The Unforgiving (REWRITE)

Chapter 8: Royal Woods

It still felt so weird, after many years away, Lincoln found himself back in Royal Woods, the town that had been his childhood home. As he walked through the familiar streets, he couldn't help but be struck by the changes that had taken place. The once-small town had grown and evolved, transforming into a bustling community with new buildings, stores, and modern amenities, most likely thanks to Lisa.

As he continued walking down the streets, the once white-haired boy took a deep breath, letting the familiar scent of the neighborhood wash over him, and he was taking in the sights and sounds of the town he once knew so well.

The local park, where he had spent countless afternoons with his sisters, had seen some changes. The playground equipment had been updated, and a small gazebo had been added for community events. Yet, the trees he used to climb and the benches he used to relax on were still there, as if frozen in time.

Lincoln continued his journey, passing by the school he had attended as a kid. The building looked bigger than he remembered, with more classrooms and a modern facade. He chuckled as he recalled the misadventures he and his friends had gotten into during their time there.

He then thought about Rusty, Zach, and Liam, he should try and visit them again, try and tell them he was here and alive. Hell, he was sure they might think he was a ghost.

As he continued walking down the sidewalk he noticed a lot of familiar faces that never moved apparently, like he saw Girl Jordan and Mollie, walking their dogs, he also saw Margo training her girls at the baseball field, he saw a few of Lori's old friends sitting with their families, Becky was running the comics shop with who he could guess was her husband. He even passed by Maggie, who appeared to almost look the same as she did years ago. He even saw a shop that Lucy would have loved, as it sold tarot cards and the like, he was sure the girl that was at the counter was Haiku, who appeared to not have changed much.

As he thought about the people he met as a kid, he wondered what they did to get to where they are now, what they had to go through, and what kind of people they had become.

Time had a way of altering not only places but people as well.

He was happy to see that Royal Woods had grown and that it had changed, but at the same time, he felt out of place.

New shops had opened up, streets had been repaved, and the town had an overall modern vibe that he hadn't expected. Yet, amidst all the change, there were still some constants.

Flips food and fuel were still around of course, but so was Royal Woods Hospital, R.I. Pete's Coffins & Urns, He thought Lucy would work there when she got older. Royal Woods Library was still up, and so were Gus' Games and Grub, and Burpin' Burger, though they had remodeled and looked brand new.

These old places made him feel like he wasn't so out of place, but he was still in awe at their new looks.

As the sun began to set, casting a warm glow over the town, Lincoln couldn't help but smile. Royal Woods had evolved, and time had left its mark, but the essence of the place, the memories he had made before ran from home, they were still present and could never be taken away. However, a small part of him had wished that he had stayed longer, stayed to make more memories with his friends and family, to see the town change with his own eyes.

Royal Woods was his home, and he wanted it to always be his home.

Lincoln continued walking around the town despite how late it was getting, but no matter what, he felt safe in the town, and after walking and taking in the sights still, he found himself on a familiar street. the street led right to Flips and he smiled as he walked toward the small store.