The plane was finally landed. One hundred miles and one right turn into the vast nowhere to reach our destination.
For now though we were sitting on the private plane at a tiny regional airport; The trip had taken us almost 3 days, so far anyways.
Grey stretched standing up looking out a window "Right then, I'll drive from here. Looks like they have the trucks loaded except for Bane."
"You'll have Alfie, Jess, and Lilly in the Escape. Nemo, Dan you guys are taking Nemo's Truck. Jake your with me in the Blazer." I pointed to the awaiting vehicles.
For a small airport it had top notch service and security, not to mention Mrs V's Kitchen, the small Cafe in front of the airport. I knew the owner and her husband, Tha Vazquez Family were friends.
Jessy fussed "I haven't gotten to drive this whole trip!"
"Jess, the SatNav isn't going to help here at all. The whole forest here is a odd blindspot. Even if you were the middle you could get lost easily. Nemo what happened to Tomtom?" I snickered recalling my sixteenth birthday
"Oh TomTom was awful. We had gone on a camping trip for Reapers birthday. The whole way home TomTom demanded Joe turn around, well TomTom flew out the window and still probably lays in the woods somewhere." He weazed through laughter.
"Sounds like when Reaper played softball with the smart TV" Jessy giggled
"HEY! That thing was watching me! Dad texted Jake and told him I was watching Naked & Afraid again!" I defended myself standing up. The plane exploded with boisterous laughter.
We got off the plane, walking to Banes crate I opened it letting him loose.
"Welcome to Whippoorwill Hollow, That's what this whole region is called." I held my hands up as if to show the horizon off.
A Shorter man approached us he smiled at us, wheeling Banes Crate back into the hanger. I always called it the plane garage as a child, it just made more sense since the planes weren't hung up but parked.
"Thanks Levi! Tell Mrs Vazquez I'm back in the region?" I yelled after him. He nodded not much for words.
Dan sauntered up to me having crinkled his nose "I smell cat piss."
"Thems the Cedar Trees, its worse here than in Home, by far." I snickered as Nemo nodded in agreement. It was a very strong smell here. At home the old oaks and elms broke up the smell "I don't know why they're worse here Dan." I awnsered his question before he could ask it
"Fifty bucks Reaper could take Dan" Nemo chuckled
"A hundred." Jake goaded, he didn't like flying & Dan had made the ride worse
"Ten on Dan." Grey gave me a wink
"Thanks Grey!' Dan laughed
"I think he's too scared." I laughed.
"Are we ready to roll again?"
Giving a fist bump to Nemo, and Dan held my face to state me down we got into our vehicles, I pulled out first.
....
After a short while on the road Jake asked me "Is the lead car always Two People?"
"No that's just how it happened this time, Nemo's Truck we left in Europe, only has two working belts."
"Are they the same Truck?"
" The one in Europe is a 1981 GMC Sierra Grande, this one is a 1986 step-side GMC Sierra Grande 4×4." I rattled off
"And this one?"
"A '93 Chevrolet S-10 Blazer two door. I dont know the newer truck, its a 2000 something Ford Escape."
"It's all deep forest." He remarked about the scenery
"All the way there. There's a small hamlet close that has a grocery, gas, hunting and fishing supplies, a small library and a cemetery about an hour from our Gate."
My phone buzzed in Jake's pocket
"It's your Dad, he said everything's cooking." Jake smiled "What's Venison?"
"Deer. Bambi's mom was food!" I howled making Bane howl. His ears must still be sore.
The CB under my radio turned to channel 8 came to life with Uncle Grey's voice "They still work Alfie! Truck 1 to 2 come on."
I laughed grabbing the mic turning my radio on making the oldb tape deck play
CW McCalls "Convoy"
Holding the mic button I sang along, the others joined in; this was the fun we all used to have.
Back in the day, before that first text or before I even knew who Hannah was; No Ages before that.
Dad would have his friend Garth come and stay with us back then every so often.
For a weird guy Garth was always in tune with us kids, doing karaoke on the CB was one of my favorite Garth Memories.
I loved singing, but in the last couple of years I hadn't much.
Unfortunately it had been years since we'd heard from Nemo's adopters but Nemo wouldn't hide news like that if he knew anything.
Bringing me out of my memory. Jake's hand was on my shoulder as we crossed a covered bridge.
