Neon Moon

Ch. 1 New Girl in Town

Boone county West Virginia wasn't much, but it was your new home for the time being. You had been through this small town a handful of times throughout your life to visit your Aunt Dolly. Growing up it was just you and your dad traveling through the south moving from small town to small town looking for jobs to make ends meet. Your life wasn't something out of a movie. It was difficult and you were tough, but your dad always made sure you were taken care of. No matter how difficult things were he always made sure you had a song to sing to get you through. It's almost a year since he passed and you knew he wouldn't want you to be wasting it. He would be wanting you to get out there. To find a fulfilling life somewhere with someone that makes you happy and takes care of you like he did, but you felt lost. You had always been on the move like you were trying to outrun bad luck, but it always caught up with you. Never finding a place to truly call home.

You've always been a little free spirited, but also quiet keeping to yourself not many friends due to always moving. Only showing glimpses of yourself when you felt like people had earned your trust. "She's got gumption" your Aunt would tell your dad when you were younger. However, that carefree attitude didn't always help make the best decisions when it came to relationships. You never were able to stick around in one place long enough to really settle down or play the field. You had a kind heart that fell hard.

Around this time last year you met a guy named Owen. Now you thought you hit a gold mine. Coming in and sweeping you off your feet while you took care of your dad. It was true love or at least you thought it was at the time. Till Owen showed his true colors. Like the old phrase says, "he thinks the sun comes up just to hear him crow." Owen was very manipulative with a double standard when it came to his relationship rules. However, you worshiped the ground he walked on and became someone you didn't even recognize anymore. Finally you stopped playing his games. Packed your car with what would fit and left the rest in storage when you found out he was cheating with girl number 3. Blaming you for it. As you started packing your stuff he said "it was because you were just so depressed after your dad and you wouldn't do anything." Finally you hurt enough to realize you needed to do something better with your life.

You never wanted anything more in your entire life than to find a place to call home surrounded by people you cared about. So you decided to go to the one place you knew you could find some answers: West Virginia. A place that always held a special spot in your heart no matter where you laid your head at night.

Clyde Logan was well known in town as the one armed veteran that happily bartended at The Duct Tape Grill and Bar. For him most nights were the same. The regulars came in drinking their usual drinks hanging out with their friends, family, and coworkers doing their usual thing. He liked the small town he grew up in for the most part, but he was missing something. He liked that everyone knew everyone and the simplicity that came with it. West Virginia was a gorgeous place and he felt pride for his home. After the wild year he had with helping his brother, going to jail, dealing with Joe bang and his brothers, losing his prosthetic arm, getting out of jail, getting a new arm, and seeing his brothers plan succeed he felt on top of the world.

He didn't need to worry about money, he was close with his family, and he had started seeing a woman who had been passing through town, or at least that's what she said. That was until he found out she was the FBI agent that was trying to bust them for the heist. Thankfully he was able to cut that off quick feeling a little burned after.

Clyde kept working even though he didn't need to. He basically ran the bar most of the time. It was a good cover plus he thoroughly enjoyed it with the mix of smoke and alcohol smell, leisurely meeting new people, and spending time with his home town. He knew he'd never leave. This was his only home. Clyde was a simple man. He was smart, kind, and quiet due to growing up in his big brother Jimmy's shadow. For the most part he didn't mind it, but part of him longed for that feeling of being important to someone, needed by someone, someone to care for.