Never See It Coming

Every year our family reunions are normally at fun places. Fun PUBLIC places where we can leave whenever we want. Whenever we need to. But this year, my aunt decided that we were too safe. Okay, so Aunt Daisy didn’t say that. It was just what I got from this whole damned situation. We also had to keep our phones at home. Or in the car. Mom and dad kept their phones at home. While I used my phone on the hour long drive up the mountain to this place. As if I wasn’t going to have any damn fun being in a car for an hour with nothing to do. I did leave it in the car like my aunt wanted. But all of this was just utter bullshit.

After all. We’re at least a good hundred miles away from town. In a giant wooden cabin that is cozy but is so creepy. There was something off the minute that we got inside. Maybe it was the deer heads on the wall. Which were all aligned in a way that made them seem like they were staring at us coming in. Or the strange way the person who rented it to us decorated the entire room.

Taxidermy everything.

I never thought I would see a porcupine that was stuffed. Nor did I ever want to see one ever again if I’m honest. Mom seemed to be very upset by the sight of the stuffed rabbit. There were also graphic pictures of men hunting animals that were just way too graphic to look at. My cousin, Gwen, helped me put them into the pantry. That way no one would have to look at them. We’re the only young ones in the group. It’s not a big group. Which consists of me, Gwen, mom, dad, Aunt Daisy, and Uncle Lucas. Uncle Lucas decided to bring his big mutt, Ruger. Who stuck close to me and Gwen as we started setting things up. At first, I thought that he was going to be begging for food. As we were setting up the pizza and breadsticks.

But he didn’t. He wasn’t even looking at the table that we were setting up either. Gwen was surprised that he didn’t either. As he’s a very food motivated dog. This was what set either of us on edge as we finished setting up. We needed to get this set up before the family reunion begins. If the damn dog doesn’t want to eat, then there’s a problem. We were pretty sure that the problem wasn’t with where we were at. It had to do with the fact that maybe he wasn’t feeling well. And I thought we should tell Uncle Lucas about it. But Gwen said that she was going to tell him after the reunion. As they had been really stressed out these past few months.

Aunt Daisy lost her job.

So, I agreed and said nothing as we finished setting up everything. The food, cups, and stuff. Soon as we were done, I got myself some pizza intending to sit down when I saw movement in the corner of my eye. When I looked up towards where I saw it. I thought that I saw the silhouette of a person walking past the window. My pulse raced as I hurried over to the window and practically flattened my face against. Trying to see if I had really seen a person or not. But I couldn’t see anyone.

Though I did see something. There were large boot prints in the mud near the window. I guess it was a good thing that it had rained not that long ago.

Turning back to my family, I hurried to the table. Setting my plate down as I tried to think of how to say what I found. My mind was racing as I thought that maybe I was overreacting and it was harmless? That whatever I had seen was something that I didn’t have to worry about at all. Picking up my pizza slice as I looked towards my mom and I opened my mouth to speak. Before I could even utter a sound, my aunt screamed loudly in the kitchen behind us. We all turned to her as she came rushing in as she pointed to the window in the kitchen. Her eyes were wide with fear as she screamed,”OUR CARS ARE ON FIRE!!!!”

No one moved before a loud explosion followed her words. As if punctuating what she was telling us. For a second, we still couldn’t move from our spots. We were all just frozen in place. That was until Ruger started barking and growling as he rushed towards the kitchen himself. Uncle Lucas ran after him. Dropping his plate of pizza as he bellowed,”NO! RUGER DON’T GO IN THERE!!!”

With that, we all dropped our plates and ran after them. Mom hot on her older brother’s heels as she ran. She screeched,”RUGER GET BACK HERE! IT’S NOT SAFE!!!”