Chapter Three

A Home Coming

I should be happy to being heading back home, but I’m conflicted and not because I’m not sad

about my only living aunt dying and not because I don’t love my sister but, I hate this place. I

said the day I left it I would never return and here I am, standing on the this ferry watching as

the island of Vinalhaven slowly approached it’s like one of those dreams where you’re in one of

those long hallways and you’re trying to get to the end and it seems to never come, the longer

you walk the longer the hallway becomes. The wind off the water stinging my face, it was as

cold as ice water. Even the warmest day here is like early winter. Or perhaps that’s could be just

me I’m never sure. All I know is this place brings out the worst in me and my sister has another

year of school and she won’t go for me trying to move her out of school and back to the main

land so I am stuck in this god forsaken place for a damn year. Just great.

I nearly jumped out of my skin when the Ferryman blew his horn to let us know that we

were close to the island and would be docking anytime. Most people didn’t believe when I told

them I was from the island, I got a lot of no ways or are you serious, I would usually just nod

and go on. One women told me once she didn’t think there were any inhabitants there. I had to

inform her that unfortunately there was a very booming town there with a quartz mine and

fishing boats. Along with schools and shops. She seemed very surprised and said she would

have to see for herself I always hoped she never came, but who really knows. After about what

seemed like forever I could see the shore, I leaned over the railing, trying to see if my sister was

standing on the dock waiting for me but I didn’t see a single girl, who looked anything like her

and came upon the assumption that she wasn’t here. Either she had forgotten that I was

coming or I had forgot to tell her it was today. I assumed it was the latter. Well won’t she be

surprised.

I didn’t see anyone else I knew except for the Harbor Master Frank Horner, who looked as old

as he ever did, which was a bit funny because he was old when I was growing up. The boat

shook as we hit the side of the dock, I had already thrown my bag over my shoulder and was

waiting next to the gate. Feeling Antsy enough to jump Ship if he did ring that bell for the all

clear, and as the door swung open, I was out and halfway down the dock before the first five

people to trail behind me. I gave a Farewell Salute to the old Ferry, and trotted up to the road.

Since my sister wasn’t here to meet me. I would have to hoof it to our house, our

house, what a weird thing to say, I would of never guessed that our Aunt would leave us the

house, but I guess her wanting it to stay in the family made sense and my sister may or may not

want to stay here, I hope for the latter because this place holds to many bad memories for

either of us. All I know though is when she is done with school, I am done with this place,

Amelie will understand, it was only two miles not a very long walk, and it would give me time to

dwell on my situation and what I was going to say to my sister. I cut thru a side street and up

onto the main road, pulling my hood up over my shaggy blonde hair. All I needed to do was get

there without me recognized by anyone, then I can call it an okay day. I didn’t need be known

before I reached the house, I didn’t want to be here in the first place, I really didn’t want to be

detained by the locals who wanted to know every last detail of where I have been, and why I

have not come home till now. The town had not changed much in six years. I was not surprised

about that, but as I walked I remembered, there was one thing that I liked about this place, the

smell. I did always like the smell the trees made after a heavy rain. It smelled of damp, fresh

and very potent evergreen. After about half a mile I cut thru the wood, and caught the trail

towards the old house. Which was now solely occupied by my sister and me. My sneakers left

heavy footprints in the damp ground. The word Madden stamped into the ground. I pushed

and pulled limbs aside as I made my way.

Before I knew it I could see the back of the old house, pale yellow with green shutters, the

shutters looked fairly newer, but other than that not much different, I came out from the tree

line and softly pushed the back gate open, the yard smelled strongly of jasmine and rosemary.

If I am lucky no one is here yet and I can settle in a bit. He searched the small grouping of rocks

laying at the base of the steps leading up to the back door of their house, last time I was here, I

could have sworn this is where the spare key was hidden, hopefully that hasn’t changed.

It took me a few minutes, but I was happy to see, for once the value of same old same old

because buried in the dirt was the golden key, I scooped it up quickly and put the rocks back

where I’d find them, scurried up the stairs and into the house. Thankfully no one was home just

yet, the house was dark and smelled of, what is that? Looking around the kitchen I realized

every available space was taking up by something edible, pies, cakes, baked food, fried food,

fish, fish and more fish, pastas, breads. Okay so maybe a small town gets another check in the

pro column. We wouldn’t have to worry about feeding each other for a least a month if this

kitchen was any proof. Suddenly I heard the front door open and close, “damn.”

