THOUGHTS AND JOKE FOR THE DAY BY CHERYL V.

BE SURE TO THINK POSITIVE BECAUSE WHEN YOU THINK POSITIVE, IT DRAWS POSITIVE FORCES TOWARDS YOU. AND AS A RESULT, YOU DON'T GET SICK EASY, OR EVEN GET DEPRESSED EASY. AND POSITIVE EVENTS ARE DRAWN TOWARDS YOU.
JOKE FOR THE DAY: A MAN ISN'T REALLY GETTING BALD WHEN HE'S LOSING HAIR ON TOP OF HIS HEAD. HE JUST HAS MORE HEAD.

TED BECOMES HAUNTED THROUGH AN UNKNOWN FORCE-SHORT STORY BY CHERYL V.

CHERYL VERBEKE
4977 MEISNER
EAST CHINA TWP.,
MI 48054
EMAIL-cherbear1950
@yahoo.com






CHAPTER I


PROLOGUE

Mike, a guy with a tall build, and loves wearing his brown, curly hair way past his shoulders. He has had a hunting friend, Ted, a real health nut, for some time, which friend, he, originally, met in Ypsilanti, Michigan about ten years ago. And, since, Ted jus loved hunting a lot during the hunting season; he decided to move to Metamora, Michigan. And jus because Ted has had a few friends, which he, accidentally, shot dead, a few times while hunting from which he has had all these nightmares

Ted happened to find out from some geographical program which he loves to watch on television whenever he’s relaxing at night, that Metamora is a great city which has plenty of woods in which to go hunting. Also, through the geographical program, he learned that there are plenty of deer as well as turkeys, which, always, seem to hang out in the woods in Metamora.

Ted went from city living to country living, mostly, because he wanted to give country living, a tryout, since, he is used to living in the city all of his life. And this big house, into which he moved, looks jus like a mansion from the outside, and it has three floors to it. And it has a high ceiling on the first floor with these big pillars along with a circular staircase to the second floor. Also, it has one master bedroom along with a shower with the inside of it, carved out of rock with a nice statue on the one side of it.

Dressed in fatigues and a camouflage hat, this young man, Mike, jus arrived in Metamora, Michigan after traveling for a number of hours. He came there from Ypsilanti which has been quite a trip for him. Being he planned to meet Ted, there, to go hunting with him, he jus pulled up into his friend’s driveway.

Jus as Mike hopped out of his car, he’s in deep thought, “Boy, through those photos, which Ted sent me of his new house, I never dreamed, though, that his house, actually, was so big. I’ve never been here, before, however Ted, surely, has nice light pink walls on the first floor along with those huge pillars and winding staircase in this one photo, he has sent me.”

Then, jus as Mike walked into to Ted’s backyard he said to himself under his breath, “Boy, these woods in back of his house seem to be quite huge. These woods back here jus seem to go on for endless miles, and is bigger than any other woods, I’ve been through before. Ted’s backyard is beautiful, and seems to cover quite a lot of acres, here; and his living room, surely, has oversized windows.”

Then, as he walked into the front yard, Mike said to himself, “Boy, look at these woods in the front; they appears to be so square like if the Lord, got a guardian angel to carve it so perfect for Ted. Also, that long driveway makes my red Cadillac stand out. And that enormous front yard of Ted’s with all those trees makes all those hills on the street, appear to fit right in with his house and all these woods across the street.”

Because Mike’s supposed to meet Ted to go hunting in these enormous woods around the area to try and hunt down some deer, he, then, walked up to the pink porch. Now, Mike’s surprised to see that the front door is half stained glass, which to him makes Ted’s house, appear even more beautiful.

Mike thought while walking around Ted’s front yard, “Hey, this stained glass is reaching out to me with loving hands. I hope there’s no ghost around outside or inside this place. Or that no one ever died before in this house. If there are any ghosts, any of them could decide to haunt me. And that pink porch with its two pink pillars seems, as though, it is staring right at me, like if it has these huge eyes.”

As Mike is through walking around on the grass, he has felt, he’s seen enough for now; that there’s plenty to see around here. So, he, then, said to himself.

“In some way, this loving house is trying to engulf my world like if I’m being surrounded by high society. This makes me, feel, as though, I’ve become a king of this house, and should enter, only, with such grace while dressed in a king’s robe. It’s like, as though, there’s a gold crown on my head; however, there actually, isn’t one there. And this house of Ted’s is acting, unusually, friendly to me. Its love can’t, possibly, match the love, which I and my friend possess when it comes to hunting, though.”

Jus as Mike arrived at the front door, he’s, almost, afraid to ring the doorbell because he jus didn’t feel right to enter such an expensive place. But he, finally, gathered enough courage inside, and, very tenderly, rang the doorbell. As he did, he could hear Ted’s dogs, barking, which shrill barking tended to scare him for a minute?

However, as Ted answered his front door after peeking through the eye hole of the door to see who’s there, he said to his dogs.

“Hey, get away from this door, Sparky and Choo Choo. You know darn well who’s at the door. You’ve known Mike for years now, ever since, I used to live in Ypsilanti. So, if you dogs don’t go mind your manners, neither of you will get a milk bone. And will regret this too. Okay, you two jus lay by the couch and pout. It’s not going to get you two dogs, Sparky or Choo Choo, a treat.”

“Your dogs are acting, as though, neither of them remembers me. However, I know darn well, that they do.”

“Maybe Sparky and Choo Choo are scared jus; they’re not used to this new house of mine yet. Oh, those dogs of mine. They’ve been something else, since, I’ve moved into this house. They tend to walk around like if this house is being spooked. And have been barking a lot as this house isn’t their property. It’ll take some time for these dogs to get used to their new surroundings.”

“Is it alright if I come inside now? For a minute, there, you were giving me, the feeling, like if you forgot about me being here at the door.”

“C’mon right inside. And make yourself at home. It might feel strange in here at first. However you’ll get used to it. By the way, you didn’t forget your hunting gear, this time, did you?”

“Oh no, I took my time in getting ready, this time. It’s, only, whenever I’m in a big hurry, that I tend to forget things. I even found time to polish up my gun before leaving my house, this morning. Well, do you have some coffee made? I could use some waking up.”

”Jus come over here. This part is the kitchen and dining area all in one, as you can see, though, it’s all connected to the living room, too. With all these rooms being as one, might be a little hard to get used to at first. Also, don’t be surprised, if you get somewhat lost inside this house. You’re not used being in such a big house. That I know for sure.”

So, as Mike set his things down in the living room on the floor, he, then, walked over to the kitchen area. And he got himself, some coffee along with some sugar and cream too. He jus couldn’t drink coffee with out the extras, being that way; coffee wasn’t like coffee to him. Also, he loved drinking energy drinks too, and in fact, had some with him in his backpack for hunting along with other food and, of course, a thermos of water, and one bottle of Gator Aid.

Then, Ted got himself, some black coffee, and joined Mike at the dining area table. As they were drinking their coffee, Mike said to Ted, “So how have you liked living here in the country? What do you think of the country? Is it better than living in the city?”

Ted isn’t surprised, that Mike is popping questions to him. He kind of expected it, since; Mike tends to get very inquisitive at times. He’s been like that, ever since, the two met when Ted lived in Ypsilanti.

He has this inquisitive habit about him jus because he, usually, does it jus to get attention like when he’s tired, and doesn’t feel like talking. Or when he’s feeling over peppy like after having one of his energy drinks like Ted does jus to imitate him in being a health nut, he will tend to bring up jokes or even funny stories from time to time.

So, then, Ted said to him, “I couldn’t love country life any better. Ever since, I’ve lived here in the country, it’s as if I belong here. And it’s a lot more exciting than city life. Don’t get me wrong, now, though. It does cost a pretty penny to live out in the country in a house like this one. The only reason, I can afford living in this house, is because I’ve been a salesman for many years; and have been making good money.”

I can’t believe it. That you, still, are making it good as a salesman out here in the country. Do you get many offers out here in the country for office supplies? How about this neighborhood? Has anyone been friendly to you yet, or do your neighbors tend to be sort of offish?”

“As far as the neighbors go, at least, the neighbors on either side of me, since, they know, I’m a salesman, they seem to, always, want to buy office supplies from me. In fact, the neighbors on the left side of me buy quite a lot of paper, especially, because the guy who owns the house, next door, is a faithful writer. Since, he uses a computer a lot; he is a big user of paper because he writes those lengthy novels around 500 to 1000 pages long. And one novel, usually, takes him a few months to write, the rough draft and all.”

“Has he had many of his novels published at all? Since, you say, he’s a novel writer, I’ll assume that he’s a well-known author by now.”

“Oh, yes, he’s had about three of his novels, published. Also, he writes screenplays which usually take longer to write and publish. However, as far as screenplays go, he’s, only, gotten so far as to have sent a few to a company or two, which furnish completed scripts for a movie or an upcoming pilot. If the ones, he’s, already, sent out for a pilot, that’s if any of them are published, he plans on sending more on the very same idea or topic if a pilot is made into a series for television.”

“Well, Mike, do you have all packed what you do need for our hunting trip? I think if we are going to be doing any hunting until dusk that we should get a move on. Its’, already, going on the middle of the afternoon, and we’ll be lucky if we can find plenty of deer to hunt at this time of day. I doubt, though, that we’ll find any turkeys, being that they tend to come out more in the morning hours.”

“Oh, yeah, Ted, I’ve finished my energy drink, and am all ready to head out into the woods. In fact, I was going to take the dogs with me, but if I do, I’m afraid that, since, they don’t know these woods around here, or even the area around the house, that they could get lost. So, I’ve hired one of my neighbors to be a dog sitter, and I pay him, pretty well.”

“Was that your doorbell, Ted? I know I jus heard some weird sounds, which sound like some unusual music to my ears.”

“Oh, yeah, sit tight for a minute. I’d better answer that front door. That’s my neighbor, now.”

So, Mike jus sat at the table for now being that he never did trust the dogs. “They might go crazy if they aren’t familiar with Ted’s neighbor, “he’s thinking, “so, I’ll jus stay put here until those darn dogs settle down again.”

As Ted answered the front door, his neighbor is there jus like he thought. And so, Ted said to him, “Oh, hi, Bruce, c’mon right inside. And you dogs remember what I told you two. You Sparky and Choo Choo settle down now. You two are making too much ruckus to suit me. Oh go ahead, and lie down. If you two lie down, I’ll get you both a milk bone.”

