Unspecified Rage

The Big Bad Wolf

The cops had taped the area off and where talking to Julia in the back of an ambulance parked at the edge of the forest. She'd called on her cell and waited for them to arrive, horrified at the ravaged body. Some animal had torn it to shreds and she realized that she could have met the same end. Some guardian spirit had protected her last night and she knew it.

She heard her 'family' fuss and try to come over but the cops kept them back. "I don't want to see them." she said softly when the officer asked if she would like to see her family. He of course was instantly suspicious and started asking all kinds of questions about abuse. "No it's nothing like that. I had a fight with.. them and I needed time to think. I know it was stupid but I fell asleep in the forest." she was so tired that the tears jsut started to flow despite her attempt to stay calm. "I just never expected to come across a dead body." she sniffled.

"It's ok sweety." the officer said soothingly. "I'll tell them that you're gonig to get checked out in the hospital. They'll meet you there and that'll give you some time to collect yourself. But they're your family. They love you and can help you deal with this. No fight is so unforgiveable as to give up that." he suggested, misinterpreting her renewed crying as shock. The dead body had been horrible yes, but it wasn't teh reason for her tears. Now that she wasn't startled, she felt no fear or disgust over the body in the black bag. They were right, she was a monster. The police officer had one of the EMT's sit with Julia in the back while he directed them to go to the hospital.

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The police wouldn't let her friends in to see her and Julia still refused to see her family. She didn't know how to handle this and wanted to just run into the forest again. Only now the place crawled with police officers. The body had been identified and Julia overheard. It was that jerk she'd bloodied on the first day of school. Something had chased him down and tore him to shreds. And Julia just couldn't care about it. She knew she should, but it didn't register emotionally. Jerkface was alive, now jerkface was dead.

Steeling herself she finally walked out of the room where hte doctors had examined her and faced her 'family'. Graham and Enrique were arguing in the corner, Tiff and Megan were sitting with Andrew, looking terrified and her 'family' all huddeled together. When they saw her, they ran over to hug her but she jerked back. "Don't." She stopped them all.

"I know." everyone's eyes were on her. "I left school early yesterday and walked in on you guys arguing. I heard what you said about me." she went on, voice flat of emotion.

"Oh Jules." she heard one of her bro.. uncles say, voice heartbroken.

"I'm not done yet." she cut him off. "Thank you Ben and John, for fighting to tell me the truth. I appreciate the sentiment but you should have gone against mom and... your mom and dad and told me a long time ago." she looked at her grand parents. "I don't know why you felt the need to hide this from me and lie to me for YEARS." Julia growled the words out, trying to keep the betrayed tears back. "But there will be no more secrets and no more lies." her voice was tight with anger. "I have aright to know these things about my own history dammit and I do not appreciate being kept in the dark by people I'm supposed to be able to trust!"

"Julia," her fa.. grandfather started, sounding stern. "You're right. You deserve to know these things. But we cannot tell you some of it. There are pieces that are not ours to tell." he said solemly. Julia just stared at him, not surprised at all.

"Then who can tell me?" Julia demanded, voice a shout. "For the love of god, what is this big dark secret that everyone is protecting me from? Just tell me, please!" she begged.

Her family looked devastated and her friends looked guilty and striken. They knew, they ALL knew. Somehow everyone was in it, but not a single one of htem was willing to tell her. Enrique walked towards her even though Graham hissed at him.

He took her hands and looked her in the eye. "Jube jube, do you trust me?" he asked, voice soft. At her rebellious look he shook his head softly and repeated. "Do you trust me? Yes or no?"

Julia sucked in a breath and sighed. "Yes. I trust you. I hate that you're keeping a secret from me, but you haven't lied to me about keeping it." she admitted finally.

"Then trust me when I say that as soon as I am allowed to, I will tell you everything I know." he wiped a tear off her cheek with him thumb. Her shoulders slumped in defeat and he pulled her into a hug so she could cry and still hide the tears. "Your family loved you Jube jube. They may not express it in the ways you think is normal, but they care. When you didn't come home last night, they called us all and had us out combing through the backyard woods. Ben and John may not be your brothers, but I cna guarantee you that htey have both given us guys the 'talk' and warned us not to try and break your heart or they'll break our faces, like any good brothers would. Mr and Mrs Shaw have been there to kiss your skinned knees better, help you on your first day of school and chase the boogeymen away at night. Just because they're not the exact parents you thoguht they were doesn't mean they're not your parents at heart. They're your family at heart and you know that." he felt her shoulders shake as she cried.

Graham walked over and hugged Julia from the back, and shortly after the rest of her friends joined in, holding her in hteir center so she could feel protected. Almost everyone was crying, except Graham who was glaring in jealously at an equally dry eyed Enrique. But he kept silent because right now Ju needed them in this together more than he needed to get Enrique away from her.

After the storm of weeping ended, Julia squirmed until everyone let her go. It embarassed the hell out of her to have been that emotional in public, but the smile of support Enrique gave her helped ease that shame. So she straighten up and looked at her family.

"At least now I know why there's such an age difference between us." she said sardonically to her uncles. They laughed at the weak joke and came over to hug her too. Then she faced her grandparents.

"We are so sorry sweety." Grandmother said.

"We were jsut trying to protect you." Grandfather admitted.

"I understand that, but it is gonig to take a while to process. I don't understand at all. And I don't know what to do to start understanding." Julia admitted.

"Maybe.... maybe I should start by telling you about your mother. As much as I can anyways." Grandmother started hesitantly.

"I think that'd be good. Let's go home." Julia nodded. "Thank you guys. I need some time with my family to deal with this." she said, and htey all nodded, understanding.

"You need us, you give us a call ok?" Graham said, touching her hand.

"Yeah, but if not, I'll see you guys Monday. Wait, shouldn't you all be in class?" she finally realized, making everyone laugh.

"You're a little more imporant than study class Ju." Andrew said sardonically. "Besides, prinicpal Baumberg was all for us being here with you." he added.

Again with the principal being so nice. Wonder if I shoul just straight up ask her for some answers? Julia wondered. I haven't actually gotten any straight answers yet. One task at a time.

The group walked out, unaware that someone had been listening in on their conversation. The man grinned darkly and moved out silently, wanting to follow and not be caught doing it. He wasn't Pack and he certainly wasn't friendly.