The Mysteries of Chapter Two.

Montag looks at her. Clarisse looks at him. He smiles, she smiles.

"Clarisse? " Montag started, "I was just wondering . . ."

"Yes?"

"Well, um.. I was just wondering. . . How do you know so much about everything... I mean, well my boss, Captain Beatty, has searched through your house before and not a book in sight, you can't just have common knowledge of these things, now can you? "

" Well, I-uh.."

" I mean you know so much about everything and how it used to be back in whenever, I was just wondering, How..? How do you know so much?"

For the first time, Clarisse was speechless. What could she have said to a firemen. She wasn't afraid yet, she was skeptical. She laughs nonchalantly. " Well, Montag, If you really must know, I don't know. I just hear things.. From my mom, my dad, my uncles.. my cousins, they all.. talk." She shifts around a little bit. Montag was a little confused. They talk without books? That's a little dubious. " Don't worry, you don't have to hide from me. If you do, I won't tell anyone.

"I trust you."

"Wait, what?"

"Trust, something committed or entrusted to one to be used or cared for in the interest of another, I trust you. " She gets up. She starts to head off back home. Montag gets up behind her. "Clarisse, " He says, barely audible, but she heard it.

"Yes?"

Silence. And she was gone.

The walk home was lonely. She trusts me... She trusts me..whatever would that mean. That she's willing to tell me anything I needed to know. I'm just curious. Trust, she gave a valid definition. To.. commit, entrust, to one to be used or cared for the interest in another. So, she.. entrusts me. He continues down the road.

Montag opened his door. Mildred was talking to her 'family' about the weather or something. He slides off his boots, and takes off his jacket. The 451 sign on his hat, from, shining to a bit rusty. He looks towards the table, Captain Beatty, sitting there drinking tea, with a blank piece of paper

" Hello Montag," Guy was taken did, well, did Mildred maybe..

" Hello Captain, my captain" He said nonchalantly. " What brings you here? " He slyly glance to the ventilator grill, and came back to Montag who was drinking his tea.

" I can't come and visit a friend? " He smiles and pretends to be heartbroken.

" No, but-"

" Aww.. Now Montag. " He took another sip and motions Montag to sit down. Montag gives in but he was starting to get scared. Beatty smiles because he knows he won this little battle but, this smile turned into a serious face as he studies all the emotions of Montag's face. " Montag, Now what do you know about Clarisse McClellan.

" My next door neighbor? " Montag looked a little worried, but confused. Why would Beatty want to know anything about her? There's probably something about her. I mean she thinks differently from the rest. " Clarisse McClellan, what aout her?"

"Here or there, that's bound to occur. We've got a record on her family. We've watched them carefully. Heredity and environment are funny things. You can't rid yourselves of all the odd ducks in just a few years." He opens a pack of cigars, lights them up and takes a swig at it. He blows the smoke into a circular shape into Montag's face. " You want one?"

" No I'll pass. " He coughs at the ring of smoke and twiddles with his fingers. " So about her family?"

" I just came to tell you to be careful. She's a dangerous one, Along with her family. Don't listen to her, don't talk to her. And maybe we can drive her away and make this world a better place. " He gets up, dumps the cigar into the garbage and puts on his sweater. Mildred gets up from the parlor rooms and goes into the kitchen when Beatty is close to leaving the door.

" Oh Captain Beatty," She started, "Won't you stay and have some dinner with us, we're making lasagna." She smiles and moves her hair from her face.

" No, no I'm fine. Thank you Mildred. " And he was gone.

Montag notices the spark in Mildred's eyes. He never got that same spark. Was she happy or something? Montag was silent for a few more seconds. He doesn't remember getting that sweet look from her. Then Clarisse runs through his mind.

. . . "What a shame, You're not in love with anyone."

Well maybe, maybe .. no.. That would be wrong. That would be really wrong.

" Are you ok? " Mildred said. She looks at him discerningly and though there was something on his mind.

" No, nothing"

" You sure? "

" I don't know"

" Montag!" she whines.

Montag goes up into his room and lays down. He sighs and looks up at the ceiling. Listening closely of the guns. the missiles, the bombs. How is no one else hearing this but him. . .

( End of Another Chapter. Enjoy. :\)