"Nemo said it was good hearing you sing again. I liked it too"
"I love that you like it" I said blushing as Jake hooked up the old cd player adapter, I'd never upgrade this old radio, I had to many old cassette tapes but I did make sure Dad threw my CD Player with the adapter into the truck before we flew out of Egypt.
Jake browsed through my disc collection pulling one out his eyes filled with excitement "Sing this with me?" He asked cueing a song up
'Who says you can't go home' by Bon Jovi and Jenn Nettles blared through my speakers.
I grabbed the CB Mic "Nemo sing Back Up!"
I laughed as we sang the song.
......
Pulling off into a Scenic overlook we got out of the truck stretching, Alfie was peacefully sleeping in the backseat using Bane as a pillow. Thirty miles ago Alfie had a meltdown, he missed his mom and wanted to ride with Bane so we traded a gear bag for Alfie.
Leaving the window rolled down, Shutting the door as quietly as I could I joined the others who had parked behind me facing south.
"Everyone good so far?" I said looking at my friends road weary faces. Only Nemo, Grey, and I were used to such quick paced travel, not even Jessy the most traveled of them all looked haggard. "Only about another twenty minutes on the road, Then we get Venison Chili and Cinnamon buns!"
"I'm sore." Nemo said cracking his own back "Shadow Spar with me?" He said smiling at Jake, I knew Nemo wanted to really spar to loosen up.
"Absolutely not." I clenched my Jaw.
Jake who had been practicing his sparring put his dukes up playfully "Bring it, Pine needle butt!"
Nemo lunged for Jake who evaded perfectly and shoved Nemo towards where I stood, bring claps from our cheer squad. Nemo unable to right himself tripped into me, I put him into a loose choke hold giving him a Noogie.
"Reaper Cheated!" Dan laughed
I released Nemo, who stood next to me. Nemo placed his arm on my shoulder as if I was a counter to be leaned on "That isn't cheating Hot Wheels. The rules are if you accuse cheating you must prove it." Nemo goaded slyly.
"How do I do that?!" Dan asked completely shocked
"You, Me, first one on the ground is the Liar." I winked at him, fake jumping towards him making him turn and run into the woods
"You two think that's a good idea?!?!" Grey scolded us appalled at the sudden danger.
I whistled shortly twice then along one, Stay Bane Stay; And I ran after Dan.
Jumping over rocks I could easily see the path he took.
"DAN! NOT HERE! There's Venomous Snakes dude!" I hollered, hearing him rush looping back towards the car park I caught sight of his royal blue flannel.
"The Fuck! No one said that!!!!" He screamed terrified of the unknown slithering serpents amongst the dead leaves.
"One, Two Reapers coming for you!" I shouted back at him as he reached the paved car park, reaching it myself not 30 seconds behind Dan, I slowed down laughing as he dove into Nemo's Truck locking the door behind him.
"HEY!" Nemo screamed "My truck is off limits!"
Dan stuck his tongue out at Nemo.
"Can we go to new home now?" Alfie yawned leaning out of my truck cab.
"Let's roll" Jessy smiled blushing at Nemo "I miss riding with you."
"I miss having you riding shotty too Red." He blushed deeply turning to face his truck door he hissed "Unlock the damn door Dan."
I stood next to my Blazer watching everyone load up or attempt too in Nemo's case.
What happened next took me completely off guard, I should have seen this one coming well I did but not this.
Jessy reaching deep into her sweatpants pocket she pulled out a large GMC key, putting it into Nemo's drivers side door.
"Thanks Red!" Nemo said allowing her to climb in the cab before him, Nemo glanced at me looking like a mystified child. I smiled at him thinking 'I saw that, I know what that means!'
"Backseat Alf." I waited for Alfie to climb into the backseat then climbed in starting the engine "Jake, When we stop at Home be ready to record." I giggled not sharing my plan
"Did I miss something, Babe?" Jake asked keeping eye contact as we idled, I wanted to go last.
"Hang on." I said grabbing the cb mic "Car 2 and 3, you're going out first. 2, then 3 and I'll bring up the rear. Take the old trail road, Im going to lag a minute." I let go hearing Grey's affirmation and Jessy ensuring We'd be fine we saw them pull away.
Turning to Jake I smiled ear to ear "Jess has a key to Nautilus!"
