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I folded it up. "I can't find them all." I thought. I got the cb radio. "Ike ...come in Ike." I said. "What... what did you find him?" He asked. "No. You have to stay with people. He wants all three of you. He has Taylor. I got his wallet and car. Send a patrol man to pick it up." I said. I got in and went back to the house and opened the window. And scanned it around. I climbed in. It was still rainy and wet. I walked to the door, and opened it. I cast the light down. Nothing, no movement except downstairs. I eased down and opened the doors. I checked and nothing. "How? And why are they just downstairs?" I thought. The door had a big sign on it. I removed the nails and all that held the door shut with a hammer. Then pushed the door open. Thousands of snakes. "Oh hell no." I thought. I closed it and went the long way. Up the tree, across and through the attic. I had a small flashlight and the hand held radio. So if they called I would know. I scanned the light around. I didn't see anything. I cast it around good, checking as much as possible. I then went to our room. "He got in, he left a clue somewhere." I thought. I started going through drawers, starting with Zac's. I ramsacked the room. Trying to find a clue in drawers, bed, everything. I didn't find anything. "Sheesh. There has to be something." I thought. I then went to Josh's room. "He will kill me, but the hell with it." I thought. I started ramsacking it. Under the bed was a picture of a river and an opening beside it. "UM. I've seen it before. Where is it?" I asked. I thought, then went downstairs. Stopping before the last step. "Oh shit." I thought I forgot they were down there. I backed up slowly. Then went-up stairs. I went up the steps. I went back through the window. Back down the tree. I then concentrated on where that place was. When it came to mind, I drove fast yet careful to the spot. Stopping only once to pick up Ike's truck. I then went there. I pulled up. Stopped the truck. Three paths to choose from. I decided upon the middle. I walked down to the rivers edge. "Zac." I yelled. I walked to the left a little bit. Then back... then started to the right, calling his name as I walked. I saw him laying on the ground, about twenty yards in front of me, not moving. Not awake. I ran to him. "Zac." I said. I looked him over. Didn't seem to be to bad. I turned him over. "Zac." I said. He didn't respond. I gently shook him. Still nothing. I then checked his arms and legs. Made sure he had no broken bones, neck. I felt his arm. Very cold. I ran back to the truck and got a blanket and opened the door. Then ran back. I laid the blanket on the table. I needed to check him first. I walked over to him. Tried one more time to wake him, with no success. I then picked him up. That wasn't easy. I laid him on the table. This way I could tell him he was okay... better. The rain had stopped for a while. He was wet, cold, and hurt. Not bad though. I laid him on the table, laying his head down gently. I felt for a fever. Stuff that would be visable. I felt his arm and leg. No broken bones, but they might be fractured though. I wrapped him up and picked him back up. I took him to the truck and laid him in the seat. I closed the door. Then child safed it too and walked around getting in.. I grabbed the cb radio. "Ike come in Ike." I said. "Jen. Where have you been they found Taylor. He was taken to Tulsa Memorial. He wasn't awake and wouldn't wake up." He siad. "Ike I have Zac. He appears to be ok. I'll take him there. Then come get you." I said. "Okay." He said. I cut it off then and started leaving. I pulled onto the road and drove to the hospital. About an hour drive. About 15 minutes into the drive, he started coming to. I pulled over and waited till he opened is eyes. "NO!" He screamed and started to get up. "Shhh Zac. It's okay you're with me." I said. He looked at me. It took a few minutes for him to realize where he was and focus and all. I wiped his face off. "Anything hurt?" I asked. He shook his head no. "You want to go to the hospital?" I asked. He shook his head no. The cb came on. "Jennifer. Tay woke up he is fine." He said. I got it okay. "Zac's awake also. Fine also." I said. "Okay." He said. Zac laid his head on my leg.. "I want to go home." He said. "Well, are you cold?" I asked. He nodded. He tried to sit up. "No no....lay back down." I said. He did. I put a blanket beside me and laid his head there. Then continued to drive. He rested but never went back to sleep. Once to Tulsa, I stopped by Ike's. Everyone had about gone. I helped Zac in. He was tired and sleepy. Ike stopped him at the door. "Wait." He said. He picked him up and carried him up stairs. I followed. Stopped by to see how Tay was. He had came back. Amanda had his head in her lap. He was asleep. I went on down where Ike had laid Zac down. I got a suit of clothes for him. Ike left. I helped him dry off and change. I then sat down. He