The Stranger

The Beginning

Lost again in her thoughts she was home before she knew it. Pulling into the gravel driveway, the trees sparse, but it felt like a scene in a movie, with the pines towering ahead, surrounding the houses view of the ridge above.

Through her drive home, everything just evaporated from her mind, all that was left was the mysterious stranger. She'd never felt so charmed, she wasn't even completely convinced he was charming, but still she felt something.

She got herself from her car through the door. She placed all her stuff near the couch. From the kitchen she can hear the sounds of water boiling and utensils hitting metal bowls.

"Aubrey, honey is that you? I made your favorite mi amor." Her mother said, she sounded very upbeat. Aubrey felt even more anxious about giving her the news.

Before stepping into the kitchen she took a deep breath, then made her move.

She walked in, placing the envelope into her back pocket. *I got to play this as close to the chest as possible*, she thought to herself.

*Live without fear*, that line, she didn't know where it came from, but it was firmly implanted in her mind. She opened the screen door and through the door a waft of spices hit her nose. She recoiled, but felt delight in the thought of her mothers cooking.

Her mother was stirring the Caldo, a Mexican soup filled with basic ingredients such as cabbage and carrots. Despite the heat outside she couldn't help but feel her mouth water.

"Sorry, I'm late I got the mail though." She said laying the other envelopes on the counter where the mail was kept.

"Ah, thats good anything interesting come in?" Her mom said as she staying focused on the Caldo.

"Nah, nothing good just some ads. But how was your day?" The moment she said that she felt a huge bubble of guilt build up. She knew this was where it was going, but to actually do it was another thing entirely.

"Ah mija, you should know already. Your grandma is not doing well, its important we spend as much time as we can." She said, her somber look taking hold of her aged features. Her grandma was well into her 90s, but only recently went down in health. She didn't know how the woman had lasted so long, something deep inside her told her that she wouldn't last that long. . .
----

They had a pleasant dinner with her mom as she filled her in on all the details going on throughout town. To her, she loved it, she wasn't much for doing it herself, but when it was delved out she wasn't going to deny it.

She heard all about her families woes, her uncle getting back with the girl who beat the shit out him last time she saw him, apparently a distant cousin she hated on since childhood had gotten fat but bagged a good job, another batch of teachers quit at the local school causing a shut down. But what really caught her was rumors swirling around the nearby towns of missing persons.

"Mom, how could their be missing people from three different towns? It doesn't make sense?"

"I know, but wouldn't the people know whose there and who isn't?"

"I mean, mom look where we live. . . Like who's trying to stay? Maybe they just got together online and dipped?"

"Mija, no. Who have you ever heard of packing everything up and leaving town? Let alone three?"

"I don't know mom, but what about the police? Where are they on all of this?"

"Thats what I'm trying to say, the police aren't even worried or looking. But your cousin Josh told me last week that for the past few weeks everybody has been working, no days off."

"Its about time those bums start working." she said trying to keep herself from laughing.

"Its serious, whatever is happening its all being covered up."

"Mother, you literally are sitting here all chill? Like what do you mean somethings being covered up? If it was that serious why not start with that?"

"Because, I'm so scared." she was trembling as her eyes drifted off in the distance.

"But it doesn't make any sense to me. Theres no way, think about where we live? Why would someone be trying to do stuff here?"

"Josh also told me FBI guys have been crawling around the Sheriffs department raiding files asking questions, bossing them around. Something is happening. But my point is you can't be going out anymore, I want you here near me, we are going to be staying starting tomorrow night was you Tio Ceasar."

"Mom, please no. Nobody has gone missing here why do I have to leave?"

"Just please don't argue, I feel safer being with your Tio."

She didn't even bother arguing, instead she silently got up promptly ending the discussion and began cleaning up.
----

That night she sat in her room alone with her lamp on. She was dressed comfortably in case her mother walked in, she could easily look like she was ready for sleep. The day was too stressful to be worrying about safety, she needed to get out ASAP.

Her phone buzzed, she picked it up and saw the message.

"Hurry up we are about to pull up!"

She turned off her lights and opened the door.

"I'm going to bed, see you tomorrow. Love you." She closed the door and slowly made her way out of the window. Luckily her window was close to the ground so she fit easily out. She ducked below the window checking the main road. Still there was no sign of Catherine or Joseph. She stayed ducking down below the window, she felt so ecstatic, the rush of adrenaline filled her blood. She reflected on feeling, feeling a little frightened at just how intoxicating it was doing things she wasn't supposed to.

The reflection wore off as lights appeared from her left moving very slowly. She waited another second to make sure it was the right car. 'Can't be sneaking into the wrong car by accident' she thought to herself.

As the car pulled close to the driveway the window rolled down, thats when she made her dash. She sprinted across the driveway straight to the window where she leaped and landed on Samanthas lap as they laughed hysterically while zooming off down the street.
----

All across the town, everything lay silent. It was a normal Wednesday night, people were still recovering from the weekend and would need one more night of rest before they filled the bars with their built up lust and frustration from the workday.

The moon was shining high in the sky, creating a luminous night where the landscape of Pine Springs shined. The clouds slowly began filtering into the valley deep in the night. When Derrick ended his studying for the night, when Aubrey snuck out into the night, when the night took hold and everyone was asleep something in the town stirred.

Derrick fell asleep with troubling dreams, he could feel the town, but didn't understand what it meant. After that one dark night he would forever follow his gut, sometimes your intuitions hold the truth to all the answers we have.