Dead Men's Bells (gxg)

Chapter 1

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A/N - I hate having to do this, but since NovelHD has already started to pirate some of my books, here we go. These works are mine. My poor little brain came up with the plots and characters, and I'd really prefer you to not steal them. If you're reading this on a site that is NOT Wattpad then it is most certainly stolen.

Thanks!

Loiosh

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I was on the run again, which for the last few years was the story of my life. It seemed like all it took was one thing to set me off, and then up came whatever tenuous stakes kept me where I was, and I was gone with the wind. Once it was an unfair punishment from a cousin who seemed to think I wasn't pulling my own weight. Another time it was an uncle who was under the impression that me living in his driveway meant sharing a bed with me, his wife didn't like that one bit and neither did his crushed scrotum as he cried in the front yard. Several times it was because of breakups with girlfriends that I found it easier to run from than work through. Had I cared more, maybe I would have fought for them, but instead I was just hurt enough to run, and not stay. But the latest had been the most bitter.

I'd had a good run with Aunt Gwen. She was my mom's sister and had welcomed me to her home in Georgia with open arms at the beginning of last summer. For the first time in what seemed like forever I'd enrolled in the high school where I was staying instead of doing everything online as I was used to, and then tried to integrate into what most people think is normal society.

It had all gone great until my girlfriend of 6 months decided that her high school popularity was more important than our relationship was.

There was no way I was going back to school after that, so I sent an online request for my transcripts and pulled myself together for another drive. I was running out of relatives, so I decided that I'd go to the one I feared the most, if only because I missed her terribly and if she refused me there, I'd regret it for the rest of my life.

My Grandma Ruth was the kindest woman I'd ever known. She was my dad's mother, and whenever we visited her at her little house, it was like living in a fantasy world. She would bake cookies and brownies, mix up Shirley Temples, and watch movies with me for ages, and I was always happy to go see her again. But if you put a toe out of line, then you were going to get an earful. No picking the flowers in her garden was the one that got me in trouble. That was her first rule, the flowers were off limits. But they were so pretty, and one day when I was 10 and wanted to surprise her with breakfast in bed, I'd put a single blue flower in a tiny vase for her. I remember being so proud and happy, but I can't even remember why.

She hated it.

She told my parents I wasn't allowed back unless I learned my lesson. I was terrified of her anger and couldn't understand why she didn't want me back over something that was seemingly so trivial. But she was all I had left now, so I was on my way back to see her and beg for her forgiveness. I still didn't understand why it was a rule for her, but it was a rule she expected to be followed, so I would follow it. I knew I owed her an apology, and I had so many fond memories from my visits that I really hoped she accepted it.

I rolled over on the little mattress in the back of my van, and decided it was time to get back on the road. I opened the back door, stepping out into the parking garage that I was in and stretched. Food and a bathroom were the first things on my list, and I searched on my phone for the nearest diner. There was a decent amount of them here on the Interstate 95 corridor, and I was soon on my way. Once there I ran to the bathroom, splashing water on my face instead of a shower, noticing the dark bags under my hazel eyes and that my curly brown hair could really use a good wash. I took a deep breath and gathered myself before going back to the dining room and settling down. I ended up ordering a pot of coffee and big breakfast of scrambled eggs, hash browns and bacon. Mix them all together and you have heaven in a single bite.