So, as the two dogs lay down over beside the black leather couch, then, Ted said to Bruce, “C’mon inside and meet my good friend, Mike. He’s a lover of hunting jus like I am. In fact, he’s the one who taught me all about hunting.”

As Mike and Bruce walked over to Ted, Ted reached out his hand, and shook Ted’s neighbor’s hand. Mike isn’t at all surprised because he does this whenever he visits him.

So, then, Ted said to Mike with urgency in his voice, “Okay, Mike, let’s get going. And Bruce, if the dogs get out of hand, jus take my belt from the couch, and belt them one. However I think, that jus if you show them, the belt, whenever they’re being bad, that they’re know right off the bat what you want from them. Bye, for now, Bruce. Oh, yes, jus help yourself to some coffee and anything you want from the fridge.”

Then, Mike followed Ted out the back door after they both made sure; they had everything which they were going to need for hunting. And as they reached the woods, Ted said to Mike, “jus follow the trail, and whenever you think, you see a deer within range, jus yell out to me, “Stop, there’s a deer,” so I jus don’t keep on walking. That’s because if you don’t say something, one of us is bound to get lost in these woods. And we both have to be very careful because these woods are bigger than it appears to be.”

So, the two were walking side by side on the trail, trying to stay close together, even though, it would be harder to spot a deer, that way. And who knows what could happen if Mike got lost in these woods.

After walking about an hour, Ted jus happen to spot a few deer around, so, he yelled out to Mike, “Okay, buddy, hold it. There are a few deer around in this area. And be very careful like always. Don’t aim and shoot at any of them until you’re sure of the whites of their eyes.”

So, Ted took a good aim at a buck with his rifle, and the next thing before he realized what is happening, he took a couple of shots at the buck. And the next thing, he knew, he thought, he saw the buck go down.

Ted said to Mike, “C’mon and follow me. I’ve got to check out to see if I got that buck or not. Didn’t see him, run away. So, I think, I might have shot him dead.”

Making sure that Mike stayed close to him, they both walked a couple of feet over to where Ted is sure, he saw the buck. As they both arrived near the buck, sure enough, the buck is down. So, while Mike jus stood there, Ted bent over the buck, and felt it. And for sure, they knew that it’s dead.

So, both Mike and Ted weren’t far from Ted’s house, so, they both took a hold on the buck’s legs, and pulled it over right into Ted’s back yard. And in arriving there, jus left the buck, lying on the grass.

Then, Ted said to Mike, “Look, quickly, there’s one right over there,” as he’s pointing to the other side of the yard where there’s woods on three sides of the backyard. So, then, they both made sure, that the deer is jus standing there on the grass. Then, they both took an aim at it, and fired some shots.

Suddenly, neither one of them saw it, and walked over to that part of the yard; but there was a male turkey, lying on the grass, and no deer. But, since, it wasn’t legal in this part of the country to shoot at turkeys; they both walked over to the edge of the woods, and dug out a big hole.

As they were, Ted said to Mike with urgency in his voice, “I don’t think this is such a good idea. What if one of the neighbors or somebody catches us, burying this turkey? We could get into deep trouble if we’re reported to the authorities.”

Then, Mike said to Ted, “What else are we going to do? If we jus allow the turkey to lie here, we could get into even more trouble, if someone finds its carcass on the grass.”

So, then, the two jus carried the turkey to the hole, and since, dusk was coming close, no one would be able to see them there in the woods. So, then, after closing up the hole, the two jus walked back to where the deer is, still, lying on the grass. And then, the two dragged the deer into the garage onto some newspaper. Then, one of them, Ted, cut the deer open, and then, they pulled out the meat. After that, they cleaned out the carcass, and upon placing the meat into a freezer, then, Ted carried the carcass over to his truck.

Then, Ted said to Mike, “I know of a place not far from here where we can get the deer stuffed.”

So, then, Ted and Mike hopped into Ted’s blue Chevy truck, and off they were on their way. As they arrived at a neighbor’s house, Mike waited inside the truck while Ted took the deer carcass inside the neighbor’s garage. Upon Ted spotting his neighbor, he, then, said to him, “would you stuff this deer carcass for us? I’ll give you, let’s say, one-hundred bucks more for it than I, usually, do.”

Then, Ted’s neighbor said to him, “It’s a deal, then. Do you have the money with you right now? If you do, I’ll give you a receipt for it. So, you know you paid for it. And don’t forget to pick it up tomorrow or the next day or whenever you have the chance.”

After Ted gave him, the money, he said to his neighbor, “Thanks for doing this for us. And here’s a hundred from Mike too because we both found the deer, actually.”

Then, the two hopped back into the truck, and headed on their way back to Ted’s house. As they arrived there, Ted pulled the truck into the driveway. And then, the two walked inside through the back door after taking their shoes off; then, the two had some beer to drink to celebrate finding a deer on their first hunt of the season along with the dog sitter who left after his first beer.

The next morning, the dog sitter came over about seven o’clock in the morning, and then, both Ted and Mike headed over to where they had buried the turkey, the night before. However, as they arrived near that edge of woods, the turkey is lying next to the hole, which is, still, covered up.

So, Ted said to Mike, in an unsettled voice, “Something’s weird here. Why is the turkey lying over here, not rotted up? And why is the hole, still, covered up like we left it, yesterday?”

Mike responded, “That’s what I’d like to know. Something jus isn’t right. That turkey should be starting to rot by now; also, you’d think that it would appear, that some birds have been eating it too. Birds, usually, have no trouble, hunting down a dead turkey right away.”

Even though, they both felt quite uneasy inside, they headed into the woods onto the same trail, they were on yesterday when they were on the hunt for deer.

And about an hour later, as Ted and Mike walked through the woods while the sun isn’t shining, so brightly, Ted said to Mike, “Seems like I jus saw a reflection of that turkey in this woods. It’s an eerie feeling to me. Did you happen to notice that reflection jus now?”

“No, I’ve been looking towards the sun and in the direction in which you, usually, tend to keep your eyes fixed for deer. And I haven’t seen any reflection or shadow of anything for that matter.”

“Guess we might as well keep looking for deer. It, probably, is jus a hallucination, I’m having. Maybe, I’m starting to see things jus because I noticed a ghost on your front porch, yesterday, when I jus came to your house.”

“Did you say a ghost? Well, when I bought this house, a neighbor told me, that some old guy, who used to live here, died jus before I moved into the house. So, maybe, you aren’t hallucinating. Maybe, what you jus saw, is that same ghost, trying to pull something on you.”

“Hey, I jus saw a deer nearby, and it doesn’t seem to be running away either. So, don’t get close to it. You might scare it away.”

So, Ted isn’t aware of this, however Mike jus wandered away from him. He even is walking towards to where Ted saw that deer in the clearing. So, as Mike walked into the clearing, a buck appeared again, that same one. And Mike is heading for a tree, trying to hide from the buck. However,Ted is jus assuming that Mike, still, is with him on the trail.

Then, Ted took a couple of shots at the buck, and saw it fall to the ground. But during these shots, one backfired towards a tree, and, actually, hit Mike in the shoulder. So, suddenly, Ted’s hearing him, groaning, so, he looked around for him. And jus noticed that his friend isn’t with him.

So, Ted said to himself while, still, looking for his friend, “Oh no, I’m getting very worried now. I’m following that groaning sound, which is leading me to the tree where Mike’s at.”












CHAPTER II


As Ted arrived near the tree, he jus happened to spot Mike,
lying on the ground. So, feeling very desperate, Ted felt Mike’s pulse, which isn’t very good right now.

So, Ted’s in deep thought, “What am I going to do now? Mike’s got a bullet in his right shoulder. And I can feel it underneath his shirt while I’m bending over him. And there doesn’t seem to be anyone around to help us.”

Since, Ted didn’t know what else to do, he used whatever strength, and he’s got. And he tried to drag Mike back over to where he can see his house.

And as he arrived over at the grass on his property, he has to let Mike, lie there for a couple of minutes while he tried to get his breath. Then, he dragged Mike real close to his own house, and then, he ran into his house, and found the dog sitter at the kitchen table.

Then, Ted said to the dog sitter in a desperate voice, “My friend has been shot. And don’t know who shot him. Please call an ambulance for him right away. He’s lying in my backyard. In the meantime, I’ll go get an old shirt of mine and my first aid kit, which is inside my backpack in the backyard. I’ll do what I can for him until the paramedics arrive.”

The dog sitter is lost as to what to tell him to do, so, he jus walked over to the phone in the kitchen area, and called 911. Upon a guy answering the phone, the dog sitter, Bruce, said to him.

“I need an ambulance right away over here on Medford Hill Street at property number seven in Metamora, and am very close to Okemos. A guy’s friend has been shot in the shoulder while the two were hunting, and is in very bad shape. As I look at the window, I can see that he’s placing his shirt around the guy’s shoulder, and making a tourniquet, trying to stop the bleeding.”

So, the guy told him, “That’s all he can do for now. The ambulance will be there, shortly.”

In the meantime, Ted has walked back to where Mike is lying on the grass, still, groaning in pain while Ted is trying his best to stop Mike’s wound from bleeding. Then, he’s able to pull the bullet out of Mike’s shoulder, and has the bleeding under control. However, his friend needed a tetanus shot, and needed to be checked out, thoroughly, by the paramedics.

Before he realizes it, the ambulance pulled into the driveway, and the paramedics are running into the backyard with a black box and a stretcher. So in being in tears, maybe, having to face realization, that his friend is going to have to fight hard to make it, Ted said to the paramedics.

“I managed to get the bullet out of his right shoulder, and was able to get it out. However I can’t seem to get a good pulse out of him; I’m afraid he might be bleeding eternally from the bullet wound.”

Then, one of the paramedics said to the other one, “Quickly, get an IV from the ambulance. Also, since, the bullet is out of the guy’s shoulder, get the tetanus vaccine from there too. In the meantime, I’ll stay here with the guy; and do whatever I can to try to stop the bleeding.”

So, the other paramedic ran as fast as his feet could carry him. And hopped inside the ambulance, and found the tetanus vaccine. And then, as he arrived back to where Mike, still, seemed to be lifeless on the grass, he administered the vaccine along with some morphine for the pain. Then, along with Ted’s help being the bleeding, finally, stopped, the paramedics pushed Mike onto the stretcher and into the ambulance.

Although, Ted is concerned for Mike’s well being, and very worried if he’s going to make it or not, he wanted to go along with Mike. However he wasn’t being that Mike is in so bad a condition.