Amelia hung her book bag up next to the front door with a heavy sigh, the house just

wasn’t the same without Aunt Leah, it was darker and quieter, there wasn’t the smell of tea

floating all threw the house, or music playing from the backyard. Amelie looked around the

room, she hadn’t drawn the curtains back in days, her aunt would be so ashamed of her for not

continuing on like it was another day and she was no longer here. That’s what it was like when

her parents died. Amelie picked up there picture from the end table and carried it with her as

she crossed the room to the large window in the front of the house. She stared at the picture of

her parents, both beautiful and fairly young, with smiles as bright of the sun. Aunt Leah had be

adamant that it never be put away. That they be missed but never forgotten and that we were

never ever to morn so much that we stopped living, “that is why we leave these pictures out,

because they are still here and always will be.” Amelie realized that she would have to do the

same with a picture of Leah now, she sat the picture down on the nearest table, and preceded

to pull open the curtains with a sharp jerk of her arms in either direction. Allowing light to burst

into the room, blinding her for a moment and she smiled without realizing it, she then turned

on her heels towards the kitchen. “Now to do something about the tea situation.”

As she stepped into the kitchen she was abruptly grabbed from behind, she felt two large arms

holding her tightly, she had the clarity to stomp on the intruders’ foot with hers and he quickly

let her go with a loud scream. “Geez, why the hostility?”

Amelie turned around to see her brother standing before her in front of the door way holding

his now sore foot. “What on earth are you doing!” she shouted “Why would you grabbed your

own sister like that, you prat.”

Madden held his free hand up in defense, “Now, listen I didn’t know it was you until I grabbed

you, all I heard was the door open and closed.” He watched as the expression on her face

became more annoyed and confused by the moment. She looked alarming like their mother,

“How was I supposed to know it was you Amelie?”

“How?! How?!” her left hand came up to rest on the counter, while her right went to her hip.

“Who else could it possibility be Mason?”

She watched as he shrugged his shoulder, “an intruder maybe?”

She cocked her head to one side, one eyebrow going up, yup a lot like mom,

“An, intruder? On Vinalhaven? Really??”

Mason dropped his foot and smiled, and proceeded to walk towards his sister, “Okay, so

maybe you have a good point, now come give me a hug hello.”

Amelie flung herself at her brother without thought, wrapping her arms around his waist

tightly. She felt the tears come from her eyes as his arms enveloped her, and she didn’t stop for

a good ten minutes, everything she thought, felt and didn’t know she felt came out in those

tears, Mason could feel her shaking breath and knew what she was feeling, he felt it to, and for

the first time since getting off that damn ferry he was happy. Amelie finally let me go and I

watched her as she walked over to the fridge and get a cold drink, “So what are you doing

here? I thought you weren’t do tomorrow?” she said, looking up at me as she shut the door to

the fridge.

“So I didn’t tell you the right day did I?” rubbing the back of my neck. Amelie walk towards the

kitchen table at the end of the room, her back was to me but I could still feel her eyebrow go up

again like it did earlier and could hear the irritation in her voice when she said, “Yes, you must

of, because I would have been there to pick you up if that was the case.”

Her tone made me let out a nervous laugh, “Yeah well, you know me.”

She fiddled with the lid on a bowl of pasta, “yes I do, and I am sure it was intentional.”

“Now that’s not fair, I would never.”

“mm mm.” She closed the lid on the pasta and went to the next one. I couldn’t help but feel a

bit guilty, she was right, I’m sure I did it on purpose. I didn’t want to deal with the whole

welcome home thing with everyone watching. I took a deep breath, “You’re happy to see me

though right?”

Amelie quickly turned around with a smile on her face, and I watched her as she pulled a cookie

off one of the many plates of them and tossed it at my head, “well Of course I am.”

“That’s good, because you would be in a lot of trouble if you weren’t, I’m just saying.”

I walked over to the table to stand beside her. “So nice spread, we won’t starve at least.”

“Yeah at least there is that.” I could hear the sadness in her voice, she really loved Aunt Leah, I

had to say I loved her too, she was a little on the weird side and most people gave her a wide

birth, with the witch rumor and all, she got a kick out of that, but she took us in when our

parents died seven years ago, and she was all we had left. I couldn’t believe when Ames told

me that the sheriff said she died from an animal attack. There wasn’t an animal big enough on

this island to kill a grown women, at least not one that would do the damage that they said.

“So” trying to sound nonchalant, “what’s been going on? Did they find that animal that did it?”

I could see Amelie pause in the middle of making herself something to eat out of the corner of

my eye and her hand grip the plastic spoon she was holding very tightly. “No, no they haven’t.”

