Alex's (POV)
I yawn, my attention on Mack as I watch him attempt to make hamburgers for supper.
I'm sitting on one of the barstools along the countertop, Mack bustling around the kitchen while he gathers his ingredients.
"Some spices, a tad of steak sauce." Mack mumbles to himself as he stirs the meat In a bowl, mixing everything together.
"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" I quietly ask him, all energy depleted from me.
I yawn again.
"Are you kidding?" Mack loudly says in disbelief, waving the spoon around. "I was born to coo-." He hits a jar with his hand, knocking it off the counter.
Thankfully that was a plastic one.
Mack looks sheepishly down at it. "Whoops." He shrugs, going back to mixing his stuff.
I hold in a laugh.
You could say Mack and I are done with avoiding each other. The atmosphere having gone back to what it had been last week before I told him.
I frown, reality returning.
I rub my forehead, a headache pounding away.
I'd been able to distract myself for a short time while watching Mack fool around in the kitchen.
But I can't avoid it anymore.
Dark thoughts that've been circling around in my head since my discovery early this morning, returning now with full force.
Tell him.
Because now I know without a doubt that Ben is with the group of people that've been terrorizing farms.
I open my mouth, trying to make the words come. But all I manage to get out is another yawn.
Let's face it, I didn't get a wink of sleep last night. Everything distracting me.
Mack moves over to the skillet that's on top of the stove, his bowl securely tucked in his arms.
He uses his "clean" hands to ball up some of the meat, then places them onto the skillet, squishing them down flat.
Do it.
I make fists with my hands, nails biting into my skin.
"Mack." I say, trying to get his attention.
He glances over at me for a second, then goes back to his cooking. "What?" He questions.
"Umm, I-I thin-." A knock sounds through the house, interrupting my poor attempt to reveal my thoughts.
My heart jumps.
It's not them, they wouldn't knock and - I look over at the clock on the stove, It's only six o'clock. Still daylight.
They wouldn't do anything in the daylight.
Mack grumbles something incoherent, brushing off the apron he's wearing. He looks down at the sizzling meat on the stove, a frown on his face.
Another knock on the door, sounding more impatient.
I get up, heading into the living room.
"Thanks." Mack says.
So much for telling him.
As I walk over to the door, I can't help but tense up. Expecting something bad to happen.
I freeze.
What if it's them?
My throat dries, chest getting an uncomfortable tightening feeling.
Oh come on! It's just a door Alex.
I walk up to it, and slowly open the door.
An impatient Polly stands on the other side of the door, arms stubbornly crossed.
"About time someone opened this door. I'm getting sunburn just standing here." She angrily grumbles. Then quickly, the anger disappears and her usual large smile lights up her face.
"Alex!" She walks forward, giving me a quick hug. "Glad to see you up and about again." She jabs me lightly in the ribs.
"P-Polly?" I stutter out, surprised to see her.
How'd she even get here?
I look around for any sign of a vehicle.
Nothing.
She smirks. "Of course it's me, what were you expecting?" She tilts her head to the side, eyes searching mine.
I look away, stepping back. "N-Nothing, come in." I motion her inside.
She skips in, her bag - I just now noticed she's carrying, flopping around at her side.
"Are you.." She sniffs the air. "Are you guys cooking?" She asks with disbelief clear in her voice.
I nod. "Mack is."
Or more like he's attempting to.
She giggles, throwing a hand out. "Mack can't cook." She states, setting her bag down beside the sofa. "He must be trying to show off because of you." She says as if that explained everything. Then she heads towards the kitchen.
Me?
I follow behind her.
As we step into the kitchen, a sudden burning smell fills the air. A smoke alarm going off.
"Ack! Stupid oven!" Mack yells, whacking at something on the stove.
Polly shakes her head.
Walking over to the oven, she hops up on the counter, taking a strawberry from a bowl that's sitting at the side.
She takes a bite, pretending to look curious. "Whatcha cooking, chef?" She peers at the top of the oven, plucking another strawberry to eat.
Mack grabs the bowl of strawberries, a frown on his face. "Nothing that concerns you." He sets the bowl on the other side of the oven.
He sighs, looking down at the mess on the oven.
Yup, looks like he burnt it a bit.
"I hate cooking." Mack pouts, pulling off the apron before he crosses his arms.
Polly pats him on the shoulder. Taking the apron, she proceeds with cleaning Macks' mess up.
"So what are you doing here?" Mack questions the same thing that's running through my mind.
"Ma said I should go check on you guys." She shrugs. "So I went."
Mack rubs his forehead. "I'm guessing you rode your horse to get here then?"
Polly nods. "Yup, she's all cozy in your barn." She smiles.
