Those That Slither | ON HOLD

Twenty Two

Home? Home had been Channing for the longest time. She worked behind a desk for  a living and came home to Beo and wine when she wasnt. Her life was ordinary, or even boring. She gardened proudly and read like books were going out of style. That was home.

Not Elk Village. It had been over a decade since it became the haunted place she never wished to return. And even after something caused her to unknowingly drive out there, she couldn't bring herself to ever want to step foot in that dusty town ever again.

Now someone was telling her it was time.

She felt stubborn, she simply didn't want to. Everything about that place geared her up for an even bigger breakdown. Her heart was never complete, but at least it wasn't constantly strangled by the voices telling her she looked just like her mother, or know that at the end of the day everyone knew Mia was gone forever thanks to her- accident or not.

Leah rubbed her eyes and looked across her coffee table at Simon perched in a plush chair. He patiently waited for her to crawl out of her thinking mode before realizing he had her attention. "I know, you've tried to avoid Elk Village for so long, dear. But this is a part of healing."

"Healing?" She picked at her jeans, "I left that place behind me so I could heal."

Wrapping his hands with one another he leaned forwards, "I understand. But now you must face the facts."

"The facts?"

He exhaled, "Your family is part of the answer, especially your brother."

"Derek?"

"Although your father never blamed you, I don't know if I can say the same for him. When I see his figure, there's such a cloud around him full of darkness. You must go back, you must find him."

"And when I do? Then what?"

"Find the person, find the reason, find the solution," Daniel chimed in from the kitchen. He turned with the kettle in his hand, "Isn't that what Fawn said?"

"Yeah it is," she watched him pour steamy heaps of tea into three mugs, "But how could he know anything about me? I haven't talked to him since I left."

"There is only one way to find out."

--

Packing crystals or necklaces into her pockets wasn't a problem. It was shoving clothes into a bag for the drive that made her shutter. Leah stood above a camping bag she'd never used, tossing in extra clothes, head still attempting to free itself of what had occurred right where she stood. Every time she thought she heard something, she turned with paranoia.

"I can't believe I'm doing this," she mumbled, throwing a stick of deodorant on top of folded jeans.

"Me either," Daniel entered her room slowly and stopped beside her at the end of her bed, "I thought you'd be more organized than that."

She cut her eyes at him, "I think this curse has cured my OCD."

He sighed and wiggled his hands into his pockets. There was an awkward air in between them, both parties picking up on it. He trailed from the bag to her glowing green eyes beside him, "Hopefully everything will be back to normal soon."

"Would be nice," Leah gave the bag a once over before zipping it and crossing her arms. The knot in her stomach begged to be untied and there was one way to start unraveling it. Going out on a limb she decided to reach out to him. "Are you still mad at me?"

Daniel rubbed his chin, "Why would I be mad at you?"

"Oh come on, I practically jumped down your throat for nothing."