Chapter 5: The Old Gloom And Doom
The Clark Residence, Klimt RD, Fallon Creek, Michigan....
The black pickup truck that belonged to one Dee Clark had pulled into the drive of a very spacious tan colored three bedroom house with a large front lawn and an even bigger backyard where one could see the woods. Dee's keen eyes caught sight of the neighbors whom had just moved in across the way and found them to be a welcome sight. It had been ages since any new blood had arrived in Fallon Creek and it was always good to see new people come and appreciate the sights and the location. There were plenty of people passing through at one point mostly due to detours and car troubles that brought them to Old Rusty's mechanic shop down the ways but none ever had the desire to move in on a permanent basis. City life had just been something people were more accustomed to in this day and age. As the truck came to a stop, the brooding dark haired teen in the passenger side sat with his arms folded and his keen eyes fixated on the house across the way recalling the faded red station wagon that had stopped by the old roadside store before heading into town.
Rick seemed a bit off as he focused his attention on the house and the car. The scent of something caught him by surprise as he made his way toward the place he'd been forced to call home despite wanting nothing more to do with the life he once lived. Dee had been quite a woman and it pained her to no end to see how her best friend's only living child had turned out, but she couldn't really blame him. It wasn't as if the world had been kind to the boy in recent years.
Dee entered the house opening the doors and lifting curtains to let the natural sunlight in. She made up her mind to cook dinner and turned her attention toward doing just that.
"You go in and get settled, I'm going to get dinner started." said Dee before tussling Rick's already unkempt black locks before making her way toward the kitchen.
Rick slicked his hair back and rolled his eyes. He hated when she treated him like he was still some clueless little boy that didn't know the true way the world worked. She'd been one bad night too late to preserve whatever innocence in terms of viewing the world he had left and she even knew it despite her best efforts to ignore it outright.
The ever brooding teen ventured toward his bedroom on the farthest side of the house. It overlooked the woods and was as far away from the main part of the house as he liked especially when Dee's husband had been home.
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Rick's Bedroom, The Clark Residence, Klimt RD, Fallon Creek, Michigan....
Once inside, Rick took a moment to look around his bedroom before closing the door behind him. The room smelled of cigarette smoke and sweat from his various items in the hamper behind the door and his bedding was merely a jumbled mess amid the mattress and tossed about pillows from the last time he'd elected to sleep in this place. He walked over toward the window and raised it taking in the nice gulp of fresh clean air and allowed it to permeate through his formerly closed in room. He took off his boots and stood at the edge of his bed. From there Rick set to work taking off his clothes and stripping in a rather quick fashion down to his black boxer shorts as he allowed his attire to crumble to the floor.
He stretched some, showing off his half naked body and the tattoos he'd gotten to cover his greatest shame in the form of the bullet wounds left behind by a hired hitman sent to do his family in in retaliation for some criminal his father, a known detective had put away for life during his extensive and impressive career. Rick could still remember the echoes of that fateful night when he'd gone out into the woods for a bit of fresh air and to gather firewood at his mother's behest.
Everywhere around him the images of the trees and the coldness had bid him to hurry as his ears picked up the first round of gun shots, it had been the result of his father's gun taking aim at the intruder whom had eventually bested him with the help of an associate whom had been wielding a gun as well. His father likely never saw it coming as they had taken him out first then Rick's mother whom had stumbled upon the scene of he husband's dead body in the middle of their living room.
The hitmen proceeded to eliminate any and all witnesses and effectively killed everyone in the cabin aside from Rick whom had still been gathering wood when he heard the commotion. He rushed back toward the cabin to at least save one of the smaller kids, but he was much too late and brokedown when he saw the dead bodies of the younger twins, his brother and sister with bullet holes in their tiny bodies and blood pooling in their beds.
