“Mother, how did you and dad meet?”718Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7B93AwuQGs
“Oh, it was so romantic,” she gushes, “we met through a family member and it was love at first sight. Your father played coy at first, see, our relationship was forbidden by our families. Even still, I decided to pursue him because I just knew that we were meant to be. We were afraid, but that didn’t stop us. When we found out that I was pregnant with you, we moved away and broke our ties with our families so we could have this beautiful piece of land. Don’t you love it here? It. Is. Paradise!”718Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhjPJBDK3Py
“Yeah, it really is,” he said with awe. Could she really be as bad as I thought she was? She sounds so genuine, he thought. Maybe I’m making all of this up.718Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡemSoGBwqa0
“What’s the rest of the family like?” Zak asks.718Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDDXk24KJl1
Mother makes a face of disgust, “Don’t even remind me of them. All my life, they ignored me and yelled at me. They even said that I was crazy! They’re the ones that were crazy.” 718Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYVsr74bRNY
She stops for a moment and calms down, “You are the perfect combination of me and your father, Zak. You’re nothing like our families. I love you, remember that.”718Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwckDtyH3Jq
Remember. Remember. A thought pops into his head: a memory that makes his head spin and tears well into his eyes.718Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEQyUxQbtng
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We’re in the closet. The only light comes through the crack in the door, giving us just enough space to look through it. A whisper sounds quietly in the dark. “Remember, Zak, you’re nothing like your mother. Never let her make you believe that. I love you. We’ll get out of this, I promise.”718Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXBKur106ax
“I love you too, Leah,” he says as the memory fades out.718Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJfKAOJI2WS
The memory brings back an intense longing for the blond girl. Before he can stop himself, he brings Leah up. “Mother, did Leah and I ever play in the closet?”718Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡipciEVV29r
“I told you not to bring up her name! I swear, she is not worth your time,” she scowls.718Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2urAKIkmXG
“Fine, I was just wondering.” He goes back into his book. Though, reading is the least of his interests at the moment.718Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf1u21J6OPc
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Soon his eyes get tired from the book and he starts to get restless. Reminded by the nearby house, he jumps on his bike and heads down the road. The sun shines bright in the clear, robin egg sky. The boy feels the wind in his hair, and the sun warming his face. Feeling free, he pedals faster, faster. He flies down the endless road, almost missing the small trail breaking out of the ditch. Zak breaks suddenly, the wheels making a dull sound of protest. Memories tear through his brain.718Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8rkwmydIkk
He’s walking in the woods. The trees are thick and tall, towering above him with big, green leaves blotting out most of the sky. He’s barefoot, and soft ferns tickle his toes. He hears the crackle of something moving.718Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmkQRte794j
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He stands still, remembering what his dad taught him. ‘If I stand still and breathe quietly, they’ll come right up to me.’ So he stands and waits. Another rustle of leaves surprise him and before he can react, there’s hands on his shoulders. “Boo!” the hands say. The startled boy turns around to meet the owner of the hands. She’s wearing a pink shirt and a pair of dirty overalls. Her hair is short and blond with green eyes framed by thick bangs. She’s laughing. “Ha, I got you! What are you standing around for?” she asks.718Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ65q7KL0549
“Why do you care? Why are you even here anyways? This is my woods,” he scoffs.718Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwiI8uOcbDH
“Actually it is state property, idiot. It’s yours as much as it’s mine,” the look on her face embarrasses him.718Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI0J3MawFQL
“Whatever. Shove off and leave me alone, would you?”718Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY9HGXdIQ61
The girl refuses to back down. Nothing affects her.718Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbuEuaZQyNu
“Come on, Zak. You hungry?” she asks.718Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ73sXOkySBc
He’s startled, “How did you know my name?”718Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1X0YF7DGpg
“It’s sewed into your shirt tag. You’re not very bright, are you?” she laughs, pulling him by his shirt. “Let’s go to my fort. You have to promise to keep it a secret though.”718Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaIHKKtlO3O
“I guess I can keep a secret. This better be worth my time,” he sighs, giving in to her.
