CARNAL

's P

an i

arrangements to go across Germany w

lt about this by staring at me blankly

he smart one between the

your comm

se for myself. What I had done was stu

nagging tug in the pit of my stomach that urged me to co

g to do about scho

e will only work for so long until y

. He had

eak is about to s

at least buy

shook h

men.'' he reminded me f

isn't

nd I heard the front

rd to Mom

sed an

elling them that you'r

ng on it,'

y mom passed me on the staircase, still teary-eyed. I walked over to my dad, wh

that?" I

he pamphlets down on the table

we should be aware of if we wanted t

out the fact that I was leaving the

best if you and Zak

ned. Well, t

as I struggled to figu

u say that

hrough his gray

t do anything to help, so I think it would be best if you let Mom and I deal w

people I could call,"

began to fit together in my

w," I said, backing away. I turned

e him sitting down on his bed w

ng to believe th

ts us to

for you while you stay here,'' he

ike this,'

bed as he purchase

backing out

r the musty room and looked around. I was looking for anything that would give me an idea of what my g

upon himself. I just couldn't imagine my grandfather, the man who had practicall

es looking for something that stuck out to

ked up earlier the day before. I looked over at the shelf warily. There

eeling and went b

t the attic, I grabbed the books off the shelf and stuffed them into the box. I told myself it was

n the folders my mom had stored away. Knowing she would eventually notice they were missing,

rrived to be filled with sleep. Sleep didn't come, however, and I

ding in the doorway. He nodded for me to follow him and I roll

ing for us, still dresse

e said, huggi

upstairs to their room to go back to bed. It was onl

s things as I

ont door, looking

orning and he needed to leave, but he couldn't leave until I did. The last thing I

out the window to see a black SUV pull into the very

Zak staring at t

them," I