A New Death: CJ's Story Read Free

hiding things from me.
    “Have you heard from Josh yet?” My Dad asked after a Moment of silence.
    Aunt Laura shook her head no.
    “Not yet,” she said.
    My Dad began to pull on his goatee, something he does while he thinks.
    “Well, we should start to pack up what food we can,” he finally said.
    They began to shift into the kitchen, when Aunt Laura’s phone rang.
    “It’s Josh,” she said excitedly. “Hello? Hold on, I’m going to put you on speaker!”
    She pushed a few buttons on her phone.
    “Hello? Can you hear me?” My uncle asked through the phone’s tiny speaker.
    “Yes! Yes, we can hear you! Where are you?” My aunt responded.
    There was a brief buzz of static.
    “Work sent me to Brunswick late in the day. Had to pick up-FZZT- ladders and to-FZZT- no reception and trying to-FZZT- safe but-FZZT- will be on the way soo-”
    The phone went dead.
    “Hello? Hello?!” Aunt Laura screamed into the phone.
    Nothing.
    G-Mom and G-Dad moved over to her and held her as she began crying. We stood there, soaking in the silence. My uncle worked for a plumbing company where he delivered supplies to the job sites. He had to drive out of town a lot of times, sometimes to the other side of Georgia. From what I could understand from the phone call, he had to leave late this afternoon, putting him in Brunswick, Georgia right now. He was about an hour south of us.
    “It’ll be ok Laura,” I heard my Mom say. “If anyone knows what to do now, it’s Josh. He’ll get back to you.”
    “I know,” she said through sniffles. “I just wish he was here. And I wish we were all at the cabin.”
    “Ok then,” my Dad said. “Well, let’s get started packing. The sooner we finish that, the sooner we can get out of here.”
     
    ***
     
    Everyone was quiet as we packed the vehicles with the food and supplies. We had our SUV, and G-Dad brought his pick-up truck, so there was plenty of room for cargo. Mom and G-Mom worked in the kitchen, packing up food and cooking utensils. I carried the boxes out to G-Dad who was cramming them into every nook and cranny he could find. Hailey was coloring at the table, out of the way, but I noticed that Dad and Aunt Laura had slipped away from the rest of the family.
    After taking a box outside, I went back in and said I had to go to the bathroom. Mom nodded and told me to hurry. I went towards the bathroom, but kept going and went into my parent’s bedroom. I heard voices in their bathroom.
    Aunt Laura and Dad were talking quietly.
    “Josh probably will assume we went to the cabin, but just in case he comes here to check and see if we’re here, this note will point him in the right direction,” I heard my Dad say.
    “Yeah, I know he will probably come here first before heading out west or trying to head in town,” Aunt Laura answered. “At least to see if we made it out. With the house empty, he’ll know where to go next. What’s the safe passcode?”
    “3836.”
    “Got it. You think-”
    She paused.
    “You think he’ll use it?”
    “I doubt it, but I’d like for him to have the option, just in case he gets in trouble.”
    “Yeah… trouble…” Aunt Laura trailed off.
    “He’ll be fine, Laura. He’s probably already got his hands on a machete. Heck, I’m surprised he doesn’t already walk around with one!”
    I heard her laugh half-heartedly, which I felt was my cue to walk into the bathroom.
    “Do you have any boxes I can take?” I asked nonchalantly.
    “No, CJ. We’re good in here. C’mon let’s go finish in the kitchen,” my Dad said, pulling me out of the bathroom.
    I had enough time to catch a glimpse of the note they were talking about. Written in lipstick on the mirror was:
     
    Gone to cabin.
    Safe code: 3836
    I love you
    Ps- don’t leave me to do this by myself
    Don’t die on me
     
    What? Don’t die on me? I thought. What does she mean?
    My brain began to race. I had no idea why everyone was so worried and talking in ways where I couldn’t