Hudson

Chapter 2

Hudson stood on the porch, rocking back and forth on his heels. His baggage was piled in front of him. His mother had left for work this morning, after saying (tearfully) goodbye to her son. Now Hudson waiting for his uncle.

After a few minutes, Uncle Oliver pulled up in his beat up, orange Chevy. He honked the horn in greeting, and Hudson smiled and walked over to the truck. After loading his stuff in the back, he climbed into the passenger seat. Uncle Oliver pulled out and started driving down the street.

"Hudson, how you been?"

"Great, Uncle Oliver."

"How's your mother?"

"She's good. She says you should come down more."

"Too much drivin' for me. If she wants to see me, she can come and visit." Hudson laughed.

"I guess. How long until we get there again?"

"Quite a while. My cabin is in the Rockies, Hudson."

"Alright." Hudson had always had a good relationship with Uncle Oliver. He was that one fun uncle, the one that helped you plan pranks on other family members, the one that encouraged trouble, to the frustration of your parents. Hudson mom was fairly laid back, but she was still his mom. He'd much rather hang out with Uncle Oliver, who rarely had any rules.

Hudson leaned his head against the window, and put his headphones in. Staring out the window as the scenery changed from red rock and dry desert to lush pine trees and looming clouds. The Rockies were such a drastic change from the barren and hot Phoenix, Hudson tried to take it all in at once. The dark green trees lining the roads, making you feel like you were driving through a twisting tunnel out of a fairytale. The dark clouds heavy with rain, hovering just above the treetops, giving the whole scenery a mystical foggy look.

So after multiple prolonged hours, Hudson and Uncle Oliver arrived at the cabin. It was in a secluded area in the woods, the nearest cabin a half mile away. Uncle Oliver told Hudson, as they drove by the large cabin, that a friend of his lived there, and he had a kid Hudson's age.

"You'll probably get to meet them. They're nice folks." Uncle Oliver said. They drove the truck up the long, dirt driveway, Hudson caught sight of the building. Oliver's cabin was gigantic. It was beat up and rustic, looking as though it was a thousand years old. Oliver pulled up to the side of the house, and Hudson and him climbed out of the truck. Grabbing his bags, Hudson followed Oliver up the steps and through the front door. Hudson was amazed. He dropped his bags on the floor as he turned in a slow circle. The cabin had staggeringly high ceilings, with balconies from the upstairs bedrooms visible. A metal spiral staircase twisted up into the ceiling, and Hudson saw another set of wooden stairs leading down, to what he assumed was the basement. The kitchen was towards the back, next to a hallway which had a bathroom and a bedroom. The living room was spacious, and Oliver had placed plenty of furniture around. A giant flat-screen TV was mounted on the wall.

"Wow." Hudson muttered.

"I know." Oliver smiled. "Oh, Hudson, while you're staying here, I expect you to be good. I know I don't have many rules, but I have one. Do not go into the basement. It is completely off limits. Got it?" He gave Hudson a stern look.

"Yeah." Hudson was surprised. It was very unlike Uncle Oliver to even act remotely stern. But he shook it off, and began unpacking his bag in one of the bedrooms upstairs. The room was fairly big, with a kingsize bed and an armoire, upon which was a TV. Hudson finished unpacking things into the large closet, then joined Oliver back in the living room.

"I just got of the phone with Harrison, he's the friend that lives in the cabin down the road. Him and his daughter are coming over for dinner tonight. They'll be here at 7."

"Okay. What are we having?"

"Mashed potatoes and grilled chicken."

"Awesome." Hudson smiled. "I think I'm gonna go outside for a bit, ya know, explore."

"Alright." Hudson turned, and carrying his sketchbook, walked outside into the warm air. The clouds were wisps above, the sky a silvery blue. It was about five, and the sun hung low in the sky, dropping closer and closer to the trees. The cabin itself was placed in the middle of clearing, the trees boxed around it like a maze. There was only one tree inside the clearing, a giant one that twisted upward like it longed for something in the sky. Hudson admired the clearing's beauty for a moment. There was a slight breeze, so the long, yellow grass that covered the ground quivered every so often. Hudson walked along the dirt road that led west, toward the setting sun. He had planned on drawing a bit, but sometimes it is good just to live in the moment, and not try to capture it. Instead, he let the moment capture him, let it be wild and free. The sun was shining through the trees, showing the glinting of green leaves. The wind was warm on his face, as was the sun. He stopped observing, and for a moment, just felt.

That is, until he realized he had no idea where he was.

"Crap." He looked around quickly. "Aw, shiz. Um..." He spun in a slow circle. He

was still on the dirt road, but it had forked, and now he didn't know which was led back to Oliver's cabin. He had a choice, to go left or right. Making a split-second decision, Hudson turned to the left and started walking. He walked long enough that his feet started to hurt, and the sun had almost disappeared behind the trees. Slightly panicked, and very sore, Hudson stopped on the side of the road, and sat on a rock. He sat, and almost laughed. Less than 2 hours here, and he was already going to die. As he was fighting a giggle, he heard a twig snap in the forest behind him. He whipped his head around, and saw nothing.

"Hello?" He slowly stood up and took a step into the trees. "Anyone there?" He said a little louder. Getting no reply, he walked farther into the woods. As he walked, he could tell the sun had almost gone down. Just a few more minutes and it would be dark. It was probably around six thirty already, and Hudson was trudging around through the woods. As he was about ready to turn around and head back to the road, he heard another twig. "Hello?" Hudson would have expected plenty of things to step out from behind a tree. A bear. Bigfoot. Obama. What he did not expect, of course, was the most gorgeous girl he had ever seen, to poke her head around the tree.