Wolf Hollow

Chapter 19

Darren felt so good about breaking the silence. He felt like he hadn't been close in a while with Eleanor. Everything felt like a secret being kept. Now they had come close again while burying a man.

He didn't want her to leave just like that. He didn't want to leave her at all. For all Darren knew, he loved Eleanor.

"I love you, Eleanor," Darren squeezed her hand. "seriously, I do. I don't want you to go. I don't want you to leave me. I know this wasn't a proper date or way to spend time together."

She looked him deep in the eyes. Neither of them cared about the fact that they'd buried a man anymore.

Maybe Albert would be a thing of the past. Maybe he would be an urban legend to Wolf Hollow in the future and kids would tell other kids that he was the boogeyman, like Theo and his gang of friends sort of did on the first day that Darren came to school in Wolf Hollow.

There was still a gruesome serial killer out on the loose, and it wasn't Albert. Any sane person knew that the old man was done for his days. He was done with everything now. That was for sure.

"Darren, please," Eleanor stroked his cheek. "it is not the end of the world and I am not leaving you. I would never."

There was a blue and green hammock behind Albert's house that he had built years and years ago. Darren launched into it, in hopes that it wouldn't break. Eleanor gently got in next to him.

"I can't believe we did this." She sighed.

"I kinda can," Darren said. "I've been through so much here already that it isn't even a surprise anymore."

Eleanor leaned in closer to Darren. He was already shutting his eyes. Eleanor stared at him intently. He was so clueless but she found him adorable.

The glow of the moon was gone, and so were the howls and the strong winds. It's almost like it was perfect timing for a sleep under the stars.

__________________________________

Saturday arrived. Ruthie would be flying back to Wolf Hollow on Monday and Leah and Kent would meet her at the airport. They had called plenty of times, and she was definitely alright.

Leah and Kent hadn't seen Darren. Being in Wolf Hollow at this time was like playing a dangerous game. Maybe jumanji for that matter. They went to search.

Darren and Eleanor were already out of the hammock. They picked up jackets early. He gave her one of his. Clara invited them for breakfast. Even Leah and Kent, though they never reached the phone in time.

The kitchen smelled like heaven, even though that's possibly where Albert wasn't. Eleanor always dreamed of a warm breakfast like this. Bacon, grits, scrambled eggs, and orange juice.

A regular Saturday morning in the Mitchum family household consisted of cereal or a pastry.

Daniel and Rosalyn Mitchum could care less where their daughter was. They had another daughter, Eleanor's sister, Jane, who died in a car crash 3 years before. Who knew a death from a car crash could separate a family so much and make them hate their living child?

Eleanor mostly lived with her aunt and uncle. Her uncle was Raymond Mitchum, a former olympic athlete, though it was only for one year. He spent his time now coaching little league sports.

The food was ready. Darren felt an empty hole through his stomach since last night. All of the digging put a dent in him that he would never forget.

"It's a good thing," Clara started scooping. "what you did. I'm not exactly sure if I loved him a whole lot. I found out what he did. How does someone react to that?"