getting closer

Abiram smiled a bit looking at her, then said. “If you have one of those done set it over in the middle and I will help with the copy making. Might as well make myself useful. Undoubtedly once she gets done with that she is going to be demanding copies so it can be posted.”

Sara said. “I asked if they would, and I just need one of those to go with this. If you could just put it in this envelope, I would appropriate it. This is going to be really rough figures and so I would prefer not to see that sheet yet, as I don’t want to be tempted to make my figures match if they don’t.”

Abiram shook his head. “As if you would, but sure thing kid. But why would there be a pattern to the number of deaths anyway?”

Sara said. “Well it all depends on how you look at the storms. But as there is there is a pattern to the appearance of the storms looking to kill it makes since that there would be a correlation to the number of deaths. However what I am seeing is a bit more than that. Hopefully though I have a mistake here some place. Like I said this is rough, I will have to polish it more and send corrections. Still I think this needs to be sent. It needs another set of eyes looking it over.”  She had not looked up from the papers and though she kept her voice even Abiram and Zac could tell she was upset.

Zac looked over at the numbers and shook his head. “I have no idea what you are doing with those but that looks scary.”

Sara said. “There is a far grater chance I am wrong than there is that I am right, but yes it is scary. Which is why I want t get it sent once I get it written up right. The sooner someone else is looking the better it will be. Even with the error in here. I will put in the note that the math was hasty so there will be mistakes, but I wanted someone else looking at it as soon as could be. There is a strange rate of increase that isn’t the same as the storms rate. It needs to be examined. It might be population related or something more. I don’t have anything but the storm data to check it against they will have accesses to the records though.” She had finished the list of numbers and was righting a letter as she spoke. She then carefully copied the math, showing how she got the equation as well as each answer. She had all ready made a coped of the storm data. When finished she put it all into a large envelope. Before she could ask Abiram gave her a smaller one. She took it and wrote ‘recent storm data to check predictions against’ on it then added it to the large envelope. She carefully addressed the envelope to Jack, then added urgent weather information. Pleas open and see it is looked over.

Zac said. “I will take it for you. I will see it goes out right away. Do you need anything from your locker? I don’t think you need to get that close to the office right now, it is likely full of angry boys.”

Sara nodded. “Thank you Zac, just ask that it gets sent right away. They will understand that, and I don’t think there is a thing in my locker right now.”

Zac took the papers. “Sara you are not the cause of it. If anything you are helping. Even if your numbers were off this will get them looking. They weren’t before, if no one told them who knows how long it would be before they were.”

Sara said. “I know, I just kind of wish I wasn’t as good with numbers. This is one of the few times I really wish I was more like Rebecca. I’m not sure I want to know what I do, if this that is right. Well we are running out of time to find out what is causing the storms.”

Zac said. “I will see it gets sent off. Once it is in the hands of those more experienced they may see something you missed. Even if your math is off I bet they will be glad to have a new place to look. You are doing the right thing sending it.” He left, not knowing what else to say to reassure her. Once out of there site he took out the charm Jack had asked him to take and used it to tell him to watch for the packet, as Sara was very upset by what she saw in the jumble of numbers. She wanted the checked over urgently. He didn’t fully understand but there was something about the number of deaths. At the office he found it was indeed full of yelling boys. It looked him to more than just spring fever at work. He moved around the to the secretary’s desk. “I need this set of as you can. Sara said that if I asked you to send it right away you would know what she wanted?”

He was surprised when the sectary stood up and reached for the envelope before he had finished talking. “No problem I will get it out right now. Don’t look so shocked boy. How many times do any of you come and ask something be sent direct? When you, any one of you, do I know it is an urgent matter or you wouldn’t ask. More so with Sara I think this will be the third time she has asked in all the years she has been here.”

Zac said. “Thank you. I hope that someone can get to the bottom of what ever it is that is making those boys so angry.”

“As do I, this is worse then the normal end of the year stuff. The first set of busses will be leaving soon. In light of the fights they decided to let you out early today, and are then going to sweep the school. Just incase something go in that shouldn’t of.”

Zac said. “I will let the students in the courtyard know for you.” Zac headed back out and stopped at the tables he passed to tell them they were letting them go home early. “Sara it was being sent as I left. Guys the first buses will be going out soon, they are going to run a sweep of the school. Just incase there is more to the fights.”

