Woodstock Park Murder

Waking in the morning was hardest when Jake had already slipped out. He normally only did that when he hadn't heard my dad leave. I brush my hair and aimlessly think of how today could go. First day to my junior year, classes, cheerleading afterwards, I wonder who will be in my lunch period. Quickly letting my thoughts cover over what I will be needing to do this school year. Maybe I could catch my dad and ask him to volunteer around his office. I want a start to getting into a good college, one far from here. I know having office experience, especially law environment will be a great view on my high school transcripts.

Quickly straightening my long hair, I pour my foundation on, smoothing and covering my flaws. Scooping mascara on my long eye lashes, just a tad nude lip gloss, diving into my closet I grab my destroyed light jeans, pulling them on one leg at a time, my coral silk lace top - over my head, lastly pulling my black tank over lay. I walk into my room and pick up my white book bag I packed last night. Jogging down the hall with a two finger air kiss to Cameron's room. I hit the bottom step and hear my dad moving around in the kitchen.

"Hey Dad," I sling my book bag on the black granite counter tops, turning to the refrigerator.

"Hey Bethany," I grab the orange juice, trying to calmly figure out his tone.

"I have a question, which I don't need an answer now or even today." I pour a glass and look at his soft face. No emotion, just there. He does like hard work maybe he'd like I want to work. I could only hope. I take a quick sip. "I want to volunteer at your office, you know answering phones, filing cases, typing notes, whatever you may need." I turn and put the orange juice away. I hear him shake his newspaper, clearing his throat.

"I don't see why we can't find you something to do, a trail base." His voice was light, the last words even seem humorous. I look up and his lips fold upward into a smile. I catch his tone, I haven't seen his smile in months, though I haven't seen his face in weeks. Finally I would get time with him as well as getting something great to add from colleges.

"Thank you!" 

"Of course, I'm glad to see you wanting something more out of life than cheerleading and beauty pageants." 

"Dad I haven't done those in years, and cheerleading looks great on my college applications. Just like the Spanish club, Debate team, and the AP classes I take." I could almost roll my eyes at him, but I don't my face just turns into a line again. He did always like to make me feel like I wasn't good enough. I am a girl for pete's sake. Internally my eyes are permanently rolling. 

"Right, I'm uh sorry," clearing his throat again. He lets his eyes fall back to his paper.

"Okay well I can stop by tomorrow after school, I have pointless cheerleading today." 

"Bethany!" His tone lets me know to stop testing my luck. The door bell rings as I finish my orange juice. Thank heavens is all I can think. "Have a good day." His tone lightens and I know I'm off the hook, for now. I'll have to watch my mouth around him. I'm use to being without a filter. I just nod knowing my words would have a sharper tone than I'd mean. I grab my book bag and head down the hall from the kitchen to the foyer. I grab my keys off the hanging key ring and open our huge dark maguey door. Jake's hair is fluffier than last night. I wonder if he went home and showered to dry it that way. I smile I'm silly thinking of him, his hair is always fluffy. He smiles back at me.

"Good morning gorgeous." He bends down and kisses me.

"Bye!" I shout through the house and close the door behind us. "Good morning handsome, though it would have been better if someone would have stayed all morning."

"Hey, hey. We have discussed before about your dad. Your mom is never up and wouldn't suspect anything- your dad scares me." He laughs and grabs my hand as we walk to my car. "I'm not driving today?"

"No," his feelings look hurt. "I'm sorry I wasn't awake last night when you got there. We have to swing by and get Rebecca. And I don't need her riding in your truck."

"Oh babe- you're so cute when you're jealous." 

"I am no such thing." We both laugh. I try to make my face serious quickly though, throwing my hands on my hips.

"You can't stay mad, stop trying." He wraps his arms around me and kisses my forehead, making me melt. "No big deal, I'll drive you in your chariot tomorrow." Swinging me around he places my feet on the ground and smacks my butt playfully. I swat him away. Laughing to my driver side door. It's a warm summer morning, I let the windows down and reach over to grab Jake's hand. He pulls it to his lips, my face heats.

"So first day to junior year, what big plans do we have?"

"What ever do you mean, my sweet Bethany?" He smiles and sticks his free hand out into the wind.

"I mean in between classes, dances, sports, and studying."

