Paul's Kingdom
You quietly slip out of the house and begin sobbing. You're leaving the only place you've ever called home forever. But you have to. You could never live with your family if they knew your secret.
So, you need to find Mom. She doesn't know your secret yet, and you can tell her that it's all a lie you never had any magazine. So you need to find her.
Where could she be? You try to remember your mother but find it surprisingly hard. Well, she didn't go out too much. She usually worked pretty late. Sometimes she went to Steve's Groceries to pick up dinner. Maybe she's there.
It takes you a good hour to walk into town as it is after dusk, but you make it without even a scrape on the knee. Now with the lights to guide you, you push the door into Steve's Groceries open. The warm interior of the local grocer's shop greets you.
Brett Lindman is manning the register. Brett is Steve Lindman's son, and he is one unhappy fellow. He is what you could consider to be your brother's arch-enemy. They've hated each other ever since fifth grade. And for some reason, Brett thinks you're just as bad as your brother! You can't remember exactly what Brett and Tom had quarrled over, but you do remember that deep down you knew Brett was right. Still, the rift between your families persists and Brett hates you.
Oddly enough, Brett laughs when he sees you and wraps an arm around your body. "Paul Zimmer! My best buddy! What brings you to my dad's shop so late at night? Is Tom around?"
"No," you say glumly. "He's not. I came here to ask you about something."
A thin grin forms on Brett's face. "Yeah, bud? What's on your mind?"
Brett's sincerity is troubling you. What's going on in his head? "Well, I was going to ask you if you've seen my mother lately."
Now Brett's grin is a huge smirk. "Saw your mom six days ago. She bought a lot of food."
"Really? Did she tell you where she went?"
Brett looks down at you, like he's been waiting forever to say this. "Sure. Why don't you sit down so I can tell you the whole story?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Paul never went home that day. In fact, he never went home at all. When Brett told him the real reason Mom wasn't home, Paul fell to pieces and simply walked. Eventually he reached Cleveland and went to an orphanage for a bit.
Paul's father and brother never looked for him. But one day, when he was thirty-two, Paul got a note:
"Meet me on 1362 Water Street at 2 PM. I will explain everything."
-Gracie Zimmer
So, you need to find Mom. She doesn't know your secret yet, and you can tell her that it's all a lie you never had any magazine. So you need to find her.
Where could she be? You try to remember your mother but find it surprisingly hard. Well, she didn't go out too much. She usually worked pretty late. Sometimes she went to Steve's Groceries to pick up dinner. Maybe she's there.
It takes you a good hour to walk into town as it is after dusk, but you make it without even a scrape on the knee. Now with the lights to guide you, you push the door into Steve's Groceries open. The warm interior of the local grocer's shop greets you.
Brett Lindman is manning the register. Brett is Steve Lindman's son, and he is one unhappy fellow. He is what you could consider to be your brother's arch-enemy. They've hated each other ever since fifth grade. And for some reason, Brett thinks you're just as bad as your brother! You can't remember exactly what Brett and Tom had quarrled over, but you do remember that deep down you knew Brett was right. Still, the rift between your families persists and Brett hates you.
Oddly enough, Brett laughs when he sees you and wraps an arm around your body. "Paul Zimmer! My best buddy! What brings you to my dad's shop so late at night? Is Tom around?"
"No," you say glumly. "He's not. I came here to ask you about something."
A thin grin forms on Brett's face. "Yeah, bud? What's on your mind?"
Brett's sincerity is troubling you. What's going on in his head? "Well, I was going to ask you if you've seen my mother lately."
Now Brett's grin is a huge smirk. "Saw your mom six days ago. She bought a lot of food."
"Really? Did she tell you where she went?"
Brett looks down at you, like he's been waiting forever to say this. "Sure. Why don't you sit down so I can tell you the whole story?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Paul never went home that day. In fact, he never went home at all. When Brett told him the real reason Mom wasn't home, Paul fell to pieces and simply walked. Eventually he reached Cleveland and went to an orphanage for a bit.
Paul's father and brother never looked for him. But one day, when he was thirty-two, Paul got a note:
"Meet me on 1362 Water Street at 2 PM. I will explain everything."
-Gracie Zimmer
