The Darkest Moon

Chapter 1 ~ Welcome to Wise Creek

All small towns tended to look the same. One would blur with the next, and it was sometimes difficult to keep track of all the ones we'd been to. With how much we moved, it's not surprising. The road sign on the exit ramp pointed towards the town, Wise Creek, and I could almost guarantee what we'd find when we got there. Boarded up old stores, a diner on a corner street, maybe a few neighborhoods, and a whole lot of nothing to do. 

It was 6 A.M. on a Saturday. The town was quiet as I drove the car past the old fashioned streetlights that still burned bright in the morning haze. There was the diner on that corner street I mentioned, the only indication this town was actually alive. The neon brightness of the sign made my stomach rumble, and I looked over at Dad and Eric, hoping the sound wouldn't wake them. It had been a long drive from Missouri, and the open road could take a toll on anyone. My stomach made more gurgling noises, practically screaming at me that it needed food. I obliged and pulled into the diner's, aptly named Thayer's, small parking lot. 

Dad woke up just as I killed the engine, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand. 

"What time is it? Why are we stopped?" He questioned as I pulled the hair tie off my wrist and proceeded to put my untamable curly hair into a messy bun. 

"It's 6 AM. I need food." My stomach gurgled once again in agreement as a yawn forced its way out of my mouth, "and coffee." 

Dad nodded sleepily, not fully awake yet. A blast of cold, damp air hit me as I got out of the car, booted footsteps splashing in the puddles before I opened the glass door to the diner.  Before I knew it I was seated on a stool at the counter. Dad and Eric would come in when they were ready. 

I liked the feel of the place. It was old school, with black and white checkered floors, red vinyl booths, chrome tables and chairs, and even an old jukebox in the corner. Nothing in here looked as if it was intentionally placed there to look old-fashioned, it just simply was. You could see into the kitchen from the drop off window, and there was a man who looked to be in his sixties prepping the kitchen for the day. 

The door chime rang and two bodies practically collapsed in the stools on either side of me. 

"You couldn't have waited till we got to the new house?" My little brother asked. His molten brown eyes were bloodshot, his hair messed up in a way that one side was sticking straight up from where his head was resting on the car window. He looked exhausted, poor kid, but that didn't excuse him from acting like a brat.  

"Hey," I chastised, patting my stomach, "I'm a growing girl." I plucked a few menus out of the holder on the counter, practically throwing one at him. "Now, shut up and get your bacon."

Eric opened the menu, grumbling something under his breath that sounded an awful lot like child abuse. Dad only chuckled at our antics and looked at his own menu. The kitchen door swung open, and a pretty brown eyed girl stepped out wearing an apron that tied around her waist, jeans, a t-shirt, and black converse. Her hair was up in a ponytail, the tips of it sporting a rose gold color while her roots remained a golden blond. Her t-shirt showed the name of the diner. Her name tag read "Sam". She looked as if she would be quite a few inches shorter than me. I stood at 5'7", and she was probably around 5'3". Her height and willowy frame made her small, and probably weak. If she were to cause any trouble, I'd have no problem handling it. 

"Good morning. My name's Sam, and I'll be taking care of you today." She got out a little notepad and a pen, smiling at us. "What can I get started for you guys?"

I turned to Eric to ask him to start, but he was just staring our waitress. I almost thought I would have to physically shut his mouth for him until he snapped out of whatever daze he was in. Blinking and shaking his head, he started to bore holes in his menu as if he was very invested in their 4 for 5 dollar specials. Well, that was weird.