Chapter 1

It was hot that day on the highway. Staying in a car for four hours can really put a toll on someone’s patience. Luckily there wasn’t any road rage in sight. Sarah Marsh was driving her and her son into Ellengulf. She looked at her son, Victor sleeping in the passenger seat peacefully. And she thought, why not play a trick on him. Victor was the king of tricks. He pretended to get hurt, scare her, even put salt in her coffee. And he did it just to get a laugh. She had to get him back. Sarah let out a loud scream like they were about to crash and Victor sprung out of his sleep and skin. He screamed so loud, it made their Yorkshire terrier bark at him. The look on his face was priceless. Victor realized his mother was laughing. He was mad and yet relieved.
“Not funny, mom.” Victor was blushing with embarrassment.
“Oh, don’t be like that.” Sarah laughed. “You should’ve seen the look on your face.”
“I almost had a heart attack.” He regretted telling her that. She started to laugh hysterically again. “It’s not that funny…Are we almost there?”
“Yup. We’re a couple of miles away from me and your father’s hometown. But we got to stop for gas. We’re running close to empty.”
Sarah turned the car clockwise into the gas station. When they entered the station, they were shocked to find cops swarming and searching the area for something or someone. They parked the car, but didn’t get out for a few minutes.
“What the hell is going on?” Sarah asked herself but spoke it vocally. “Victor, stay in the car while I pump the gas.”
“Hey, mom. Can I get a snack?” asked victor.
“Ok, fine. But don’t bother the policemen. Come back straight to the car when you’re done.”
Victor got out the car and headed into the store. Two officers were speaking with the store clerk. One of them had blond slick hair which was James Brennan. He glanced at Victor for a moment then put his focus on Butch Bennett the store clerk and owner. Victor went about his business and picked up some chips and a drink from the fridge. As he was turning he jumped out of his skin once again by a loud thump coming from the front of the store.
The once calm officers quickly turned their tone and screamed at the clerk.
“That’s bullshit, Bennett! You know something don’t you? That’s why you’re making a story. Now What really happened?”
Butch was still shocked by what he experienced that night. Victor peaked his head out to see the altercation take place.
“Like I told you.” Butch said as he looked at James square in his eyes, “They robbed me and drove away.”
“Oh, yeah!? If that’s true, where’s the tapes.”
The old man’s faced scrunched slightly as he said, “Your thief of a child and his hoodlum friends took them and drove off. If death got em’. That’s what they deserve!” What was the old man talking about? Victor thought.
Enraged and no longer thinking correctly, Officer James grabbed the old man and cocked his fist back. Before his fist dare make contact, the other officer Hobb Harris stopped him. He pointed to Victor who looked like a deer in headlights. Victor thought he was about to witness police brutality.
“COME HERE, BOY!” yelled James. Victor bounced slightly where he stood. He then walked over to them cautiously.
“What did you hear?” James’ face was red like he ate the world’s hottest pepper. And looked at Victor like he gave him that pepper.
“N-Nothing, sir.” Said Victor.
“Good, keep it that way. Now get the fuck out of here.” Said James. Hobb chuckled under his breath.
Victor quickly plopped his would be purchases on the store counter and hurried out the store. He didn’t want to leave the old man alone, but what could he do?
When he got outside, he didn’t dare look around to see the beauty of Ellengulf. Instead, he darted to the car and looked forward and waited for his mom to finish pumping gas. His mom’s terrier came from the back seat and sat on his lap. The dog knew something was wrong with him. Victor heard the gas pump stop and seconds later his mother returned to the driver seat. She looked at victor with a strange face.
“Was the store closed or something? Where’s your snack?”
“I changed my mind. Not hungry.” Victor gave a concerned smile.
“Are you sure you’re fine?”
“Yes. Can we please go?”
Sarah shrugged it off and entered the car. They drove out of the station and headed toward their new home.
When they got there, Victor looked at the small home and was glad it wasn’t too bad of a dump.
“We’re here.” Sarah smiled. Victor said ‘yay’ in a sarcastic tone and got out the car. “What do you think, Victor?”
“It’s pretty cool.”
“Do you want to know what’s even more cooler?” Sarah put her arm on Victor’s shoulder. “This is the same house your dad grew up in.”
Victor looked at his mother with wide eyes. “Really? No way.”
Victor didn’t know anything much about his dad, let alone his childhood. So seeing where he lived at his young age made him wonder what kind of teenage life did he live. Victor never met his father. He left his mother when he was seventeen before Victor was born. He tried to pry any sort of information out of his mother just to get a taste of knowing him a little bit. But every time he brings him up, she cries hysterically. They were putting their last stuff into the home. After Justin, who’s Victor’s father, parents died they gave it to Sarah in their will. She was unsure if she wanted the home let alone live in it after Justin’s death. She hasn’t been in Ellengulf for 14 years. But she knew she missed the place, her home.
“Alright, are we finished?” asked Sarah.
“Yup, that’s the last of it.” Said Victor as he walked outside to look at the beautiful neighborhood. Then something caught him off guard. Across the street there was a girl, Jessica, looking down at Victor from the second floor window. It made him very uncomfortable. She didn’t break eye contact. Weirded out, Victor went into the house to eat the pizza his mom ordered.
Weirdo, he thought.