So, one of the paramedics said to Mike jus before the ambulance left, “All you can do is sit tight. And keep praying for him; that he makes it. We are going to do all we can until your friend reaches the hospital. Will have the doctor or a nurse call you after he’s checked out, thoroughly.”

Then, in knowing his friend, Mike’s dying, and because he’s feeling very distraught and guilty being he could have shot Mike, accidentally, said to himself on the way back inside the house.

“Oh, Mike, don’t fade away from me. I didn’t mean to shoot at you if I did. I should have been more cautious at making sure, you stayed at my side. Hold on, my friend. You’re strong. You can make it through all of this.”

So, then, as Ted walked back inside his house through the back porch, he said to the dog sitter, “Here’s your money. Thank you for watching and taking care of the dogs for me while I had been hunting. As far as I know, I think I accidentally shot at my friend because he was near the tree when one of my shots backfired on me. So, I think that had been when one of them had hit him in the right shoulder.”

Then, the dog sitter said to Ted, “Don’t keep your hopes up. It’ll be quite hard for your friend to survive a bullet wound. Although, you were able to get the bullet out, he, still, could be bleeding eternally from the bullet having penetrated his shoulder. And I’ll pray hard for him, and you do the same.”

So, about an hour later, a doctor called over at Ted’s house, and said to him, “I’m sorry. I and another doctor did all we could to try to save your friend’s life. However we operated on him, and he had been bleeding eternally. So, we weren’t able to do much for him being that he had lost too much blood during his operation. So, we couldn’t save his life. I know this is hard to take. However pray so that he goes to Heaven. And doesn’t get stuck between two worlds.”

That wasn’t any consolation for Ted, so, he went to bed being it is getting late at night. And as he lay in his bed unable to fall asleep right away, he thought, “My dear friend, why did this have to happen to you? You were my good friend. And we have been good buddies for some time. Jus hope you made it to Heaven.”

Then, Ted prayed like crazy, so that his friend would be sure to go to Heaven. But what he didn’t know was that Mike didn’t make it to Heaven. He knew his friend, Ted, took his death very hard. So, he stayed in between two worlds. This is so he could keep supporting his friend, Ted, until he could get over all this grieving as Ted is crying enough tears to fill a bucket.

But, although, ever since, the night before, Ted has been mourning over his friend’s death, he went hunting the next morning, anyways. And at least for now, stayed away from the area where his friend had been shot. Ted’s afraid that his friend might turn into a ghost.

So, while on the lookout for some bucks, Ted thought to himself, “Something’s not right. I’ve heard, many times, that when a loved one dies in the woods, that strange things can happen. In fact, I think I’m hearing his voice out here in the wild. And it doesn’t sound the least bit soothing to me. He’s calling out to me for help, and I can seem to make out what he’s trying to tell me.”

So, Ted tried to avoid the feeling, that something is about to happen out in the woods. And he jus kept hunting, being on the lookout for some bucks. And, possibly, some rabbits too.

As he reached his backyard near where tree is where his friend got shot, he, actually, felt a wind around him.

And before he realized it, he’s saying to him, “What’s happening to me? Can feel some strange wind, spinning around me. And feel like the woods are closing in around me.”

At that, Ted felt like he blacked out. And when he came to, he’s in a daze; however he’s aware, that he’s on the ground. And that the strange wind, once, around him, has been what, actually, pushed down to the ground. So, he jus lay there for a few minutes, and tried to catch his breath as the wind has been knocked out of him.

Then, he got up onto his feet, and upon brushing all the leaves and stuff off his fatigues, he walked away from that area, and proceeded further into the woods. However, he found a trail and stayed on it, so, that he would be able to find his way back to his house.

And as he’s walking in a steady pace, he said to himself, “I wonder how Mike, feels about me shooting him to death. I bet he doesn’t like me at all for doing it. I can jus see his eyes, glaring at me, and wanting to do away with me now. I shouldn’t be talking like this; it could drive me crazy in these woods.”

About a half hour later, he noticed some turkeys around in the woods, and wondered if he should take a chance, and try to shoot at one. So, he jus brought his rife out in front of him, and aimed at one. He fired a few shots, however the turkeys jus ran away, instead, of staying in his firing range.

So, as he, still, followed the trail, it was taking him around in a circle. So, he figured he must be heading back to his house again. And as he stayed on the trail, some storm clouds are what he spotted in the distance. So, he ran as fast as he could without stumbling on his feet.

Then, he stopped, suddenly, and felt as if he’s being pushed towards the area where his friend was shot down. However, he couldn’t find whatever is trying to drive him over there to that area. And as he reached that area, some storm funnel came down, and settled itself on top of a tree.

Now, he is scared, so, he said to himself, “Boy that voice of Mike’s has become an echo. And can make out what he’s saying to me, ‘Ted, Ted, can you hear me, can you hear me. I know, I know, you didn’t mean, you didn’t mean, to hit me, to hit me. So, my buddy, so, my buddy, come over here to the tree, come over here to the tree.”

Then, the echo stopped, however he, still, could hear Mike saying help. So, Ted said to him, “You know, buddy. I, really, miss you. Right now, can feel you right by my side. You’re walking the trails with me again.”

So, Mike said to him, “Buddy, I’ll, always, be at your side to protect you whenever you’re hunting. Think of me as your guardian angel because that’s what I am to you now. Jus feel me near you, every time, you go into these woods. Some day, I’ll take you down to the swamps. Remember the swamps? We used to cool off in them whenever we were hot.”

Ted knew he’s hearing the spirit of the wild around him. It’s an eerie feeling to him. He seems to know that Mike isn’t in Heaven yet. He’s stuck between two worlds. So, that’s why Ted can hear his voice in the woods. And he will, every time, Ted goes hunting until Ted’s over his mourning.

So upon hearing Mike’s voice, it, again, turned into an echo. It became so loud, that Ted, literally, got carried up into a tree.

So, Ted thought, “Oh no, what’s going on. How did I arrive in this tree? And how will I get down to the ground again?”

Mike answered him, “Sit tight. I sent my ghost to carry you to the tree. I did this so you wouldn’t forget how much I had been a friend to you when I had been alive. Don’t get scared now. I’ll have you down to the ground in no time at all.”

Then, although, Ted became scared, that he is going to fall to the ground, Mike’s ghost put Ted into his arms, and, actually, flew to the grass. Upon Ted landing on the grass, he is in a state of shock at first. But a couple of minutes later, he realizes that it, actually, had been Mike’s ghost, carrying him out of the tree.

However as Ted got up onto his feet, he heard a guy out in the woods, calling out to a buck. This buck got away from him, so, this guy cursed at the buck. And then, he’s so mad, that he’s running back to a clearing. But Ted doesn’t know where that guy is heading. So, upon seeing a buck near the clearance, he didn’t see the guy around anywhere. Then, being the buck wouldn’t move, he fired a few shots at the buck.

Then, as Ted headed towards that clearing, he heard a guy yell out, “Oh no, what has happened to me? I can feel that bullet in my chest. It hurts. Someone if you’re out there, head towards the clearing and help me. C’mon over here by the willow tree. I’m starting to crouch over from the pain.”

So, then, Ted followed the guy’s voice, and as he arrived at the clearing, he couldn’t believe his eyes. This is the second time that he’s seen a guy, get shot while he’s hunting. And this is, unusual, to happen to him. Usually, he’s careful before shooting at a deer. But he has this feeling, something’s going on out in this woods ever since, he’s been hunting.

Then, Ted said to the guy upon approaching him, “Where are you hurting, my friend?”

“It’s my chest. I’ve got a bullet in my chest. Tear off my shirt, and you’ll see it. Then, if you can, pull the bullet out of my chest. Then, wrap my shirt around my chest to stop the bleeding. I’m sure, I’ll be alright. The bullet didn’t penetrate my heart.”

So, Ted tried to be patient as he did what the guy told him to do. Then, upon taking the bullet out of him, he tied the guy’s shirt around him real tight. In the meantime, he pulled out some tetanus vaccine out of his backpack, and gave it to the guy. Then, he placed this tube inside the guy’s mouth, and administered an antibiotic, full strength.

Now, all he could do was wait and hope that the guy wasn’t bleeding eternally. However, since, he is close to his house; he dragged the guy into his yard onto the grass. And then, had to leave him, lie there, while took out his cell phone, and called 911.

While waiting for the paramedics to come, he said to himself, “I hope this guy survives, because it was terrible to watch my good friend die.”

The paramedics arrived, shortly, and one got the guy, an IV, while the other one got some tetanus vaccine plus an anticoagulant to give to the guy along with penicillin.

So, upon arriving back at where the guy’s, still, alive, the other paramedic gave whatever he got from the ambulance cabinet to the guy. Then, the paramedics took the guy to the hospital, and then, Ted waited inside his house for a word from the doctor.

About a half hour later, a doctor called from the hospital, and said to Ted, “Well, it’s a good thing, you acted fast. Because this guy is okay, and is going to recover from his bullet wound. It jus missed his heart and the guy has been put on pills to help his blood pill together over the wound. Also, he’s been administered penicillin which is keeping infection out of the wound.”

So, then, an hour later, when Ted is watching television, and praying for his friend, Mike, someone, unexpected, showed up. And as Ted heard the doorbell ring, someone is at the door from a special society for hunters. And right there at the front door, Ted’s ready to cry, as he can hear Mike’s voice echo in the woods in the front yard. And at the same time, the guy at the door, told him.

“You, my boy, are eligible for a certain kind of award. I have it right here in my right hand. This is for saving a hunter’s life. And if it hadn’t been for you, this guy, probably, would have been dead by now. So, here I present this award to you. And don’t go away from your house. Some people from the nearest television station are coming to take some pictures of you. Also, you are going to be on television at that time.”

Ted felt flabbergasted, however he let the guy inside, and said to him, “Boy, I never dreamed I would get an award for saving a guy’s life while hunting. As I’m holding this award, it says on it, ‘official member of the hunters’ society’. Oh, I see, now, this, really, is a pleasure to me to be a society member. My friend, Mike, who, recently, died out in the woods from a hunting accident, has told me about him, wanting to be in this hunter’s society, some day, himself. He died of a bullet wound to the right shoulder.”

As the guy sat done in the black leather couch, the guy said to him, “I bet you’re very pleased to receive this award. May I please have something to drink if it isn’t too much for you?”

