Rogue, Arizona

Chapter 1

With everything in my life of me to get a new start is the only thing that would make me happy. I'm just glad to be able to see my grandmother, away from the city and away from our parents. I love them, but it's not a good time with them right now. So when my older sister asked us to tag along with her in a summer long vacation, I took the opportunity.

The drive from California to Arizona took about 5 hours. Less if it wasn't for Nicole drinking 4 cans of energy drinks and having to pee every 10 seconds. And if it wasn't for us leaving Rayce at McDaniels while he was in the bathroom.

The small town of Rogue is a bit of a cemetery. Way more dead than a ghost town. Only a population of less than 250, it could be one of those town found in tv shows where creepy things happen once a week.

When we first arrived, all things seemed to be normal. Our grandma, Elizabeth, or Betty as we like to call her; was waiting for us on her front porch, despite how hot the Arizona desert is in the summer. No matter how hard things get she stays the same thing: Positive.

That's when it started. Or stopped I should say. When Nicole drove into the driveway she abruptly came to a stop. And Rayce, not wearing his seatbelt, fell forward onto the dashboard.

ME
Oh shit.

RAYCE
(To me) Shut up! (To Nicole) Nicole, I told you I should've drove.

NICOLE
Well you can't drive for shit. Hey Gunnar, who drives better? Me or Rayce?

I thought about it for a moment, then I remembered how neither of them can drive without crashing the car.

ME
Well the both of you can't drive well.

BOTH
Shut up!

In retrospect I should've been bias and picked Rayce. Grandma Betty, the best she could, steadily walks down the porch stairs holding hard on the hairs rail. Despite her being in her late 50s. That's our signal to get out the cramped Corolla to meet Betty halfway. We saw the smile on her pale face from seeing us and also the disappointment in her eyes from seeing us and possibly hearing us yelling at each other.

BETTY
I wish my grandkids would stop getting at each other's throats.

NICOLE
Sorry gramma, but Gunnar was being sexist.

I can't believe she threw me under the bus. My heart just broke so I deicided to say what was in my mind.

ME
I can't believe you threw me under the bus.

Now I feel better. Nicole can sometimes over-exaggerate, and by sometimes I mean all the time. And Rayce, well he's Rayce.