Greer observes, reaching for the radio and turning the knob to turn up the music. It’s on a classic rock station—as always. No one changes it.
Ever.
It’s my one rule about getting into this truck.
“Nothing’s wrong. What makes you say that?” I follow Dad out of the driveway and take a right, waving at Mr. Greene, who is currently watering his garden in his red robe. He scowls at me like he does every time I wave.
Eventually, I’ll get the man to not sneer when he sees me.
“Nathan.”
I turn onto the highway, following the neon green and yellow bikes attached to the new Range Rover Dad keeps going on about. “What?” I snap. My eyes are more concentrated on the glowing clouds in the sky. They’re gray, but with the sun behind them, hints of red and orange are shining through.
“What’s going on with you?” Greer turns his baseball cap around and spins the football in his hands.
“Nothing. It’s just the sky. It’s crazy, right? That smoke is traveling far.”
“Yeah, but Dad said for us not to worry. He checked into it. Everything is fine.”
“I know that. Hey, why don’t you lean back and rest? You must still be tired after kicking East High’s ass last night. I’ll wake you if we stop.”
“Four touchdowns,” he grins in response. “You sure? You know I’m a good passenger. I like to help when you drive.”
“I know, but I can handle it. Get some rest. It looks like you haven’t slept in days with those bags under your eyes.” I reach around the driver’s seat and grab the pillow I stuffed behind it. “Here.” I toss it to him. “Blanket is behind you.”
“Thanks,” he yawns. “Yeah, I’m going to take you up on that.” He snags the blanket from the backseat and covers himself with the blue plaid throw Mom made a few years back.
I try to give him a comforting smile, but even I can feel the tightness in my lips. I want to turn around and go home.
“You worry too much,” he grumbles before leaning his head against the window and shutting his eyes.
I do worry too much. I worry about everything when it comes to my family. I don’t have a bad relationship with my parents. I don’t hate my brother, and I have the picture-perfect life every kid could want. My brother and I are as thick as thieves, and my best friends are my mom and dad. It isn’t typical, but when I feel like something could threaten my family, no matter how small that ‘thing’ is, I worry. I stress. It’s my job to protect everyone.
Mom and Dad are too laid back and chill about everything in life. They’re still stuck in a hippie phase of their life. Practically every night, they smoke pot under the stars and laugh about anything and everything. My middle name is Rainbow, for fuck’s sake, because Mom said the first time she met Dad was at a peace rally underneath a rainbow banner.
I mean… what the fuck? I can’t tell anyone that. I’d never hear the end of it.
They’re too caught up in la-la land to see the real world like I do. My brother is too young to understand, and he’s caught up in himself and football—which he should be.
I’m the responsible one. It’s up to me to think clearly for everyone, and taking this trip is a bad idea. My gut is twisting.
I look over at Greer and see him fast asleep. My heart kicks my chest at the thought of something happening to him. He’s too young to experience anything life-altering, and my instincts tell me this fire is going to be that something.
I don’t know how or why, but I feel it.
“I’m so fucking paranoid,” I mumble to myself but turn the station for the first time in a year until I find a news broadcasting channel. If I hear we’re out of harm’s way from the experts, I’ll feel better.
We head east into Yosemite National Park. The further we go, the lighter the smoke gets since the fire is in central California. Finally, my hands lose their tight grip on the wheel, and I start to relax. Maybe it’s all in my head. I need to chill out, like Greer said.
“The wildfire fifty miles from San Francisco is only five percent contained. Firefighters are working around the clock, and they’re even calling for reinforcements from nearby states. I hate to say it, but this might be the