“Would you like some beer? I have a few cans of it in the refrigerator. I’m an avid beer drinker, myself. And sometimes, I wonder if I’ll, some day, become an alcoholic jus from drinking at least one beer, a day. Is there anything else you would like while I’m waiting for the television station people to get here? I have some energy drinks, however don’t think you, really, would want one now.”

“Oh yes, I’ll take one of those energy drinks. I jus love them. I have, at least, one drink, every day. Also, every morning, when I get up out of bed, I have the type of breakfast which a wrestler, usually, has, a raw egg or two along with that energy drink. It keeps me well fit, although, I have to exercise, daily, too, so, I lift weights, and use a Bow flex. That type of exercise is very good for building muscles.”

As the two men were drinking their beers, Ted heard the doorbell again. And as he walked to the door and opened the door, some people at the door said in unison. “We’re from television station 46 in the area. We’ve come to take a video of you with that special award in your hands. And there’s going to be a special article all about you in the local paper on saving that hunter’s life. Also, you’re going to make the headlines too.”

So, as they all came inside, Ted sat back down on the black leather couch with the other guy. And then, the cameramen did a video of him and the other guy, and one person asked them, “what, actually, took place, here, tonight, that brought you, Ted, to getting your award?”

“Well, I had been out hunting before in the woods in back of my house, and was going to hunt after some turkeys when they all took off. Then, I happened to see a buck and assuming that no one else was around, took an aim at the buck but missed the buck, anyways. Then, right after that, I happened to overhear a guy out there in the clearing, yelling for help.”

The news lady then asked Ted, “What did you do, then, when the guy had been yelling for help?”

“Then, I followed the guy’s voice, and upon walking over there, noticed him, all crunched up on the grass. So, it’s a good thing, I had my first aid kit with me. I, then, stripped off his shirt, and took the bullet out of his chest. Then, after, once more, tying the shirt around the guy’s chest, I dragged him to my backyard. There I gave him; the tetanus shot, and then, ran into the house and called 911.”

“That was, really, courageous of you, my boy, because that took a lot of strength and patience to take care of that guy. You, actually, saved the guy’s life before the paramedics took him to the hospital. Okay, allow the cameramen to take one more picture of you and the other guy, here, for the newspaper.”

Then, after the people from the television station were done, they left along with the other guy, who had given Ted, the special award. And once, he saw them all out the front door, he had to let his dogs out. And after that, since, he wanted to relax some more yet, he sat back down on the couch.

There, he watched one of his favorite programs, the geographical program, which brought up the part where Ted, actually, saw himself on television. While enjoying the program, Ted said to himself.

“No kidding. That’s me out in my backyard with that wounded guy. One of the neighbors must have called over at the television station. I wish I had known, who it did this for me. That’s because I want to thank, whoever got me this special award for saving that guy’s life in the woods. Whoever contacted that hunter’s society deserves special thanks for doing so.”

So, then, as he happened to be watching that program, he heard the doorbell ring. As he walked up to the front door, and looked out the eyehole, he is very surprised. It’s his neighbor who lives next door to him.

Then, as Ted opened the front door, his neighbor, Tom, said to him, “I bet you’re surprised tonight, aren’t you? In fact, on the geographical program, I jus happened to noticed you on it. Want to know, who contacted that hunter’s society, and enrolled you as a member? That had been me.”

As Ted invited him into his house, he said to his neighbor, “Would you like anything? I’ve got some beer here in the refrigerator. Also, if you’re in the snacking mood like I am right now, I have some diet food, yogurt.”

As his neighbor joined him over at the kitchen table, he said to Ted, “I’ll have jus one beer. Also, I’ll take a yogurt while I’m at it. I’m not keeping you up am I? It’s going on ten o’clock. Aren’t you a bit tired from hunting?”

“I am, however you can stay over about a half hour or so. And if it wasn’t getting late, I’d take you out for dinner. However, the restaurant is, usually, closed by now. And there aren’t too many restaurants around here that stay opened late. I feel I owe you, a dinner, jus because if it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have received this special award.”

As Ted got his beer and yogurt out of the refrigerator, and sat down next to him in the kitchen, the guy said to him, “That’s nice of you to want to take me out to dinner. However you don’t have to go to that extreme. Even a fast food place would jus be alright for me. There’s one, we could go to jus down the street from here, in fact.”

Upon setting down his beer, Ted replied, “C’mon now. I feel that I, at least, should treat you to dinner or something. This special award means that I’m going to be on television, soon; and check the local paper, tomorrow. I’m going to make the headlines, and, actually, am going to get paid for it, too.”

Then, after finishing his yogurt and beer, the guy decided to get going, so, the two bade each other, goodbye. And as Ted saw him out the front door, he had a weird feeling inside. Upon closing and locking the door, he thought, he saw a ghost inside his house.

Looking around, once more, he saw a vision of Mike in white, lying on the black leather couch. So, as Ted walked over there, then, it was as if Mike came back to life. Ted jus couldn’t believe his eyes; the guy is wearing the same clothes, he had on when he had been hunting that one day. Also, he appeared to be very well alive.

Then, hoping Mike could hear him, talk, Ted said to him, “Hey there, buddy. Where did you come from?”

“Believe it or not, I, actually, came from my grave. I never had been dead when these people were getting ready for my burial. I shocked every one of them by walking out of the coffin, and then, taking off in a limousine right after that.”

“Are you experiencing any pain anymore? Are you in the condition to have something to eat and drink now? If you’re alive again, as I, always, believed in life after death, then, you need food and drink to get yourself back to normal.”

“In fact, I can’t believe it. I must have come from the dead or something. But am not in any more pain. My bullet wound has healed completely. It’s like if it’s a miracle. I am my normal self again. Thanks to your prayers, Ted. You, actually, saved my life. I wasn’t ready to die, yet. It wasn’t my time yet.”

Then, Ted said to him, “It’s, really, you then. You mean I’m not seeing jus a vision of you? This is something. What is happening to me? I can’t believe it’s you in front of me. I’ll get you something from the refrigerator. And then, take it home with you, and get some sleep, tonight. Lord knows how long you have been without sleep and food and water.”

So, feeling weird inside, Ted went to his refrigerator, a pulled out a Hungry Man’s TV dinner along with some perogies, and, he, also got his friend, an energy drink because he felt, that Mike, really, needed one at this time. So, while Ted is heating up the dinner, and the perogies, Mike tried to get up off the couch.

However noticing this, Ted said to him, “Oh no, Mike, don’t try to get up off that couch. You’re, probably, too weak from lack of food in your body, and lack of water too, so, if you try to stand up, you jus might fall down on the floor, so take it easy for now. Also, you need some rest, badly.”

So, then, as soon as Mike’s dinner and coffee is ready, Ted set up a folding tray right in front of him. Then, he placed Mike’s food on the try as he said to Mike, “Now, be careful because the food jus has come out of the microwave, and could be kind of hot right now. Maybe, you should give it a few minutes to cool off.”

However he jus went ahead, and gulped everything down including his coffee. And upon drinking his coffee along with his energy drink, he, suddenly, became very peppy. And he is so full of energy that he, actually, leaped out of the couch to Ted’s surprise.

As he did so, Ted is shocked, so, he said to him, “What in the world are you doing, Mike? Shouldn’t have eaten your food so fast, drunk down your coffee and energy drink like that. Could have brought you to choking to death.”

“Don’t worry, I’m alright, it’s jus that I was very thirsty, and hungry during all that time, I had been forced to wait to be taken to the mortuary. It’s a good thing that I had been able to get out of that mortuary before any autopsy was performed on me. If I would have ended up there, it, probably, would have been impossible for me to get my life back. And it would have turned out to be sheer torture for me, too.”

“This surprises me because no one from the hospital, ever called me, and told me, anything, about your body ending in the mortuary for that matter. And if you, still, showed any signs of life, then, that means, that whoever had been taking care of you at that time, you were inside the hospital. That those doctors or nurses or whoever had been taking care of you, were irresponsible.”

“That’s because one of them should have checked you out, more thoroughly, before announcing that you were dead. Now, you could have a big case against all of those surgeons who had assisted in your operation.”

“Yeah, that’s right, buddy, and I, also, happened to get the names of any doctor or nurse for that matter, which had taken care of me before I went into surgery. And being that I had been in a coma from loss of blood during my operation, I can remember every surgeon who had been in the surgery room.”

“So, do have the name of your attorney in mind or on a card with you?”

“No, I’m afraid, I don’t. So, don’t know, exactly, how I’m going to go about it being I have turned into a ghost; however I’m asking you to please refer me to your attorney. That will be the first step towards suing all these people.”

“Okay, I’ll take care of that matter, tomorrow. However, I think you should go to sleep now, because nothing can be done until tomorrow. And my attorney’s office is closed by now. However, if you can’t fall asleep, this early, then, I’ll tell what I’ll do. I’ll turn off this coffee pot, and since, I’m done cleaning up in the kitchen, and I’ll come over there into the living room area. Also, I’ll keep you, some company, until you think, you can fall asleep.”

“By the way, that energy drink, you gave me, Ted, jus might keep me awake half the night.”

“I’ll take care of that,” Ted said as he walked over to the bathroom, and got him one of his own sleeping pills which were harmless, and only, would make him sleep until tomorrow morning.

And as he walked back into the living room area, he offered it to Mike; however Mike said to him, “What’s that you’ve got in your hand?”

“It’s just a natural sleep aid. It’s not one of those prescription pills or any sleeping pill which can be habit forming. Also, it’ll go with any medication, you’re taking at the present, and you’ll be asleep in no time at all. In fact, I’ll go over to the kitchen, and make you, some hot chocolate. That, also, will help you relax, and get sleepy, because right now, you need your sleep, badly.”

So, jus after Mike took the sleeping pill, he fell right asleep on the couch to Ted’s surprise. Then, Mike plugged some ear phones into the television, so, that he could watch television without waking Mike up. As he wanted to watch his geographical program; he, also, wanted Mike to watch it. However he has fallen asleep, and has gone out like a light.

So, as Ted is watching his program, he, suddenly, can’t believe his eyes, because it seemed, as though, Mike has disappeared from the couch. And he’s very alarmed over the whole thing, and can’t figure out where he could have gone.

As Ted walked around his house, he said to himself under his breath, “Can’t believe this. Can’t figure out where in the world, he might have gone. Shouldn’t be walking around by himself in his condition. I’m afraid for your life right now after all you’ve gone through. I hope you’re not lying on the floor anywhere in a coma. You’ve lost an awful lot of blood. And no nurse or doctor, probably, gave you, no transfusions.”