"Wait wait wait Nemo named this truck Nautilus?" Jake stared connecting the dots laughing at his rhetorical question.
Alfie remembering that we had read part of Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas by Jules Verne excitedly chirped "He like the Book!"
"Well that's where Nemo got the name Nautilus" I grimaced knowing I was telling a half truth.
Putting the truck in reversed I cruised off towards home. Knowing the others had taken Trail Road I doubled back a mile to Elm Lane Ridge. This would put me right behind them geographically, once we got to Creek Road, if they didn't dawdle.
I turned onto the steep dirt road known as Elm Lane Ridge Access, a short illegal road us locals had made to access the quicker road faster from the south.
"Car 1" I heard Dads voice come over the CB.
Alfie dove for the Mic "Uncle Joe! These are the smells!" He chartered
"Are you still at the Scenic look off?"
"No. Reaper says hush with her finger"
I laughed quietly visualizing everyone's expressions hearing Alfie say I was hushing him.
The CB turned to sudden static, I took the Mic back from Alfie, Jake scolded him about the seatbelt and gave Bane the command to lay on Alfie.
"The CB?" Jake pointed at it as I turned it off
"Because of the Mountain the reception for everything cuts out, it cones back when we get to Creek Road. It won't take long getting used to it. I love it out here."
Jake and Alfie got lost in the scenery; One spotted a little button buck, the other pointed out a Red Tailed Hawk. I jammed on the brakes once allowing a decent sized coyote to cross the road.
Bane growled smelling the coyote, he knew what these things could do to small livestock.
Before he had turned Two he had killed 4 coyotes saving our flock of chickens with each kill. I scratched his ear "You can chase them off at home." Peeling off again leaving a huge cloud of orangey brown dust.
Turning onto Creek Road I turned the CB on hearing Grey say "We've made Creek Road. Almost hit a bobcat!"
"Small one." Nemo added
I didn't respond and Jake stared at me
"I know where they are, Dan doesn't know where I am" I cooed making Alfie bellow with laughter
Jake chuckled "At least you two are getting along again"
"I think he was more angry that he wouldn't be able to pay those assholes back, more than he was angry at me." I stated out the windshield spotting Nemo's taillights a half mile ahead turning onto our private road.
I slowed down just a little, clocking myself at 55mph now. Timing was everything.
"He was." Alfie clicked his tongue in the backseat
Turning off on Our Private road I pulled over "Jake? Can you drive the last little bit" I batted my eye lashes at him.
He obliged my request, walking around the truck while I climbed over my seat.
All buckled in again Jake tore down the road "Whoa she's quick!"
"HE is quick." I poked him "This is Stroker Ace, after the CDB song" I rifled through my cassette tapes then the CDs finding the right disc I put it in the player & queued track # 3. Adjusting my speaker audio just right and flipping the switch to my Amp and extra speakers on I smiled back at Alfie who had began repeating 'Ut-oh' over and over.
The CB Squawked, Jessy "OHMYGAWD REAPER!" She squealed. They'd reached the end of the driveway.
Dad responded "Where's Stroker?"
Jake stopped at the gate. I forgot he didn't know how to open this one, I opened the glove box grabbing a tan remote out, clipping it to my passenger visor I hit the button opening the gate. He pulled through the gate as I hit play on the cd player. Charlie Daniel's Band "Strokers theme" blared through the old speakers.
Reaching the top of the hill after the gate I told Jake to stop, gave him a quick kiss saying "just follow the road. It dead ends." and ordering Bane to follow me.
Watching my Blazer pull away I bolted into the woods following Bane.
Silently and quickly I reached the edge of the forest where I could see the driveway and my Target.
Hearing my Blazer reach the parking area, distracting the group I charged from the woods, smiling devilishly.
"Wait she went where?!" Dan gasped as my truck shut off, turning he saw me coming, he fled into the woods with me right on his heels.
"Three Four can't lock a door!" I sang slowing my pace.
Dan tried jumping over a vine not realizing it was thorny, it snagged his pants sending him flailing into a huge pile of dead cedar branches
"YEEEOOOOOWWWWWW" Dan Shrieked
Bane running from his vantage point pinned Dan licking his face, also pressing Dan down on the dead Cedar more "Reaper! Help!" Dan cried out
"Say Reaper isn't a Cheat." I cackled
"REAPER ISNT A CHEAT. REAPER ISNT A CHEAT!" He bellowed pushing Bane off of him.