got in my lap and laid his head on my shoulder. There he fell asleep,and slept for awhile. I watched him sleep, soundly. He knew he was safe here, but he won't be all the time. There will be a time when he is alone and I knew it. Then Andrew would get him again. Ike came to the door. "Jennifer. Your parents and Josh are here." He said. "Tell them I'm asleep." I replied, shifting a bit. My leg was going to sleep. "You can put him down now. He is asleep." He said. "No." I said and sat there. I wasn't gonna let him go. Ike walked out. I heard them downstairs. "Well, wake her up." Dad said. I laid Zac down. He woke up when his head hit the cold pillow. I looked down at him. "I'll be back in a few minutes." I said. "Don't leave." He said. "I have to just for a few minutes or dad will come and get me." I said. He looked at me. I got up and walked out the door, knowing he would probably cry till I got back. I stopped at the head of the steps, hearing him a little. Faintly. I looked down. Family...boyfriend. I knew I had to choose. "Um.." I thought. Dad, Mom and Josh looked up. I looked and watched them watch me. I turned around and walked back to the room. I walked to the bed and sat down. "Come here." I said. He got up and got in my lap. I calmed him down. "Zac, can you tell me what happen?" I asked. "He didn't hurt me that bad. Andrew didn't. Just Adam. He's mad at me because I have you and he doesn't." He said. "Really?" I asked. "Muhuh, he told me." He said. "Zac, Do you know if they hurt Taylor?" I asked. "No..Taylor wasn't with him." He said. "Yes he was Zac. They got him to." I said. "I don't know." He said. "Okay." I said. Josh came in. "Dad wants to talk with you and your mom." He said. "Tell them I'll talk when I have the time." I said. "You have time now." He said. "NO I don't Josh. I have to take care of something." I said. "Yeah, what is more important...family or friends?" He asked. I looked at him. "Friends or family never told me it's your life do what you want. Friends do. You know I hate being tied down and mom and dad made sure I had something else to do." I said and then went back to staring at Zac. "Family was the right answer." He said and walked out. Zac got up. "You can go downstairs. .I have to go to the bathroom anyways." He said. "Okay." I said. He walked toward the bathroom. I went downstairs. "What do you want? To tell me how to run my life?" I asked, coming down the steps. "NO!" They said. "Yeah right...I left because you never let me run my life and you still don't." I said. "We did till you got out of control." Mom said. Ike looked up. "I never got out of control. If I did, your at fault. I begged to go to that party and I pleaded for three weeks. But no.. I had something else to do. So, hell yes I snuck out and went to it. So what? I didn't need to do homework. I didn't have any. Between school and collage etc. I didn't have time for friends. I barely do now. If you came to run my life and tell me everything I need to do, then just go home. I'm not little anymore and I choose the career I got. Not you. You do what you want. I'll do what I want. And by the way... what is this making Josh come out here?" I asked. Josh started shaking his head. "Don't shake your head Josh. Tell them. Mom and Dad made you come. You wanted to go home. Might be thinking something. Like you don't care. You don't want a sister. You or Jamie. Ya know I actually liked having brothers. But now I have three. Isaac, Taylor and Mackie. You came because you had to. I didn't want that. And another thing Dad. If Josh can make his career choice and not have you dictate it.... good. Then be prepared to do the same for me and Jamie. Fair is fair. You don't complain about them like you do me. So why should I listen?" I asked. Now stopping to wait on answers, before asking anymore. "Well, your a girl. Girls don't carry guns." Dad said. "I do." I said. Ike went back to the TV. "Well...continue." I said. "Josh does care. Jamie too. It's you who doesn't care." They said. "Yeah right...I cared.....I wanted brothers. But no. I had to have those two. They do not care if I live or die." I said. Dad looked at Josh. "I do." He said. "See." He said. "Wow...one word. I do. Yeah right. Come on think about it. Like he is going to tell you." I said. "Well, why did you leave him for dead?" Mom asked. "I thought he was already dead. God I watched him point the gun to his head and pull the trigger. Wasn't that enough trama? Hell I couldn't take it. I had to leave. But no. That was even wrong. Is there anything that I have done that made ya happy?" I asked. "Yes." They said together. "Name it." I said. "You were born." Dad said. "Oh wow. I didn't do that." I said. "First word, talking, walking, crawling." Mom said. "Every parent is. Something I done during school. Hell I was in ninety classes, something had to be good." I said. No answer. << Previous Page of Story>> << Back to Story Page>> << Back To Index Of Chapters Page>> Back To Main Page>> |