Lasted • Tuck Everlasting

The Wonders

The Tucks all sat at the kitchen table as Kerena slept upstairs. They all were trying to think of what to do with the young girl. "I say we just throw her in the grand canyon," Jesse suggested as his dog companion barked with excitement.

"Jesse, if you suggest throwing someone into the grand canyon one more time I am kicking you out of this house." Mae groaned as she held her head in her hands. Angus opened his mouth to speak but quickly closed it upon forgetting what he was going to say. "Miles, any ideas?" Mae asked in a tired voice as she rubbed one of her eyelids and yawned. 

Miles thought for a moment while Charlie tugged at the hem of her green sweater. "Charlie and I were talking to her for a while, and she didn't seem all too thrilled about having to go and meet her parents again," Miles informed as Charlie's eyes shot up and a smirk crossed over her face. She quickly got up from the table and walked upstairs to the attic so she could wake up Kerena. The family looked confused as Miles shook his head. "She had an idea. Charlie will be back soon with some weird theory."

Upstairs, Kerena was braiding her hair into small strands as the door handle started to wiggle. She quickly threw her body back onto the small bed as she pretended to sleep. Charlie poked her head in through the door and saw what appeared to be a sleeping tween. The "young" woman smiled as she quietly walked over to where Kerena's backpack was. It had a pair of fresh clothes, personal belongings, a Tamagachi hanging from a pair of keys with an ID attached to a lanyard, twenty-dollars, some toiletries, and finally a phone with a portable charger.

Charlie sneakily stuck her head into the lanyard and looked for any information on where Kerena could live. After a few minutes of searching, she found an address. Perfect. Charlie hurried out of the room and Kerena woke up again to see what she had done, but quickly just ignored It and went to sleep.

The Tucks had all gone to sleep, but Charlie stayed up very late researching all she could on the girl. Kerena Merrit. Mother, Lillian Merrit. Father, Travis Merrit. Address, 1853 Piney Path in Treegap. A seventh-grader at Winston Preparatory School. Charlie triumphantly threw her hands in the air as she turned off her phone and put it next to her on a bedside table. "What did you do this time?" Miles tiredly asked as Charlie kissed the tip of his nose.

"You'll find out tomorrow." Charlie smiled as she yawned and snuggled into her pillow. The next morning came as everyone was downstairs eating pancakes. Although, Charlie was now rushing down the stairs at noon with an urgent message for the family. "Where is Kerena?" She asked frantically.

Angus and Jesse made eye-contact as they looked at Mae, who then looked at Miles. "I thought she was upstairs sleeping still?" Miles asked as he tensed his body a bit as syrup dripped down his chin. Charlie shook her head as the family went into full panic mode. "Okay, everyone needs to calm down," Jesse announced although no one had heard him. He sighed as he grabbed the old shotgun off the wall and shot a bullet into the ceiling which caused the room to quickly fall silent. "Miles, Charlie, you two go look for her in town. I'll go look in the woods. Ma and Pa, stay here in case she comes back." Jesse assigned as everyone nodded and split into different directions.

"Okay, so where to first?" Miles asked as Charlie quickly typed Kerena's address into the couple's GPS. The automated woman started speaking directions as Miles shrugged and started the car, driving off into town. Little did every know was that Kerena was sat in a tree trying to figure out this family's strange secrets. She knew they were immortal, but what else are they hiding?