Until I Die(18+)

6.

       THE GATE LOCKS BEHIND US with a resounding click.

        Dad remains in front since he was the one who knew this place better than anyone. Mum follows, arms folded over her chest. Her head was tilted in a way that I recognised - she was sneering at the surroundings, most likely finding the sticky, muddy ground and pond stench unbearable. She didn't like anything to do with nature, or dirt. 

        I almost smile at how much she must be suffering right now.

         I'm next with Eric behind me as we head down the two-person path in a single formation, sticking close to each other like we'd been doing this for longer than two days – jeez, had it been two days? 

         I'd lost count.

         Eventually we reach a wooden log cabin. The door has a circular window with across in the middle. Dad enters as if he owns the place. Mum keeps her arms tight around herself, her eyes glaring disgustedly at every surface as if she could sense germs on them. I sit on one of the chairs next to the door. Eric stands to my left.

        "Harold! You around, buddy?" Dad shouts, leaning against the counter. A bang comes from the back room, soon followed by a shaky male voice.

       "David, that you?" Harold appears from the doorway, eyes squinting as if the sun was in them. "My glasses gone and broke. Can't see too good. But I recognise that voice anywhere!" He chuckles, feet dragging across the ground as he approaches.

       He was an old man, around late sixties, with white tuffs of hair and a nose which was a little too big for his face. Liver spots dotted his forehead, his face friendly and welcoming. 

       Dad laughs with him, nodding. "Yeah, it's me! Got the whole family with me this time. You remember my wife?" 

       Mum shoots him a glare.

      "Yeah, yeah." Harold gestures with his hand. "Karen, right?"

      Mum exhales sharply. "Hello, Harold." She says, sounding anything but happy. If I was a braver person, I would have scolded her for being so bloody rude. But, alas, I didn't have a death wish. 

      Dad clears his throat, feeling the tension radiating off of her. "And my daughter, Jolene."

     "Ah, Jolene!" Harold raises his hands, tone cheerful. "I haven't seen you since you were in pigtails and fell into the lake! Ruined that pretty yellow dress," he recalls with a crooked grin. "What was it you said when we pulled you out? 'Dad I was trying to catch a fish'." Both him and Dad recited my words before chuckling together.

       "Oh god," I groan, covering my face. 

       Harold wipes away a non-existent tear. "It's a shame you never came back. Everyone adored you. Such a beautiful young lady you've turned into." He squints harder, and I doubt his words because he wasn't looking at me but at Eric. 

         "Thank you," I say anyway. 

        "And who's that next to you, Jo? You got ya self a boyfriend?" Harold teases, looking at me this time. Just how bad was his eye-sight? 

       "Ah, no-" I go to say, feeling awkward at the assumption. Dad cuts me off.

      "Yes," he says loudly. "They've been together for about 6 months now. Isn't that right, cupcake?" His eyes find mine, screaming go along with it.

      "Oh, uh, y-yeah that's right," I recover, throwing my father a look of confusion. 

      Dad shakes his head before flicking it towards the door.