wilderness | paul lahote

{05}

Jacob had arrived about half an hour after we'd got done with the chores around the house. Emily didn't let me help with most of them, worried for my injuries. But I insisted, feeling like I'd just be using her and Sam if I didn't put myself to any use. I had to earn a roof to live under after all. 

We sat in Jacob's 1986 Volkswagen Rabbit and headed towards Forks for the hospital. I was not keen at all on the matter, but I guessed it would be for the best to get a check up, even though I knew I would eventually heal on my own.

"Rad car by the way," I said as we were driving on the small road, surrounded by forest on both sides. I saw him smirk from the corner of my eye.

"Thanks, I fixed it up myself." He said proudly. 

We were driving for some time and as I saw the sign that stated we had arrived to Forks, I broke the silence. 

"Uhm-can I ask you for a favor," he looked at me from the corner of his eye and nodded.

"Sure." 

"Can we hop by the place I was staying at? I'd like to get my stuff." 

He looked a bit worried, confused even, his brow furrowed. But agreed anyway. I gave him the instructions to get there. Luckily it wasn't far from the hospital. 

It was a small, old, one story house. The white color it had been years ago was now peeling, and the ferns taking over. The feeling of panic was prevalent in my gut again as we parked in front of the ever so familiar house. I gulped, too loud for my own liking.

"Are you okay? You look paler than usual," Jacob asked with a chuckle, but his smile didn't quite reach his worrisome eyes. 

I nodded, looking back at the house. 

His car isn't here, I thought to myself, there's no need to worry, just hop in there, get your stuff and leave.

I took a deep breath and opened the car door. "I'll be quick," I said to Jacob before leaving the car and stepping into the misty drizzle that was coming from the sky. 

I found the key that was hidden under a small gnome in the bushes by the front of the house, unlocked the door and stepped in. It smelled of alcohol and tobacco. Dirty dishes flooded the small sink in the kitchen. It hadn't been cleaned for days. 

I crossed over the small living room - empty bottles of beer lying around the floor and on the coffee table -  into the guest bedroom I had been staying at prior to being found by Sam and started piling the little clothes and things I had into a small bag I stored under the messy double bed. The smell was even worse here than it had been when I'd first entered the house. 

I tried to be as quick as possible, getting as many things as I could. My clothes, toiletries, shoes, books, documents, my phone - whatever I got my hands on. I just wanted to get out of that place, quickly. 

As I grabbed my backpack and a small duffel bag and rushed out of the house, I heard yelling. A far too familiar voice, in the driveway. My stomach flipped. It got heavy to breathe. It was him. I saw his old rusted up car, his bearded face, red from the apparent anger that lingered with him all the time. He was face to face with Jacob.

"Why are you here?" He screamed in Jake's face. 

"What's it to you?" Jacob growled. He seemed threatening. His brows deeply furrowed together.

"I'ts my property you're on, kid." 

I ran over to them, afraid of Jacob getting hurt. I'd rather it be me than someone I owe all the thanks to.

"He's with me," I wanted so badly to sound confident. But my voice broke and it was far too silent. 

He had a smug smirk on his face as he looked at me through his old eyes. He started furiously chuckling. "Is he your boyfriend or something?" He asked between laughs. The smell of heavy alcohol hitting my nose. He stood closer to me now, facing me, just inches away. He half whispered, "I thought I had left you in the forest to rot." He sneered into my ear as he grabbed my wrist tightly. But something yanked him away from me.

"You did this to her?" Jacob was now between me and him. He towered over the old man, his body furiously shaking. "Answer me!" He shouted as he pushed him against his car. 

"I can do whatever the fuck I want to do to her," he slurred, "I'm her sweet little uncle." He sarcastically said as he smirked at me. I felt disgusted. Worthless. Panicky. Everything all at once. 

"Jacob, please, let's just go." I pleaded. My voice shaky as I held onto my bags with a deathly grip. "Jacob." I said once more before he turned to look at me and nod. 

"You stay away from her, prick," he warned once more before turning back to the car. I rushed to the passenger seat as quick as I could, stumbling on the way. Buckling my seat belt as Jacob sped away from the house I wished to never see again. I struggled to hold back the tears escaping my eyes. Everything came back to me once again. And I knew I had to explain myself soon.

"He was lucky that Paul wasn't here," Jacob said under his breath. Something made me think he thought  I wouldn't hear him, but I did. And this had left me that much more confused.