JUNE's was still reeling from hearing her parents' voices, her mind spinning in several directions . Had something happened to them by now? Were they still safe? Her not knowing greatly troubled her. She knew answers wouldn't come by pacing in the living room. Neither was Helene and herself safe in the house. Her parents had revealed as much.
Her bag lay forgotten at her feet. The files. She had to get them from the Library.
"I'll get our things" Helene volunteered
June nodded, grateful for her assistance. "Take only few clothes and essentials" she called after her sister.
Quickly, she picked up her bag and ran up the stairs in the direction of the library.
Where would her father keep a file like this?
With hurried steps she moved towards the shelves where her father kept his books on politics and history. A section she also loved.
Where to look now? She began her search from the bottom part of the shelf. About three rows in, she moved a book and found the lock.
For a second, she panicked. What would happen if she didn't know the combination for it? It was a four number combination.
Think, her mind told her.
Helene's birth year came to mind. Then Mom and Dad's wedding year. What else? The year she graduated from secondary school?
Why did it have to be a year anyway?
In the end, the 4 numbers were neither the year of her graduation, nor the year of Helene's birth, nor her parents' wedding year.
With near steady fingers, she moved the numbers on the lock so that when it did click open, the combination was the four numbers on the cover of a book.
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She met Helene downstairs approaching the living room, two bags in hand.
"I'll grab things from the fridge" June moved quickly
She took some bread, biscuits and four bottles of water and divided them for 2 bags.
The files she kept with her. They were neatly arranged in a medium sized gray envelop.
She wondered what about it could be so important.
Together, they closed the windows and when they were done , stepped out of the house and locked the door at the front. The keys went into June's pocket after staring at the place they'd spent the last few years at for a few seconds, they both turned their backs and set out.