I heard the trees shake in the distance and I turned my head in that direction. Nothing, silence. It was so silent that it was deafening. There was a dense fog covering the clearing and yet it created a chill that ran right threw me.
I heard more movement from the brush and I turned as quick as I could, my heart beat starting to race and my breath began to speed up. Something was watching me, couldn't take it's eyes off of me. I couldn't see it but I could feel it. I tried hard not to begin to panic.
A chill went threw me, straight to my bones and I looked down just to make sure I was clothed. God, knows the last time I was here I wasn't. There was more movement once again from the bush only this time it was longer and more precise. It lasted much longer as well and what I saw next made me almost fall over.
Out of the clearing came the biggest snake I think I have ever laid eyes on. It’s head was as thick as my thighs. It had to be thirty feet long. It’s body was black making it’s green yellow eyes even that more noticeable. Snakes, I can’t, I can’t deal with snakes especially since... since... I really think I might collapse but then it might see me... eat me.
I walked as quietly and as slowly as possible trying to bring attention to myself. If I could just get out of here it wont see me. But before I could get away it turned it’s demonic face in my direction and stared at me dead in the eye. I saw pure evil.
I made the first move. I felt frightened. I took off running as hard and as fast as I could. I didn’t know where I was going but I knew I had to get away from there. I was running faster then I have ever ran in my entire life and I could hear it hissing behind me.
I didn’t want to turn and see it. I didn’t want to do it but I had to. I turned my head and it was so close that if it extended it’s neck just another foot or two it would have got me. I started screaming at the top of my lungs hoping someone anyone would here me help me.
I wasn’t gonna stop running. I refused to die by giving up. I looked down for a moment as I was running and I noticed that I wasn’t me any longer. I was younger... almost as if I was turning back into the little boy I once was. I looked up to shake the shock and I finally saw hope.
There was someone standing in the distance. They would help, someone was going to help. I forced myself to run just a little harder, a little faster. He was few hundred yards from me and as soon as I could make him out the thought of turning around and running the other way. It was Wayne.
He walked slowly towards me and as soon as he was close enough I could see he was holding a tiny green snake, the green snake. “STOP!” he yelled and almost as if I wasn’t under my own will, I stopped.
The sound of the slithering behind me stopped as well, as if it was under his control. “Help me, it’s gonna kill me,” I said and noticed it wasn’t my voice that I was speaking.
It was me at ten as if I had changed back to that little boy. The little boy he... tortured... broke. He laughed and the same evil that was in the eyes of the snake was in his, “It’s not gonna kill you, Zac. It simply lead you here... for me,” he said walking circles around me.
I felt cold and I involuntarily hugged myself and noticed immediately that my skin was bare. I was completely nude. “I want to go home!” I begged him.
“You can’t go home yet, Zac we haven’t had any fun,” he said letting the snake move around in his hands bringing it’s disgusting slimy head inches from me.
It’s tongue flicked to brush my skin and I swear that I felt my skin crawl away. “Snake, Get it away from me,” I breathed trying to tare that spot of skin off my body, “I hate snakes,”
“Oh why’s that Zac, they like you. They want to play,” the big snake and little snake both flicked their tongues at me, “And I want to play too Zac, you know that right?” I felt myself get caught in my throat.
“Please, I don’t.... please!!!” I yelled to him.
He laughed again and walked towards me, “ I waited a long time for this,” he said raising an eyebrow.
“No! Just let me go!” he ignore my pleases and placed the little green snake down, giving his arms the free ability to come at me.
He walked at me with such a force that I barely had time to blink and he was on me. I always thought the next time he would try I would be bigger and I could defend myself and here I am as small as the first time, “Oh and thank you for bringing him here,” Wayne said in the direction of the huge snake.
I looked in the direction to see who he was talking to and I saw one of the most horrifying images I have ever seen. Taylor’s face was on that snake. Taylor was that snake. My head rushed I was screaming as loud as I could trying to pull away from the arms that were gripping me so tightly. In the distance I heard voices a baby crying, but everything was spinning so fast that I couldn’t take it all in. I just collapsed in the haze.
“Huh?” I mumbled feeling like I was on some kind of narcotic.
“Zac, angel, are you ok?” she asked pulling my face up to look at her.
I stared at her. I couldn’t focus. It hurt to keep my eyes open. I tried to pull my head away but Joley held my face firm in her hands. My body was still shaking and involuntary moans were escaping my lips, “Jo... Jo... Joley?” I whispered having to take all the strength in my body to speak.
“It’s ok baby. It was just a dream everything is fine. We here at home in our bed. Safe,” it was just a passing word for her, but safe was what I needed right now.
“Oh god,” I said squeezing my eyes shut as she pulled me to her.
Things were getting a little clear. It was just a dream, just a dream. I clung to her like she was my life support. I heard commotion outside the bedroom and I heard the baby crying. Suddenly, my bedroom door flew open, “What the hell happened? Is everything ok?” came Taylor’s voice from my now open bedroom door.
“I’m gonna be sick,” I announced and jumped off the bed, running for the bathroom.
Just the thought of his face made me think of him as that snake and I just couldn’t handle it not now, not ever. I was hunched over the toilet depositing the contents of my stomach into it. It took a few moments but Joley was at my side rubbing my back as my body heaved violently. I just hung to the toilet till the onslaught had finished.
She didn’t ask questions, she never does. She sat there with me all night, never once question me. Just trying to make the pain go away.
