One Dysfunctional Mess part 4

Chapter 6 Jack and Zach

Jack and Zach sat on either side of Jack's gray desk.  Cards laid in front of them face up while holding several others in their hand.  Zach looked at the most recent card that his cousin had laid down. A picture of a snarling, black werewolf was on it with the words level three about it.

Zach looked at his cards and then tossed one on the table. Jack looked at the card with amusement. "A vampire hunter really." Jack said. "Up against a vampire."

"A level five werewolf." Zach said.

Jack shrugged. "Level five paladin."

Zach winced as he looked at his other cards.  "So how are you doing with all this?"

"Do you mean having a crazy uncle trying to kill me?" Jack said. "Or discovering that I have a brother."

"Both."

Jack sighed. "I'm still a little shook up over it." Jack said. "I'm not sure if I will be able to sleep tonight." Jack took a drink of his soda and then laid down another card.

"Do you want me to spend the night?" Zach asked.

"You don't have to do that." Jack said.

"I know." Zach said. "But I want to." He then played a card that had a picture of a dragon on it. "Besides it beats spending the night at Aunt Hortense's."

Jack then cringed "I can't disagree there." He then laid down another card leaving two in his hand. Unfortunately it was his last good card. He just hoped that Zach's remaining two were garbage. "I don't know why he came after me?" He asked. "I mean I knew that he hated me and my dad. But never in my wildest dreams did I imagined he hated me enough to want to kill me." A perplexed look crossed his face. "Why did I do to cause him to hate me that much."

"Maybe he is just nuts." Zach played the snapping turtle card which was only worth one point.

Really Zach he thought. You put the snapping turtle in your deck. He must have had a lot confidence in his other cards. Jack then let out a breath as he thought how his were not much better.

"And the long lost brother thing?"

"Its crazy." Jack said. "Its insane to think that I've had this brother out there all this time and I never knew he existed." Jack then laid the flying squirrel card. "I mean can you imagine having a sibling out there you never knew about."

"Every day." Zach said somberly and then laid down a flying squirrel card. "I'm pretty sure that my mom and dad have both had other kids." He sniffed. "Who knows how many siblings out there that I will probably never meet."

"I'm sorry man." Jack said a bit embarrassed. "I was thinking when I said that."

"No, I'm the one who should I apologizing. I'm suppose to be cheering you up not dragging you down."

"You are not dragging me down." Jack said.  Actually it's helping me take my mind off what happened. He then laid down his final card.

Dang Zach thought. He sighed heavily and said "You won."

Jack smiled. "Was there any doubt." Zach rolled his eyes. "I was curious have you ever looked them up on Facebook or Instagram?"

"Several times." Zach said as he picked up his cards. "I found my mom's but there has been nothing posted on it since two thousand ten. Nothing public anyway." He began to shuffle the cards absent mindedly.  "I've looked up my dad but there are a lot of Scott Hatfields out there and about a dozen of them don't have pic of themselves in their profiles so I have no idea which one might be him."

If any of them he thought.

"I sent my mom a message about two years ago but she has never looked at it." Zach said.

"She probably hasn't go on the account in years."

"Probably not." Or she has and she is ignoring my message.

Jason then appeared at the door. "Hey boys." He said. "Food is here." Jack got up and walked to the door. They were about to go out when they looked at Zach who standing by the desk. "Coming Ace?"

"I'll be right with you." Zach said.

Jason nodded and put his arm around Jack and the two walked out.  Zach then pulled out his mother's cell phone and opened his messenger app.  He then typed his mother's name bring up her messed profile.

It had been a couple of months since he had last checked. He opened it to see if she by chance had read the messages he sent her over the last two years. To his dismay the bubble at the bottom was still a circle with a check mark.

Hey mom its Zach he typed. Its been awhile since I sent you message. I hope everything is well with you. Please respond so  that I know you are alive. Love Zach.

He then hit send and looked at the bubble to see it would change but it did not. 

Stop kidding yourself Zach. You will vever hear from them. Just give up on trying contract them. Save the yourself the heart break.

You are better off forgetting about them he thought as he walked down the hall. Because they had certainly forgotten about