Ted figured, that maybe, Mike went to another room or maybe, to the bathroom; however Ted figured, that he shouldn’t be walking around the house without someone along with him.

So, Ted yelled out, “Hey, Mike, where are you?--Are you feeling alright?--I can’t seem to find you.--So, wherever you are, jus yell out my name.--I’ve got to watch over you for awhile.--You’re not ready to even take a trip back home yet.--So, I hope, that isn’t where you’ve decided to go.—“

Ted walked through the whole house, and still, couldn’t find Mike. So, he peeked out the front window, and sure enough, his car, still, is there. Then, he said to himself, “Something’s weird around her. I wonder if Mike turned into a ghost which doesn’t seem right. Maybe, he’ll be back by tomorrow morning. He, probably, snuck out a door, and wasn’t aware of where he was.”

So, Ted walked outside with a flashlight being that dusk was coming in; however he couldn’t find him around the neighborhood. Then, Ted walked back inside his house, in tears, and had to grab a sleeping pill, he, assuming that his friend, really, had died, this time. So, he tried to sleep on the couch, himself, and didn’t want to go to his bedroom, jus in case, Mike came back inside the house, any time during the night or morning.

So, in the morning, when he woke up, Mike wasn’t around on the first floor, no matter where he looked, so, he said to himself, “Whenever Mike ever needed help, and he was over my house, he would look for me. And then, he would get me out of my sleep. However I hope that Mike will show up soon. Because this is jus tearing me apart inside, not knowing where he could be.”

However Ted jus had to go about his way, and get him some breakfast, hoping that Mike would show up soon. But he didn’t, so, Ted jus sat down in front of his television, and ate his breakfast while watching some favorite program of his.

While he watched the tube, he heard a weird noise, so, he got up off the couch, and followed the noise which has been coming from the front door. In approaching the front door, he opened the door, and there was Mike, dressed in the same clothes yet. However the guy, who’s supposed to be Ted’s good friend, appeared to him as being very desperate.

So, Ted let him inside, and said to him, “Where in the world have you been, buddy? Did you get any sleep last night? And if you did, where in the world were you sleeping?”

But Mike jus stared at him, and then, fell down on the floor. Mike didn’t know what to do, being his friend is having a seizure. So, he got a couple of his own medications for seizures. Then, he forced them down Mike’s mouth.

The guy’s seizures stopped, but then, he seemed to fall asleep, so, Ted, carefully, picked him up into his arms. Then, he walked over to the couch, and laid him there on the couch. Also, his friend seemed to be in a coma. So, he called one of his neighbors, who are, also, experienced in medicine at being a doctor for a few years, who is jus about ready to go on his shift.

So, he came over, and Ted is in tears, as he let his neighbor come in. As he did, he said to his neighbor, “I don’t know what to do with him. First, he came to me last night, and told me, that he had come back from the mortuary, and almost, ended up getting buried underground. Then, he disappeared last night, and this morning, he came back and went into a seizure, upon coming inside my house. Now, he seems, as though, he’s in a coma.”

Then, Ted’s neighbor went right over to where Mike’s lying on a couch, and felt his pulse. It’s very faint, so then, he felt Mike’s skin, and it felt cold. So, the neighbor said to him, “I’m afraid your friend’s dead. There’s no life left to him at all. And he had a faint pulse; however, he went, quickly. So, that bullet would he had, literally, whipped life away from him.”

Jus as his neighbor told him all this, suddenly, Mike jumped out of the couch, and scared both Ted and his neighbor. He has the appearance of someone, who has jus seen death, but his skin has a rubbery appearance. Then, Mike showed his teeth, teeth of a vampire, and told Ted and his neighbor.

”I’m really hungry right now. Need some good food and something that will really fill me up like a gallon of you, Ted?”

Ted thought, Mike was kidding at first, however, he leaped at Ted, showing claws like a cat. However, this caused Ted to back up, and fall onto the floor in a state of shock.

Upon his neighbor feeling his pulse, he became rigid. So, then, he figured, that Ted had a seizure, himself. So, quickly, he gave him, some of his own seizure medicine which is setting on the television.

And, quickly, he came right out of it, and said to his neighbor, “I think, you jus saved my life. I blacked out, and upon coming to, thought, this was it for me. Thought I was going to slip into a coma myself which I might have just now.”

Then, knowing that Ted, still, is in a state of shock, Mike, actually, came over to Ted, “Oh boy, I’m jus so hungry inside, that I can’t resist you. I jus want some of your blood. That will satisfy me, greatly.”

So, Mike leaped at Ted, and bit his arm. Before his neighbor could do anything, blood jus poured out of his wound, and then, Mike, actually, drank his blood, hungrily.

Ted’s neighbor said to himself, “What’s going on? Must give Ted, some morphine. He must be in some excruciating pain. He must be knocked out, or else he could go into a coma.”

So, then, Ted’s neighbor applied a tourniquet, and did whatever he thought, needed to be done. Upon noticing this, then, Ted’s neighbor applied a tourniquet as soon as he gave Mike, some medicine, some morphine to knock him out.

“For one thing, don’t believe in vampires. So why would Mike do such a gross thing as to bite Ted like he did. Now I have to shoot Mike because he’s a danger to himself and anyone else he could encounter, especially, me and Ted. Oh my gosh, the guy jus exploded to pieces.”

Upon seeing all this happen right inside Ted’s house, the neighbor couldn’t believe his eyes. And he went into a state of shock as he dropped Ted’s gun onto the living room floor. Then, only moments later, both he and Ted turned stone dead.

So, upon another neighbor, who happened to be walking down the street, heard strange noises, and said to him as he approached Ted’s house, “Something is going on inside Ted’s house. It jus sounded like there was some type of explosion inside. However can’t figure out why the house isn’t going to pieces from it. Oh, no, through this front window, I can see gore and skin all over the place. And this skin appears to be so coarse, that it couldn’t have been from a human being.”

Then, on his cell phone, he called the police, and told the Captain. “Something weird jus happened around here on Medford Hill Street in Ted Madison’s house, 5577 Medford Hill jus near Okemos. Please send some cops here right away. This case has to be investigated. I jus noticed skin and gore inside this house. I think that someone had been shot to death, and came back as a vampire. This house has to be burned down.”

So, the cops arrived, quickly, and as they went inside the house, they, indeed, found gore, blood, and skin all over the living room area along with two dead bodies of identified as Ted Madison and Cliff Corey. After taking pictures of the whole first floor, and collecting evidence of some of the gore, one of the cops, then, didn’t take any chances.

Since, he started to feel, as though, something was overpowering him inside the house, he, immediately, left the house with the other cops. Then, they got some dynamite out of the cop car, and threw it inside the house. It blew the house to pieces, and again, they took more pictures of the house. And then, they reported this case as the weirdest and unusual case reported in the history of Metamora as having been invaded by a vampire.

revision of Mountain Lillie by Cheryl V.

MOUNTAIN LILLIE
BY CHERYL VERBEKE
INTRODUCTION
BACKFLASH:
CHER BEAR was living with her parents in St. Clair, Michigan right on the lake. CHER BEAR’s parents were sitting outside on the front porch on one sunny day when they jus happened to see this young man, walking down the street. And he appeared to be very ragged-looking in a pair of faded blue jeans with holes in them and are very faded-looking. He has a rugged-looking, angular face with hollow features along with brown eyes and a tall, thin build. Also, he looked like he hasn’t been sleeping for some days and nights.
So, then, CHER BEAR’S dad caught up with the young man as he reached his house. The young man seemed to be walking, aimlessly, down the street with a distant and lonely look on his face.
As CHER BEAR’S dad approached the him, he said to the young man in a curious way, “Hey there, my boy, how come, you’re out on the streets, alone? It’s dangerous to be walking the streets after dusk by yourself. Where are your mom and dad at this time of night? You appear to be too young to be walking in the streets at this time of night without having someone like your mom or dad along with you for protection.”
“It so happens that I don’t have a mom or even a dad in my life, anymore. In fact, it happens to be that I’m the only sibling in my family. I jus ran away from home, and I have nowhere to go to live.”
“C’mon with me, my boy; by the way, what’s your name?”
“My name is JUSTIN; would you mind, taking me into your home?”
CHER BEAR’S dad replied, “No, my body, I’m more than wiling to take you into my home, and I’m sure my wife, here, won’t mind either.”
“However, the thing is that I have very little money on my person. As far as I know, I should, still, have money in the bank. But I have worked odd jobs, here and there. However, there is one problem, here; I don’t have any way of getting some money from either my mom or dad.”
“My boy, why can’t you get any money from your parents when it’s your money?” “
“One of them have my bank card, and I know that whoever has it, won’t give it to me to use because neither of them seem to trust me to take care of my own money. However, if ypu’re willing to allow me to work around the house, and support me for working for you. I’ll be glad to be of service to you.”
“My boy, I”ll be more than glad to accept your willingness to help my wife and I around the house.”
“C’mon, my boy, take my hand, and I’ll introduce you to my wife and only daughter.”
So, then, as JUSTIN and the owner of the house walked up to the front porch, JUSTIN seemed to get quiet, all of a sudden.
Then, CHER BEAR’s dad said to him, “Well, my boy, this is my wife, FLORENCE.”
With a look of surprise on her face, she replied, “Well, I’m very glad to meet you, my boy.”
Jus then, CHER BEAR jus happened to walk out onto the porch, so, her dad introduced the young man to CHER BEAR, “This is my only daughter, CHER BEAR, and she’s going on fifteen years of age, this year. And by the way, I’m LARRY; it’s nice meeting you, my boy. And by the way, how old are you?”
“I’m seventeen years of age; I turned that age, only, a few weeks ago. I’ve been staying at a shelter, here, in the city. And the reason, I have run away from my mom and dad, is because we don’t seem to get along anymore. A week ago, we all got into a big fight, and since then, I haven’t been able to stand living with either of them, anymore.”
LARRY replied, “Don’t worry about a thing, my boy. Are you hungry or thirsty; when’s the last time, you had a decent meal or something to drink?”
“Well, the last time, I had anything was last night.”
So, then, from that day onm LARRY made sure, that all of his needs were met. And he allowed the young man to live over at his house without paying any rent to live there.
However, LARRY took in the young man as part of his family through adopting him. And from the first day on, CHER BEAR seemed to take to him, right away. And the two became jus like sister and brother because they were jus like peas and carrots to each other. This was because he needed a sister in his life as well as a mom and dad.
And CHER BEAR needed a brother of her own. Also, JUSTIN and CHER BEAR developed family love for each other. This happened in their lives, practically, overnight. Also, both LARRY and FLORENCE became father and mother models to him.
Since, both CHER BEAR and JUSTIN took a liking to each other, the two started going boating in her parents’ green and silver fishing boat when it was warm enough outside to do it. And during the cooler weather, even during the wintertime, the two took walks around the lake, together, when the there wasn’t any snow or ice on the shore.
CHAPTER I
PROLOGUE:
Originally, CHER BEAR’S parents found out about some cabin. And this cabin is located on Van Arrington Road near Panther Creek Road in the city of Clyde in North Carolina. And this place jus happened to be amidst the mountains. LARRY and FLORENCE, CHER BEAR’S blood parents, found out about this cabin through a member of LARRY’S family who was living in the heart of Kentucky near the mountains.
However, CHER BEAR and JUSTIN never found out jus how CHER BEAR’S parents discovered this cabin in the mountains jus because CHER BEAR’S parents wanted to keep it, one big secret. One day, LARRY and FLORENCE wanted to surprise both CHER BEAR and JUSTIN when they all took their first trip down south to the cabin. And being that both LARRY and FLORENCE wanted a big taste of living amongst the mountains, they might jus all move down south.
So, then, on one sunny, hot summer morning with clear blue skies, they all left on a long trip for North Carolina. And the whole family took off for the mountains down south jus after they all had their clothes packed along with plenty of imperishable food, energy drinks and bottles of flavored water.
The whole family, LARRY, FLORENCE, JUSTIN, AND CHER BEAR was unaware of jus how long it would take to get to North Carolina on a trip via the family car, a blue Ford minivan. This trip turned out to be their very first one, there, down south to North Carolina. So, they all left about ten o’clock in the morning for their destination right after a good breakfast. Somehow, CHER BEAR’S parents thought that they all would arrive, there, at the cabin, at least, by the middle of the afternoon.
The trip turned out to be longer than expected because the whole family had to travel by means of the highway through Ohio, Tennessee, and Kentucky before arriving in North Carolina at the cabin. They all, finally, arrived at their destination after having made a total of four stops along the way to get gas, to eat lunch and dinner and for a couple of good walks to stretch their legs.
The whole bunch, finally, arrived at the cabin around ten o’clock in the evening. And by that time, they all were so tired jus from all that traveling, that they, only, unpacked what they all needed for the night. Then, when the morning came around, after they all had some breakfast, they were going to unpack the rest of the stuff from the minivan.
CHER BEAR and her parents went right to sleep that night not long after they all arrived over at the cabin. However, since, JUSTIN couldn’t seem to get himself to fall asleep because he was so restless, he got up out of the day bed. After getting up out of bed, then, he walked outside onto the front porch. There, he sat on a wooden rocker, and tried to make peace with nature for about an hour.
After that hour was up, he, still, was, patiently, sitting there on the front porch, trying to get himself, tired enough to go sleep. While he’s out in front of the cabin, some gal with a heavy Southern accent, showed up at the cabin as if through some uncanny magic.
To him, this gal has some pretty features, like blue eyes which seem to glisten in the moonlight and short, blond hair.
So, jus as she walked up to JUSTIN, he said to her in a curious way, “Well, my dear, what brings you here to the cabin, tonight?”
“I jus happened to be passing by this cabin on my evening walk like I, usually, do every night near dusk. And it’s that I jus happened to catch eye of you, sitting, there, on the front porch, sporting some lonely and far away look on your face. By the way, can I ask you what your name is? Also, are you feeling like you are in need of some company, tonight?”
“Sure, my dear, you can ask me, anything, you wish. My name jus happens to be JUSTIN? And I, certainly, can say that right now, I’m in great need of some company. My girl is inside the cabin, and, probably, is, probably, buried in her writing on her laptop computer, or jus relaxing while playing one of her favorite computer games.”
After a brief pause as he studied her face, he said to her, “However, it’s not what you may think when I refer to her as my girl,” as if he could read the gals’ mind, “the two of us, my girl and I aren’t, currently, going steady or anything like that.”
“Then, what is it, you’re, actually, referring to, may I ask?”
“It goes like this. CHER BEAR’S parents took me into the family, way back when I jus turned seventeen, years ago. One time, her parents were sitting out on the front porch when they jus happened to catch sight of me.”
“And where is it that they jus happened to see you, back then?”
“It’s jus that her parents happened to catch eye of me, walking down the street back in Michigan where we all are living at the present right on the lake in St. Clair. So, what brings you, here, tonight, to the cabin?”
“I jus am having this weird feeling inside me, that you have this urge inside to meet me, that’s all.”
“Well, my dear, my girl’s jus sleeping inside cabin, right now. And not even a rooster can wake her up in the morning being she, always, seems to sleep like a cat, no matter, if it be at home in St. Clair or, here, at the cabin.”
“How about if I take a seat by you in one of the wooden chairs out here on the front porch?”
“Be my guest, my dear gal, and what’s your name, may I ask?”
“My real name jus happens to be LISA, however all my friends, family, and neighbors call me, MOUNTAIN LILLIE.”
“To me, MOUNTAIN LILLIE is a pretty name. And it jus seems to fit you, so perfectly, because I jus know, that you must live in the mountains, my dear.”
Then, MOUNTAIN LILLIE and JUSTIN jus sat there on the front porch in their chairs jus as it’s starting to get dark. And in a way, she jus wanted to sit there in silence being she jus loved making peace with nature along with him. This, also, gave her, a chance to get acquainted with him. And sitting in silence was her way of feeling him out.
The two were through making peace with nature, an hour later, there, on the front porch. So, then, he decided he wanted to get to bed before CHER BEAR’S parents have a chance to catch him being out on the front porch with MOUNTAIN LILLIE at one o’clock in the morning. And he figured, if she walked back home by herself in the dark, she would be setting herself up for trouble.
Then, he said to her, “My dear, I think, I’ll go to bed now, however I won’t like worrying about you, walking down the roads in the dark at this time of night. You never know who could be out on the roads. This is the time of night when the bad boys are out riding on their tractors or four-wheelers. And you never know what could happen if you jus run into one of these bad boys, my dear. So, come over here to my foster dad’s army green four-wheeler with me, and I’ll take you, home.”
Jus as the two were hopping onto the green four-wheeler which belonged to CHER BEAR’S dad, he said to MOUNTAIN LILLIE, “Hold on tight, my dear, because this contraption of LARRY’S, always, seems to move, very quickly, over these hilly roads.”
Then, the two were on their way down the road and over to where she lived on Panther Creek Road. This was jus after she gave him, the directions to where she’s living with her parents and her only sister, MOUNTAIN SARAH.
And as JUSTIN and MOUNTAIN LILLIE arrived, there, up the mountains right in front of his parents’ cabin, he helped her off of the four-wheeler.
Then, he said to her, “Well, it has been nice meeting you, my dear. And please be sure to take some time to stop over, again, at the cabin to see me. Don’t worry about my girl; we’re, only, like sister and brother to each other. She won’t get jealous of us two, seeing each other if she ever finds out about you.”
As he kissed MOUNTAIN LILLIE, briefly, she said to him, “I’ll think hard about dropping over at the cabin, again. How about if I come over during the early morning around seven o’clock when, I, usually, take my morning walk?”
“That will be fine with me, my dear MOUNTAIN LILLIE. I’m sure my girl’s parents won’t mind you, coming over to the cabin, at all. In fact, every time, someone, even a stranger like you, drops over there… Well, anyone who does, has, always, been very welcome because they know all Southerners are very friendly. And they both like that in a Southerner like you. Goodbye for now,” he said as he kissed her for the second time.
So, MOUNTAIN LILLIE started dropping over at the cabin, at least, every night. And every night, JUSTIN could sense jus when she would be dropping over to see him. And it turned out that he would be able to catch her, every night.
At first, the two jus would sit on the front porch in silence, trying to feel each other out. Also, every time, she would come to see him, he would say to her, “Let us sit out here on the front porch, and do what I call making peace with nature.”
Then, the very first time, he wanted her to try this nature thing with him, he said to her, “C’mon jus sit down here on the porch besides me.”
