Keep your distance love

Chapter 1: Life for Jake

Jake is 16 now. Let's check up on him, shall we?

Things have not changed much since he arrived here 6 years ago. Paul has been quite nice to Jake considering the circumstances. He has grown quite fond of this job actually. Most of the time is spent walking around and picking up leaves or trash away from the graves. In the winter is when it get's rough. Jake's favorite time of the year is around Halloween. All the kids walk past this place and dare each other to walk through. Horror stories are told of this land when really it is peaceful as can be. Sure, at night it collects fog and looks scary to those who are not as used to it, but there is nothing to be afraid of.. except for Jake. He does not go to school, mostly because Paul refuses to pay for it, but the boys that walk by every morning have named him 'death boy'. Not because they know of his background, but because he lives in a cemetery. They aren't wrong though. Jake is prone to death, or at least anyone who comes near him is. He only wishes to be dead. He has no friends. In the afternoon when Jake and Paul eat lunch stories of his daughter, Ash, will come up. Jake still has yet to meet her. She sounds like trouble from the stories Paul tells. Even if Jake met her it wouldn't matter. He can't get attached to anyone, and he knows that. It has been going so well these last couple of sad lonely years. He wouldn't want to risk anything.

His mom has not come to visit him like she said she would.. He hope's she died. She hasn't. She wants nothing o do with any remains of her first husband. Even her own child.

"Jake! Come over here and finish digging this grave up." Paul calls his handy helper. Jake runs quickly to please his master. Paul likes to consider Jake as his apprentice, so when Paul dies Jake can take over and run the cemetery. Jake takes the shovel out of Paul's hands to finish the job that was already started. Paul watched as the boy dug out the dirt like he was taught so many years ago. Paul watched the boy in astonishment.. "Jake do you have any plans for the future?" Jake shook his head no. "C'mon boy, you must have some hopes and dreams, goals." Jake continued to dig. Paul was a good man, Jake can not see him as a fatherly figure. Jake can not grow to love him. "Oh well. Once you finish taking that man out search for any gold or valuables. I'm headed home." Jake nodded his head. "See you in the morning.. Don't forget to lock up." Jake continued to nod in response. He can't remember speaking a word after he was dropped off at this hell.

Once Jake finished working he entered into the small shed and locked the door like Paul had instructed him to do. After that, he cuddled up on his small couch that was given to him as a bed and closed his eyes. That night he dreamed of his father, grandfather, and uncle. They were all in the clouds reaching out for Jake to join him. 'Come on Jake.. Youre almost there.' Jake continued to stretch and reach but he could never touch his loved ones again, 'I'm trying' He would cry, but he couldn't do it. Then in the dream he would fall a long ways into a 6ft grave he dug out himself. He would curl up and continue to scream for help until his yelps would turn into whimpers of exhaustion. All of a sudden a hand would appear. It was light and feminine. In the beginning he thought it was his mothers but it could not have been. This hand was younger with freckles on the back and black nail polish painted neatly on each fingernail. Once he touched it a warm feeling would come over him and before he could find out who was behind this hand he would wake up to another day of torture.

The same dream every night, and the same torture of living without a soul that truly cares for you.