Feral

Chapter Two

         The Villalobos family lived in a suburban neighborhood with a seaside backyard. Their community also was located in a bustling surfer city parallel to a redwood forest. It was busy during the summer and peaceful in winter. It was perfect. The Fourth of July and duck hunting season were the only two times when the loud boom of a gun was expected. However, that night was neither of those occasions. Lacey's family carefully considered the dates of their runs. There were no mistakes in their schedule, so the spitfire of bullets in the distance sent a cold, freezing, chill down her spine. She heard the faint howls escape the trees along the horizon. One specifical howl called sounded the alarm. Her uncle's message was clear: DANGER. She climbed up the stairs two steps at a time to reach the room. The children, now wide awake, pressed their faces against the window in the direction of the warning calls. 

 "Elise, grab your bag. It is time to go. Come on, come on."

          She loaded the children into the back seat of her father's pickup truck. She buckled them up into the car seats with shaky hands. "When I was a kid, my dad would cram us in here when it was time to go on fishing trips. Did you know we used to sleep in the bed of the truck too? Especially when we went to the drive-in theater," she said hoping to distract them. "I'm smooshed," Garret wined. He squirmed in his seat and bumped into his sister, Elise. "Hush," Lacey warned. He lowered his gaze and pouted his lower lip. She patted his head and said softly, "Bear with me, Garret. We are not safe and don't have time to complain."

        "Go to sleep. Here, rest your head on my shoulder." Elise scooted closer to her brother. The old heap of metal purred loudly. The city lights grew smaller as they drove further away. The clunky truck wound down the remote road. Lacey noticed a bright fiery illumination in the forest behind the hills. A helicopter hovered over the blazing forest fire. She pulled over to the side of the road when she saw the flashing lights of the firetruck. The smell overwhelmed her but she continued.

         The winding road parted into a three-way intersection. The firetruck that passed them made a right and Lacey turned left. She continuously glanced at the rearview mirror to check on the children and to also see the destructive glow illuminate the forest. It's okay, she reminded herself. Please. Let everything be okay. A few local patrol cars rushed in the direction as the firetruck. "Here are mommy and daddy?" Garret asked in between his yawn. She buttoned the top of his jacket and pulled the hood over his head. Then she said, "Yes, this is the rendezvous."

"Ron-day-voo," he repeated curiously.

         Lacey explained, " When the family is in danger, we have a spot to meet up. It is our secret, but its deep in the forest. We have to get to it on foot. We can all come up with a solution to our problem once we are together."

         "That means we are in danger." Elise snapped a twig in half then tossed the pieces onto the ground. She spotted another stick to break. "Yes, we are." She responded. She grabbed their hands and held on tightly. Elise fumbled with the flashlight. It was hard for her to turn it on with her free hand. "We have to walk in the dark. Remember, it is our secret," Lacey reminded.

"But how can we walk in the dark? What if we trip?"

"That's why I'm here. I can see in the dark."

"Really?"