God, I’m such a slut. I flipped threw the pages of the magazine and the phone rang. I looked at the clock which now read ten. Isaac was always on time, “Hey, douche,” I said jokingly.
“Oh, hello to you too jock strap,” he joked back.
Our relationship is so weird sometimes. We both laughed a little and sighed. “So how was your day baby?” he asked on a much lighter tone.
“Busy, the shop was insane cause it’s homecoming season you know. So every fourteen year old girl on the Jersey Shore came in for hair cuts and manicures and all our other luxuries anemties,” I said sarcastically reminding myself of my aunt.
“Well, then I’m sure you made a lot of money,” he said kind of catching me off guard.
Isaac never mentions anything about what I make cause as far as he is concerned he wants to put the money in my pocket not a job. “Yeah I did, but umm since when do you care about the money that I make?” he was up to something.
“Well, it’s funny that you bring that up,” he laughed.
Ohh no, if Isaac tells me he needs money I’m gonna bitch slap him so hard. He’s fucking Isaac Hanson, he should always have money. “What is it?” I asked slightly annoyed cause I knew what his tone of voice meant.
“Well, if you have a lot of money, I was thinking you know maybe you could afford to take sometime off next week or something?” he said kind of jumbling his words, “But if you can’t I understand. It’s cool you know?” he said rushing the rest of the words.
I thought about it for a minute and I surprised myself by not shooting it down, but I figured this might have been something important. I’d here him out, “Well, depends, what do you want?” I asked him suspiciously.
“Umm, do you do anything special on Thanksgiving?” he asked me actually sounding really nervous on the other end of the phone.
I stopped, that was a really weird question, “No not really. I mean we do dinner and stuff but we don’t do anything too big for that holiday,” I hesitated for a moment, “why Isaac?”
He didn’t say anything for a while.. He was silent and I figured it was because he was thinking so I didn’t push him. I waited patiently, “My family invited you to Thanksgiving,” he said with all seriousness, “And really really would like you to come.”
The second part of that statement gave me a feeling inside of me that I haven’t felt in the longest time. It was like a tug on my heart and I couldn’t help but take in a deep breath, “Wow, uhh, yeah. I think I could work that out,” I didn’t want to sound like a love sick puppy so I tried to keep it cool.
It was silent for a brief second, but enough to radiate an uncomfortable feeling and I quickly laughed trying to erase it, “I just have a question Isaac?” I said just realizing something.
“Yeah, what is baby?” he asked tenderly.
“Why would you ask me if I could afford to take time off. The last time I checked Thanksgiving is still a national holiday and everything and it’s brother is closed,” I laughed a little more waiting to hear his laughter or response to his latest lack of thinking.
He didn’t laugh and I knew there was more to then what he had just asked me, “Umm, well Rey, that’s because were all going to Tulsa for Thanksgiving, I want you come back home with me and meet my whole family,” I was completely stunned.
I didn’t know what to say. This was the biggest step we had taken since we began seeing each other and I just wanted to jump up and down on my bed like I did when I was eight. “Seriously Isaac?” was all I could say.
“Yeah, Rey, I wouldn’t have asked you if I really didn’t want you to come. Like the whole trip will be horrible without you. And don’t worry about the money or anything because you’re my guest, you don’t need any money,” his voice was rushing.
“Ok,” was the only thing I could say. That was the best response I could come up with and then I thought about it and I didn’t want him to think it wasn’t a big for me, “I mean, yeah of course, I will come. I just didn’t think for a second that you were gonna ask me to come to Tulsa with you,” I had that tone in my voice, the flirty one.
“I’m serious Rey, like I was thinking about this trip and I just felt like it wouldn’t be right without you, you know? You’re such a part of me Rachel really and I want to share this part of me with you. Like I grew up there. That is where I became who I am. I want to show you the place I hung out, the people I hung out with and most of all I want you to meet my family. I know you met my Dad and all, but you need to meet my Mom and my sisters and brother,” he said.
I wanted to cry. I really wanted to cry. He felt like for the first time in our existence together he should be me a side of him he has always kept hidden. “I can’t wait, Isaac, really I can’t” I said closing my eyes and imagining how wonderful this trip could be.
“Neither can I,” he said back to me.
“When are we leaving?” I asked him.
“Umm, late Monday and we are coming home the following Monday, so why don’t you come in on Sunday?” he said to me.
I guess he didn’t want to push the issue of me coming in for week-ends. He always does, so I figured I would make his night the way he made mine, “Why don’t I come in Thursday, if you don’t mind. I’ll just take the whole week-end,” I waited for his reactions.
“Of course I don’t mind, Rey, I would love that!” I laughed at his enthusiasm.
“I’ll come in after work then. It will be around eleven.”
“At night?” he asked me like it was a crime.
I knew where it was going, but I just thought maybe not and asked any way, “Yeah why?”
“Because it’s late and your gonna be on the train by yourself and,” I knew I it.
I stopped him before it went any further, “Isaac please, we are having a wonderful conversation let’s not ruin this with a stupid fight, ok?”
“I’m just telling you that I get very ner...” he continued trying to get his point across, but I cut him off before he could finish.
“Please, please, we can talk about this later in the week. I just want to talk to you and not fight, ok baby?” I begged laying down under the covers.
He sighed but he agreed anyway, “Ok angel, it’s dropped,” he said and I knew if he was here he would kiss my on the forehead and held me in his arms.
We continued talking and I never wanted it to end.