Nowhere.

9 years ago Part 2

Tabitha shot up from the couch, but she got up too fast. And because she was basically drunk off of her ass, she almost lost her balance. She began to stumble towards the door and found Marcus outside. Nicole could hear him sobbing on the porch so she ran up to the door and opened it just a crack to listen. ¨I need to find him Tab... I can't leave him in there... Do you have any idea what they are going to DO to him?! Sammy won't survive in Nowhere! We have to go looking for him!¨ Marcus began to sob harder. Tabitha got up from the porch and stumbled towards the door. Nicole backed up as Tabitha bursted in. She turned to Nnicole and gave her a worried look. ¨Get your coat Nicky... were going to Nowhere.¨

     Nicole's face went pale white and her hands began to shake. She wobbled to the closet, It felt like all of her muscles were pure steel and she could barely move her feet, and all of the memories of Nowhere came flooding back to her

One Week before.

  ¨Miranda... look at this. 'BOY LOST IN NOWHERE.' some kids will NEVER learn to stay OUT of those GODDAMN WOODS!¨ Nicole's mother turned away from the sink and started shaking her head. ¨George, calm down now... I told you not to use those words in front of Nicky.¨ Nicole's father leaned on the table and put his hands on his forehead. ¨I just feel bad for the kids that feel pressured.¨ Nicole's mother stepped closer to the counter and leaned forward staring into Nicole's father's eyes. ¨George, they are stupid kids who don't know what is in those god-forsaken woods... You can't blame yourself for kids who don't care. Those kids will die in there, and you can't stop that.¨

     Nicole shook her head in fear and she began to step away from the closet and towards the stairs that lead her to her bedroom. Tabitha waddled in front of her and put her hand on the wall to catch her balance. ¨Where do you think you are going you little twerp? You aren't running off, are you?¨  Nicole was trapped. She slipped past Tabitha and ran up the stairs yelling, "I HAVE TO GET MY RAIN BOOTS!" Nicole ran down the hallway, running into walls and stumbled into her bedroom. The walls were covered in pink paint and posters of Lizzie Mcguire and her favorite boy bands. She slammed the door behind her and began to breathe heavily. Nicole dragged her feet all the way to her closet. Her hand began to shake as she reached for the doorknob. The same sentence repeated in her mind over and over, "Some kids die in those woods... Some kids DIE in those woods... Some kids DIE in those woods." The echo made her spine shiver and she bent down to grab her rain boots.

     Tabitha was hanging onto the the railing on the staircase, "Hurry up Nicole! Don't MAKE me come in there after you!" Nicole began to panic. She slipped on her rainboots and her coat, she grabbed her bookbag and proceeded to stuff it with things she might need. She grabbed her father's flashlight that he gave her. Nicole's father was a police officer, so it was heavy and it was very bright. She could still remember what he said to her the day he gave her the flashlight. "Now remember Nicky, I'm giving you this flashlight so you can use it when you need it. It's heavy so if someone comes at you, swing away at them." Nicole looked down at the flashlight, smiling and nodding her head as she shoved it into her pack. She grabbed her teddy bear- Wiggles- That her mother had when she was just a little girl. Nicole figured it would make her feel safer in the woods, and she stuffed it into her bag. The last thing nicole grabbed was her tape recorder. Just in case Tabitha was beating her and she wanted to prove it to her mother. She had a flashback of the day her mother did not believe her. "Oh, Nicole! Did you bruise your arm again? Did you fall outside? ... Tabitha did this? ... Nonsense! Tabitha would NEVER do this to you! We trust her with you, do you think we would keep her around if she was hurting you? ... Not one more word about it! ... No 'Buts' I don't want to hear any more lies coming out of your mouth! ... Go to your room young lady! I am very disappointed in you." Nicole frowned at the thought of her mother not believing her, but now was not the time to frown upon that. She could not have this mentality before entering Nowhere.

     Nicole trotted down the steps with a pattern, Kur-thunk, kur-thunk, kur-thunk. Her bookbag was bouncing on her back and her earmuffs were around her neck. She was thinking about the possible unholy fate that lied in those woods. Tabitha attempted to walk in a straight line towards the front door. She almost fell, but Marcus quickly retrieved her. Tabitha patted his face and muttered what sounded like words. Marcus looked up at Nicole who had a worried stare and Marcus gave her a smile. "Don't worry little one, I'm driving."  Nicole gave a sigh of relief and followed Marcus and the stumbling babysitter out the door.

     Marcus stuffed Tabitha in the front seat muttering things that only Nicole could catch, because Tabitha was asleep. "Why am I dating this broad... Ugh! Her breath smells like beer... As soon as I get home, I'm dumping this drunk." Nicole began to get upset, Not only because she liked Marcus around, but also because the breakup might make Tabitha angry. And by extent- Take the anger out on her. Marcus started the car, and they headed down the road.