Sara started packing her bag up. “Sounds like it might be a good idea. I don’t recall hearing of overturned tables before.”

Abiram nodded. “If they got it approved that means the elders feel it is odd behavior as well. If there is something, this is the worst time of the year for it. End of school fever has everyone on edge anyway.”

Zac said. “I hope they will be looking for non magical cause as well. In case it is some new drug behind it.”

Sara said. “Being here they will. Thank goodness we don’t expect everything to revoke around magic. But we need to remember we can’t ignore it. I half fear we will go to far one way as the rest goes the other way. There needs to be a middle. But that is a concern for wiser minds.” She missed the look Abiram gave her. He was finding harder to believe she would be taking the vows next week. 

Once they were home Sara went straight to her father’s office and took over his desk. Ignoring the papers waiting on her she took out the note book and started looking at the numbers trying to find her mistake. The once she found though made it worse not better. When the numbers became to scary she added the pattern of the deaths to the copy for her grandfather. Adding that the deaths pure speculation, nothing had yet been, she might be seeing things that were not there. She didn’t want the numbers to cause panic. However the storms she was certain enough of to ask that he do what he could to see more cold hardy, storm resent crops, went in for next year. It might be best to focus on the towns stores over exports as it was going to get to the point where more was lost than saved before they passed though the storms. If he would be so kind to spread the warnings it would easy her mind, as she was to young to be heard. That done she put the documents in an envelope and then turned back to the math problem and worked it backwards trying to find the mistake.

She didn’t hear the door open so failed to hide what she was doing. Her Father made her jump. “That is a lot of numbers. Just what are you up to now?”

Sara blushed. “I’m well I’m trying to find where I goofed up. Because I can’t be right. I found a few, but not the way was hoping to change the answers.  It could be the pattern I saw is not even there. None of this has been looked at. And I am scaring you. I’m sorry. It is just weather stuff, the storm data I have compiled. I am likely just seeing shadows. I sent it to someone better qualified, so hopefully they will see what I don’t.”

He said. “I am sure there are others that can make since out of that jumble. Weather by numbers?”

Sara said. “There seems to be a pattern to the storms, at least the once here. I was wondering if it could be use to predict storms. I am not sure of the math though. It seems right, but really to be sure it needs someone else to run the numbers. I don’t want to cause panic, but the numbers agree with the older people that we are in for a stretch of bad weather.”

Her father was frowning a bit. “I am glad you are finding vaule in these books, but don’t forget that you do not have to find the answers by yourself. There are some things that are best left to other hands. You sent it to those you feel will know better, now you need to trust them to do there job. Now come Supper will be on the table shortly.”

Sara said. “Yes sir, thank you for telling me. I am sorry I didn’t here the door. I would have had this out of why had I. I feel odd taking over your office like this.”

Isaac said. “Now I am the one that said everything was to be put in here. It is a worthy project you have started here. There is a lot of worthy information here. You are making good progress at sorting it. I am impressed at how fast it moves, even with more coming in all the time.”

Sara said. “I am surprised at how much there is here. I had no idea there would be this much. It makes me wonder what more is in other plants going unlooked at. There is some that is useless, but one out of every three sheets has something worth looking closer at. Of course when I get to it there may well be nothing to it, but still. It is a bit over whelming to think of all the history we stand to loses. But then we have saved a lot as well. I don’t know how those people the first years managed to keep so much. It had to be a fight just to live with the land rebelling as it was. Thank the light we did as well as we have.”

Isaac nodded. “I have often had those same thoughts when a plow turns up a relic of the old days and reminds me that there are cities buried beneath me. All the losses. It is a wonder that we have what we do. I hope we find others that kept some of the knowledge of the old world alive. I truly hope we are not the only place trying to keep the light in the dark world. It can be hard to see the path at times, but we must hold fast to the Lords will and orders. It is our duty to keep his laws. You’re care for the past is a help as that was asked of the gentler ones. The past must not be forgotten least we repeat it and get drawn into the darkness that threatens to swallow the light. But I need not tell you what you all ready know. Come before the food grows cold.”

