| Fiction |
Tomorrow's Light
Written by Drew Clements
Conceptualized by Drew Clements and Bryan Hester
(Part Four - II)
“Yeah, I’ll be able to go.”
Donna Hawthorne sighed. “But, are you sure that Peter can’t
go in my place?”
The phone was in her left hand, pressed against her ear, a
pot of coffee in her right. Donna had been preparing
breakfast when she received a call from Matthew Larkin, her
boss at the University of Alabama, where she was employed as
a director in the continuing studies division.
“No, it’s just that I hate to run out at the last second. My
daughter will be here by herself all weekend.” She sat the
pot of coffee down.
“Yeah. Let me get my stuff ready. I’ll be there by 8:30.
Bye.”
Donna turned the phone off and placed it on the kitchen
table.
“Great.”
From upstairs, a scream so ear-piercing that she nearly
knocked the pot of coffee from the maker erupted. It was
Tomorrow! What was wrong? The last time she’d heard a scream
like that was when the poor girl was eight years old
and had her nose broken by the next door neighbor’s kid
while playing basketball.
It took Donna exactly two seconds to reach the stairs from
the kitchen. Her heart struck hard in her chest as she
bounded up the stairs and down to her daughter’s room. For
her age, Donna was in pretty decent shape… well, when she
needed to be.
“Tomorrow?” She called.
Seeing that her daughter was not in her room, Donna turned
and ran across the hall to Tomorrow’s bathroom door, her
heart hoping for relief, not shock.
“Tomorrow! What’s the matter?” She attempted to turn the
doorknob, but it would not budge.
“Mom! I…” Donna heard her daughter start.
“What happened? Are you okay?” She shouted and put her
weight to the door. It still wouldn’t budge.
“Yeah, I… I slipped. Scared me to death!” Tomorrow’s nervous
voice rang out above the loud spraying water of the shower.
“You’re okay then?” Donna asked, relieved.
“Yeah, mom. Sorry.” Her daughter apologized.
Mrs. Hawthorne smiled and leaned against the door. “Please
try to be more careful. That’s the last thing I need, a
daughter who gets injured in the bath tub! Also, a heart
attack.”