History of the Trap Vol. 2: Chapter One - Justice Trapped Part 6

 

6

 

Diane, my sister, was already there, in what once was and now was once again, my father’s office.  We hugged briefly and then sat down.

“I know this is going to be hard on you,” my Dad began.  He was tall, of medium build, kind eyes with one eyelid partially closed due to a muscular condition. “I really didn’t want to be in charge again. But with everything that happened, and Mr. Tate being more involved in it than he should have been, it was felt that we needed a familiar figure to lead the transition. It’s temporary, I hope, until we can get things on firmer ground.”

“I’m not worried about it being hard on Lance and me,” said my sister.  Diane was a brunette, only a couple of inches shorter than me, which put her in the medium to tall range of the girls here.  She was attractive, at least as far as a brother could tell.  As far as I was concerned, Diane got the good looks of the family.   She had been together with her boyfriend, Mike, the entire time of the Trap, but there was no talk of marriage yet.  “I’m worried about it being hard on you, Dad.”

He took her hand.  “Don’t worry, Diane.  I can handle it.  I promise you; I’ll be safe.”

That did not ease Diane’s mind.  “You don’t know what you’re in for.  Mark Granite has more friends than you can imagine.  They’re going to retaliate sooner or later.”

Dad got up and went towards the window, looking out at the landscape, the same unchanging landscape we had seen for the last year, with no hint besides trees of what lay beyond the school grounds.  “I’m aware that there are dangers.  And we’ll take appropriate measures to mitigate any potential risk.  But the most important thing we need to do is restore normalcy, that we can make life here as good as we can, and continue to hope that we will someday find our way out of this..trap, and that when we do, we are still decent and kind, that we have maintained as much of what is good about civilization as we can.”

He sounded wistful as he looked into the limited horizon.  “I know everyone has been through so much.  I know thee has been so much tragedy and heartbreak.  But I am praying that we could hold on to our best traits and instincts.”

I appreciated my father’s dreams but I couldn’t help but speak out.  “I appreciate what you’re saying, Dad.  But I’ve seen the horrible things that so many seem to be capable of, and I don’t know how much we can hold them in check.”

“I don’t know either, son.  But we’ve got to try.  I don’t know if I can live with myself if we don’t even try.”

And he did try.  He tried very hard.  It was not his fault that it was not enough.