Welcome back! I hope the autumn weather is treating everyone well. I love the chill autumn air, but I'm dreading the deep freeze of winter. For now, I hope you all find someplace cozy to read my next chapter! Whether you're wrapped in blankets on a couch, squished between strangers on a train, or ignoring family at Thanksgiving because you'd rather be reading smut, you deserve a moment of calm. Enjoy!
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Nick’s eyes ran over the grocery list again, just for good measure. His grandparents lived alone, but had a habit of inviting friends over pretty frequently, so the list was extensive. Sure he hadn’t missed anything, he moved into a checkout lane.
The elderly cashier was extra chatty, and he happily asked about her day as he helped bag everything; She was exceptionally proud of her grandson, apparently he’d done great on his spelling test. Nick laughed with her as he swiped his card, noticing a message on the terminal.
Donate to support local cancer research?
Out of habit, he reached to decline, but then stopped himself. He stared at his choices, Amara’s words ringing in his head.
”Maybe… we should be worried about bigger things?”
Shaking his head, he donated $20, then moved to help bag his purchases.
The drive back was quiet, if a little long. His grandparents had settled down further out, eager for a big house away from town. Driving was something Nick missed when he was at school; He found it relaxing, and the landscape surrounding him had a simplistic charm to it. Billboards came and went, most of them committed to memory after frequent family visits.
ADULT TOY STORE - NEXT EXIT!
He chuckled, remembering when a girlfriend had convinced him to go into the toy store years ago. He’d blushed furiously looking at all the outfits, but he couldn’t deny he had thoroughly enjoyed everything they bought.
CRACKER BARREL- 3 MILES
His grandparents had talked him into going to the restaurant earlier this week, though he was surprised they only wanted to go once. He had loved the place as a kid, but his palette had expanded in recent years, and he had grown less fond of their menu.
HELL IS REAL
Nick’s eyes froze on the sign, reading it repeatedly. Even after passing it, his eyes stayed glued to the sky, unfocused. He thought of Amara, her surprise demonic puberty, and everything they’d gotten up to this last week. Passages from books came back to him, then online articles, and finally all their conversations.
“One book says…they actually feed on human souls. Souls!”
“Does your existence prove His existence?”
The car started shaking, its tires colliding with the rumble strip, and Nick snapped back to his senses. He centered himself on the road again, shaking his head. He checked his mirrors and sighed in relief when he saw no one else nearby.
The rest of the journey was peaceful, if no longer quiet; Nick had turned the music much louder to keep himself distracted.
When he returned, he happily greeted the dogs at the door, letting them run and bounce all over him. Chasing them outside, he now had the space to unpack groceries without their curious noses getting into everything. His grandma wandered in as he was wrapping up.
“Did you… do our grocery shopping?” She asked, her voice piqued with curiosity.
“Well, I saw the list had gotten a little long, and I needed something to do!” He smiled as he let the dogs back in, watching them run into the kitchen and investigate where all the food used to be.
“I would’ve given you our card if you’d said something, silly!” She moved to her wallet, sitting in a basket next to her keys. “How much was it?”
Nick moved closer, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. “It’s really no big deal, I’m happy to help.”
“Oh hush, I know you're not working at school. How much?”
Nick relented, pocketing the money before giving her a tight hug. As he pulled back, he looked around the kitchen briefly.
“I was going to walk the dogs around the lake, have you seen Grandpa? Would he want to come?”
“Oh, he’s sleeping through Jeopardy right now, you know that.” She laughed as she grabbed the dog’s harnesses. “You go enjoy the weather, while it’s still nice.”
Nick gave his grandma a tight hug before leaving, clipped the leashes to the dogs, and headed out. The lake was a few miles north, nestled in a pocket of woods, and he took his time getting there. It was an easy walk, one he’d made many times as a kid. A beaten path took him all the way, and then surrounded the lake itself.
He breathed deep, smiling as he watched both dogs walk around and smell everything. Every so often they would run back to him excitedly, sometimes with a cool stick, and he would kneel to play with them. A small pile of milk bones in his pocket gradually diminished as the walk continued, and halfway through he sat down on a fallen tree to rest.
His parents had brought him here often as a child. At first, the rural atmosphere had been too slow for his taste; his friends weren’t here, his games were at home, and there was nowhere fun to go. That reluctance had quickly given way to excitement, and he began eagerly looking forward to their visits. This lake in particular had become an oasis, a place to calm his thoughts.
He’d come here when his best friend from elementary school had moved away, and when his first girlfriend had broken up with him. He had run here to hide when his parents found his bad report cards, and when he first learned about the unexpected passing of his uncle.
Nick had spent a lot of time here this week.
Another stick appeared in his lap, and he tugged it away from the dogs before throwing it for them again. They eagerly gave chase, but returned with a completely different stick. He laughed, gave the new one a toss, and stood up to start heading back. As he left the lake, his phone went off.
Amara:
When are you getting baaaaack
Nick had left the morning after the football game, just about a week ago. At first, things had been relatively normal, but after a few days, he noticed that Amara seemed to miss him more than usual.
Amara:
