[Jake.Ashworth]

Chapter 5
I woke up so excited I ran right passed Jennifer as she tried to offer me breakfast. Still pulling on my jacket a blur of thoughts about what I was going to do rushed through my mind. The day before at my father’s memorial, behind the church while waiting for the service to start I had a little bit of fun with a old dog, but that was nothing compared to what I had planned for that damn coyote. As I ran through the woods, not really paying attention to where I was going, I knew the way like it was programmed into me, I was so distracted by my intentions that I hadn’t noticed the sound of breaking twigs behind me. I saw the clearing coming up ahead of me and I slowed down a bit to steady myself and clear my mind. I wanted to be completely present when I got there. After I stopped and took a couple of deep breaths I heard, movement, behind me. I froze, my first thought that somehow the coyotes had found my trap and were lying in wait all night to ambush me. I could hear the steps approaching from behind and they were close. Almost terrified to turn around I knew I had to. I turned just my upper half at first to try to see what was behind me without making any noise. As I started to turn a bunch of leaves hit me in the face.
I screeched and started swinging my arms violently hoping that whatever was charging me could be warded off by my crazy flailing. As the leaves fell away I heard “Wow, I really got you with that one, are you ok?” It was Jennifer. Instantly a million thoughts hit me, how did I let her follow me, is she going to see the fort, will she ask to check it out, what will I tell her? She patted me on the shoulder and said “Did I scare the words out of your mouth? God I’m good.” I shook loose of her hand a shook my head hard in an attempt to bring myself back. I said “I knew you were back the whole time!” “Yeah right, I totally got you.” She replied. I could feel the flush coming over my face. I was so embarrassed. She said “You went out the door so quick and you looked so happy, I just had to see what was going on. I was right behind you the whole time but it was like you were in a trance.”
“Oh yeah, well I was, ummm….” I tried to respond to her unable to come up with a good answer. “Oh my god! Is that a cabin?” She exclaimed as she pushed pass me and entered the clearing. It took me a second to realize what was about to happen. When it finally dawned on me that she was going to discover what a strange little boy I was and she would probably leave forever. I panicked running after her. Just before she got to the little building I cut in front of her. “Stop!” I yelled. She said “Whats wrong? Am I not supposed to see it? Did you build it? Are you keeping dirty magazines or something in there, if so I have seen it all before, come on let me see.” I tried to come up with a reasonable excuse for her not to go inside, but before I could she was already standing in the doorway wide eyed.
I walked up behind her slowly, she turned around and looked at me. She said “It’s so cute, you made it?” I wasn’t sure what to say and walked by her inside. Surveying the situation I realized that the tarp was bundled up in the bottom of the hole and all of the little pieces of my critters were gone. The little bastard coyotes came back and ate the rest of the parts. One must have fallen into the trap but been able to climb out, I was going to have to figure that out. I turned and said “Yes, I built it from logs and tree limbs I found in the forest. This is where I come to get away from everything. I can play and not feel like that huge house is going to swallow me.” She was still looking around and said “It’s awesome, why haven’t you ever told me about it? I thought we talked about everything.” I said “I needed somewhere nobody would find me.” I noticed a squirrel head, a little rotted and starting to decompose, sticking out from under the table that I had been using to do most of my cutting. I told her “Look, I would really appreciate it if you never told anyone about this, and if you never came back out here. I need this place to be special and just mine.” She said “Well, its not as fun as I was hoping anyway, I was really looking forward to the dirty magazines.” She winked at me. I had walked over to the table and used the back of my foot to kick the head back under it further. She took a deep breath, sighed and said “Ok, I promise I wont come back out here, come one lets go have breakfast.” I followed her out of my fort and we walked back to the house talking about the memorial service and effectively changing the subject.
We walked back into the house laughing and bumping into eachother. The house was silent, like usual. A small part of me still expect to come in the door and find mother cleaning or sitting in her library reading. But she was in her room, as she always was. It didn’t affect me anymore, I just noted it everytime. Jennifer and I went into the kitchen. She asked “What do you want for breakfast?” I said “Hmmm, Prime Rib!” jokingly. She laughed and said “Eggs and bacon it is.” We continued to chat while she cooked. I was starting to think incredibly dirty thoughts about her. I pictured her dancing around the kitchen cooking breakfast completely nude. I snapped out of it as she sat the plate down in front of me, “Eat up.” She said. I waited for her to sit down next to me at the bar and we had breakfast together. Things felt pretty normal again, at least for now.