He had not had much time to mourn or get over the shock of all the blood and bullets when one of the hitmen cornered him and put a few rounds into his back and arm but the adrenaline had been such that he ran out the cabin and into the woods, woods he knew like the back of his hand thanks to all the summers he'd spent learning about them with his Godmother. He ran as his lungs burned as much as the holes in his flesh due to the bullets but it was to no avail. He had not taken into account the second hitman whom had finally dropped him and sprayed the already ailing and heartbroken thirteen year old boy with bullets before he was set upon by a vicious and very large animal whom had been stalking the woods late that night.
Rick recalled the sensation of shock and the warm oozing of his own blood before slipping in and out of consciousness before something stood over him growling and snarling for a time before whimpering and apparently trying to get his attention. The creature was hurt, possibly from the hitman's bullet as it hovered over the already bleeding out Rick dripping some of it's own oozing blood onto the broken body of the young teen before whimpering again and disappearing into the darkened woods.
After several hours of lying on his back amid moist crushed leaves and soil, Rick managed to crawl his way back to town in the dead of night and finally collapsed onto his godmother's front porch leaving a trail of his own blood and debris behind in the process. He didn't know where he'd gotten the strength that night and it puzzled him all the more still.
Rick collapsed onto his bed amid the messy covers and tossed about pillows trying his best to suppress the memories of that fateful night where his life had changed so drastically. He'd only been thirteen back then and the world held so much wonder and possibility, now he'd been sixteen and nearing his seventeenth year knowing the world held more cruel certainty than anything he'd ever known.
He closed his eyes as he let his mind wander as the slow hours of the day began to fade and give way to the oncoming night. It had been something of a long day for him and he had no doubt that Dee would awaken him once she finished making dinner, as she hated to have to eat alone. As he drifted Rick found himself smiling at what she'd say if she knew he was once more back in the mindset of The Old Doom and Gloom.
Chapter 6: First Impressions Are The Damnedest ThingFallon Creek, Michigan.... With his stomach in a massive jumble of knots, Casey Allen Peterson made his way toward the front of the school that he'd been transferred to by the name of Ridgemont High. It wasn't much different than any other high school he'd been to, but he was quite pleased that nothing had changed all that much. It was at least something he could navigate in terms of familiarity. He had chosen to make himself as presentable as he possibly could given the situation electing to wear a plain white t-shirt, Tanned cargo pants, a dark grey overshirt with pockets and a black leather belt and black hiking boots due to the rugged woodland area. He had his backpack, which was also black casually held onto his back via one shoulder strap and his messy brown hair was purposely combed to resemble spikes as he put on his black sports watch and did his best not to look like a punching bag as he headed out of his bedroom and d
Chapter 7: The Undue Side Effects Of Anxious PressureRidgemont High School, Felton Dr., Fallon Creek, Michigan.... Alarick Michael Channon was in something of a foul mood as he shuffled through the all too familiar halls of Ridgemont High School and toward his morning class. He had not been fond of having to be in this place, the loud noises, the bright lights and the arrogant condescension that came from each and everyone of his teachers who thought their classrooms made them the de facto power of the world had annoyed him to no end. His mood, which had not improved in the last four years following the murder of his entire family, everyone had known the story and they knew what he was like before. In the old days, he was a happy kid, helpful and kind. His test scores gave people something to strive for and his frequent participation in the Summer League for Basketball was the stuff of high school legend. The Channon family always frequented Fallon Creek during their vacations
Chapter 8: Awkwardness At Its FinestFirst Period, Mr. Hizen's Class, Ridgemont High School, Felton Dr., Fallon Creek, Michigan.... All eyes appeared to be on both Rick Channon and Casey Peterson as they both entered the class room one after the other much to the surprise of their resident English teacher Mr. Richard Hizen. He was an average looking man given to warm colored sweaters and long sleeve button down shirts with khaki pants and shiny dress shoes. He had something of a mustache that he seemed to take pride in managing and neat dark brown hair that matched his equally dark brown eyes. He was slightly on the pale size and gave Casey the impression of being closer in appearance to Bert from Sesame Street, as he turned his attention to them and the latest novel he'd chosen to be part of the syllabus for the new semester. Casey made his way toward the final desk after watching the angry older boy sit down in the one farthest from the front and near the window. The class wat
