Senior Year.

What the Hell?!?

Mac’s POV

After everything had settled down at my house Luke and I decided to go hog hunting. Most girls would think it is gross, but I love it. I love releasing the dogs and chasing after them after they have corned one. Luke and I do this all the time, so the hogs don’t tear up the ranch. This is literally my favorite thing to do. I could do this every day of my life.

I push Luke out of my room so I can change. I walk into my closet and grab some blue jeans and a camouflage short sleeve shirt. I put them on and walk over to my door. I had left my boots by my door last time I wore them. I slide them on and walk out of my door to find that Luke isn’t there. He probably went out to the truck to put the dog box in the bed.

I walk into the kitchen to get snacks. We usually get hungry, because we stay out pretty late. It also helps me stay awake. We’ll probably stay out until two or three tonight. After I grab a can of original pringles and a bag of pretzels, I walk over to the fridge to grab a coke and a dr. pepper. I love coke it is my favorite! I have to keep the fridge stocked with them. The dr. pepper is for Luke, it’s his favorite.

I finally make my way out the back door. As I thought, Luke was loading the truck with the dog box. I walk over to the passenger door and climb in the truck not offering to help. It’s not that I can’t, it’s just that I don’t want to. I’m really lazy sometimes, but like who isn’t. I adjust the sodas in the cup holders. I lay the bag of pretzels on the console and open the can of pringles. I begin eating them as I wait for Luke to get in the truck.

He is taking forever maybe I should I have helped. Nah. The silence was awkward so I turned on the radio. I put it on 104.9, which is coyote country. Finally after what seemed forever Luke opened the driver’s door and climbed in.

“What the hell took you so long? I’ve been sitting in here forever.” I say in an annoyed tone.

“Sorry, the dog box was giving hell.”

Now I feel bad not helping. “Oh.” I say.

We drive around the around the back of my house to the dog pins. We both get out to load up the dogs. I go to the pins and open up the gate. I get my two hog dogs Sarah and Ben. I walk them back to the truck and open up the dog box. They instinctively know to get into the box from the years at training school. I turn around and walk back to help Luke with the other dogs. He has three dogs here that are his, because my dad lets him keep them here.

After we got all of our dogs loaded we headed out to the deer feeders to see if there were any hogs. Just as we go to the feeders it was like already one in the morning. Wow I didn’t realize that it took us so long to get everything ready. It was kind of a spur of the moment thing, so we were’t really prepared.

I got out of the truck and was about to open the right side of the box, when I got a call. It was my cousin Rhett who is also one of Luke’s best friends. I answer the phone to a hysterical Rhett.

Me: “Oh my gosh Rhett what the hell is wrong with you?”

Rhett: “Jackie, Susan, and Ethan were in a wreck and there was a fatality.”

Me: “Shut the fuck up Rhett if this is some twisted joke I’ll kick your ass. Who fucking died?”

Rhett: “They wouldn’t tell me, so I’m on my way to the hospital now.”

Me: “I’ll be right there.”

I hang up the phone and my heart has been shattered into a million different pieces. By now I’m sobbing. Luke has gotten out of the truck and he is in total confusion. I seriously feel like my life is moving slow motion right now. One of my two very best friends could be dead.

Without any explanation I yell at Luke to get back in the truck and drive me to the hospital. Without a word we both climb into the truck. I so glad he didn’t question why, because I don’t I would have been able to get the words out of my mouth. We sit in silence. I think Luke wanted to break the tension so he turned on the radio. When I hear what song is playing I break into even worse sobs. It’s How To Save A Life by The Fray.

I quickly turn off the radio, I preferred the silence more. A time like this is when I really wished I lived in town. I would be able to get to the hospital faster. Not only do I live eight miles out of town, but the hospital is on the total other side of town. I keep thinking who died, but then another thought comes to my mind why was Ethan and Jackie in the same car. Jackie couldn’t barley stand to see Ethan’s face.

After what seems for like forever we pull into the hospital parking lot. I jump out of the truck and run towards the doors with Luke not far behind me. I get to the front desk out of breath. Heavily I ask about Jackie and Susan. She leads me to a waiting room where I find Jackie’s and Susan’s parents, along with Rhett. Wait, when did Rhett become so involved with my friends? This is no time to question. I run to Rhett and into his shoulder. He keeps looking at me weird like he wants to tell me something.

Me: “Rhett, who was the fatality?”

He shallows really hard.

Rhett: “Mac, it was Ethan Jones.”

My mouth gaped open.