Sara had the books and papers packed up and was standing by when he finished talking. Latter that night after she though Hanna would have delved the tea she went to her grandfather’s room, and found him alone. “I have finished my figures, well as sure as I can be about them any way.” She handed him the envelope. “That’s the copy for your friend. I put the math in as well so he can try it if he wants to. I am hoping some of it wrong, but it keeps coming out the same. That there are going to be a lot of deaths the next four years. Then we will have two years of good weather before another four of big storms, but less deaths. Thing is the deaths are climbing faster than the storms. In ten years, if the pattern holds there will be near hundred percent kill off. Two years after that it will be complete. If the pattern can’t be broke and I have it right. That is not much time to find the answer. So I am hoping I am wrong, because if I am not we might have to ask for help to buy us time.”

Her grandfather said. “You think your right don’t you?” Sara nodded. “Well then how do you go about finding the answer?”

Sara said. “The only thing to do is find the source of the storms. We need to know what is behind them before there can be an answer to find that we need more points. That is we need to know where the storms are strongest, that should give us a clue. It would be easier with satellites to give us a pitcher of them. But we need records, more than I have. I have sent it to those that can get it in the hands that can get the records. Still I don’t know that it will be enough if the events can’t be slowed. It would be easer if I could just walk away and leave it to others. I mean I am hardly an expert, there are others way more qualified than me. It should be left to skilled hands. But If I walk away am I turning my back on what I am meant to do? Why would I have the ability given to me to see the pattern if I was not meant to be part of the answer? Yet it means leavening. I hate this, I hate growing up. I wish someone could tell me what to do.”

Her grandfather said. “Welcome to life kid. We all feel that way when we reach a branch in the road. You have what you need to decide the road you must take. It is just a matter of taking the first step. Neither one is wrong, each has good and bad. The trick is to pick the one that feels the most right, for that is the one that will bring you the most joy. I will let you know if he finds a problem with your numbers, but if you can’t I doubt he will. You could beat anyone at solving a number problem by the time you were eight. You said they sang to you, before you learned to not speak of such things. Perhaps we should not have been so fast to tell you that you should speak of things singing. Then maybe it wouldn’t be so hard for you now. Go work on something else, rest a bit.”

Sara nodded. “I will try. I just needed to tell someone. I know what I want to do, but I wonder if it is what I should do. But that is something I must work out for myself. Thank you for letting me babble.”

Grandfather smiled. “Anytime child I am hear to listen. Even when I have no answers to give.”

After school the next day Sara found it imposable to work on the books. She wanted to be in the kitchen, to let the work push the thoughts out of her mind. There had been no letters that day and so she was left wondering what they saw in her work. At school there had been the copying to keep her busy, but that was done. She couldn’t impose her self on her mother, but perhaps Mrs. Istcon wouldn’t mind an extra set of hands. It couldn’t hurt to ask. Sara slipped out and went over to the neighbors house.

Mrs. Istcon opened the door at her light knock. “Why Sara. How are you today? What can I do for you?”

Sat smiled. “I was wondering if you would like a bit of help with your supper tonight. Mom is trying to get the younger ones to do more, which means I need to be out of the way, but I really want to be in the kitchen today.”

Mrs. Istcon said. “Of course dear, I can always use another set. I should have offered. With all the girls in your family it just makes since there would be more people then work, when with my boys it is the other way around over her here. Come on in, and thank you.”

Sara smiled. “No thank you. I find it hart to go so long with out having flour on my hands. That was the hardest part of the tests for me. I actually ended up sneaking into the hotel kitchen a few times just to be in one.”

Mrs. Istcon laughed and handed her a knife. “I am make a stir fry tonight, if you could help with the chopping it will go faster, and then as I am cooking it all up you can run wild with dessert.”

Sara made it back to her own house as it was time to take her place at the table. Isaac said. “I thought I was going to have to run you out of my office when the seed buys showed up, but I found it empty.”

Sara said. “I needed to get my hands in some flour so I went next door to see if Mrs. Istcon could use some help. I knew if I went in to ours Hanna and Leah would just let me take over, and that is not going to do them any good. But I likely wouldn’t see it until it had happened. “

Isaac said. “I am sure she was glad of the help. Now then girls for the time being you are not to go into the trees alone. There are a lot of people come to visit and I am not sure all of them know how to behave. I know the timing is bad, but I can’t help it.”

Edith said. “We have what we need for the wedding and meals so I don’t see any reason they would need to go out. Sara it was thoughtful of you to go offer like that. Thank you, I am sure she was glad of the help. However, I didn’t mean for you to feel shut out of this kitchen. Do come talk to me when you need in and we can work it out so they are not given their duties over to you again.”