And as fast as she was tensed up she was fine.

“Really?” pulling a chair out and making some room on the table for my plate I sat down and

watched as my sister sat across from. “They’ve found nothing?”

“Nope nothing, they said they found prints leading to and away from the garden into the

woods, and they tried to follow them but they stopped just outside the preservation where she

was found and then they were gone.”

Looking down at my plate I responded “how could they just be gone, I mean they said it was a

big animal right?” she nodded “well, there is no way that something that big could just up and

disappear without leaving some kind of tracks unless it climbed up a tree and started swing

from the branches.” I let out a small laugh as I pictured a giant bear trying to swing from the

trees like Tarzan.

“That’s not funny.”

My head quickly shot up and I saw Amelie’s giving me a very stern look.

“Yeah I’m sorry Ames, your right, it’s not that, I just... well I really don’t have a good excuse.”

“Its fine,” she said with a sigh, “we have the funeral on Saturday. Everyone will be there, so you

better prepare yourself for a million and one question. And lots and lots of hugging.”

The thought of every old women in town hugging me gave me the shiver. “Consider me

warned.”

“Good.”

We sat for the rest of our meal in silence, I helped her do the dished and she mention

something about needing to do some homework but we could watched a movie a bit later if I

felt like it. I of course gave her a solid nod yes and watched her as she disappeared out of sight.

I took some time to reacquaint myself with the house, didn’t really look much different than

when I left, some of the familiar smells weren’t there but then again, she was gone and with

her went the familiar, just like when our parents died. For a few months after I could still smell

my mother’s perfume, but now I couldn’t even tell you what it smelled like. I made my way

through the house, walking down the hallway I passed my sister’s room, the door was shut,

next to my sister’s was our Aunt’s room, I jiggled the handle but it was locked, that was alright I

doubt think I’m ready to go in there, at the end of the hall on the other side was my room. I

wondered if it still is, I thought, I grabbed ahold of the knob and slowly pushed the door open. It

was bright, the curtains were wide open letting the last bit of light from the day in, it was still

that terrible pale green color, some of my old posters were still no the wall and there were a

few boxes in the far corner that I never unpacked from the old house. I can’t believe that say

there for the last seven years. The room like the room hadn’t been touched other than to keep

it dusted. The twin bed was smaller then I remembered but I was pretty sure it would do,

though if I am here for a year maybe I might just want a bit bigger. I walked across the room to

the window that faced out the back of the house. There was a large Oak tree that stood right

next to house, it’s branched to give great shade and one was large and grew out right over my

window. Just beyond that was a huge round picnic table, Aunt Leah love to make us sit out

there to eat in the evenings. Candles and lanterns everywhere. At the back of the yard was her

garden and then the woods. Could an animal really have been what killed my aunt and then

dragged her body all that way? Just doesn’t seem possible or even real for that matter. I stood

there staring out that window for what seem like forever. Thinking about my parents, Aunt

Leah, my sister and how life is funny, I worked so hard and yet here I was. There was nothing

that could be done about it now, I knew that. All I could do was be here, and wait.

As I turned around to walk away something caught my eyes. Just inside the tree line

stood something, something large. I narrowed my eyes and tried to focus on the shape, it was

big and dark brown it was hard to tell the coloring from shade of the trees. It suddenly it turned

its head and I caught a glimpse of its face, it was a big brown bear. It was standing there, it

looked to the left and right but mostly it just stood there staring at the house. What was it

doing? I stood there in amazement and then I remembered. An animal, they think an animal

killed Aunt Leah. I quickly turned and bolted out of my room and down the hallway making my

way towards the backyard. I busted threw the back door almost falling down the stairs, I

scanned the trees but it was gone. I made my way across the yard to the trees, but nothing.

“Where did it go?” I walked a little ways but still nothing, it couldn’t just disappear, and it was

huge, I tried to listen for movement, but there was none. There was prints near the tree itself

and I followed them into the woods but even those disappeared after time. I instinctively

looked up at the sky and back again. “Tarzan Bears.”

I made my way back to the house, looking over my shoulder occasionally, Last thing I needed

was to have it sneak back up on me, there was no way I could fight off a bear, and I didn’t want

to try. I closed the gate back behind me, I jingled the latch and wished for a padlock, under the

circumstances, it would be a good idea. I was pretty sure that bears could open gates, I felted

like I was becoming quickly obsessed with the damn bear. It’s happening already I thought, “I’m

going insane.”