I helped him up, smiling smugly at him "You kicked your own ass though."
"The vine grabbed me!" He huffed
"It's a thorny vine. Nothing grabbed you, it SNAGGED you." I showed him the thorny vines wrapped around some Ash trees as if they grew intending to trip people.
Bane plodded off into the woods Nose to the ground.
"What is that awful smell" lilly's voice came from the tree line as we walked out of the woods.
Dan walked in front of me returning to Nemo's tailgate "It's bad."
"Dan... He Umm.." I didn't know how to put what I saw outloud so he didn't aquire another nickname. "Dan come 'ere"
"What?" He sighed walking to me, I pulled him down to whisper in his ear
"You found Fuzzy Wuzzy's toilet." I whispered barely loud enough for him to hear, lifting a section of his long hair that had evidence of Bear Scat covering it.
"Fuzzy wuzzy was a...." He started in a whisper ending his statement at full Dan volume "I HAVE BEAR SHIT IN MY HAIR?!"
Nemo pulled his wallet out handing me two crisp fifty dollar bills without remark.
"He kicked his own ass." I chided Nemo handing Dan one of the fiftys.
Jake pulled me by my hip to his side "I got it all on camera until you guys went into those Ash trees." He said putting his phone away as everyone's dinged with a Video Message from Jake.
"There's my Reaper!" Dad said bear hugging me spinning me around in a big circle like he always had when we weren't working
"Hey Dad! We Made it Home!" I said stepping back to Jake when I could.
"Home, huh?" He asked puzzled "I was told this was a vacation." He eyed Lilly who gave him a mousy smile.
"As Far as I know we won't be returning to Duskwood. The Winchesters will but...Dad I uhhh I brought strays home!" I smiled widely at him recalling how Toby brought Nemo home.
"Yeah Dad we brought Strays home. See the cutie I found." Nemo beamed pointing to Jessy who blushed as red as her hair.
"He likes her a lot Dad" I continued the childish game
"Oh did you hear that Grey? My little Nemo like a GIRL" Dad joked
"Hear it? Joey I've been SEEING it the whole trip!" Grey chuckled like Santa Claus
"She even has a key to Nautilus!" I whispered loudly.
Nemo now looking like a caged scared Lion hid behind Jessy. Dad walked to the center of the circle we stood in, giving us a beaming smile his voice echoed when he bellowed "Welcome Home Eveyone!"
He motioned for Nemo and I to join him, when we were at his sides; Nemo on the left and myself on the right, he began
"So we have more than enough room for everyone, it just a matter of Who will bunk with whom." He paused counting heads
"Eight of us Dad, Ten if we count you and Cleo." I reassured him
"Right, so Cleo has taken Reaper's old room in the Big Cabin, Lillyis taking the guest room. Winchesters you're in the Guest Cottage. Reaper's Cabin has Three Spare rooms. Nemo you have a guest room and a pull out couch right?"
"A King sized bed and a locking bathroom door, That couch broke though." He shot Dan an angry glare until he saw Dan's hair
"Dan is that you that reeks?!" Cleo said walking into the parking area from the path to Dad's house plugging her nose
He hung his head "Jake sent everyone the video. Fuzzy wuzzy left a pile of poo on some cedar....I don't smell half as bad as Nemo did when he walked into the Old Cabin!"
I laughed remembering that night, Nemo had smelled worse than Dan but unlike Dan, Nemo didn't have bear Scat in is hair.
Cleo greeted us all before running back up the path when he timer dinged, Buns were ready.
"Let's eat, unpacking can wait. Jake I have the office set up for you."
Dad led us all to his huge Cabin, We had moved here fom the old property on the far opposite side of the vast forest after Toby was lost, Dad had moved here when he married Mom, it was Her dream to be self sustainable and we were.
Over the years we had developed the property building our other cabins, and a huge Pole barn we used as a garage. A Ample Garden was behind Dad's place with the Hens Coop.
Walking into the dining room the house smelled like Sage and Lavender with a note of citrus, everything looked familiar except the new Smokey Grey plush sectional couch and a simple wooden rocking chair.
Dan returned from showering, Dad loaned him a clean flannel shirt that was a size too big for Dad, Fitting Dan perfectly.
