Frank woke up on Sunday morning to the sound of light rain falling through the leaves outside his bedroom window. He resisted the urge to burrow deeper into his blankets and hide there all day. If he didn't want to get up though, there was no chance that Joe would be eager to either.
After a few hours of homework in peace while he let Joe sleep, Frank finally heard Joe stirring. A few minutes later, Joe was blearily peering over Frank's shoulder. "What are you doing?" Joe mumbled.
"I'm finishing my homework. Last time I checked, it didn't finish itself," Frank said as he dug through his backpack.
"Oh man," Joe moaned. He hated homework and had managed to block it out of his mind completely this weekend but now all of his make-up work came rushing back to him and he sagged down on Frank's bed feeling overwhelmed.
"What's wrong?" Frank asked turning around and examining Joe closely.
"I just started thinking of all of that make-up work from Thursday that I still have to do and the homework from Friday," Joe said miserably. He silently berated himself for leaving the work when he could have done some on Thursday night or even yesterday.
"You'll get it all done," Frank said. "Why don't you bring it to the rehearsal today? We are just going to be observing and it will probably look less conspicuous if you say you're working on your homework while you're waiting for Vanessa to finish."
"That's true. I'm sure I can get some of it done there," Joe said feeling a bit better.
A few hours later, Joe, Frank and Callie were sitting in the auditorium seats with their homework spread across the desktops. They had told the few people who had asked that they were just waiting for Vanessa to finish so they could all go to a movie.
Joe stood up after completing one assignment and stretched his legs. He was a little cramped in the desks and it was making his bruised hip sore. "I'm going backstage to see how Ness is doing," he said. He was feeling jittery inside and it was too difficult to sit still right now.
"I'll come with you," Frank said immediately and started to get up.
"No. I'm fine. I am just going up those steps, and right behind the curtain. I'll be back in five minutes," Joe said, and then added with a smile, "Trust me."
"I always worry when you say that Joe," Frank said as he ran his hand through his hair. "If you're not back in five minutes then I will be running on stage to find you," Frank said.
Joe gave Frank a look and went backstage. He found Vanessa working on fixing one of the props for an upcoming scene. She looked up at him and said, "How's you homework coming?"
"Pretty good I think. I got the history assignment done. I'm just taking a break before I figure out what I have to do next," Joe said.
"Have you finished that assignment that we were assigned on Thursday? I worked on that all day yesterday," Alan said from behind Joe.
Joe turned around. "Hey Alan. What math assignment? I knew we had two pages of problems to do, is there something else?" Joe said his brow furrowing.
"Yeah, didn't you hear? We have to do the math lab that is discussed at the end of chapter three but you also need your math lab book to complete this. It's due tomorrow," Alan said.
"This stinks! I thought I was almost done. Man, I better go read that lab – and get my lab book. They never make those things easy either," Joe said feeling decidedly grumpy. Frank had picked up his homework for him, but missed this part. Joe made a mental note to tell Frank he needed to ask someone more reliable for the math homework next time. "Thanks for letting me know Alan, I would hate to turn it in late." Joe turned towards Vanessa and said, "I have to go look at this. See you in a bit."
Joe walked back into the auditorium just as he saw Frank look at his watch. "I'm here," Joe said. "You can stop worrying now. I was just talking to Alan and found out that I need another book to finish my math homework. I'm going to run to my locker and get it so I can finish."
"I thought I got everything. I'll go with you," Frank said and started to get up again.
"I am only going to my locker, and them I'm coming right back. And besides, all the suspects are in here. You need to keep an eye on them," Joe said. "I'll be back in five minutes."
Callie reached over and put her hand on Frank's arm, she knew he was anxious about Joe and his safety. "He'll be okay. He is only going to his locker. Give him a minute and he'll be back."
Two minutes later, a terrified voice came from the stage. "There's a fire – smoke coming from the science area! Hurry! This way!"
Frank looked up and saw Alan frantically run off the stage. The science area was at the opposite end of the school from Joe's locker, but had something or someone drawn him in that direction? Frank and Callie bolted from their seats and rushed with the rest of the cast and crew towards the science labs where they saw smoking billowing from one of the rooms.
"Someone call 911!" Frank shouted.
Alan turned towards him, "I'll go!" and he took off running down the hallway back towards the auditorium.
With Callie's help, Frank managed to bring some order to the group. Callie led all of the students outside the building so the area was evacuated. Frank was too concerned about the possibility that Joe was inside one of the rooms to leave or wait for the fire department to arrive.
He grabbed the fire extinguisher off the wall and opened the door of the lab. Smoke came billowing out causing tears to stream down his face. He was surprised though that he did not feel an increase in heat in the room, nor did he see flames.
Frank held the fire extinguisher at the ready and kept low trying to avoid the smoke. He peered around the lab tables and after only a few minutes, discovered that the billowing smoke was coming from the trash can in the far corner of the room. While suppressing a coughing fit, Frank used the fire extinguisher on the can though he hadn't seen any flames and thankfully the smoke stopped, though the room was still thick with it.
He quickly threw open the windows and continued scouting around on the floor for any sign of his brother. Satisfied Joe wasn't in there Frank left the room and sucked in the clean air. Man, he thought, I'm glad Joe wasn't in here. His lungs don't need this abuse. And as Frank started coughing in earnest, he thought, well neither do mine.
He headed off to find the others and make sure Joe had evacuated as well. As he started to pass the side door of the stage area though, he heard a crackling sound coming from behind the door. Frank approached it in an effort to identify the source. His stomach sank as he listened to the distinctive sound of fire, crackling and popping.
Frank grabbed the closest fire extinguisher and took one last deep breath before throwing the door open. He was immediately hit with intense heat and smoke.