Trouble in the Forest

Vacation Gone Awry: Chapter 3

The sun poured through the trees and cast a bright glow over the lakehouse. Rays of sunlight poured through the curtains and awoke the groggy Parkers from their slumber.

Jamie was the first to get up. She quickly got up out of bed and raced to her parent's bedroom door and Josh's, knocking frantically on them. Jamie yelled, "Get up! Everyone get up!"

Josh awoke to Jamie's noisy commotion with a groan. He pulled the blankets over his head, squeezed his eyes shut, and covered his ears in an attempt to try to block out the piercing light in his bedroom and Jamie's screaming. Josh gave up quickly however when he began to think about the day ahead of him.

Last night he found out the plan for the day was to go hiking in the morning, have a picnic for lunch, and then go for a night swim to end the day. As he thought about it, excitement began to spread like fire through his body until he could no longer sit still under his covers. Josh flung the covers away and hopped out of his bed, suddenly overcome by energy.

He walked over to his open suitcase that was lying on the ground. The clothes inside were neatly folded and everything was organized perfectly. Each category of clothing had its own designated spot in the suitcase and was even color-coded. Yesterday, when they had arrived at the lakehouse, Josh planned on moving his clothes into the dresser that was in his room but he decided against it since his family would only be there for the weekend.

Josh began to carefully sort through his clothing, trying to decide what he wanted to wear for the day. According to the weather app on his phone, the temperatures were supposed to reach a high of 86 degrees Fahrenheit. With this in mind, Josh decided to go with his plain white T-shirt, his tan khaki shorts, and his favorite pair of Nike sneakers.

After he got dressed for the day, Josh made his way downstairs into the tiny lake house kitchen. Jamie was sitting at the kitchen table chattering about how her friend was getting her ears pierced and William was helping Anna prepare breakfast.

"Sydney told me that since her birthday is this weekend, her parents are letting her get her ears pierced. When I turn ten, can I get my ears pierced?

Anna smiled and replied, "Maybe Jamie honey. But if we do let you get your ears pierced, you have to understand that they are going to require some upkeep. Within the first few weeks, after they have been pierced, you must clean them thoroughly every day to avoid infection."

William continued to quietly help prepare the pancakes in the background while Anna and Jamie conversed back and forth. Josh silently started gathering napkins, silverware, and plates to set the table and he also grabbed some syrup and butter to put in the center for those who wanted it. Josh personally preferred eating pancakes by themselves because he felt the syrup was too overpowering and sugary, however, he knew the rest of his family liked it so he made sure there was some within reach for them to enjoy.

For the next few minutes, the Parkers discussed Jamie's upcoming birthday, the plans for the day, and argued if blueberry or chocolate chip pancakes were better. By the end of it, the pancakes were finished and piled high on a large plate.

Anna brought the steaming pancakes over to the table and everybody sat down to enjoy breakfast.

Before she sat down, Anna said "I'm going to turn on the radio. Since we have no WiFi here the best way to keep up with the news is the old-fashioned way!" She turned to Jamie and Josh and noted, "Back in our day kids, radios were commonplace. We did not have smartphones on us all the time to tell the time or the weather forecast. Nowadays, you can find just about anything on the internet. Isn't that right Will hun?"

William absentmindedly nodded his head as he buttered his pancakes delicately with a butter knife. He was more focused on his pancakes than he was on his wife discussing the evolution of technology.

Anna laughed quietly when she noticed he was hardly paying attention to her and turned on the radio to the appropriate volume. She switched through a few channels until she found a local news channel she was pleased with. Then, Anna returned to the dinner table and joined her family to eat their breakfast.

At this point, Jamie was already shoveling food down her throat. Her mouth was covered in sticky syrup and she was already on her second pancake. For a tiny nine-year-old, Jamie had a large appetite. On the other hand, Josh was still slowly eating his first pancake. He was so excited thinking about the day to come that he was having trouble focusing on his food.

The Parkers ate their pancakes in quiet silence, enjoying the peacefulness of the atmosphere and the radio softly playing in the background. Occasionally there were brief murmurs of conversation between them as they discussed topics as they came to their mind, but for the most part, they remained lost in their thoughts. Suddenly, the channel they were listening to on the radio was interrupted and broke the relaxed atmosphere in the lake house.

A news reporter shouted, "Breaking news! Marcus Stone has escaped from prison! Just a few minutes ago, authorities confirmed that mass murderer, Marcus Stone, managed to escape Maine's state prison and is now on the loose! Marcus Stone was convicted of over fifteen murders about three years ago and was sentenced to life in prison. He is a 6'0 American male with short brown hair, green eyes, and a dragon tattoo on the right side of his neck. He is considered extremely dangerous and deadly. If you see anybody that matches this description or is acting suspicious, contact the police immediately and seek safety. Residents of Maine are recommended to only leave their houses for mandatory reasons until the suspect is contained or tracked down. Those in the neighboring states of Vermont and New Hampshire should remain alert and report if they see any alarming activity or figures. Thank you and stay safe."

The radio cut back to the channel it was previously on as if nothing had happened. Meanwhile, the Parker family sat stunned in their chairs completely baffled by what they just heard. William was the first to talk.

"Well then. That is a pleasant way to start the day," he sarcastically jokes.

Anna calmly responded, "I'm sure there is nothing to worry about. More than likely the police will find him within a few hours and he won't even get very far. They handle problems like this all the time, it is not their first rodeo. We should just put this behind us and enjoy our day."

Everybody at the table wearily nodded in agreement and for the rest of breakfast, not another word was spoken.