Little Quileute

Josie's Arrival

The night Josie's life turned upside down she was meant to see a school play. She was going alone because she didn't have any friends but she was hoping to have fun despite being without company. But, just before she could sneak out, her father caught her trying to slip out through the front door.

By midnight, Josie was a bloody, bruised mess on the living room floor. Her father had cut her in multiple places just for the sight of her blood and he beat her until she couldn't move. He was a smart man and avoided her face and any obvious places as much as possible. Even though her father was a monster, she was thankful for his fear of being found out when the police showed up at her door only hours later.

After cleaning herself up, Josie had found her father dead in the living room with a needle in his arm. He was sitting stiffly in the recliner as if he were watching tv, like any other day, his skin drained of all color.

She cried her eyes dry that night, her face stained and her body sore when the police put caution tape on her door. A male officer had approached her in all the chaos to tell her that her only relative was her father's brother, Charlie Swan.

Josie knew this before the police even showed up. Uncle Charlie was the only other place she'd visited in her entire life. Her father wouldn't let her go anywhere else. She was lucky he even let her go during the summer's. But, Josie hadn't been in Forks since she was eleven. She wasn't sure how her family would react to her abuse, let alone her father's overdose.

The officer escorted Josie back up to her room and told her to pack everything important- what she wouldn't want in the dump. They'd been completely insensitive to Josie considering she'd found her father dead. But, the truth was, Josie wasn't sure if she even felt bad. Yes, the man was her father by blood but he didn't act like one. He treated her as a prisoner and a maid.

Now, here she was standing in the Forks airport with nothing but her three suitcases and a book bag for her new school.

She was completely terrified if she was telling the truth, but she would surely disguise her panic with a smile. She couldn't have a panic attack right in front of her uncle within the first thirsty seconds of seeing him.

Josie rounds the corner, trying to pull all of her luggage when she spots the tall sheriff in front of the automatic door. He waves awkwardly when he notices her coming his way and hurries to help her with the bags. He misses how her hand flinches away from him as she sends him a dimpled smile.

Charlie knew what happened to her father- his brother, the night before. He'd been heart broken to hear that his only brother had passed. So, he wasn't surprised when they'd told him his niece would now be put into his custody. Charlie was happy to welcome the cheerful and goofy girl back into their lives.

He just didn't know how to show it most of the time.

"Hi uncle Charlie! I missed you." Josie greets her uncle for the first time in almost five years.

She still had the same big honey brown eyes and dimpled smile as when she was little. Only she was much taller and she'd grown into her ears.

Charlie had to hold in a laugh from the memory of her big ears that she always hid with her hair. She seemed to still have the same habit but there was no need for it anymore.

"Hey Jo. It's been too long." Charlie says. He wasn't exactly sure on how to respond.

He was surprised by her cheerful tone. She seemed completely fine considering what had occurred only the night before. She did have bags under her eyes but that and her presence seemed to be the only indicators that Charlie had actually gotten that call from the officer last night.