“Mother, how did you and dad meet?”700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrnkZZs8Dw1
“Oh, it was so romantic,” she gushes, “we met through a family member and it was love at first sight. Your father played coy at first, see, our relationship was forbidden by our families. Even still, I decided to pursue him because I just knew that we were meant to be. We were afraid, but that didn’t stop us. When we found out that I was pregnant with you, we moved away and broke our ties with our families so we could have this beautiful piece of land. Don’t you love it here? It. Is. Paradise!”700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9rFcfHBQMO
“Yeah, it really is,” he said with awe. Could she really be as bad as I thought she was? She sounds so genuine, he thought. Maybe I’m making all of this up.700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbKk0tI5gwu
“What’s the rest of the family like?” Zak asks.700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjlnZZtUOTP
Mother makes a face of disgust, “Don’t even remind me of them. All my life, they ignored me and yelled at me. They even said that I was crazy! They’re the ones that were crazy.” 700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3EoMx3ElcC
She stops for a moment and calms down, “You are the perfect combination of me and your father, Zak. You’re nothing like our families. I love you, remember that.”700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmaVuATA68t
Remember. Remember. A thought pops into his head: a memory that makes his head spin and tears well into his eyes.700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMdoXTPlX3J
700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwmZSSLydxR
We’re in the closet. The only light comes through the crack in the door, giving us just enough space to look through it. A whisper sounds quietly in the dark. “Remember, Zak, you’re nothing like your mother. Never let her make you believe that. I love you. We’ll get out of this, I promise.”700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgjTqDReSyP
“I love you too, Leah,” he says as the memory fades out.700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUnfSQxDrxc
The memory brings back an intense longing for the blond girl. Before he can stop himself, he brings Leah up. “Mother, did Leah and I ever play in the closet?”700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLu7YNL4XKO
“I told you not to bring up her name! I swear, she is not worth your time,” she scowls.700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNe28CR1QZs
“Fine, I was just wondering.” He goes back into his book. Though, reading is the least of his interests at the moment.700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9NpO6UYK5y
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Soon his eyes get tired from the book and he starts to get restless. Reminded by the nearby house, he jumps on his bike and heads down the road. The sun shines bright in the clear, robin egg sky. The boy feels the wind in his hair, and the sun warming his face. Feeling free, he pedals faster, faster. He flies down the endless road, almost missing the small trail breaking out of the ditch. Zak breaks suddenly, the wheels making a dull sound of protest. Memories tear through his brain.700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuX5VQol62t
He’s walking in the woods. The trees are thick and tall, towering above him with big, green leaves blotting out most of the sky. He’s barefoot, and soft ferns tickle his toes. He hears the crackle of something moving.700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNWCSe501li
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He stands still, remembering what his dad taught him. ‘If I stand still and breathe quietly, they’ll come right up to me.’ So he stands and waits. Another rustle of leaves surprise him and before he can react, there’s hands on his shoulders. “Boo!” the hands say. The startled boy turns around to meet the owner of the hands. She’s wearing a pink shirt and a pair of dirty overalls. Her hair is short and blond with green eyes framed by thick bangs. She’s laughing. “Ha, I got you! What are you standing around for?” she asks.700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOISAwZbMky
“Why do you care? Why are you even here anyways? This is my woods,” he scoffs.700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUTSQOZZUMa
“Actually it is state property, idiot. It’s yours as much as it’s mine,” the look on her face embarrasses him.700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX01yN5P4j9
“Whatever. Shove off and leave me alone, would you?”700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwH0dQas7yF
The girl refuses to back down. Nothing affects her.700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0G77qWOmzS
“Come on, Zak. You hungry?” she asks.700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiC2Pnho6cv
He’s startled, “How did you know my name?”700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE4Y9ZQNG4T
“It’s sewed into your shirt tag. You’re not very bright, are you?” she laughs, pulling him by his shirt. “Let’s go to my fort. You have to promise to keep it a secret though.”700Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIxOEmhyrei
“I guess I can keep a secret. This better be worth my time,” he sighs, giving in to her.
and then Add to home screen.