She replied, “What do you do next to make peace with nature?”
Then, he said to her, “What you do is jus, simply, tune your ears into whatever sounds of nature, you are hearing around you. Concentrate on the sounds of the birds like the chickens and the rooster around here. And don’t forget to listen for the cows, mooing across the road at the mountain over there. Also, you can do something to make peace with nature through every time, you jus happen to catch sight of the horse which hangs around here.”
“What is the horse’s name, and what else should I do to get myself, acquainted with nature and, also, the horse?”
“Jus follow me over to the right side of the cabin, and you’ll, usually, find a horse named Ranger, a pretty reddish-brown horse, jus hanging around here. He, usually, is waiting for someone to feed him, some carrots or he’ll even eat cobs from corn, too.”
So, then, she followed him over to the side of the cabin where there was a wire fence to keep the horse from wandering away from its’ habitat.
So, then, he said to her as she followed him over to where Ranger, really, was standing there on the grass, “make sure that you don’t go near that wire fence because you’ll get a shock from it if you get too close to it. And I don’t want to see you, end up getting knocked out from the fencing. I’m not trying to scare you, my dear. I jus don’t want you to end up getting hurt.”
Then, he handed her, a carrot from a bunch of carrots which he had grabbed from the wooden table on the porch jus before walking over to the horse with her.
“So what you do is jus put the carrot near the horse’s mouth. And then, he will nibble the carrot, however be careful because the horse likes to nibble on your clothes.”
So, every time, she came over to the cabin at night, she and JUSTIN walked over to Ranger, every time, they happened to notice the horse on the mountain. And each time, the horse would take a carrot from either of them, and nibble on it until it was gone, eating the carrot whole.
In a very weird way, jus visiting the horse, every night, turned out to be one way for the two to get to know each other, and to enjoy each other’s company.
CHER BEAR doesn’t suspect what has been going on between JUSTIN and MOUNTAIN LILLIE. This is because when MOUNTAIN LILLIE happens to drop over in the evening, CHER BEAR is buried in her laptop computer.
And in the early morning, CHER BEAR, usually, is awake before her parents. However she knows, JUSTIN, also, is an early walker. However she never bothers to check on him because she, simply, doesn’t care what he’s up to in the early morning. This because she jus assumes, that he’s going for an early morning walk down the road. And he, usually, likes his morning walks right after breakfast before the heat of the day, starts coming in like a lion.
However, he never can figure out why CHER BEAR never goes on her morning walks with him, anymore because he thought, he and her were jus like peas and carrots. And walking together in the morning jus to be with each other has been a natural thing for the two to be doing.
CHER BEAR hasn’t been going on walks with him while the family has been on their vacation, there, in North Carolina. He hasn’t been able to figure CHER BEAR out, ever since, the family has been spending some time, trying to get used to being in North Carolina.
CHER BEAR has gotten more attached to her writing on her laptop computer. It jus has gotten more interesting and entertaining to her, partly, because being on her computer inside the cabin, has kept her busy all the while, she’s been on vacation with her parents and JUSTIN.
She has been trying to keep herself cool in the hot North Carolina weather which she hasn’t been able to get used to being outside in.
Also, her computer has turned into her way of keeping herself occupied in helping the time, pass by.
However in the meantime, somehow, she, also, has seemed to have forgotten and realize that being in love with him, means that she has to put some time aside to keep him, company. So, she hasn’t been making any effort to show him, her love in any way, ever since, the family has been staying in North Carolina for a few weeks.
For one thing, all the sounds, her computer makes when she’s on her computer, writing or jus playing games, sometimes, when she becomes tired of writing or jus needs a break from writing, every so often. And the computer sounds, to her, seem to drown out all noises, coming from outside like the sounds of the birds and animals. Also, it has been stopping her from hearing MOUNTAIN LILLIE and JUSTIN talking to each other whenever she’s over at the cabin to see JUSTIN.
Especially, at night, CHER BEAR never yet has suspected MOUNTAIN LILLIE being around outside of the cabin from the very first day on which the JUSTIN and MOUNTAIN LILLIE have met. And another thing, she hasn’t been aware of, is that every morning, early in the morning, is that MOUNTAIN LILLIE has been making it, a point, to stop at the cabin during her morning walk.
So, CHER BEAR hasn’t had the slightest idea, yet, that MOUNTAIN LILLIE has been seeing JUSTIN at night or even in the early morning hours. This is, mostly, because CHER BEAR has been doing her writing from early morning until the late hours of the night.
MOUNTAIN LILLIE, always, seems to catch JUSTIN, sitting outside on the front porch jus by coincidence. Also, being the two have been seeing each other, steadily, and going for walks down the road in the morning, together, for, at least, a week, this means they have been enjoying each other’s company, very thoroughly.
By now, even CHER BEAR’S parents have been leaving her, alone at her computer. And being they know and value her privacy, they don’t even ask her in the morning to have breakfast with them, anymore. Neither do they ask JUSTIN either because they are aware, that he’s, always, up in the morning before they are. And they, by now, are aware that JUSTIN has been spending a lot of time, outside. So, they jus consider that he’s jus doing his own thing out there outside the cabin.
However, some day when the whole family moves to North Carolina, and LARRY and FLORENCE happen to find some goats, chickens, and roosters. JUSTIN knows that his morning routine will have to change, and that he and CHER BEAR will end up helping around the farm when the land is turned into farm land along with a possible corn field and maybe even some berry trees. This is because when the family moves there, that CHER BEAR and JUSTIN will, definitely, be getting a good taste of what farm life is all about.
One night after CHER BEAR was asleep in the cabin about one o’clock in the morning, JUSTIN decided he wanted to have a deep conversation with MOUNTAIN LILLIE while the family was on their vacation. So, that night, he jus took MOUNTAIN LILLIE by the hand, and the two were jus about to walk over to the camper. However they had to run over to the camper being it was starting to pour outside.
And when they, finally, reached the camper, and he closed the door behind them, JUSTIN said to MOUNTAIN LILLIE in a loving way, “My dear MOUNTAIN LILLIE, why don’t you jus have a seat right here on the other side of the small table. I think it’s time that we have a good talk, together, and try to find out where we stand with each other.”
So, as she took her seat, and made herself, comfortable, he, then, said to her, “Jus try to reveal some of your feelings to me. I know that I and the rest of the family will be leaving for Michigan, soon. However, I jus would like to know where we stand with each other. For one thing, I and the rest of the family are all planning to move into this cabin, very soon, and I jus would like to have a good talk, together, before it’s time to leave.”
So, then, she said to him with loving eyes, talking as her eyes appeared to be very starry-looking in the dimness of the camper, “For one thing, my darling JUSTIN, I would like to know, has CHER BEAR, really, in love with you? And has she been showing any love to you in any way, especially, in these last few weeks in which we have been getting together?”
“To tell you, the truth, I don’t know if CHER BEAR ever loved me in the first place. This is because she used to put some time aside from her writing to spend some of her time with me. And ever since, we have been in North Carolina, all she seems to care about is trying to stay out of the heat of the day. However, at night, she never seems to make any effort to show any love to me, not even some sisterly love like she used to when I, first, moved into the house back in Michigan. She jus seems to care about herself and nobody else, not even me.”
“Does she ever tell you, she’s glad to have you for a brother in any way?”
“No, my dear MOUNTAIN LILLIE, and I seem to be losing my trust in her. I think that I need to talk to her parents about the way; she’s been acting towards me. I thought that the last two years, I’ve known her, that she has been falling in love with me. And now, I seem to doubt her love for me. Also, this seems to leave me in the dark because I’m not sure if I even love her, anymore.”
“I think that you should start showing her, more brotherly love. And see if this doesn’t bring her around to realize what love, she has for you if any, anymore.”
“Right now, I need to know whether you like or love me at this point. I know it has been, only, about three weeks, since, we have been seeing each other. I’m not sure, myself, however I have been having the feeling, and I’ve been falling in love with you, my dear. Also, it may have been love at first sight, too.”
“I hope this doesn’t mean false love because you’ve jus told me. CHER BEAR has been acting like she’s withdrawn into herself. And this is not good, not even for you, because from the first time, you met her; you’ve craved her sisterly love.”
“No, I know the difference between brotherly love and growing love. So, my feelings of affection for you have been growing from the very first time, we’ve met. However, since, we haven’t known each other, that long, I can’t be sure if this is love, yet. I have to get to know you better; first, before I can know what kind of feelings, I am having for you at this point in our relationship.”
“The way, I’m feeling for you, is that I have taken a big liking to you. And I think it’s possible that this liking could be a possible launch to falling in love with you. Also, I have taken to trusting you with all my heart and soul. And I know for sure, jus through having been feeling this inside me. That you have become a soul buddy to me.”
“Okay, my dear, right now, I am having the feeling inside. That either of my parents might jus try to spy on us jus because we are inside the camper. And this is, only, because, tonight, they will be starting to pack because I and the rest of the family will be leaving for Michigan, tomorrow. So, I think you’d better leave before dark, so, that you will be able to find your way back home before the crazy people come out and about in the wee hours of the night.”
So, as the two walked out of the camper, he said to her in a low voice while giving her, a brief kiss, “Goodbye, my dear, I’ll be seeing you, again, when the family moves into the cabin for good.”
So, she said to him, softly, “It was nice meeting you, and you can be sure, that we’ll be seeing each other, many more times. Bye, JUSTIN.”
Then, JUSTIN walked over to the front porch, and made peace with nature. In the meantime, she hopped onto her tractor, and then, took off down the road as he waved goodbye to her with tears in his eyes.
CHER BEAR and JUSTIN along with CHER BEAR’S parents moved to North Carolina, one bright, sunny morning from Michigan because her parents wanted to spend the rest of their lives, there.
And CHER BEAR’S parents wanted them along with JUSTIN and CHER BEAR to stay one happy family like they have been when they were living in Michigan, all this time.
In fact, on that one day they all moved to the cabin, when they arrived in Clyde, North Carolina, they all arrived there in a camper. And the camper pulled the minivan behind it, all the way there. And CHER BEAR’S dad drove the camper all the way to Clyde with her and JUSTIN in back of the camper.
And both of them snoozed most of the way to their destination while her mom snoozed in the front near her step dad during all 12 hours of the trip there. So, they all pulled into the hilly driveway near the cabin.
It jus so happened, that MOUNTAIN LILLIE was the one, about who JUSTIN has been teasing CHER BEAR. And it has been about him and her, having been seeing each other, every night.
So, it jus happened, that MOUNTAIN LILLIE did, really, show up at the cabin jus by coincidence jus not long after they all hopped out of the camper.
And JUSTIN even had the guts to introduce CHER BEAR to MOUNTAIN LILLIE, while CHER BEAR, still, was around the camper.
And jus before today came around, JUSTIN seems to have been chiding to CHER BEAR about the fact, that he and MOUNTAIN LILLIE have been having some loving, nightly, in back of the shed, every night, on the last trip to the cabin.
However, CHER BEAR, only, took all this in as him, putting her on about this gal jus because for whatever reason, CHER BEAR, probably, will never be able to figure out. She never even believed one word, he would, constantly, day and night, tell her about this gal.
This, solely, was because every time, MOUNTAIN LILLIE would stop over to see him at night during the last trip to the cabin, she, only, would happen to stop over to see him during the night hours. And that was when he knew, CHER BEAR was asleep inside the camper. And CHER BEAR, always, happened to be asleep at those times, she would happen to stop over at the cabin.