"Why be utterly happy dear." He leans his head against the head rest as I turn onto Rebecca's street a few miles away from mine. Good thing she is so close to me, though I live on the edge of town. It's quite and lonely out there. I didn't mind it so much anymore, now that I have Jake. But before him I use to think my house was haunted. Maybe my little brother was still walking the halls, but I found some comfort inside thinking of him still near. "Hey are you okay?"

"Oh yeah, sorry I'm great." 

"Are you sure? I think I lost you for a few there." He laughs but there's a scarcity behind it.

"I'm just an airheadin' out." I wink at him quickly then facing my eyes back to the road. Softly easing my black Jeep onto Rebecca's curb.

"Okay princess." He sighs and I know he doesn't believe me. I pick up phone up and shoot Rebecca a text. Here. Place my hand on my nose bridge. Even with as perfect as Jake and I feel we still have black secrets we don't let come into the light. How do you know you can trust someone completely? Feelings are wrong, moments and words trick you. Then you open up and give power to a person who may end up being your undoing. It's too hard to give your whole self to a person. It has to be okay, somewhere, some how to keep parts of yourself hidden, right?

"Hi y'all!" Rebecca slings the back door open and yells her cow girl high volume voice inside the whole Jeep. I shut my eyes and smile. She is a beautiful senior, with almost as much money as me. But there is something off about her. As much as she has I have never aspirated to be her. I don't know why, because probably 95% of the girls in our high school and 79% of the surrounding college girls wanted to be her. She is lively, bright, gorgeous, and as this innocent openness about her. She makes me feel young when I'm with her. I know I keep her at a distance because I'm jealous. Jealous she is young and knows not of painful events, well the painful events that dig deep into the bone. Because in reality in high school every day is a painful struggle of just trying to survive the opinions of the sharp tongues of teenagers. I at least go lucky in the not caring aspect.

"Hey Becc!" I cheerfully echo her.

"So did y'all hear about what the police found this morning??" Her tone is always so dramatic.

"No, I didn't turn on the TV this morning."

"You mean we didn't." Her laugh is pure and full. I smile, wondering how many people know about Jake's sleep overs.

"I," correcting her and shooting my eyes in the rearview at her. She quickly turns to serious chatting again.

"Okay so y'all two remember that Ted Rollins who was on trail for raping that 16 year old in the county next door?"

"Yeah Riverbanks county?" Jake is sitting back up. I relax a little knowing he isn't dwelling on my space out.

"His body was found in Woodstock park." 

"Wait isn't that where we always do our bonfires?" I innerly shake my head knowing I answer my own question.

"Yes! But that's not why I'm telling y'all! Do y'all get that this counts as 6, count them 6 murders in the last 8 months!" I smile again not at the point of all these murders but because her voice is such a stretch. I feel like I'm watching a movie as I listen to her tell of the news.

"Wow, I didn't know you could count Rebecca." 

"Funny Jake but I actually have a 3.7 GPA, shall we discuss yours?"

"Of course because it's a 3.9, with AP classes." He slips his hand underneath mine as it rests on my knee. "Lost again?" Lower voice.

"No, baby never lost with you." I smile and slow my thoughts. Murders always push me into the past. It is a lot more already especially for it only being August. I couldn't help but count number in my head all in Jackson history never had there been so many murders. It all boils down to the year after my little Cameron was murdered. Keith Connors was the first to be murdered - he was released from custody and within 24 hours his body was found in Woodstock park. After that all the high school's bonfires were there. It was a tradition to prove this was our county and no one could take it no matter the tragedies. 

"Well I'm sure the crime scene will be cleaned up before next week."

"Did they mention a suspect?" Jake's tone is serious while his face tries to remain steady. It makes me uncomfortable, I shift in my seat and he tightens his grip on my hand. 

"No, but they did mention the body they found almost a decade ago in the same park. Oh Bethany they mention your grandfather." For the first time Rebecca lost all the drama in her tone.

"What does it say?" I knew this would come up sooner or later. My grandfather was the wealthiest man on this town with my little brother was murdered. It was a shock the known suspect wasn't apprehended. But he wasn't, to this day I think our whole family thinks the justice system was paid off from someone on the outside of this county. Nothing was ever proven and when Keith turned up dead fingers of course pointed my families direction. I was too young to ever be included in the conversations but growing up I've head wild tails. My grandfather died later that year of cancer, he never went to trail. In the eyes of the law no one ever paid for Keith's death, in this county my grandfather did. However I feel like no one could have given two shits about him being gone.

