Smalls hadn't thought they would find them. At least, not this soon. It was worse because it was his fault-or, there fault, depending on how you wanted to think about it. They had led them here. Unintentionally, maybe, but they still had. It was their fault.
"Smalls-Smalls we need to call Wilfred. Now!" Evan's voice was a barely controlled shout.
"Why're you telling me this? You're the one who has a cell phone!"
"Right." Evan tore open his backpack and rifled through it, while Smalls watched the school go up in flames. Firetrucks and police cars were whirring in the distance, but Smalls and Evan had to be long gone by then. "Smalls…..." Evan said. "I don't have my phone."
"What? Why not?"
"I left it at home-I didn't think I'd need it! We hadn't sighted him for weeks now, I thought it was okay." Smalls gritted his teeth. "We'll have to make a run for it." Evan said, calming slightly as a solid plan began to form in his mind. "If the police catch us-Gosh, if they catch us Smalls-they'll know it's us. They'll know we aren't dead and then Morbin'll know. We need to go. We need to go now."
"We have to make sure that everyone's alright first." Smalls retorted. Evan considered this, then nodded.
"You're right. It's our fault. We can watch from over there-behind those cars." The did. Crouched behind an old ford, they could see the chaos unfolding. Everywhere were terrified, panic-stricken kids. Some had minor burns, others had inhaled smoke, some were just scared. "The Longtreaders." Evan hissed. "Look, it's that girl you bumped into this morning. That's Wilfred's niece."
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"We can't leave them. Garlackson would know who they were even if they don't."
"They shouldn't have to be involved, Wilfred made it clear we weren't to talk or interact with them."
"It's to late-the girl at least has seen you, and several times. I told you to stop riding your bike up there." A foolish miscalculation on Smalls' part.
"What on earth do you want to do about it?" He asked. "They have no clue who they are and even less of one about us." A car pulled up, and Wilfred stepped out.
Wilfred was not that intimidating to look at. And his car, a beat-up passenger van that showed many signs of usage, was even less impressive. That was intentional. He gestured to them, a sign to return to the car.
"What's going on?" He asked once they returned.
"A fire." Evan replied.
"Set by who?"
"Who says it was set by anybody?" Smalls countered. Wilfred ignored him.
"Not now lad, not now." He mumbled, fiddling with his keys. His grey eyes scanned the seen. "You two get in the van. I'll be back in a minute."
"Where are you going?"
"To get something, You'll see." Unhappily, both boys clambered into the van. It was an odd thing, with the large open space in the back stuffed with random knickknacks and a few cots, and the two rows of seats in the front covered in fake leather cracked from usage. They sat in silence for a long time, before Evan dug in the back and produced a can of coke. Smalls stared out the front window, tapping his fingers listlessly to the beat of the radio, which had never been turned off.
'Cause we all make mistakes sometimes
And we've all stepped across that line
But nothing's sweeter than the day we find
Forgiveness, forgiveness
And we all stumble and we fall
Bridges burn in the heat of it all
But nothing's sweeter than the day,
Sweeter than the day we call
Out for forgiveness
Toby Mac happened to be one of Wilfred's favorite musicians-Smalls knew the song by heart. The lyrics seemed oddly suited to the events of the day.
"Wilfred doesn't look happy." Evan said, peering out the side window. "He's alone." Wilfred pulled open the driver side door, got in, and put the key in the ignition.
"What's going on?" Smalls demanded.
"Manners." Wilfred replied, shooting him a look that, in other words at least, meant 'be quiet and be patient'. Smalls hated it when he looked at him like that.
"Where are we going?" Evan asked, observing that they weren't headed out of town.
"To make sure my brother is still alive." Wilfred responded. Smalls blinked and glanced back at his older brother. Evan shrugged, and asked,
"Do you want a coke?"