Tradition Comes Third

Breakfast

Ava stood up, and grabbed our empty plates. She hurried into the kitchen, and set them down on the counter. She followed me down the steps of the basement. She hurried to catch up behind me as I made my way over to the freezer. I looked at it, and felt my heart sink into my chest.

It was locked.

I grabbed the lock, and tried to pull it open. It didn't budge. I noticed a few streaks of dried blood covering the white paint.

They must have cut up Chris, and put him in the freezer. They wouldn't leave his body hanging in the shed. Was that him they were serving for breakfast?

I sat down on the cold floor, and leaned against the freezer. I brought my knees up, and buried my face in my hands. Ava sat down next to me, and placed her hand on my arm.

"I was sure we'd get something to eat out of the freezer," I said.

Ava glanced up at the lock.

"I guess they're one step ahead of you," she said.

I shook my head. "They can't be that smart."

"They've been brainwashing people for generations," she told me. "I think they know what they're doing."

"We can't be here much longer," I said. "They must be looking for us. Mom told the school I have Shingles, so that buys them a week. But what about after that? What about you? They must be wondering where you are."

Ava shrugged her shoulders.

"I doubt it," she said. "My aunt probably just thought that I ran away."

"Why?"

"Back in Iowa I used to run away from home all of the time."

I took my head out of my hands, and looked over at her. She was sitting on the floor with her legs crossed underneath her.

"You're from Iowa?" I asked.

Ava let out a giggle. "I guess we don't know much about each other."

"I guess not," I said.

"When my Mom was sick and was in the hospital, I had to live with her boyfriend and his three kids," she told me. "I hated living there. He only had me there because he didn't want to break my Mom's heart in her final days."

"So you would just run away?"

"I didn't go far. I mostly just went to my Mom and I's apartment. I would skip a bunch of days at school, and they'd call and complain. I used to get in fights sometimes just to get suspended."

"Your aunt isn't going to be wondering where you are?"

She shook her head. "She's too drunk to care. She only took me in because she felt too guilty when my Mom called her. She doesn't want me there."

I reached out and slipped my arm around her shoulders. Ava leaned into me, and rested her head on my shoulder. I put my free arm around her, and curled her into my body.

"When this is all over, I'm going to have no more family," I said. "We'll stick together."

"You have big plans though," she said.

"If I get into California State we'll move together."

"We barely know each other."

"So? We'll have no one else, and this is one hell of a bonding experience."

The door on top of the stairs opened, and the stairs creaked with every step. I tightened my grip on Ava.

"Hunter?" Leah called out. "Ava?"

"We're over here," I shouted, my voice echoed throughout the basement.

I listened as she walked over to us. She got down on her knees in front of us.

"Can you keep a secret?" she asked us.

"Yeah," Ava said. "Of course."

Leah had on a large hoodie, and I guessed it must have been Jared's. She reached down the neck of the sweater. When she pulled her hand out, I saw a foil package. She handed them over to us. It was a couple of granola bars.

"You can't let anyone know I gave them to you," she said.

"Why are you doing this?" Ava asked.

"I know how hard it is to adjust to these traditions," she said. "I want to help you two adjust. I don't want to see you guys suffer."

Leah cradled her stomach, and stood up on her feet.

"If you need anything, we're right upstairs," she said. "I would turn a movie on if I were you. If any of the men come down they'll think you were lying to them."

We watched as she left, and listened to her climb back up the stairs.