As I Am (Part 2 of There You'll Be)

Taking The Long Way

(Zak's POV Continued)

Before I knew it, we were all on the LeBus on our way to Indiana. It was an almost 2,000 mile trip from home and we had a hell of a long drive ahead.

It was 6 in the morning. I curled up in my bunk and fell asleep. The rest of the guys had all fallen asleep as well.
*************************************************I woke up at 11am and it took me a second to figure out where I was.

I wasn't sure where we were roadwise but we weren't anywhere close.

I hopped out of my bunk and sat down with the rest of the guys.

"I'll probably just spend the downtime doing my art, bro. This house messed me up last time, I need a release." Aaron told me.

Jay had brought a book and Billy had spent the last few hours on TikTok.

The bus wasn't as high energy excitement as it usually was. We would be headed to the location that honestly changed the way we investigated and shot forever.

We all walked away badly impacted and I had to do quite a few cleansing.

The bus was cold and I had brought a fluffy blanket with me on the road this time.

The blanket I had brought on this trip was Evelyn's and it's smelled of her perfume and her scent which was such a calming thing.

God I missed her. I missed my Mom, I missed Gracie and I missed the kids.

I leaned my head up against the window, wrapped in Evelyn's blanket and began to scroll through my pictures in my phone of the three of them.

I scrolled back as far as mine and Evelyn's wedding day and all of our friends that were there. Grayson was just a tiny baby then and Emery wasn't even a thought.

I looked at all the candid photos of Evelyn I had taken in the last few months with both the kids. My favorite one was taken one day when I came home from the museum. Evelyn had worked earlier that day so she had come home, threw on some PJs and cuddled in bed with the kids. Grayson was curled up on my side of the bed next to her and Emery had fallen asleep cuddled up to Evelyn's chest. Evy had fallen asleep with full makeup on as well as her hair still in curls. She had her arm around Grayson as Emery was tucked in tight.

I had walked in from work and when no one was there to greet me, I walked upstairs. That sight I just described had me choked up.

Evelyn was such an amazing mother. And an incredible wife as well. I knew it from the first time I ever met her. She takes away all the bad dreams and night terrors. She has such a way about her that just feels the room with a calm, peaceful energy.

"Whatcha doin?" Billy said as he sat down next to me.

"I'm missing them already. This is the first time I've left since Emery was born almost 9 months ago. I'm so terrified of this Demon House, Bill. It fucked me up last time. I don't want to go through that Hell again and I swear to God, I better not bring something home with me when I have a wife and little ones." I said.

"I understand but hey, at least we prepared for the worst this time, dude." Bill said taking me in for a hug.

It was true. We were more prepared this time. However, I'm a very sensitive guy and I can prepare all I want but that won't stop something from attaching and coming home to me. Although it wasn't just me at home anymore.