That’s its blame it on insanity, why not? I walked backwards towards the house but turned

around half way, flopping down on the top step as I reach the stairs. I wasn’t ready to go back in

the house and there was really was no need, Amelie was busy with her homework and I knew

she would come find me when she was ready to watch that movie. I pulled my phone out of the

pocket of my jacket along with my headphones and slide them on, picking one of my favorite

playlist, pull my hood up over my head and push play.

“What are you doing?”

I was startled awake by a familiar voice, I open my eyes and realize I was lying face up on the

landing with my legs stretched down the stairs. My sister stood above me with a quizzical look

on her face, her hair falling down in front of her, her eyes the brightest green, like our mothers’

head was cocked to one side like she was waiting for an answer.

“Sorry, I must have fallen asleep.” I sat up and stretched, it was dark now the sun had already

set and I could see the glow of the street lights coming from around the side of the house. I

looked around and felt thankful I wasn’t eaten, Amelie tapped me on the shoulder, catching my

attention again. I twisted a little to see her and smiled.

She tapped me with the back of her hand, gesturing her head to left. “If you are going to sit out

here, then move over.”

“Oh.” I said sifting over to the left and Amelie nestled herself down between me and the post,

taking a deep breath.

“Just as you remember, huh?” she ask.

“Yeah, exactly, actually. I should be surprised by that, but, I’m not.”

“Yeah, I know.” She responded laughing. “But you know there is something nice in that too.”

I wrap my arm around her, resting my hand on her upper arm and puller her closer, “if you say so.”

“So, what are you doing out here anyways?”

“I thought I saw something earlier and came out to investigate but I couldn’t find it and I didn’t

really feel like coming back inside.”

Amelia narrowed her eyes at me and looked out towards the woods and back again. “What did

you see?”

“Well I thought I saw a big brown bear, no not thought, I know I saw a big brown bear.”

“Really? A bear? In our yard?” she leaned away a bit and looked at me like I was crazy. I let go

of her and lightly slapping the landing. “Yes, a bear. It left prints, I tried to follow them.”

Pointing out towards the tree line, “but, they disappeared about five minutes in.” I suddenly

realize she might not react well to that but before I could explain it was too late. Her face went

from confused to irate, “What?! You think you saw a bear and your bright idea was to follow

it.”

I put my hands up in front of me in natural defense and tried to explain. “Now, yes, not the

brightest idea in theory but I wasn’t thinking.”

She slapped my hands down and poked me in the chest. “Apparently! What if? What if that

bear had been there when you came up or what if you had come up upon it? Do you remember

what I told you about Aunt Leah?”

I rubbed my chest where her finger had just been, nodding in agreement, “Yes, which is why I rushed out here.”

Amelie continue to stare at me dumbfounded “You’re an idiot.”

“There is a consensus on that.” I said wrapping my arms around her and pulling her towards

me, she didn’t pull away so I figured I was in the clear this time. For the moment of course. I let

go of her after a bit but kept one arm around her like before, and readjusted myself to face out

again. She lean into my side resting her head on my shoulder. I heard her take a deep breath

and let it out slowly, then she spoke again. “You and I are it, we’re all we have so, you can’t go

anywhere.”

“I’m not.” I said I pulled my sharable earbuds out of my pocket and swapped them with my

bulking ones, then offered one to Amelie, who took it without question, putting it in her

available ear, I put the other in my own, and again pushed play.

We didn’t talk the rest of the evening, but instead just sat there staring out, she never leaned

away and I never let go. The moon was high in the sky more I was too cold to sit out here

anymore, no matter how warm my sister was. I went to move my arm from around her

shoulder and realize quickly she didn’t move, looking down I noticed that Amelie had fallen

asleep, I wondered if she’s even slept, really slept in a week. I got up on my feet, staying

hunched over and keeping my arm around her back, I get my other arm up under her legs and

lift, cradling her in my arms. She isn’t as light as I remember her, but still, not too bad. Luckily

the back door opens in, so I used my foot to pry the screen door open and then move the knob

on the door with hand from behind Amelie’s back enough till I could push it open with my toe

and make my way in, closing the door with my back, I try to move as quietly as possible, Amelie

seems to be sleeping pretty soundly, as I make my way to her room, laying her down in bed,

pulling the covers up over her. I thought about what she had to say about us being all we have

now and making me promise not to go anywhere. I’m not sure I’ll be able to keep that promise

for forever, but at least for the next year I can keep it just fine. If I survive this year, is a whole

other story. I closed her door as I left and made my way back down the hall towards the living

room.

Next Chapter: Shifters and Scout