The Darkness

Chapter 8

Logan opened his eyes the sunlight glinting in them. Logan rolled over in his bed groaning.

His whole body ached from the long hike through the Dark Spot. Actually it's called the Darkness, a small voice in his head said.

The night before he had followed Jack and Carl all the way to a vampire camp. Jack explained under his breath that vampires are stronger and faster then an average human. He also told him that the only way to kill a vamp is if you cut off it's head.

Logan shivered at the next piece of information they gave him. Jack told him that vampires suck human and other animal blood, that was their food. Carl was the one who said that an average human could be turned into an vampire by a vampire.

Logan looked down and saw red blood on his bandaged. He must have reopened the wound.

Sighing, Logan decided he would give Marita a visit. Her father would probably be at work by now.

Logan quickly got dressed and walked out of his room. He was about to walk out the door when Mama stepped in his way, closing the door behind her.

"Is there anything you want to tell me?" Mama asked.

Logan swallowed the bite of apple that he had grabbed from the kitchen as he passed by. Mama tended to do this to him, she would grill him for information, like if he was by the Dark Spot, if he went in it, how he got this injury. Then she would guilt trip him.

"Ah... Nope I don't think so." Logan told her trying to move past her.

She didn't budge, Mama shook her head. "You came in late last night, where were you?"

"Mama, come on! I got to go!" Logan complained instead of answering. Logan tried to shove past her again, but this time she pushed him back.

Surprised, Logan stumbled backward almost falling. Mama had never laid a hand on him, not in anyway. Punishments always came from Papa.

"You tell me where you were last night Logan Hansen, or I swear I will have to beat you!" Mama shouted, her face turning red.

Logan took a step back in shocked, Mama barely ever rose her voice, let alone threaten to beat him. "Mam-"

Papa ran into the room at that moment. He stood in front of Logan, facing Mama. "Mary, what are you doing?!"

"He did it! He went in the Dark Spot! He officially broke me, Charles!" Mama yelled, pointing her finger at Logan.

How did she know?! Logan thought, unable to breathe, he struggled to keep his expression neutral. "Mary he did no such thing, right Log?"

Logan mutely nodded, he didn't even know what to say. "Don't you lie to me, Logan!" Mama shrieked, throwing herself at Logan. The only thing stopping her was Papa blocking him.

Papa grabbed ahold of Mama and carried her upstairs. Logan could hear Mama's shrieks and threats all the way upstairs. Logan sat down heavily at the hard wooden table.

Did she really know?! Or is this just one of the crazy fits Mama gets. His mind raced, he knew where to find Carl and Jack, they gave him the address and number of where they were staying, maybe he should just go and stay with them.

No, he couldn't do that, it would just make him look guilty, and what about Marita?! He couldn't leave her. But who says anything about leaving he could just stay with them till the leave.

He looked up slowly, hearing Papa's footsteps approach him. Logan could still hear Mama's screaming upstairs.

Papa walked into the room, looked at him, before sitting down heavily across the table from Logan.

After a moment the only sound breaking the silence was Mama's screaming upstairs.

"Log," Papa started, "look, son, I'm sorry 'bout your mother. She's just had a bad couple weeks, and with," Papa hesitated, with her birthday coming up, it's just been hard on her. Hard on us all."

Logan clenched his jaw and shook his head, looking down at the table. For years he had always felt guilty, and hurt. At night when he was younger he would ask himself, when he would cry himself to sleep. Why wasn't he good enough for Mama? Why wouldn't she love him like she loved Susan? What was wrong with him?

"You know when I was younger I used to wonder why I wasn't good enough for her? Why I couldn't make her happy?" Logan told Papa, looking up slowly.

Papa gaped, opening and closing his mouth multiple times, before coming to a decision on what to say. "I- you shouldn't feel that way. Your mother loves you very much!"

"Obviously not enough! All my life she's yelled at me! I mean all I do is break the rules, I go against her wishes all the time!" Logan started, voice rising in exasperation.

"Log-"

"Do you know why I go hunting near the Dark Spot?" Logan asked Papa suddenly.

Papa frowned in confusion. "Because we need more money, of course, you trade in the meat and furs for money."

"Yes, but I could go to any forest and do that," Logan answered.

Papa shook his head. "Then why do you go to the Dark Forest?" Dark Forest was another name for the woods around the Dark Spot.

"Because I feel free there! I mean I get to do what I want to do, when I want to do it! I don't have to worry about Mama, or you, or that any day now our house could be sold out from underneath us!" Logan exclaimed, then took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. "And I can't keep ignoring that a lot of that debt is because of her," he finished quietly.

Logan stood up so fast that it knocked his chair down behind him. Logan stormed toward the door, wrapping his cloak around himself. "Log-" Papa tried to stop him.

"No, I-I need some space, ok? Just leave me alone!" Logan growled, before opening the door and running out the door.
~•~•~•~

Logan had continued running, not knowing where, not even feeling the cold, or the rain. Logan didn't even remember when it started raining.

He looked around, he was in the Dark Forest, Logan sighed, his cloak wasn't doing much to block him from the rain. Logan turned around and started walking toward town.

He could feel the rage boiling in his stomach, but over all he felt a deep sadness in him. Why him? Everything bad seemed to always happen him!

He entered town, and he walked to Marita's house, knowing it was a risk. Her father could be coming home soon.

He took a deep breath and knocked on the door. Logan could hear racket through the door, before it was threw open.

"Logan! Ah... What are you doing here?!" Marita seemed flustered, rubbing her face.

Logan watched her confused, as she pulled down her hand from her face. There was a distinct red shape that looked oddly like a hand print. "Um... Are you ok?" Logan asked. 

"W-What?! Yes, fine, it's just now isn't a good time," Marita told him, flustered.

Logan cocked his head, trying to mask the hurt running through him. "O-Ok then, I'll talk to you later?"

"Yes, yes, later," Marita said, closing the door quickly.

Logan sighed and ran a hand through his wet hair. I guess it's time to go home, he thought.