So, as MOUNTAIN LILLIE walked up to JUSTIN, she’s unaware that CHER BEAR was more than a sister to him.
So, then, MOUNTAIN LILLIE happened to run into CHER BEAR, so, then, she said to her, “Hi, I’m MOUNTAIN LILLIE, and by the way, I’m sure you won’t mind hearing what I have to tell you, my girl. This is, since, you and JUSTIN is jus sister and brother at heart.”
Then, after a brief pause as she studied CHER BEAR for a moment or two, she said to CHER BEAR, “During the last trip when you two were here, staying at the cabin, it jus so happened, that while you were sleeping inside the camper… Well, I and JUSTIN, back then, always, were meeting every night right in front of the cabin. And as we have been trying to get to know each other better, I and JUSTIN jus may be falling in love with each other. At least, I’ve been having these feelings of affection for him. However, I don’t know for sure if he has been having the same feelings for me.”
“Why is this, and why does it so happen, that you two could be falling in love with each other,” replied CHER BEAR with an evil eye, “you aren’t putting me on, are you? Because if you are, you could be in for some good trouble because JUSTIN and I aren’t jus brother and sister. We two have been in love with each other for some time, now. That’s about, almost, since, the first year, he happened to move in with me and my parents.”
So, MOUNTAIN LILLIE said to her, “No, I’m not putting you on, my girl. And I think that you’re jus joshing about the fact that you two are in love. Well, you two could be experiencing the type of love that a brother and sister have in common. However, I think you’re mistaken about the fact that you two are in true love because I happen to be the one, he, really, is in love with, not you.”
Then, CHER BEAR would not even say another word to MOUNTAIN LILLIE because she jus found something about her which she couldn’t stand at this time.
So, CHER BEAR jus walked away from her, and went about her own business, and also, grabbed a hold of JUSTIN’S arm. And the two walked inside the cabin, and stayed there for the rest of the afternoon, at least, while it was so hot outside. The two were trying their best to stay cool, and stay sister and brother with each other without having MOUNTAIN LILLIE, get in their way.
However, JUSTIN was puzzled because, now, he’s confused as to who, he, really, loves, CHER BEAR or MOUNTAIN LILLIE. And that night, JUSTIN went out on the porch as usual, and waited for MOUNTAIN LILLIE to show up. In fact, jus before it turned dark, he happened to spot her, walking down the road. So, since, she wouldn’t come over to him, he ran over to her, and she stopped in her tracks.
Sensing that she’s as puzzled as he is, he said to her in a pleading voice, “What’s going on with you, tonight? If it happened tonight as I eyed you across the road, don’t ignore me, now. I know you have some feeling for me.”
Jus remember one thing, my dear, if you look this way, and see tears in my eyes, baby, jus look away, and act as if you don’t notice me because I, really, love you, dearly.”
“And I jus can’t bear to turn away from you, jus because you won’t speak to me, anymore.”
Then, without another word, Mountain Lillie proceeded down the road on her walk. And Justin, then, walked back onto the porch, and wouldn’t walk inside the cabin because he didn’t want to wake up CHER BEAR. However he didn’t know that she was inside the camper because of the heat of day not having left the mountains. And he figured that what she didn’t know about him and Mountain Lillie wouldn’t hurt her.
As Mountain Lillie was walking down the road, she couldn’t seem to get her mind off of Justin. And at this time, she, actually, doubted her love for him jus because she never knew until that day, that he and CHER BEAR had been going together for some time.
BACKFLASH:
Even when JUSTIN, first, suspected, that he and MOUNTAIN LILLIE, probably, were falling for each other. HE, always, made her, believe he was having, only, brotherly love for CHER BEAR. And he has been trying to deny the fact, that he and CHER BEAR were having any kind of feelings of affection between themselves. This is because he has been thinking a lot of MOUNTAIN LILLIE, ever since, that first night on which the two met.
He didn’t want to admit to CHER BEAR, that he was drawn to MOUNTAIN LILLIE’S sexy personality. And this has been jus because being he has feelings of affection for MOUNTAIN LILLIE. So because of this, he has been afraid of losing CHER BEAR as a sister because he needs her sisterly love to survive in this harsh world.
Even when JUSTIN, first, suspected, that he and MOUNTAIN LILLIE, probably, were falling for each other. He was feeling guilty for having told her, he and CHER BEAR were jus like sister and brother, peas and carrots. And that the love, he has been experiencing with CHER BEAR, was nothing more than family love.
And not until today when MOUNTAIN LILLIE approached CHER BEAR about him and her. And then, JUSTIN has, unknowingly, made life for himself, harder in having made CHER BEAR, assume that she, already, knew the bare fact. That he and MOUNTAIN LILLIE have been soul buddies, all this time. Only then, did CHER BEAR happen to find out about JUSTIN, having kept his relationship with MOUNTAIN LILLIE, one huge secret which secret has become one dirty secret.
Before this time, CHER BEAR never knew about this fact. And that was, that he has made MOUNTAIN LILLIE believe up until today. That he and CHER BEAR have, only, been sister and brother to each other from that first day on which CHER BEAR’S parents took him into the family jus because he, no longer, had any family to turn to for support for family love.
And for the rest of his life, JUSTIN is going to regret, he ever met CHER BEAR. And this is, especially, being he has wanted CHER BEAR’S love right from the start. This is because being for years, he has been having this passion for CHER BEAR, even though, he has never admitted this to her, personally.
In having met MOUNTAIN LILLIE, one night, when he had been feeling lonely inside for CHER BEAR, will he ever come to terms with CHER BEAR about his true relationship with her?
The bare truth about the whole situation is that from the start, CHER BEAR has given JUSTIN, all her ever needed jus in being a sister to him, all this time. So, what she has gone out of her way to give him is what she, always, refers to as simple family love.
Being because his relationship with CHER BEAR hasn’t been going too well, ever since, she has been spending a lot of her time, writing, JUSTIN JUS HAPPENED to be feeling lonely inside for her company.
And he couldn’t stand jus sitting outside on the front porch in one of the wooden chairs. While he’s sitting there on the front porch, he can’t seem to get his mind, geared into feeling some peace with nature like he, usually, does. And he couldn’t figure out jus why, it seemed so hard, that night, to get himself, surrounded by that usual feeling.
So, finally, he got up out of his favorite chair, and walked over to the camper where he has a feeling, CHER BEAR jus could be lying around inside it.
Although, he has this feeling, he could bump into her, he didn’t bother knocking on the door, but he walked right inside. And as he did, he happened to catch her, undressing to go to sleep.
Even though, he doesn’t know if he is in love with her, or if it is MOUNTAIN LILLIE, who’s his love, he walked over to me, approaching me from behind. However as he did, she was aware of him being inside the camper, so she jus tried to ignore his presence.
And as he jus stared at her as she’s, still, undressing, he seemed to sense, that she’s feeling very uneasy about him being around her when she’s half nude. This is, although, he’s seen her with, hardly, any clothes on, many other times.
Anyways, he jus walked up to her, and as he’s doing so, she seemed to flinch away from his grip on her waist. And then, she’s, almost, in tears as he tried to lean over jus after she laid down on one of the beds inside the camper.
So, then, she said to JUSTIN without thinking, “Do you mind, JUSTIN? Can’t you see that I’m trying to fall asleep, here? Where are your manners? You should have knocked on the door before entering. Now, please leave me, alone, as I can’t seem to be able to relax, and go to sleep with you being near me.”
“What’s the matter, tonight, my dear? Did MOUNTAIN LILLIE upset you when she let you know, that me and her have feelings for each other?”
“In a big way, she has upset me to the point. That she could destroy the relationship; we have been having with each other, all this time.”
“This thing is I couldn’t help feeling this way about her. Because after all, during the last trip here before your parents bought this cabin, every time, she came by the cabin at night, you had been sleeping inside the camper or the cabin.”
“So, what else is on your mind, tonight? I can sense, you are feeling very uneasy inside, right now.”
“The thing is, my darling, that at some point along the way, I jus knew this. And this was apparent to me. I jus knew, that you could sense the fact that my relationship with MOUNTAIN LILLIE has been going on behind closed doors.”
“Yes, it did kind of upset me when MOUNTAIN LILLIE revealed this to me. And this is that you two have been having feelings of affection for each other. I, always, thought, that you and I were very close to each other. And that some day in the future, we were planning on getting a ranch together.”
“What ever gave you, the idea that we were going to have a ranch together in the future? I’ve explained to you, more than once, that we were, only, to be friends. Also, I’ve told you, many times, I never wanted to get married to you because it jus never would work out between us.”
“But JUSTIN, you know and so do I, that both of us have been getting closer to each other through all these years, we’ve lived under the same roof. And I have been planning for the past year or so for us to move into an apartment or cabin at some point.”
“What encouraged you to want to move out with me into some other place like an apartment?”
“I, really, somehow, got the idea; you would change your mind. And that you would consider you and me, living together, some day.”
He jus stared into her eyes for a few moments, and then, he said to her, “I even have sat down with you, many times, and tried to get you to understand jus how much I have loved you as my own brother. And that since I have been for some time, that we could break away from my parents. And have a place of our own.”
So, then, without another word between them, JUSTIN didn’t even bother leaning over her. And giving her, a kiss, like he, usually, does when he’s aware of her, wanting to hit the sack. So, he opened up the camper door, and then, stormed out the door without saying another word.
And it’s a good thing that her parents weren’t aware of him and her being outside at the time because they would have come right outside. And then, they might have thrown JUSTIN and CHER BEAR out of the camper. And then, CHER BEAR’S parents, probably, would have forced her to get him out of her life for good, through kicking her out of the cabin. And then, her parents, probably, would have made her, find another place to live.
MOUNTAIN LILLIE, every night, and, also, early in the morning, has been meeting JUSTIN out on the front porch. And she, always, seemed to catch him out on the front porch. However, tonight was the first night on which she wasn’t able to spot JUSTIN, sitting on the front porch.
So, then, MOUNTAIN LILLIE jus pulled up in the hilly driveway. And there, on her parents’ old red tractor, she sat there for what seemed like hours to her when, only, an hour has passed by. And since, she didn’t want to be caught there in the driveway by either CHER BEAR or her parents. She, then, jus pulled out of the driveway, a bit puzzled being that by this time, she, usually, ran into JUSTIN out in front of the cabin.
Then, as MOUNTAIN LILLIE was riding back to her parents’ house on the tractor, she felt like she was going to cry, right then and there. She couldn’t understand why JUSTIN wasn’t’ expecting her to show up at the cabin, tonight.
As she reached her parents’ house, she didn’t know what to tell either of them, at first, as soon as she got up off the tractor, she sneaked around. And she tried to enter the house through the back door as usual. However her mom jus happened to be relaxing with his dad in the living room. So, neither of them heard the tractor, pull up in the driveway nor being parked at the side of the driveway like usual. This was because MOUNTAIN LILLIE started parking the tractor up the hill near her sister’s house.
Her sister, SARAH, lived in a house all her own because their parents knew, she has a boyfriend who she has been going steady with. And she’s planning to marry this guy who, only, MOUNTAIN LILLIE’S and SARAH’S parents have met so far.
Every time, SARAH’S boyfriend shows up at the blue house which she has been living in, ever since, he, usually, jus comes right to that house instead of going to the main family house. This is because when the two, first, started going together, that her parents, automatically, gave SARAH, the other house up the mountain for herself. This was because at this stage of the game, her parents felt it was important, that the two get to know each other very well. Also, SARAH could afford paying rent for living in this house.