Chapter 9: The Rebel With CauseThe Outside Patio, Ridgemont High School, Felton Dr., Fallon Creek, Michigan.... A cool breeze rushed by Casey as he made his way toward one of the empty tables which happened to be the farthest away from the other students whom were going about their usual day chatting up a storm about any and everything that came to mind or happened in the past few days in an effort to stave off boredom and the surrounding influence of being at school. The table had not been empty for long as none other than Rick Channon came outside and copped a squat near him at the table, tray in hand and a look of annoyance etched across his handsome face. He seemed to be contemplating something, but eventually turned his attention back to eating his meal without a word. Casey had not been much for conversation either as he did his best to eat his lunch while trying not to get on the rather odd teen Rick's bad side. Rick rolled his eyes as he noted the fear that seemed to r
Chapter 10: Fear And ConjectureOpen Field, Ridgemont High School, Felton Dr., Fallon Creek, Michigan.... Cold air surrounded a very nervous and out of his depth Casey Peterson, as he found himself standing in the middle of a grassy field in a bid to get credit for P.E. class. He was dressed in the same short sleeve white t-shirt and dark blue shorts as the other boys complete with the school logo on the side of the leg as he moved about the grassy field. There seemed to be a lot of firsts where Rick Channon had been concerned as he had also dressed for physical education and made it his personal mission to see Casey Peterson eat dirt every chance he got when it came to the physical matchup between the two of them once someone had thrown the ball they were forced to go after. Flag football wasn't exactly Casey's cup of tea so to speak, but he had little choice in the matter given that he was new and needed the credits. He had not been too thrilled to see that Rick Channon also h
Chapter 11: Boys Will Be BoysThe Locker Room, Ridgemont High School, Felton Dr., Fallon Creek, Michigan.... Casey was none too comfortable when he stepped into the showers following the rather intense round of flag football on the field and found that he'd been among a good deal of other naked young men going about their day as if it had been no big deal to have their collective junk swinging in the breeze for all to see. The stench of the place had caught Casey's attention almost immediately as he stepped inside still drenched in sweat from his earlier activity with his short brown locks clinging to his forehead and ears as he moved about the room trying his hardest not to vomit from the combined stink of sweat, musk, and possibly aired farts from the boys as they laughed and joked about their upcoming plans. He tried his best not to look at them for too long so as not to draw attention to himself in the worst possible fashion or admit to himself that he found some of the well t
Chapter 12: When Trouble Follows You Home Casey's Bedroom, The Peterson Residence, 1345 North Grand Street, Fallon Creek, Michigan.... By the time he had made it home that afternoon, Casey Peterson had been well and truly exhausted. From ducking and dodging a potential run in with Rick Channon to the journey itself to get back home from the location of his school, everything had wiped the teen out to the point that he had not even wished to do his homework. While it had been the first day for him, the teachers in this place were not above giving homework to new students as a means of them catching up with the class and he had plenty of it. Casey tossed his backpack into the corner of his room and watched as it hit the floor before he headed over toward his new bed and plopped down face first. His body bounced a bit before he ultimately landed safely and closed his rather heavy eyelids. As he lied there amid the soft pillows and the comforter that lined his bed, Casey's weary mind
Chapter 12: When Trouble Follows You Home Casey's Bedroom, The Peterson Residence, 1345 North Grand Street, Fallon Creek, Michigan.... By the time he had made it home that afternoon, Casey Peterson had been well and truly exhausted. From ducking and dodging a potential run in with Rick Channon to the journey itself to get back home from the location of his school, everything had wiped the teen out to the point that he had not even wished to do his homework. While it had been the first day for him, the teachers in this place were not above giving homework to new students as a means of them catching up with the class and he had plenty of it. Casey tossed his backpack into the corner of his room and watched as it hit the floor before he headed over toward his new bed and plopped down face first. His body bounced a bit before he ultimately landed safely and closed his rather heavy eyelids. As he lied there amid the soft pillows and the comforter that lined his bed, Casey's weary mind