Oblivious Shadow

3//Mysterious Disappearance

Please play this song while reading this chapter. Thanks!

He's gone. The only parent I had left, dead.

"Hey nerd. Are you ok?" I was brought out of my little trance by a hand waving in my face.

I couldn't help it because, no, no I was not ok. Where am I going to live after this? Who am I going to live with?

My brother. I'll ask him.

Wait. He doesn't know about dad.

So, with nothing better to do, I cried.

Before I realized what was happening, Nate had wrapped his arms around me and brought me into a hug. But what surprised me more is that I hugged him back.

I looked up at him with a slight smile that quickly faded when he looked at my face in anger.

My makeup.

I tried to walk away to fix it but he had one of his all too famous death grips on my wrist. Wow, bad choice in words right now.

"Who did that to you?" I just stayed silent with the hope that he wouldn't ask me again.

"I'm going to ask you again and this time I want an answer! Who hit you?"

Barely above a whisper, I replied with, " my dad. But that call was to tell me he'll never hit me again." Confusion crosses his features as he stared down at me. After that, the waterworks started up again and this time he let me go.

Big mistake.

The minute I was free from his grip, I ran. I had one place I wanted to go and that's where I was headed.

Jumping into my chevy, I put the Keys in the ignition and then I was gone. Looking back in the rearview mirrors, I can see that he tried chasing me and my brother was at the top of the steps. Not to mention, judging by the look on his face, he saw everything.

So I dodged a red light here. Ran a stop sign there.....what no one ever said I was a great driver! But I finally reached as far as I could go in my truck. To get to the rest of my destination, I would have to go on foot.

Checking the rearview mirrors I saw no one behind me. So I pulled over along side the road about a mile away from the county line at the edge of the forest. About half a mile walk through the trees there's a small stream.

When I had a happy family, we would camp and fish here. But only for me and my brother because we pretty much only caught brim.

But this place always made me smile.

I felt a tear drip on my hand and then another before I realized I was crying again.

Why couldn't it have been like this forever. If mom hadn't died, dad never would have changed. If my brother never left me, my dad couldn't have hurt me as much as he did. All of my family has repeatedly abandoned me and I have felt so alone for far too long.

But now he's dead and none of this can ever be taken back. History can no longer repeat itself. I won't let it happen again.

Before I knew it darkness consumed me and I dosed off to sleep listening to the chirps and songs of the birds along the forest floor. While the sun set and the crickets hummed I had never felt so much at home than I did in this moment.

Sorry I haven't updated lately. Been really busy but I'm going to be updating a little more now. Hope you enjoyed!