The Protector [ J. Hale ]

01 | Returning Home

Green trees were all Bellamy could see for miles, stretching far beyond what his eyes could see. He watched them whizz by, a mere blur in the window. The view was stunning, a tranquil world that looked untouched and pure.

He knew without a doubt in his mind, that he'd spend days, maybe even months exploring that forest.

To find parts of it that remained a secret.

The car was silent as neither his dad nor twin sister spoke up to make conversation. He didn't mind that though, it gave him time to enjoy the scenery of his new home, his true home. Not Phoenix, Arizona with its dry and hot weather that made him feel suffocated at best.

No, he was talking about the hidden and quaint town deep within the confines of a forgotten but beautiful forest. Where it was always cloudy, always cold and always raining, that was where his home was, that was where he belonged.

Their mother, Renée, thought it would be great to tear him and his sister away from their father to live a new and 'better' life. It was selfish actually, she'd forcibly pulled them from the home they'd grown up in so that she could get a new boyfriend and live a richer lifestyle than what they used to have.

What made it worse, was that she only allowed them to visit Charlie twice a year, usually when school breaks were close, but never for holidays as important as Christmas.

Bellamy hated it, hated being forced so far away from his father.

Bella on the other hand hadn't ever understood why he felt so close to their dad and was always left clueless whenever Bellamy fought with their mother over her impromptu decision to move.

He had to explain it to her little by little, explaining how their mother was forcing them to forget their old life, to forget who their father was all because she'd been unhappy and wanted more than their life could afford at the time.

And Charlie, well he'd been a reminder of that once stagnant life. But she was a fool if she thought they'd ever forget Charlie just because she wanted to.

Bella hadn't believed him at once, having always been a bit of a mama's girl, but the signs had been there.

Like when Bellamy wanted to call his dad every night before bed so he could tell him about his day, only to be refused by their mother. Her excuse had been lacklustre, a mere 'you'd bother him, dear' before she took the phone away and hid it in a drawer out of his reach.

Or how about when he'd mentioned wanting to get a Christmas gift for Charlie, something they could send in the mail a few weeks before the holiday.

Want to know her excuse for that one?

'We don't have enough money to get your father a gift this year, dear' she'd said while buying herself new rings and necklaces that had caught her eye.

It was so clear, so shockingly clear what she was doing that even his undeveloped mind could figure it out at the time. He hadn't been the only one to notice either, not after he'd confided with his sister about what was happening.