Becoming a Man

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Gunner's POV

"Aunt Carol I promise that I will take my medicine." I said with a sigh as I loaded the rest of mine and the kids's things into the back of my truck

"But what if Charlee or Jace come down with the condition?" she asked.

"I will call you an you can have Dr. Wheeler ready for us. I will bring them in right away." I said pulling her to me and hugging her. I know this is hard on her but I was ready to go home. Yesterday I turned 18 and today I am moving out with my sister Charlee and brother Jace to the house my dad and mom built.

When I turned 15 I got really sick. Aunt Carol had to call some voodoo doctor in and he gave me some medicine to stop the sickness. Charlee turns 15 in about two months.

Now about this house. My mom and dad got married young and got pregnant with me. Well we lived with my grandparents on my dad side until they died and by then our house was finished. Or so I have been told. I was two when we moved in. I don't really remember much about that time. I remember Charlee coming and being mad. Because mom wouldn't play with me as much as she uses too and then Charlee and I became pal until Jace came. Dad and I worked more together then I played. And then it happened. I don't know much about it. I remember a lot of my dads friends coming in and taking us out of the house. Aunt Carol came and brought us to her house. I remember begging and crying for mom and dad every night until aunt Carol told me they died. Then I got mad and hated everyone. I got over it and moved on. But yesterday when I turned 18 and learned that the house and kids were mine I decided we was moving. I love aunt Carol but this has never been my home. And the kids will go anywhere I do.

"Where will you stay? That house is not fit." she said. I blamed her for that. When I turned twelve I offered to ride my bike all the way there and start cleaning it up. But no she wouldn't have it. Not even when I got my license.

"I pack my tent." Jace said coming out of the garage.

"And I have mine." I said.

"I always crash with Gunner." Charlee said coming out with a arm load of stuff.

"I still think this is a bad idea." Aunt Carol said shaking her head and wiping her eyes.

"There is only one way to find out." I said closing the tailgate to my truck.

"I have everything. Jace said coming out with his iPod and a solar charger. He was all in to the hunting thing or camping. I think the three of us have always been more comfortable outside.

"Me too" Charlee said carrying her pillow and blanket. We go nowhere without it. And I mean nowhere. She carries them to school with her.

"Ugh. Hugs come on. If you leaving I want you to go now so you can set up before dark. If it gets to bad come get the camper it is your." Aunt Carol said sighing and hugging all of us.

"We will be here for dinner on Sunday." I said kissing the top of her head.

"You better be. I love you guys." She said before heading into the house.

"Come on guys." I said leading Jace to the truck by his shoulders.

On the way to the house we stopped at the local store where I filled to coolers with ice, food and drinks. I also stocked up on water, matches and toilet paper.

"I'm so excited. Have said as we turned down the wood covered road that lead to our house.

"Me too. I say we set up camp and then explore." Charlee said just as I had to stomp on the breaks to avoid hitting a really confused looking wolf.

"Shit." I said watching as it ran into the woods looking back before bolting off over a hill.

"Wow that was so cool." Jace said. My heart was going faster then lightning and something inside of me was telling me it nothing to do with almost hitting the wolf.

"We'll have to keep the fire going." I said as I began to drive again.

The house was just down the road down a long drive that had a fence on both sides.

"Looks like we have a lot of work to do." Charlee said.

"We can do it." Jace said making me smile.

"You mean Gunner can do it." Charlee said making me chuckle.

"Are the windows broke or did someone protect them with the boards?" Charlee asked. "

Not sure I'm actually shocked to see boards up." I said parking my truck by the house.

"I will start clearing an area for us to set up camp. Gunner get wood and Charlee can start digging a pit for the fire and the bathroom." Jace said before taking the weed eater out of the back of the truck.

I grabbed my stahl chainsaw and started to cut down the dead trees around the house. I work for a tree company so I know how to uses it. I wanted to go right in the house but I knew we needed to set up camp first. Once I had enough trees down I started to chop and stack the wood. Charlee was taking while Jace was mowing. I love that the three of us can work together well.

With in the first four hours we managed to clear a good camp spot, erect our tents and get a fire going. Jace and Charlee continued to clean up the yard while I gathered the tools and started to take off the boards from the windows. So far only a few windows were broken and I just rebored them.

"Can we go in now?" Charlee asked.

"Yeah." I said taking the keys and found the one that would allow us to enter.

The inside was dusty and dirty but not in an bad house keeping kind of way more in an abandon kind of way.

"Do we have electricity?" Jace asked.

"Not until Friday so we have a couple days before we can shower and stuff." I said.

"Did you call the gas company? this is a gas stove." Charlee said.

"Yeah I remembered mom cooking on it when I was little." I said memories were hitting me like lightning. Mom and dad sitting on the couch fire going Charlee and I playing in the floor. Mom pregnant with jace. Dad and I play fighting in the back yard.

"We need a dumpster." Jace said.

"Coming tomorrow." I said.

"We need to get a list of things that needs to be done, inspected and fixed." Charlee said.

"I've been keeping track." I said.

"Let's go make dinner and start the list." Jace said heading out.

"I was going to head I to town and get us pizza or something." I said.

"I'll stay here." Charlee said.

"Jace you stay with her. While I am gone start on that list." I said heading for my truck.

I drove into town and picked up three pizza's and some cold soda. I needed to take my medicine on the way home. I hated to take it. I sometimes felt like it was blocking a part of me. Something I was missing. Something that I would truly want to set free.

With all the work I have a head of me I couldn't afford to be sick so I needed to take this stuff. Maybe when everything is done I will take a vacation from work and stop the meds.







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