The Boy Next Door

Chapter Sixteen

I don't know how long I was asleep or how I got on the ground, but from the throbbing in my side I can guess. I am pretty sure a fall from a branch three feet off of the ground wouldn't break anything but it'd still hurt like a bitch. I groan as I sit up and rub my head. I barely had time to blink before the fight from last night came crashing back. I felt differently though. I wanted to hit something.

How dare he talk to me like that and I walk away crying?! Am I that weak? What's wrong with me? Should I have supported Aaron's wanting to go? Or should I have just let him go? It would've made him happy. God! Why am I so selfish?! I could've lost the only person I have ever cared about. And I could lose Jamie and Wolf because of it. Ugh! I hate life.

I walk around aimlessly thinking about how I fucked up. The first mistake was killing Mother. Yes, she did hurt me, bad, but I really had no right to kill her. She was my mother. At the time I thought I did good, now I know I screwed up. I shouldn't of ran away nor met Aaron nor decided to live in the woods. Why am I such a dumb ass?! Why can't I ever do anything right?!

I finally sit down after the sun went high in the sky. I took in my surroundings. It seems my feet brought me to the cave. I can't believe my own feet betrayed me!

I watch the camp with new eyes. Its as if I was never there. That means Aaron must've covered for me. I watch as Jamie tries to teach Wolf to jump up and catch a stick. She is still bandaged so she can't really move as much. She throws the stick in the air and watches as Wolf jumps and catches it midair. Jamie claps and holds out her hand for the stick which Wolf is happy to give up.

Aaron is boiling something and sharpening weapons laughing as Jamie smacks Wolf for not giving up the stick. A sad feeling washes over me as I watch my supposed family carry on as if I never left. I guess I was just a burden on everyone. A charity case.

I need to shut up! They are my family. Yes we fight and bicker, but that's what families do. Right? We disagree and agree to disagree, but that's normal. Like in my books. The siblings always fought. I'm pretty sure the author knew how a family worked.

I continue watching my mixed matched family. After a few minutes I get up from the ground and start to hunt. I find bunnies and one buck. It'll be enough. I start dragging the kill home.

I cut through the forest and stop at the mouth of the cave. I drop my prey and run over to Jamie. She is laying on the ground breathing heavily. Almost painfully. Aaron is wetting bandages and cleaning her new wounds. I drop to my knees next to her and place a hand on her forehead. She can barely look at me before scrunching her eyes up in pain. I look at Aaron.

"She was out playing then fell off of a tree and hit every branch on the way down. I don't know how she lost her grip. But I'm glad I was there in time."

I can hear the accusing tone in his voice. I couldn't help but think that my leaving was his fault. He should've kept his mouth shut. I just wonder why Jamie keeps getting hurt. She's strong.

Now as I look into her pain filled eyes I can't help but think part of this is my fault. I shouldn't've been a baby and left. I could've delt with the problem. Now she's hurt because I couldn't stick around after one single comment.

Aaron stands up and gets a bucket of cool clean water and dips a cloth into it. He cleans her wounds while I clean the bloody ones. I give her some of the pain killing berries and leaves that numbs her. She falls asleep.

...

I look at Aaron. It's been a whole day of caring for Jamie. She has two broken ribs, one broken arm, and many gashes and scratches and bruises. Now we sit back and relax, still on edge. So I guess we aren't relaxing then.

I give Aaron a questioning look as he pats my arm. "I wanted to apologize for my outburst last night. It wasn't right of me. It's not your fault, you can't help it. So I want to say, sorry. You're like my brother."

I hesitantly walk up to him and give him a hug, the fight forgotten. Families fight right? Then they apologize. I love my family even though we're mix matched and crazy, murderous, omnivores. We still stick together after everything. We love each other, that's what's important.

...

The next morning we awoke to a scream. A high, shrill scream. It was awful. I jolt awake and on instinct, run to the sound. I find a girl about my age standing in waist deep water with the red demons or "craw dads" around her. I see she has skins on, so she's been here a while.

I yank her out just as one makes a dash for her. She holds onto me for a minute before pushing off of my chest. She backs away slowly, still looking at me. I shrug and walk back to the cave. I meet Aaton and try to tell him I met a girl.

"So I know it was female and in deep water, what happened next?"

I mimed grabbing something and pulling. He nodded.

"Ya saved her. Good job. Now where is she?" I shrug just as she comes out of the woods. I point to her. Aaron gets up and looks since his back was to her. He whistles. "Damn she's fine!"

I shake my head and pat his back as I walk over to her. She has brown, short, curly hair. She's skinny, has light brown skin, big brown eyes, and a scared expression. I look at her confused.

"Who are you?"

I write Jason in the dirt.

"Why did you save me?"

Needed help.

"Why aren't you talking?"

I show her.

"I'm sorry. Truely. Oh sorry, my name is Alyssa. I got abandoned by my tribe because I wouldn't marry some man. Anyways I'm 16, how about you?"

I write a sixteen.

"Cool! So, where do you live?"

I point to the cave.

"Let's go, I'm starving."

I laugh and lead her to our home. I introduce, well she introduces herself, to Aaron. Aaron introduces her to Wolf and Jamie.

"Why haven't you killed them yet, they're meat?"

Aaron shakes his head. "No they're family."

"How?"

"Jason found Jamie as an abandoned baby, and Jason beat Wolf in a battle for dominance. Obviously he won. Jason also let me tag along. So basically, Jason brought this family together."

"Oh okay, so the mute did all of this?"

"Jason, and yes."

"Cool. What's for dinner?"