCK KNOCK.