She rode all the way out here?
Mack shakes his head. "We should start charging rent." He mumbles to himself.
"I passed sheriff Taylor on the way up." She leans against the counter. "He's already come to check in on you guys?" She questions, glancing over at the clock.
Ah yes, the sheriff.
I met him briefly, just a quick introduction then he left. Something about being busy today.
He did come yesterday also, but I was up in my room.
"He had to come earlier today. Had business to attend to." Mack replies with.
Polly gets a thoughtful look on her face.
"Alright, I'll be nice and fix supper." She announces, placing the messy skillet in the sink. "Buuut." She drawls out, wiggling a eyebrow at Mack.
I grab a towel, wiping off the counter.
Mack rolls his eyes. "Fine." He throws his hands up in defeat. "What do you want?" He questions.
Polly washes the skillet off. "You guys have to play the board game I brought with me." She cleans off the top of the stove, placing the skillet back on the burner.
Mack groans in distaste, tapping his finger on the counter while he thinks.
"Fine." He begrudgingly agrees.
"Yay!" Polly jumps up, a huge smile one her face. "Hand me that bowl please, Alex." She asks me, pointing at a bowl I'm standing next to.
I hand it over to her.
She puts it down, going to the sink to wash her hands.
Then she gets a handful of meat like Mack did. Placing it in the skillet, she turns it on.
"I'll have these done in ten minutes max." She confidently says.
"Good, I'm famished." Mack sits down at the counter, using a towel to wipe it off. "Lucy left us enough cooked food for yesterday. But it's all gone now." He slouches. "Which she probably did that on purpose." Mack mumbles to himself.
Polly hears him anyway. "Well you know she's always trying to get you into cooking." She flips one of the three burgers over.
Mack shrugs. "It's not my fault I'm ungifted in the art of cooking." He grumbles.
Polly smiles. "Yet she still tries. Must be the chef in her." She lowers the stovetop temperature.
"Guess she's just trying to pass her gift along..." Polly goes quiet, her eyes growing sad for a moment.
Mack also seems to not like where this conversation has gone.
What'd I miss?
Polly suddenly perks up. "So I brought The Game of Life." She says, obviously changing the subject.
Mack groans, running both hands over his face. "Not that game." He whines.
Never heard of it.
"Too bad." Polly teases.
I take a seat, my foot tapping the ground with pent up nervousness.
How do I bring it up now?
About nine minutes later, Polly turns off the burner. She then places a slice of cheese on each burger, giving them a few seconds to melt.
"All done!" Polly announces, taking the skillet off the burner.
"I'll grab the soda and the chips." Mack gets up, walking over to a pantry. Opening it, he takes a bag of chips out. Heading to the fridge now, he grabs a Pepsi from inside.
Polly grabs three plates from a cabinet, placing a cheeseburger on each one.
Mack sets everything on the table.
"Alright, lets fix up our plates and start this game!" Polly grabs one of the plates, fixing up her food.
I wait, not really in the mood to eat with my stomach twisting around in anticipation.
After they've both gotten their food and drinks, they head into the living room.
I stand up. Taking the last plate, I fix it up to my liking. Pouring a glass of water, I walk into the living room.
Polly's setting a board up on the coffee table that's in the middle of the room. Mack sitting on the floor, his back leaning against the sofa.
I walk over to the left side of Mack, taking a seat on the floor.
Mack takes a look at my glass of water, a smirk on his face. "Are you a health nut?" He playfully questions, nodding towards my glass.
No, not really.
Soda just doesn't really agree with my stomach....condition.
Not that anything really "agrees" with it anymore.
I just shrug in reply, taking a bite of my burger.
"Let's get this game started!" Polly cheers.
What have I gotten myself into?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Aww, congratulations! You're a father now." Polly pats Mack on the shoulder, a playful smirk on her face. "As hard as it is to believe."
Mack scowls, collecting two kids to put in his little minivan.
This is the second round we've played so far. Polly having won the first game.
I tap my hand on my knee, not really paying attention to the game.
Tell them.
"Alex." My gaze jerks over towards Polly.
She raises an eyebrow. "It's your turn." She points out.
I lean forward, spinning the spinner. Getting a four, I move my vehicle up those spaces, collecting my payday from Mack.
I sit back, my hand back to tapping at my knee, my eyes looking over at a flower pot I've been staring at for who-knows-how-long.
"Is there something wrong, Alex?" Polly suddenly speaks up, a confused expression on her face.
"Yeah, you've been acting all distant." Mack pauses. "Well, more so than usual." He adds.
I take a breath.
Now is my chance to tell them.