"Hey Reaper!" Cleo sang
I spun around to see her only to have a cinnamon bun shoved in my mouth. It tasted so amazing i knew i wouldnt be able to explain it, I finished shoving the warm bun in my mouth.
"Das sehr lecker!" I said using the german i had learned with a full mouth
"Danke Reaper" cleo hugged me "It's your mom's recipe." She smiled
"No Snacking!" Dad shouted from the kitchen
"I'm not eatin nuffin!" I yelled back my mouth still stuffed making Jake laugh from the kitchen door
"BUSTED!" Nemo tried to yelll but his mouth was plugged with a bunch Cleo shoved in his mouth
We all helped set the long back walnut table, instead of chairs Dad used stools so as kids we didn't slouch in our chairs.
Nemo rekindled the fire in dad's woodstove. It wasn't quite warm at night yet but soon we'd be facing 100° days and 75° nights.
Dad served a bowl for Bane and Cas leaving them on the counter to cool.
Grace was said and for the entire meal all that could be heard were spoons on ceramic, and the occasional appreciative "This is amazing!"
After we finished our dinner and Cinnamon buns we decided to unload our overnight bags at least, Cleo & Lilly kept Alfie with them while they finished up the dishes. They'd meet us after dark for the Bonfire. After Alfie was in bed.
Walking two by two behind Dad we followed him to The Office. It was a more of a shed renovated to be a well planned office. Monitors lined the left wall, an Actual Gun Rack sat by the door holding my old 16 Guage shot gun and the .22 caliber long rifle we all learned to shoot with, by the looks of them Dad had cleaned them recently. Good I loved shooting but I hated cleaning the guns.
Standing outside the office Nemo walked behind it while I started on the path down the hill.
"WAIT! Where are we going?" Jessy stamped her foot at the Y in the path standing beside Dan who looked slightly bemused
"I'm going home" Nemo hitched his fair tawny brown thumb over his shoulder behind him
"I'm going down to Our Place." I squeezed Jake's hand
"Our place." He squeezed back his eyes full of amazement.
Dad had told him back in Duskwood I typically didn't 'share well with others' let alone have some semblance of an invisible tether to anyone except Toby & & Most importantly i trusted almost No One. The one thing I never told Jake, that one damn thing that made all the deeply buried childhood hurt, The loneliness, The pathetic odd girl Bayport couldn't understand but held her twin on high, all bubble to the surface.
Jake applied a little pressure reassuring me.
Jessy looked from Nemo to Jake and I. I giggled at her tough choice, Dan though looked like he was about to burst with a laugh he said "Stay with Nemo and find out that bathroom door don't lock? Dan don't think so!" He skipped towards Jake and I "If that's okay? Promise I'll shower again."
Jake laughed looking to me "It's fine by me." We both said, Dan jumped like a young boy shouting YES!
"Well Red it's up to you." Nemo said smoothly, trying to make himself sound alluring
"I think I'll take that guest room" she blushed taking Nemos hand
"Custody court is settled then!" Dad laughed "I'm going to get the fire ready, you guys settle in, Behave!" He walked back up the path to his place, Nemo and Jessy walked towards theirs.
"Dan you aren't picking your room!" I hollered as he ran down our path.
"Let's out run him!" Jake yelled running off, I overtook then Dan. Opening the french doors on my porch
"Welcome Home Boys" I grinned walking into my mismatched decor, I didn't follow fashion trends or fads "Grand tour?"
"Sure" the guys replied
"Here we have the Living room, kitchens over there, down that hall is My......Mine and Jake's room" I corrected myself continuing "the door to the cellar too and down that hall is the 2 guest rooms, main bathroom & the first door on the right is The library. I've got a huge collection of old legends and folk tales." I finished proudly. Walking down the guest hall I opened the bedroom doors for Dan to choose. He took the one with the Buffalo plaid duvet over the camouflage themed room.
Shutting Dan's door behind him I dragged Jake to our room.
Diving into my Violet and Lilac duvet I soaked in the familiarity. Home.
Jake curled up beside me.
A man named Roy Bemnet once said or wrote 'Every choice has a consequence.'
The last thing I heard was Dan snoring down the hall.
We fell asleep cuddled up on my...no Our queen sized pillow top mattress with down pillows.
For the first time in a long time we both slept soundly, we had earned this.
Hadn't we?
......