"I think you should read it,"

"Well I'm driving so I can't!" I can't keep the anger out of my voice. I'm not mad with her, I don't think. I'm just pissed at the town and its gossip almost 10 years and people can't pick another subject. 

"Babe just chill and wait until you park." He rubs his thumb across the back of my hand. I try to relax, but it's hard when you're thinking of the worst.  

Nightmares

Jerking awake, my eyes were having trouble adjusting. I hated when I had a frightening dream, can't remember it but I know I'm scared of something, and my eyes fail me making reality twenty thousand times worse than it probably is. Finally my wall comes into shades and I can see everything is in place - bookshelf safely held each book in all the places I left them. The mysteries far on the top shelf away from the romance neatly leaning against one another on the bottom shelf with the action, science fiction, and history as buffers in-between. I felt Jake move beside me. He was a heavy sleeper, a hurricane couldn't wake him. I wonder if it had to do with growing up in California with earth quakes. He had moved here during the summer before 10th grade started. I remember seeing him on the baseball field when my then best friend Jupiter. Her boyfriend was the starting pitcher. That was until Jake moved to Georgia and stole all the fame from any of our small town boys. I still remember my heart stopping and racing all at once. He was like a warm summer sun in the dead of winter, a promising star to always lead me home. I never got enough of him. He must had been through something awful back in California because our first conversation was him saying his name and stating he was interested only in a serious relationship - one full of respect and true promises only. Otherwise we'd be friends and that's it. I had never met anyone in my whole life to have everything figured out. I grew up fast because of my brother leaving me so earlier on. I had planned to protect him forever. Keep all the whores away from him and show him how to jump off the rope swing at the perfect moment to do a full flip into the lake down the dirt road behind out house.

Shutting my eyes I pretend for a quick second he wasn't murdered and my family is whole. Tears scoot out of the corners of my eyes. Opening them I rolled over gently pushing my sheets off my body and softly pulling Jake's grip from around him to an empty place. His face was emotionless, beautiful in the state of safety in a deep sleep where reality is far lands away. Dreams are always my safe haven. Not that my reality is bad, it's not. My family is one of the wealthiest in Jackson, Georgia. And money buys a lot, it buys a sleep set on happiness. Let's me go into auto pilot sometimes with it. I can buy myself things, and take trips, I can have brief moments of highs that gives me laps of the happiness family relationships are supposed to bring. Jake does that too, I got lucky with him, my blessing is what I call him. Funny I wonder if my little brother would have liked him. Maybe they'd be good friends, and I'd get a long with his girlfriend. We'd all go on double dates and spend nights playing cards, watching movies, doing homework. I wonder if Jake would think it's weird I day dream about what if a lot when it comes to the day my little brother got murdered. 

It was cold outside of his hold, I moved slow to my bathroom thinking that made my footsteps quiet. I close the door with both hands and lean against it. Just a moment to myself to breathe deep. It always helped hold back the break downs. I only let myself feel those during my showers. The water hide my tears and the warmth felt healing. I felt reborn each shower. Water was my saving grace. A loud thud caught my attention, breaking my train of thought and easing the break down. I peak into my room - Jake's still sleeping perfectly. I smile and roll my eyes, I didn't know what I was thinking.

Outside my room felt warmer. The hallway didn't have any windows to be opened like I had my doors to let cooler air inside. I was at the end of the hallway, looking down it in the darkest always scares me. It's disturbing. I walk pass my bathroom door and edge out to the railing that overlooks the foyer to pass by my brothers closed door. Down towards my parents room I could hear my mom's heavy breathing, I'm sure she was sauced before she passed out from too much alcohol. My body just teased as always slowly stepping, not that any noise would wake her. Maybe my undying knowledge of her pain made me uncomfortable. Turning to walk down our winding staircase. I could noises from my dad's office. The large standing clock in the foyer read 1:15, surprising he was actually home at this time. I use to here him coming in at 3 am most mornings and he'd be gone again by 6 am. I will forever wonder where he sleeps if he ever does. 

"I'm sorry if I woke you." He's words were low, as if he were still trying not to wake me. 

"You didn't, I had an odd dream that did that. I heard noises and didn't expect you to be home." My tone was accusing. I smiled when he jerked his head up to finally see who had entered his office. 

"Bethany, you should be in bed at this hour."