I grimace as the left side of my chest suddenly gives a painful lurch, a phantom pain running through it and up my arm.
Don't act up now.
I bring my right hand up, rubbing my not-so-old bullet wound.
I lift my gaze back up to Mack and Polly. Both have stopped playing, giving me their full attention.
I open my mouth.
A sudden loud BOOM ignites from outside.
I jump in surprise, my heart thumping wildly in my chest.
All our gazes turn towards the nearest window.
It's dark.
I check my watch.
Eight o'clock.
There still should be some light outside.
Polly stands up, her brows furrowed in confusion. Walking over to the window, she looks out.
"Thunder." Mack states, glancing over at me.
My chest tightens.
Of course.
It's a storm.
This is actually the first storm since I've been here. Rainstorms being the only bad weather lately.
But it is summer. When storms are most common.
"This wasn't on the weather forecast." Polly says, sitting back down. "It's pouring outside, and it doesn't look like it's going to be stopping anytime soon." She takes her turn.
"Guess I'll have to stay the night." She yawns, pulling her hair up into a ponytail. "I ain't riding in the dark and the storm."
"Whatever." Mack says, taking a bite out of a chip.
Polly rolls her eyes. "So hospitable." She mumbles, getting up again. She walks over to the phone.
"Better call my parents." She says, picking the phone up as she punches in a number.
Light flashes through the window, thunder following with its powerful rumble.
I tense up, the noise bringing unwanted memories to the surface.....Just like the fireworks.
I bring my knees up to my chest, wincing as another sharp pain runs through the whole left side of my chest.
What....?
A loud Boom sounds outside.
My shoulders jerk with the noise, the urge to bring my hands up to cover my ears growing stronger with each second.
"Uh, Mack." Polly draws my attention over to her.
She's standing with the phone in her hand, a puzzled look on her face.
"What?" Mack asks, his distracted gaze still on me.
"The phone." She pauses. "It's not working."
My heart stops.
No.
"Well, it could be the storm." Mack suggests. And right as he says that, a huge flash of lightning explodes through the window.
The lights go out.
My breath catches.
Thunder rumbles, shaking the whole house.
My hands automatically go up, covering my ears.
The house goes eerily quiet, the only noise being my now loud frantic breathing and the sound of rain pelting the roof.
"Alex." Mack's voice breaks through the darkness, his features barely noticeable.
His face suddenly illuminates, more thunder following.
I tense even more, hands tightening over my ears.
Shaking
Screams
Darkness
A beam of yellow light shines over at me and Mack.
"Alex, it's alright." I hear her footsteps walking towards us, the beam of light bouncing with her steps.
Polly crouches down in front of me, the flashlight on her phone lighting everyone up.
Mack looks over at her, eyebrows scrunched in concern.
Polly returns his gaze. "No service." She says, referring to her cellphone.
Mack runs a hand through his hair. "Typical." He mutters.
More lightning and thunder.
I scoot back, my frantic mind trying to do anything to get away from the noise.
"Alex." Mack reaches out to me.
I flinch away from his hand "No!" I practically shout, scooting even farther back.
Mack quickly retracts his hand, eyes full of worry.
My back hits the sofa.
Lightning flashes, thunder rumbling to life.
Walls falling
A searing hot flash
Stuck....no escape
"No!" I shout again, my mind going into a frenzy, each breath a painful gasp for air.
I push back on the sofa, trying to move.
No escape
So loud....too loud
My tight chest gives another throb directly over my heart.
Mack is on one side of the coffee table and Polly is on the other, both looking at me with wide eyes.
Another flash of lightning lights up outside, my gaze snapping over to the window as I catch a view of something that shouldn't be out there.
My eyes widen.
Before I have a chance to do or say anything, a different sound from the thunder that should've come next, fills the air.
I flinch.
A bullet slices through the window, glass shattering into a million pieces.
Polly screams, Mack jerking back with a shout.
It smacks into the coffee table, the game board flying up into the air, pieces falling everywhere.
No.
I freeze, one sentence running through my scribbled mind.
I'm too late.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A/N
Dun Dun Duh!!!! (I don't think I did that right lol.😜)
Cliffhanger!!!!!
Yeah, sorry about that....Or am I? 😏
Questions:
1. Who thinks Mack doesn't belong in the kitchen? 😆
2. Has anyone here played the game of life? (I don't think it's that fun, just irritating.😑)
3. Who thinks they're in big trouble now?(🖐🏻....😅)
Next update: Thursday.
So hopefully I'll have it ready by then, or sooner..it depends.😩
VOTE!!!COMMENT!!!! Eat Pizza!!!
Catch ya later!😉😘
Maggy
Edited: 6/23/17