𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐝 | J. Black

Chapter 2 - Mythbusters

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A young boy with brown hair and brown eyes comes bouncing in, finding his sister sitting in the stables with a stranger. "BELLE!" the boy yells outs, gaining the attention of both her and the dark-skinned man.

"Christian," she breathes out, instantly getting up to catch the incoming 13-year-old. "What are you doing here?"

"Mom's looking for you," the brunette answers, eyeing the man.

Her eyes widen in fear and quickly instructs her brother. "Chris, I want you to pack a bag for a few weeks. Don't bring anything else, just the essentials."

"Why?"

"We're leaving."

"But why? This is home?"

"Not anymore it ain't."

"Okay," he nods and runs off to the house to pack a bag.

"Is that your brother?" Jackson asks, looking in the direction the boy ran off from.

"Yeah, he is Mr. Harris," she answers.

"Please, just call me Jackson," He smiles.

"Alright, Jackson. Where exactly are we going?"

"Somewhere far away where she cannot hurt you again. Pack warm."

"Thank you. Thank you for doing this. For explaining what's happening to me."

He smiles at the girl. "You should get packing. We leave tonight."

"Thank you again," she sends the man a small, rare smile and walks back to her house. He watches as she slowly creaks open the side door, careful not to make any indication of her presence. She walks up the stairs towards her room and grabs a suitcase and duffle bag. She starts throwing in her long sleeves, jeans, cowboy boots, bathroom stuff, and a few picture frames. She closes everything up and takes them to the stairs.

She stops in front of a bedroom door, debating on whether or not to open it. She soundlessly sets down the stuff and opens the door to an office.

The room is filled to the brim with pictures adorning the walls. An oak bookcase filled with many different history books from everything from Imperial Japan to the Civil War. Even more books stacked up on the floor around an old wooden table. Dust covering everything.

She stops at a picture frame on the wall. The picture showing a family of 4, the father with blonde hair and hazel eyes, the mother with brown hair and eyes, the young boy taking his looks after the mom and daughter after the dad. A puppy golden retriever laying in the arms of the blonde girl.

She leaves the picture and goes to the desk where an old, brown leather cowboy hat lay. You can tell the amount of love it has received by some of the leather wearing. The dust on it gets blown off as the girl's hands brush it.