The Tale of Jacob Buschell

2. The Tale of Jacob Buschell

I climb out of the water onto the wooden deck. My clothes stick to me, drenched with water and dripping onto the dock. My feet carry me down the harbor to where I can see the usual crowd of people wandering around the town. Among them I spot that familiar red hair blowing in the wind that comes off of the ocean.

Without much thought, I make a beeline for her, knowing who she was even when her back is turned. “Mary,” I inquire of the girl before me. She turns to me, her hair obstructing my view of her face. She says nothing, a sort of distant smile on her face. “Mary, answer me, please.” I start to plead. I move her hair, tucking the long strands behind her ears. A gasp escapes my mouth and I back away from her. Her usually pale green eyes were clouded, white.

“Hello sir,” Her voice, usually sweet and fun, is dead to my ears. “Welcome to Seaway Docks. How may I help you?”

It's the same dream I have had dozens of times in the last week. No matter how desperate I am, I can't change how the events will unfold. “Mary, it's me, Jacob. Your boyfriend?” She can't have forgotten me, it hasn't been that long. My unconscious state thinks and I can't help but wonder what it means by that.

“Sir, please await here while authorities come to settle matters.” Mary speaks as other citizens turn towards me, their eyes the same swirls of white.

“Mary, what are you talking about?” The people close around him, their pale hands grasping at my clothes. Mary starts to step out of the crowd. “Mary! Help me! Mary!”

“Jacob!” Hands shake my shoulders. I yell, swinging my arms to get the freaks off of me.

My voice calls out again as I writhe about. 

“Mary!

My hand hits skin with a resounding smack.

“Ow, Jacob!” Someone slaps me hard across the cheek. “It's me, Sarah! God! Stop. Thrashing. Around!” Another slap hits my face.

I open my eyes, startled to find my sister kneeling over me, not a crowd of pale freaks with clouded eyes. “S-sorry.” I croak, lightly pushing her off of me so I can sit up.

“It's fine.” She says, willingly going to where my hands have pushed her. “Actually, it's not. You punched me in the gut... Hard.” Sarah pushes herself off of the ground so she can stand.

“I said I was sorry. I was dreaming.”

Her eyes roll. “That much was obvious. I wish you would've woken up sooner.” She wraps her arms around herself and starts to move her arms up and down, as if trying to comfort herself. It had been awhile since I had seen Sarah look so... Vulnerable.

That's when I notice our surroundings. We're in a small room that resembles a cellar or a prison cell. “Where are we?”

“You don't remember?” She shoots me a look, examining me before turning away again. “I thought maybe you might, since you were out much longer than me.”

I did remember being shot with a dart along with her and I remember the voices I had heard. “Where are we?” I repeat.

“You're in Vee Peal Prison.” A voice comes from the shadows. I get up to stand in front of Sarah, prepared to protect her.

“Tyler, that's you, right?” Sarah pushes me out of her way with ease, going to where the voice could be heard from.

I grab her wrist before she can go much further. “Sarah, what are you doing? We've been abducted and you're talking to strangers?”

With another roll of her eyes, she twists her wrist out of my grip. “Obviously he's no longer a stranger if I know his name, Jake, take a chill pill.” She starts for the shadows again just as someone emerges from them. He's tall with black hair, darker than my sister's. His green and brown eyes narrow at me.

“Nice to see you're awake, Jacob.” The man Sarah had called 'Tyler' speaks, crossing his arms over his chest. His freckles are prominent on his pale skin.

It dawns on me that I know this tenor voice, I had heard it before. “You!” I growl before lunging at him, my hands bared and ready to attack.

“Jacob, no!” Sarah rushes to block my path, her arms hitting my chest and forcing me to stop. “He's not bad, he's actually nice!” Her breathing is loud as she tries to catch it after the exertion it took to stop me. Her blue eyes are filled with worry, but whether it was for me or for this Tyler person, I have no idea.

“He kidnapped us, Sarah! That's not nice!” I counter.

Tyler puts his hands up in a kind of surrender. “Yes, I did, but that was mostly because of my brother. Mitchell.”

“Mitchell's the mean one.” Sarah said in a small explanation of sorts.

“Yeah, and I'm Willy Wonka.” I say sarcastically, rolling my eyes. “How has Tyler exactly proven himself to be nice again?” I look at the two of them, crossing my arms.

“Oh, right.” Sarah smiles, putting her hands on her hips. “Tyler's going to help us escape from this place.”