"I was, as I said I was sleeping." He never listened. Just thought what he wanted as always. Before I could turn and leave his shoulders relaxed and he put his pen down.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to not listen." He leans back in his chair. His face still looks young under the tense glare and slight wrinkles in the corners of his eyes. His brown hair is still thick with only stray gray hairs. "Tell me, was your summer all you had wanted?" 

"Ended too soon, as all time of freedom does." I shrug my shoulders, wondering where he is digging. I don't think I've had a conversation with my father in years, if ever. I try to always remember him when I was a child. My baby brother on his shoulders, his free hand holding mine, swinging together as we walked around the county fair. It was the last happy day we had together.

"Good, and your mother?"

"Not much of a mother, how's she as a wife?" I regret the words as soon as they were out.

"Bethany." I couldn't read his tone when he said my name. He wiping his face with his hands, taking a heavy sigh. "I would do anything to protect this family." There's a different shade of facial expression when he looks up at me. I didn't know if I realize him. Then again I never see him, maybe I finally let his age into my memory. "I spend my days trying to clean up these streets, bringing this county back into the safe and humble one it used to be 10 years ago." I didn't want to hear this. I knew the town of Jackson was completely different and the turning point was Cameron's death. His beautiful round face, floppy hair, and always finding the best mud holes to get dirty. I feel the tears blot my eyes. My dad gets up and walks to me, for the first time in, well 10 years, he hugs me. "It's okay, I'm going to be more present. I'll get your mother some help. We will be a family again." He strokes my hair. His tight embrace is comforting. Something I've never felt from my dad. Only Jake. I didn't know what it's like to have a family member care and give love. My tears gently roll down my face.

"Thank you Daddy's!" The excitement and pure joy rings out in my stumbling voice. I squeeze him tight. Letting a relationship I've only dreamt of be born in a single few moments. He parts the hug, resting his hands on me shoulders. 

"I'll protect this family as I've been protecting Cameron's name all these years." His face it twisted in a smile that frightens me. I see red stains all of his clothes. I didn't know how I didn't see them earlier. Maybe the desk covered them. I was confused. I couldn't split my thoughts. I went over his words slowly. Protecting us like Cameron? He hadn't protected Cameron though. He's dead, his murderer got off on lack of evidence. Even though his killer should have been in jail for molesting several little boys. The justice system had failed them too. My thoughts begin to entwine. Bleeding together, I needed air. My dad's lips were in a half smile, tickling my fear even more. 

"I don't think I understand." I whisper.

"Oh but my child you will." He stands straight and I see the dark red stains carrying on towards his khaki pants, thick.

"Are you hurt?" 

"No," he walks to his desk sits down and begins writing again. 

"Well, where did, uh." I swallow, trying to find my words. My mouth goes dry and I can't find a point I'm trying to make. 

"Don't worry Bethany, we soon will see the lights. Cameron will be here, and truths will be laid upon tables to feast for years to come." He just keeps writing and smiling.

"Cameron will what? I'm just..." Worlds continue to come out but no sounds made. All of a sudden I'm not standing in his office anymore, I'm in the woods. It's cold even though it's summer in Georgia. I look around trying to figure out where I am. I hear voices that are so familiar but I can't find anyone. I start walking, calling out. Still not sound. I see shadows in the pitch darkness, moving as quickly as I can on the hard, sharp ground. 

I jerk awake, sweating, and breathing hard. I'm laying in Jake's arms, my room is normal. Everything's black. I blink trying to help my eyes adjust. I remember having a weird dream, I can't pull up the parts to it though. Jake is sleeping like a baby, I roll my eyes. He's a beautiful thing, especially sleeping, so heavenly and easily looking years younger. When he's awake he looks 19, sleeping he looks his age. I know something happened before he moved out here but he still hasn't told me. I won't pry either, he'll open up when he's ready. I love him regardless and I know he's my saving grace. 

Climbing out of bed, I feel as if I just did this. Walking to my bathroom I hear a loud noise. In the hallway, it's dark and I'm confused. I swear I just did this. I see my dad's outline go into their room. Okay that isn't familiar. I wonder if he's going to sleep. Does he sleep? I shake my head and slip back into my room. Jake isn't in bed anymore. What the hay? 

"Baby where did you go?" He grabs me from my bathroom. I jump but smile.

"I'm sorry I heard something." My body relaxes in his arms. He kisses my forehead. 

"is everything safe? Should I go check? I don't like my princess being frightened." His lips were moving against my forehead. I don't want to open my eyes.

