The System

Chapter 72

Miranda's pov

I walk out of the store confused. Where's dad and Brandon. We were waiting for them and I decided to get the kids some ice cream. "Where are they?" I murmur, sitting down with the three seat stroller. "How are you feeling mama?" Matilda asks, looking worried. "I'm alright. Thanks honey." I say, hugging her. Just then a police zoomed by with their lights. Huh? I'm gonna try calling dad. I called his phone and I just heard a kid crying. An ambulance zoomed by a second later, also with their lights and sirens on. "Brandon is that you?" I ask, standing up, beyond worried as to why my father doesn't have his phone. "W-We were in the woods... When these wolves surrounded us." My heart plummets into my feet. "Is my dad okay?!" I shakily choke out, my whole body trembling with petrified fear. "I don't know! I'm so scared! It's all my fault!! Just like before!!" He wailed. I get the kids in the car. Just as the ambulance and police car shoot passed, heading toward the hospital. Oh man. "Where are you?" "I-In the ambulance with him... There... There's so much blood." I feel nauseous. The poor kid was crying. "H-He s-saved m-my life." Then the call drops. I drive as fast as I can to the hospital,  calling mom and Chris on the way.

Brittany's pov

Memphis and Jeremy were scared as we drove to the hospital. I couldn't stop crying I was so scared. "Is dad going to be okay?" Jeremy asks, his voice shaking. My poor babies. My poor husband. "I have no idea." We get to the hospital and Chris and Garret were out front. "How is he? He's awake?" I ask, running over and hugging my eldest son. "He's awake. Just got alot of cuts and bites from the wolves." Garret says, hugging Jeremy. We quickly rush to his room where Miranda and the kids already were. "Jason!" I gasp, running to the bed and hugging him tightly. "You get into some of the craziest situations." I say, fighting back tears, my hands on his shoulders. "I sure ain't as young as I used to be." He mutters. "Did they give you anything for pain?" He nods. "It wasn't all that bad. I didn't feel anything after passing out." He says with a slight shrug. "And hell when I woke up, I already had pain meds in me." "What on earth happened?" "Brandon ran off into the woods behind the CVS and then we got surrounded by wolves. Where is he anyway? He wasn't here when I woke up." "Has anyone seen him?" I ask, looking around the room. Silence. "When I called dad's phone,  he had it and said he was in the ambulance with you." Miranda says,  hugging little Ava. The other two sat in Garret's lap. Matilda stood beside Jason's bed. "We have to find him." Jason says, trying to stand up. "Whoa there is no way you can get up." I quickly say, resting a hand on his chest. "But I gotta find him." "We will dad." Miranda says, standing up. "You stay here and rest up. Me and the boys will find him." "I can stay with the kiddos." Chris says, patting Matilda's head. Miranda hands the diaper bag to him and they all head out.

Jason's pov

I tell Britt what happened with Miranda. "How did she get diabetes?" "Doc says its hereditary. Chris could end up having it to. He'll definitely be higher risk for it." Man my shoulder is starting to hurt. "What if they can't find him?" I murmur worried. "They will." She says, hugging me again. "I'm alright, Britt. Don't fret." I say, smiling and hugging her back.

*a few days later*

We still haven't been able to find Brandon. He didn't go back to the Youth Home. I tried calling my phone but get no answer. I assume he still has it. I'm still so worried. But I also wonder what he meant. I'm finally well enough to go back to the place. Maybe he came back. But my luck is short lived when I get there and ask Max.  We go into one of the offices. "What happened to him,  man? He kept saying stuff about why he was in the system being all his fault." He looks upset and opens a filing cabinet. It takes a hot second but he pulls out his file and slides it over to me. I open it to see a much younger version of the dark haired, freckle faced teenager. He was six when he went into the system. I read through the file and it said a fire started in their backyard then spread to the house that killed the parents. Police believe he was playing with matches and it got out of hand. Poor kid. That must be a heavy burden. But it isn't his fault. For God sakes, he was six!! Just then Britt catches me off guard by walking in. She hands me her phone and I see a text from my number asking if I'm okay. I quickly call my phone. "Please Brandon pick up." I whisper, gripping the arm of the chair I'm sitting in. Again it just rings and rings. I text back saying please pick up. We need to talk. But he just repeats the same text. Dammit. I decide to trace my phone. It shows him at the old saw mill. "I'll be back." I say, hugging my wife and heading for my truck. I drive to the saw mill and see him sitting on the edge of the dock, overlooking the lake. I call his name and he screams and spins around. "How the heck did you find me?" "I traced my phone. I'm alright, kiddo. But you've got to come home." I say, sitting beside him. "I don't have a damn home." "Yes you do. You know you do. You just don't want to admit it." "Admit what?" He gripes,  glaring at me. "That you're afraid." He stands up, furious. "I'm not fuckin' afraid!" "Yes you are you're afraid of being apart of a family again." A look of shock crosses the young boy's face. I worriedly stand up, afraid he's going to bolt again. "Ya know what son, the only thing stronger than fear is hope." He looked on the verge of tears. "B-But... I.... Who would want a murderer?" "You aren't a murderer! Accidents happen. Look, ya got a shitty hand dealt but in the poker game of life, you can't fold. You've got the chance at a better deck of cards. So what do ya say, you take it?" The tears welled up in his eyes and I hugged him tight. "It's alright. It's going to be okay. I promise." "Don't say that. Don't ever make a promise you can't keep." He mutters, his voice shaking. "I am keeping it. I won't give up on you. I will make sure everything is and will always be okay. You're safe now, Brandon." He cries harder and I finally get the reluctant boy into my truck. Thank goodness. Now to keep that promise.