Deviants

Chapter 29

Johnny

Shadowfen, Wyoming has a particular smell that can't be find anywhere else in the world. It's called my childhood. It is much warmer in Wyoming than what I have come accustom to, and if it weren't for the rain clouds, it'd be hot enough to remove my jacket.

It shouldn't have taken me as long as it did to arrive in Shadowfen, but I stopped often to get away from the cold wind, and as a procrastination. So, when five o'clock on Thursday rolls around, I enter my hotel room in Shadowfen. Having nearly no luggage, I drop the small duffle bag at the foot of the bed and lie down. As tired as I am, I know I can't sleep. Not able to get her from my mind, I pull my phone out of my pocket and go directly to mine and Kate's messages. I scroll through our recent conversation, which actually wasn't very recent. The last time I had any contact with her was yesterday morning when I had said goodbye.

I sigh and toss my phone to the side. I need my head cleared. I stand, grabbing my hotel card and walk out the door. The roads have changed as have the buildings. The city itself has been well cleaned up with new buildings and neater yards. Roads that were once dirt are now paved, worn buildings are renovated or completely torn down. But there are a few of my own personal monuments that have been able to last through the years. The old theater that my father and I used to go to every Friday night. The pathetic playground that I always went to after school. The sunflower mail box. Then finally, home.

It is different than when Dad was alive. The grass is neatly trimmed without the patches. There are screens at the windows that aren't ripped. The paint looks a solid blue compared to the faded gray blue it once was. And instead of Vincent sitting in the open garage door, it's a Cadillac '72. I stare at the concrete path that leads to the front door, where I had watched the policeman walk towards me with a dreaded look on his face.

Suddenly the door opens, and a smiling old face catches my attention.

"Is that Johnny? Johnny Barlow?" Henry asks. I smile at him as I wave. He waves at me to walk past his picket white gate, which is also new, as he steps towards me. He is a few inches shorter than me and a little more on the heavier side with silver hair, but still has a healthy smile. "It's been a long time," he says, shaking my hand.

"It has. I'm sorry to come unexpectantly. I hope I didn't give Jenny a heart attack while standing there," I say. He waves me off.

"She's out back watering her flowers, of course. She pays more attention to those then any other damn thing that moves," he says, and I can't help but chuckle. "What brings you into town?" I suddenly see that slight worried look in his eye the most tenants get when interacting with a landlord. But these aren't any ordinary tenants. Not to me.

"Just some family business."

"Oh, nothing... uh, bad I hope?" He says. I shake my head.

"Nothing that really concerns you and Jenny. I just came by to reminisce," I say. His smile comes back.

"Well, in that case, come in. Have dinner with us. I think Jenny is making her best dessert, peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream. It'll run all the other desserts out of town. Don't tell her I said that." I enter the house, which I assume will always throw me off. When my mother had left, she took everything she possibly could from my father, which included every bit of furniture. So, when Dad had redecorated it was with darker colors and furniture that didn't match. Anything that he got for cheap. So, when I step into a living room that's decorated with floral couches, pink curtains, and a large shaggy rug, I feel as if this is a completely different house.

The kitchen- off to the left- is even worse. Or better... Less familiar. A sink that was once always full of dirty dishes is now sparkling clean. Yellow curtains hang from places there used to have no curtains. A collection of window chimes hang in the corner near the door to the garage and our once rickety kitchen table is replaced with a sturdy white and yellow checkered covered dining table.

The whole thing makes my stomachache. I'm not sure if I'm homesick for what it used to be or if I'm upset that Dad never got a chance to have the place as nice as this for me. I knew he would've remarried if an opportunity presented itself, but he always seemed to be working overtime and I knew he wasn't one to be at ease when a woman was around. It wasn't that he was awkward, but I noticed that he seemed much more silent when our neighbor used to walk across our patchy grass and ask for a cup of sugar. I can't remember how old she was, but I knew she was a decent age for Dad. And she always seemed to be out of some ingredient or the other.

Dinner with Henry and Jenny is pleasant, but Henry's wife's name seems to send an intense pang to my heart every time I hear it. I wasn't going to rent this house out to anyone at first. Until Henry and Jenny came asking about it. I had actually refused them the first time around until I found out that Henry's wife shared a name with my lost sister. For some reason, I felt like I was turning away Jenny by turning away Henry and his wife. I don't regret changing my mind.

Bythe time I leave my old home, it's too late and too dark to visit the ShadowfenCemetery, so I return to my hotel. Sleep doesn't come easy, so I spend the timerereading mine and Kate's conversation again until I eventually drift off.

A/N:

So, this was a lot of work. Before this chapter was like twice as long and I had to shift things around like I mentioned in my announcement. So my brain is a little hectic and I'm not sure what is going on 😅😅

Let's just keep reading 🥴