Secrets Past

Chapter 4

We finally make it to our hunting camp that we rented in the beautiful Catskills of New York. Mom's a nurse, so she did a full check up on Jack and gave us the OK to continue on our trip. "He shows no signs of distress or trauma. It's a miracle." She had said. "Boy, I'm so glad that we finally made it. I wasn't so sure after the almost car accident and jacks incident this morning if we were going to continue but man, this is great!" dad exclaims. "Now Ross, don't jinx us!" mom replies. We check into our cabin, #49, and we all pick our rooms. It is something out of one of our magazines. Pinewood everywhere, bear pelts, moose antlers and deer heads. One whole wall is made out of windows. Upstairs even has its own kitchen for us kids. Mom and Dad must have spent a fortune on this place. Reading my thoughts, my dad answers my question. "Can you believe we got their beauty for more than half off? Clara wouldn't have let us got it, would ya?" dad asked mom. "No, we have enough expenses as It is..." you could tell mom was talking about the divorce.

Ash and I bunked together in a room that was themed around camouflage. It was awesome. Camo lamp, camo rugs, camo chairs and camo bedding. The twins' room was themed around hunting in the snow. Snow camouflage plastered everything and they even had a stuffed polar bear in their room. Our rooms lead out to a loft that looked over the entire house. Dad was going to take the couch but mom insisted they shared the master bedroom together. "For old times' sake." Mom looked up at us and blushed. Dad sees her embarrassment. In confusion, he glanced around, then found us spying on them and chuckled. Maybe this hunting trip really is the answer.

I went over to check out Rosalie's room. Her room featured a swamp. Stuffed rattle snakes, boar hogs and gators lined the room. A mural of a sunrise over a bog somewhere in Florida really caught your eye. "Do you like it?" I asked. "Surprisingly...Yes. It's perfect. It's like I'm actually in Florida instead of here." She replied. "Yeah. Wait. What? Instead of here? What do you mean Rose? You don't want to be here?" "No that's not what I mean. I-" ". This was supposed to have been a family trip and I begged my parents to let you go because I know you like hunting too. You've been acting weird this whole time! Now it makes sense. You know what, forget it!" "Royce!"

I ran down the steps, through the kitchen and out the door. I heard my mom faintly hollering "Don't be late for dinner!" at me. I ran down the mountain side for a few seconds and stopped before I fell and broke my neck. I stopped and looked behind me at the house. I continued down the slope and followed a creek. I heard a gunshot and stopped. Oh wait, it's the Catskills. There are probably hunters scattered for hundreds of miles. I continue to follow the creek for what feels like hours, when I slip on the algae covered rocks, hidden in the gentle shoals. In attempt to brace myself I land hard on my right hand. I feel an immense sharp pain shoot up my arm. I bang my forehead on the sharp rocks above my left brow and a rainfall of blood clouds my vision.

I cry out and lay there. Disoriented and engulfed in pain. My mind begins playing tricks on me when I hear "We lost him!" "He was just here?" "Where'd he go?" "I told you we should have let the hell hounds come with us!" "We best get back to the boss." "But what about the contract? We need this deal Shark, we need it. If we don't..." The voices fade away. Hell Hounds? Talking sharks? I have got to stop reading comic books. I think to myself before darkness takes me.

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