Family Reunion

5. Not Leaving You

Buddy and Karen got all their stuff packed up again and headed out the door saying goodbye to the lady at the front desk. "Ok, let's see where should we go?" Karen asked pulling out a map. "A map? Really? We don't need it Karen." Buddy spoke a bit harsh. "Buddy, I might need it since I don't want us to get lost." Karen laughed.

Karen spent about ten minutes looking over the map and knew exactly where to go from there. "Hey, why don't we play a game while we walk what do you say Buddy?" Karen asked. "Ok. what kind of games?" He asked. "Hmmm, well I always loved the game I Spy. do you know how to play that?" She asked. "Yes." "Ok I spy with my little something um, red." Karen said as they walked. 

"wagon." Buddy said laughing. "Yep, ok your turn." She said as they pressed on. "I spy with my little eye something, brown and white?" Karen took a few minutes to look around when she saw a cow in the distance in the meadow. "A cow." "Yep." 

Time went on like that for a long while they had played the game I Spy for an entire hour. "We gotta make a quick pit stop Buddy can you please not wonder off while I go behind the tree there?" Karen asked. "Yes." He said while holding on to Karen's backpack. 

He waited for a few minutes while Karen used the tree to do her business. Five minutes had passed and he was still waiting on her. "Where is that girl?" He asked himself. He went looking behind the tree where he knew Karen would be but she wasn't there. Buddy began to panic. 

"Karen? Karen? Karen where are you?" He called. "Karen!" He shouted even more. She had been hiding from him to play around with him before jumping out of the bushes screaming "Boo!" at him. 

"Oh man you should have seen the look on your face priceless." Buddy didn't find this as funny when he came running over to her hugging her waist. "I thought you left me all alone out here." He started crying a bit. He may have come from a family of cannibals and was raised and taught how to be brave and strong but he was still sensitive to some extent like his Uncle Jimmy. 

"But, I was only playing with you, I didn't mean to scare you like that I'm so sorry Buddy." She said hugging him. "I was just trying to play around a bit. I would never leave you out here alone I promise I won't do that again I promise you." She said practically begging Buddy to forgive you. 

"Thank you." Buddy then hugged Karen. He had a change of feeling inside of him, but he knew he couldn't possibly start caring about her. As soon as he brought her home she would be their dinner and he knew it. 

"Now, let's press on." She said. "Ok." Few hours pass and Karen and Buddy had to stop and rest for a bit. "It's gonna get dark soon, what do we do Karen?" Buddy asked. "I don't know Buddy. We are too far away from anyone to just get to anywhere. Maybe we should hitchhike?" Karen said about to stick out her thumb. "No wait, we can't. I mean we shouldn't two kids alone out here anyone could be a threat to us."  Buddy said trying to act like a scared little boy when he was actually trying to keep Karen all to himself. 

"Well, ok, I guess you're right. We should just keep walking I guess." Karen and Buddy moved forward and walked night fall came and they kept walking. They came across a small town. It was the town that Buddy knew well, he knew then that his home was not far. This was the small town that Gabe and them went to it was a town he went through many times growing up. 

"I know this town, that means my home is not far." Buddy said getting excited. "Oh good, so maybe we can rest for the night here." Karen said while yawning. Karen found a small little motel a dumpy one but a room was a room so they could get the sleep they needed. 

Karen paid for the room and they got something to eat since they hadn't eaten in hours and right to the bed Buddy feel asleep quickly after eating. Karen's feet were beginning t bleed and blister. She soaked them in some warm water. With tears in her eyes she dealt with the pain. She fell asleep after drying her feet and wrapping them up with her socks. 

By morning Buddy had woken her up and he wanted something to eat and so did she, they got up and went to the cafeteria together and ate. After having pancakes and sausage and eggs and bacon and they both had gotten a couple of milkshakes. After eating they got up and went back to their room. "What's the matter Karen?" Buddy asked. "My feet, they hurt." She said in tears again. "What happened?" He asked in worry coming over looking at her bloody feet. "No, we aren't going anywhere today let's rest." Buddy said sitting Karen back down. 

"But what about your family?" She asked. "They can wait a day or two longer I have to take care of you." Not wanting to fight him over it she let Buddy tend to her feet and he had her rest and relax. Eventually she fell back asleep while he watched some tv. 

Buddy looked over at Karen while she slept and began thinking that maybe he could save her when he brought her home that maybe once they all know that she saved him they would spare her. He does have one more cousin that is her age at least that's what he was thinking. Hunter was his favorite cousin surely he would find Karen beautiful. She was. He looked up to her like a big sister after the passed few days they had been together. He went over to her while she slept and laid next to her to get a nap when he spoke softly. "Don't worry, I wanna keep you big sis." He whispered to her before kissing her cheek to go to sleep.