The Summer I Left

Chapter 2 Living in Texas

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I sigh, exhausted from the long journey on the road.

I'm following behind Barron whose vehicle is ahead of me and leading the way. To pass time, I reflect on my childhood memories when mom and dad used to take us kids to Alex's and Hunters place. We would be blasting the music as high as it goes, singing on the top of our lungs, and having a great time. Then by the time we reached their house, we all would have cracking voices from singing so much. I laugh at the memory.

Then suddenly, I see a familiar green and tan house in the distance, and Barron starts to slow down in front of me. We're here. We enter the gravel driveway, and I can see the ranch up ahead.

As we were pulling in, I spotted Hunter riding upon his stunning black stallion with tan colored highlights. He was corralling cattle into a fence, it looked like he was going to be marking them.

I parked beside Barron and we got out in unison when Alex greets us with open arms. "Oh it's so good to see you both!" She embraces the two of us.

"Thanks for taking us in under such short notice." Barron says.

"It's no problem! Hunter and I are thrilled to have you here! Come, I made dinner!" She led Barron and I inside, where the aroma of a wonderful dinner welcomed our noses.

We walked to the kitchen where a lavish meal was spread about on the table. Burgers and bacon potatoes, it was so good! She said it was fresh beef, they had just butered a cow last week and the best cut was what we were eating.

After the meal, we carried our luggage into our new rooms. The house was separated into two areas: the main house, the garage, and then above the garage was a little mini house. Barron and I were going to live in the mini house in separate rooms, that way we had privacy but still lived together with Alex and Hunter.

I loved the design of this house, it reminded me of our previous home, how elegant everything was in an old fashioned sort of way. Oh how I missed it already!

Silent tears start to trickle down my face. I wipe the tears away but they keep coming.

"Hey River—" Alex comes around the corner with a question when she sees me crying. "Oh honey."

I tried to force a smile to my face but I didn't have to. Alex walked over to me and embraced me tightly; she too was crying.

Alex reminded me a lot of my mother, always sweet and understanding of others. Then Bunny came sniffing around the corner looking for me, he ran over and jumped onto us. Alex and I made room for him in-between us, and we formed one big hug.

— ᕚ◊ᕘ —

It was a full moon this night, sending light to all the surroundings below. I wrap my bedtime shawl around my arms and go over to my bedside to say my prayers. Once I finished, I stood up to get on the bed when I saw a mysterious black truck out the window. It was parked at the end of the gravel driveway, just sitting there with its headlights on and doing nothing.

I slowly walk over to the window to get a better look. I stared at it for a little while before the vehicle quickly pulled out and drove off.

My whole body trembles with fear. I quickly lock the window and pull the curtains over it before hurrying over to my bed. I get under the warm covers, and lay wide awake, terrified for my life. Why was there a black truck sitting in the driveway? What did it want? Who was it? And more importantly, what were they going to do next?

I managed to fall asleep later in the night, but awoke early in the morning to Bunny barking. I dart upwards, immediately alert of my surroundings.

A knock on the door startled me, and Bunny barked all the more. I wait with my eyes wide. This is it. I'm so dead.