I'm hunting today and dragging Trace along because I need to get away from the girls and the emotions they are having, especially Locklyn with her being sick and bitchy.
Trace and I took the bow and arrows today because we don't want to be in the house at the moment. Trace packed a book bag of food, water, and even some blankets just in case we are out too long and don't make it back for bedtime.
Trace was waiting for me outside and Locklyn was crying because I might not be back tonight. It's like I all ready have a child because of her hormones. I quickly ran out the back door, passed Trace, and into the woods to get away from the house. Trace figured out what was going on and ran after me and finally caught up about a mile into the woods.
"What was all that about?" Trace asked out of breath. "Why was Locklyn yelling?"
"I had to get out of there. You and I are having a guys' night. We are not going back tonight because I can't deal with the girls and their hormones. Lock is insane right now."
"Dude, she may be pregnant, of course she is going to be a bit of a bitch. Look at how she was when we got here. She is the wild child out of us all and I think it's from Rydal and everyone at school. They were forcing her to be like Rydal and that was not going to happen with Locklyn."
"I love Locklyn with my life, but I feel bad for her and wish I can take it all away from her. She has it bad at home and you guys may not know it or see it, but I have, first hand, and she gets treated like crap from her mother. Her father is the only one who cares about her and will fight with her mother about how she treats Locklyn. Lock doesn't have an easy life and now adding children to the mix will ignite the fire and they will hate me more because I got her pregnant."
"Maybe this baby will change how they look at Locklyn. Did all of this happen recently, like with her mother treating her like crap? Because I used to stay over her house when my father worked the night shift and they were never like that and I am very close to Mr. and Mrs. Monsey."
"Yeah, I told you when all this started, when Mrs. Monsey walked in on us having sex. I can see why she was mad but she went a little far." Trace nodded. "Now, lets focus." He laughed and we began to walk around slowly and watching every step we are taking.
Trace and I decided to split up so we don't scare all the animals away and agreed to meet at the campsite Trace made up for Locklyn and I for our anniversary by dawn. It was quiet out here and I love it. My life is changing, drastically, and very soon the quietness won't be around any longer. I love the quiet and it's weird since I live near a major city and have younger siblings, but back home, my room was in the attic and I don't mind being in the attic. It's away from everyone else and I have a ton of privacy, especially when Locklyn is over.
Since we began dating, I always imagined us living in a small cabin in a quiet town, but now that we may be having two or more babies, I might now want a mansion, gated, in the middle of nowhere, and keep my children safe from the bad world outside. I want to send my children to private school, the same one we went to, but it is also Locklyn's choice, these are half of hers.
While walking, I didn't hear any animals and thought it was pretty weird. It has been colder also and that isn't a good sign; it means winter is coming and the bears are going into hibernation and food will be scarce.
I saw an opening through the trees where the sun was shining. I stared at the ground making sure I don't go over the markers, then again I should so we can get out of here sooner; it won't work because they will arrest me and that will be on my record, permanently, and getting a job will be harder for me. I need a good paying job if I am going to support a family.
Coming out from the trees and to where the sunlight was shining, I saw an open meadow, a small stream, and many plants and flowers. It was serenity alright and really need to take Locklyn out here.
I admired how peaceful it was and wondered how nature can make such beautiful things no one can see or appreciate. After awhile I realized what the plants were and knew someone made this and it wasn't mother nature. The plants were fruits and vegetables like strawberries, blackberries, cucumbers, carrots, even eggplant and grapes. Everything was labeled also, which is even stranger than what it is, and there were so much of everything.
It soon dawned on me that what if the people before us is technically still here. The police officers and the man in the suit and tie never mentioned if they left or how long they were here for.
And here goes my mind racing with thoughts of the unknown.
How many people have been in this house, total? Did they leave? Did they escape? What if they died here and their families will never know what happened to them?
I can't raise my child here. I need to be back home, with family and friends during this soon-to-be stressful time. I understand Anya, Hadley, and Trace are here but I may want my mother for help and Locklyn may want her parents also. My mother is amazing. She has gone through so much and it all happened at such a young age. I am amazed she is still on her feet and acting stronger than ever.
My mother had me when she was fifteen and my father was nineteen. It was illegal but my mother lied and said my father was seventeen, just so she can have the baby and soon marry him when she turned sixteen. Of course her parents found out she lied about his age, but they saw he was never going to leave her and the baby and wanted to be there. I was born nine months later, a week before my mother's sixteenth birthday. My father was so happy and he always told me that the first time he laid eyes on me, he knew I was going to be something bigger, someone who will change the world, and I want to.
Three years passed and my parents separated. My father had sixty percent custody which meant I was with him most of the time, and soon I didn't want to be with my mother for she was dating too much and none of the men were nice. My father became my best friend and he truly cared for me and wanted the best for me. He decided that public schooling wasn't for me and sent me to The Witting Academy. He had the money since he was an accountant, but, my mother didn't like the idea of me going to The Witting Academy because she thought I would become snotty and misbehave. That did not happen for it made me a better person, I respected my teachers and peers, and was grateful that Armin and Trace became my friends and soon our group was formed and felt complete.
