Lost Queen Of Levat

Chapter 4

"Are you planning on staying out late tonight?" My mother sat across from me. Our table had one good leg holding it up. The other three were tapped together somehow. It made for very wobbly family dinners. Though they were few and far between. Only on days were my mother and father both got paid, we decided to sit and eat. Normal it was what ever meat that wasn't rotten in the freezer. I valued these dinners, no one worried about anything. Not the money. Not school. We were able to sit and talk and laugh. Every once in awhile Nevada would come and eat with us. She was like the sister I never had. But since her 'moment' she never came over to eat. Alfred would have his dinner, which was a plate of what we were having. It was the best thing in the world.

However, at this moment I could not enjoy the company and the food. My mind was miles into the woods and another realm away. As I pushed the meat around my brain was running though thousands of things that could go wrong. What if something happened to one of us? What if we can't get back? What if... That all I could think. All I could process. Nothing else was coming into my mind.

"Sarah? Are you all right honey?" I turned to my mother. She had aged since the late dinner. Her face was sagging, not low enough for some random person on the street to notice. But I noticed. Her eyes were dim. Considering the light didn't help much. She never had bright eyes. Never looked as though they had hope in them. They excepted everything, and didn't try to change it. Her blonde hair was growing white, fast and not forgiving. Everything in her face told me she was tired. Not just because it was late, but with the life we led. That she was giving up hope for a better anything.

"Sarah?" I smiled at her, a fake smile. She wouldn't have known, she never did.

"Yes sorry mom. What did you ask?" I stopped playing with the food. Stabbing the deer meat, I placed it in my mouth. Swallowing, I looked back down.

"Well..." Looking my over one more time, through glass green eyes. "I was just wondering if you were going to stay out long tonight?" She too took a bite of her own food.

"Yeah we were gonna hang for awhile." I put the rest of my plate on the ground for Alfred.

"You better not go out into those woods. I know you guys like them, but its hunting season. With the amount of people starving, I wouldn't be surprised if there were people out at night hunting." My father shoved a huge piece of deer in his mouth.

Looking at him in disgust, I frowned. He was still the stubborn man he was late time we talked. Ever since I became a teenager we stopped talking. Growing up he was my best friend. One of my few friends, besides Nevada. We were close, talking, hunting, running. He taught me to be me. But once I started high school, and started hanging out with some kids. He became more paranoid. As if he was going to loose me.

I guess the paranoia was taking a toll on him. He too looked like my mother. Wrinkles were forming on his face. His long brown red hair was sprouting spots of white. It was funny, like he was a Labrador with white spots. His eyes were black, they dug into your soul and ripped it out. But now they were soft and kind, I guess old age could do that to you. I still admired that man, he was like a god to me. Standing at six feet and seven inches could do that to a person. Since I was only five seven he was always someone I would look up to.

"But everyone is going to meet there." With nothing in my hands now, I folded them together. Put them in front of me pleading. "I can't be the only one not there. Please." Drawing out the last letter. Making it into a steady tune until I got what I wanted.

"Alright fine." I smiled at him. Patting Alfred, he continued. "Under a couple of conditions." I straightened my face, looking over at him. "One, you have to leave Alfred here. I don't want to go to the hospital for a shot dog." I nodded agreeing for my own reasons. Were we were going to go Alfred would not fit in. "Secondly, you have to come back at a decent time. Third, be careful you're all we got." I nodded in agreement.