"Just carry me to bed please." He wraps his arms around me and carries me effortlessly to my bed gently sitting me on my side and crawling in over top of me. Wrapping me up to his body, I drift off to a dreamless sleep.

Bethany's Junior Year

The blurry white bumps were distorted, underneath I felt alone and closed off. My heartbeat was loud inside my ears ringing out, forcing my cheeks outward. I could hear my name being called in the distance. The footsteps got louder. She was probably right outside. I couldn't help but think what if I stayed underwater, let all the air disappear, replaced with water. What would tomorrow be like for the people I left behind? Sitting up quickly I let the air fill my lungs, burning. My throat ached for lack of oxygen.

            "Bethany!" Her voice was right outside-just as I assumed.

            "Yeah," I tried to relax my voice as I let my breathing even out.

            "Jesus you scared me!" High volume voiced still. But she remained outside my closed door. I guess I should get out, my hands were pruned and sitting inside luke warm water. I rolled my eyes not really ready to face the reality I was trapped in.

            "Okay, I'll be okay soon." I waited to move until I heard her heavy feet move away from my bathroom door. Instead of getting out I slide down in the water again. Letting my eyes scope out the surface of the water. Solid, no ripples, it was a clean smooth top with my whole body hidden underneath. I had a long and wide white oval shaped tube. I was the pure definition of spoiled. It was only me and my drunken mother. Well I had Dave, my father but he was always working. Being the top lawyer in Jackson county took hard work and apparently a lot of time because I sometimes forgot he had green eyes and blonde hair. He was probably the best looking guy in our small town which always helped his charm to winning his cases or gave him a huge advantage. My mom use to think she was a lucky woman, at least I would like to think that. I don't think I've ever seen her truly smile. I mean I saw her fake smile at my beauty pageants when I was 10 and during her parties with all her rich friends pretending to support the needy. 

            I pushed up body upward again, sitting up in the bathwater. Drawing my fingers through the water. I rolled my eyes, throwing my head up. Okay I''m up I'm up. I forced my whole body up this time. Listening to the extra water drain from my body into the tub. I reached for my tan towel, fluffy and clean lopped through a silver ring against my pale blue walls. Pretending to match the sky so I always felt like i was flying while inside the bathroom. I stepped out onto the plain white rug. Short hairs so it didn't feel as soft on my feet as the towel did on my body. I quickly tried off, going through the motions, tying the towel around my breast. My wet, long, auburn hair hung down my hair. I crossed the room tip toeing on the cool white tile flooring, stopping flat footed on the other plain white rug in front of the round lone sink, I pinched my hands around it. Fingertips on the outer rim leaning deep to get close to the mirror. Smooth effortless skin. Not one mark on it. Sadly enough it proved well to society but fed to a protected childhood. Not one moment of a story behind, not like Karen, my lifetime best friend. She had a small cut above the right side of her lip with another small, deep wound above her left eye. Her lip was from an adventure on a lake, and her eye was from playing pretend castle and jumping off someone's deck.

            Sadly I was jealous of scars. I had a boring childhood. I turned and walked through my open bathroom door flooding into my bedroom. My huge white desk sat to my right containing clutter from school and my Mac. Continuing around my room there were windows and french doors opening up to my personal balcony - I used it a lot more when I was younger, now it's only used in the summer to catch a tan when I'm too lazy to walk downstairs to the pool. Nothing else is against my wall of windows since there's a step to reach them on their small platform. On my far wall my king size bed rested in the middle, two side white tables with matching aqua lamps. I like that they were glass and when turned on the lights reflected softly throughout my room turning my white walls baby blue in places, making me feel like I was living under water. The next wall held my tall white book shelf, full of all kinds of novels; scary, crime solving, romantic, historic, and mystery. Beside it sat my TV and white TV stand, which was about as tall as my book shelf and had doors to hide my TV when it wasn't in use. I never shut them though. The door to the hallway was beside it, and a black wall sat in the corner (to the left of me while walking out of my bathroom), it was full of signatures at the moments of all my friends writing in chalk. When I was bored and feeling artsy I would wash all their names off and spend the day drawing. That usually only happened during the summer.

            "Bethany?" I hadn't even heard my mother's footsteps come back, she was still outside my bathroom door from the hallway.