My father left, officially, when I was ten. I was nine when my mother got remarried and became pregnant within a month. My father was distant with me at that point and I wasn't understanding why he wasn't around anymore. I found out he left when I went to his house on my birthday, walked inside, and saw most of the pictures of me were gone. My stepfather all ready left and I was alone in this house. I found a note on my bed and it said he was sorry and to never forget him. I waited for two more hours and realized he isn't coming home. I called my mother in tears and she rushed over with my grandmother, my father's mother, which I was shocked at, and called the police. I showed them the note he left and most of my pictures were gone and some books. They sent out a search team and after six months of no evidence, they cancelled the search and declared the case as unsolved.
I made a promise to myself that I would never end up like my parents; having children at a young age, to never leave and get remarried, to never run away from my family unexpectedly, and will always be there for my children, even if I am going through a dark time.
Well, I am ending up like my parents. I'm eighteen years old and having a baby. I didn't even graduate high school. I may never graduate since I am in the middle of nowhere. I know I will never leave Locklyn, even if she is a bitch and yells at me and fights with me, but that is Locklyn at least once a month. Now she is pregnant and may be pregnant with two or more babies and I am filled with excitement for she is my world; she is my universe and forever will be. Adding children to the mix will just make our relationship stronger.
Maybe staying out here for a night is a bad idea. Locklyn needs me the most. I did this to her, it is technically my fault for her being pregnant, and I feel bad that she is at the cabin alone.
She isn't alone though, she has Hadley and Anya to help her.
I heard movement behind me, and I pointed the bow and arrow at the area it came from.
"Whoa, dude, it's just me," Trace said coming out from the trees. "I've been calling your name for twenty minutes now. What is going on?"
"Look at what I found," I pointed to the plants. "They are fruits and vegetables, all of them labeled also. Let's pick some and bring it back to the cabin."
"You don't know if they have some kind of poison in them. Are you nuts? If we bring this stuff back to the cabin and someone gets sick, it's on you."
"Trace, they are labeled. It looks like someone planted them and wanted us to find them. Why would everything be so neat and organized if it was in the wild? And why would each plant have a label? Understand see that the people who were here before us knew more people would be coming and made this garden to have some kind of fresh food instead of that canned shit."
Trace hesitated before saying something, "Fine, let's pick some stuff and go back to the cabin."
"No, we can't go back tonight. We need to get away from the girls for a night."
"Cason, I don't think staying out here is the best idea. I don't know about you, but, I heard something."
"Maybe it was an animal."
"No, Cason, it was a voice, a scream almost. Someone else is out here. I overheard Hadley telling Anya she keeps hearing screaming coming from the basement. Someone is here, we aren't alone in this forest or cabin."
"Fine, lets get back to the cabin."
We picked some fruit and vegetables and headed back to the cabin. We walked inside and Trace dropped everything on the kitchen floor and ran upstairs, probably to the bathroom like always. I sorted through the fruits and vegetables and washed some of them for dinner, even though I do not know what we are having since it is Locklyn and Anya's responsibility to cook.
Someone walked into the kitchen behind me and I looked over my shoulder to see Anya standing there in her pajamas still. "Hey, you didn't change?" I asked.
"No, I overslept and didn't want to change." I nodded. "What are you doing back so soon?"
"We found a garden and brought some food back. I was also missing Locklyn and felt bad I left her here sick."
"She's fine. She came into my room after you left and cried and lied in my bed. I gave her some medicine, just to calm her down and she has been sleeping since. She is in my bedroom if you want to go see her." I nodded and left going upstairs.
Anya's door was open and I saw Locklyn sleeping under her covers. She looked so peaceful and elegant laying there. I went over to her and bent down next to her. I moved the few strands of hair that were in her face and stroked her cheek with the back of my hand. She flinched and moaned a bit, readjusting herself and turning her head to face me more. I admired her. I stared at her sleeping gaze and wondered what she is dreaming. I wanted this moment to last forever.
"Locklyn," I whispered in her ear and kissed it. She opened her eyes slowly and glanced over at me. She smiled widely and lied there, almost like she was living in her dream. "I'm back and I won't ever leave like that again. I felt terrible for yelling at you."
"I know that you won't leave. I'm sorry for reacting. I haven't been myself lately." She grinned and wrapped her arms around my neck. She moved over and I got in next to her. She kissed me on the lips and smiled. "Cason."
"What, Locklyn?"
"Do you know how much I love you?" I nodded. "No, I mean it. Do you know how much?"
"Of course I do. We wouldn't still be dating if you didn't love me."
"I may not act like the best girlfriend and can have a temper and want things and want them right in the moment, but, I'm sorry for always fighting with you and saying things that sound mean. I don't want you to leave me. I want you to be my forever, my first love, my one and only, my universe, and you are. For more than the two years we have been dating, you dealt with my moody self, you dealt with my drama from my family, you stuck up for me when Mandy criticized me for not being as pretty as Rydal and she ripped my painting in ninth grade. I love you Cason Finnegan and I want you to know that."
"And I do know that. I get you are having trouble and you get moody and you have fits and get drunk and act out. Just know, that whatever is to happen whether it is in the next week or the next ten years, I will be here and I will never leave you. You are my world and imagining life without you isn't an option for me." I kissed her deeply on the lips and hugged her close to my chest. She sighed and closed her eyes.