            "I'm out," I shouted. "I just didn't open the doors yet. Still undressed." I don't know why she always checks on me. I had never tried to drown myself. She always over worried about me. Though I don't know if it were different when I was younger. I can't remember what she was like before my younger brother was murdered and that was nine years ago.

            "Okay honey. Do you need anything?"

            "No, Mom. I'm fine." I stood still until I heard her back away and move down the hallway a second time. I wondered how much she had drank today, and how much more she was going to drink. Sometimes I would wake to her standing over me, the worst is when she found herself in Jesse's room. My parents left my little brother's room untouched, it was only cleaned once a week. Mom would touch the door when she walked by it, I barely notice the door and I walk by it everyday. His room was right beside mine.  I remember being young and us making plans to sneak out at night when we would be walking to bed at 7 p.m. It never happened seeing how we would be asleep by 8 and our parents didn't go to sleep until 10 or later.

            I heard my phone ding. I took a deep breath and moved to my bed where my phone sat. Gez, 11 text messages and 3 missed calls. Can't even get some peace during bath time. I didn't even read them before throwing my phone back on the bed and moved back to my bathroom, turned directly to the left and walked into my closet. Rows of clothes hanging on all four walls and an island in the middle with drawers. I head straight to the island pull the bottom drawer pulling out my panties and start my dressing procedure.

            In my bathroom I run a brush quickly through my hair, lotion m legs, arms, and face. I sling myself on my bed and roll over with my phone in-between my hands. Starting with my text messages; Karen Listly a short-brunette, freshman asked what were the chances she'd get Varsity cheerleading. I shook my head wondering how she even had my number. I gave her credit so I sent back quickly -5%. Rebecca Jameson a leggy-blonde, senior asked me to give her a ride because her Lexus was in the shop followed with a hello? Replying whatever, be ready at 7:35 am, sharp. Brad Dickson my best friend since 2nd grade after he lost a racing match to me wrote what I nerd I was for taking all AP classes and not having any with him. I just laughed and told him sucks to sucks, but I'd like to be a senior as a junior. Of course Lemon Haze, my beautiful gypsy other best friend wrote test messages as if she were talking to herself; admitting her cheese was heaven right now, she needed to shower but wanted to be lazy, asked what I was wearing tomorrow, she'd wear a dress (shocker), and she was going to wash her hair now, hurry and text back. I wrote laughing faces, told her I was going to wear my yellow sun dress with brown rainbows and brown over sleeveless sweater cami. I'm sure she'd ask for a picture when she was done washing her hair. And lastly a name I'd seen every day for the past year and a half with hearts and flowered emojis, Jake Lancastle, my perfect boyfriend- captain of the football team, 3.7 GPA, blue eyes to melt me into a million pieces and a smile that felt like heaven on my skin. I smiled as I read his 3 messages; telling me my butt was cute today, I better be doing something important to not answer his 3 phone calls, and a mad emoji. I laughed and rolled my eyes. Pressing his name and the call button.

            "So?" His voice dipped with questionable honey.   

            "What do you definite as important?" I laughed and bit my lower lip. Was it weird I could picture his face, sharp nose, with a strong jawline, brown hair smoothed back, tan skin, his soft smile and I still felt butterflies stretching wings all inside my belly and my skin pull for the glow of happiness wearing thick.

            "Anything that makes you happy," yeah I knew I was in complete love with him. I know I'm young but this was love no lust could feel this beautiful.

            "You make me happy."

            "No, princess you make me happiest." His voice was heavy and full of strong temptation.

            "I wish you were here, I'm cold." I felt my face automatically go into a punt, even though I knew he couldn't see it. I could feel him smile as his next words flooded my ear.

            "Give me 30 minutes and I'll climb your balcony." He hung the phone up without my confirming yes. He knew me well, though he should. I rolled off the bed and plugged my phone into the wall charger by my bed. Laying my phone down, I walked to my balcony doors to open them. Jake would wake me if I fell asleep. The warm ending summer breeze felt nice. Georgia had the hottest summers but when the sun fell the moon brought nice coolness. I walked back to crawl into bed, pushing my heavy comforter off. My sheets felt nice. I smiled as I waited for Jakes soft, strong arms to surround me. Making me feel safe in a world I didn't know. With all our towns' murdering it was hard to ever feel safe. It was getting worse, with at least one a month now. I felt a slit chill and pulled my thin sheet up to my chin. I enjoyed my boyfriend protecting me, because my Dad sure wouldn't.