Under the Blood Moon by Jenny Garcia (golden son ebook txt) 📕

Summer is finally here. Everything is green and alive. The summer breeze is warm and comforting to my skin. My senior year of High School is over and I am so thrilled to be out of that place. Every day I felt suffocated by its walls that seemed to tower over me. Unfortunately, now that school is over and summer has begun, my parents will be dragging me to the Lake House once again. When I was younger I enjoyed the Lake House, playing for hours in the sun running along the sandy shore. I didn’t have a care in the world. But being 17 now, I would rather stay at home and spend my summer with my friends. Being alone for two months with just my parents is not something that I look forward to.

My mother and I have become distant, so being along with her for 2 months at the Lake House is going to be hard. I actually noticed the distance growing more and more which each passing year. I don’t understand what I have done to push her so far from me. I used to be able to tell her anything and everything. Now it seems that she is always too busy to even speak with me. It has made me distance myself from having any emotion towards the matter. I don’t want to feel the pain anymore of being rejected by my own mother. I have closed off my heart and I don’t plan on letting anyone else in. I have become especially cold after my break up with Derek. I will never be the same. The hole that he has burned into my heart will never be filled. I won’t allow it. The case that has formed over my heart is never to be broken. I keep the memory of the pain to remind myself that there is no such thing as love. It isn’t real. I have felt the cold stab of betrayal from Derek and being pushed away by my own Mother. I keep the pain in my memory so my heart doesn’t forget.

The cherry on top is no cable, phone or internet. The only way to use my cell phone is by getting in our boat and paddling to the island in the middle of the lake. For some strange reason there is service there. If you go anywhere else around the lake your cell phone will be useless, but on this tiny island there is hope for communication to the outside world. My parents never allow me to bring any friends to ease my boredom. According to my Mother, Michelle, family time is the only thing that keeps our "bond" strong; allowing my friends to come would be a distraction.I have no idea how would she know, she doesn’t have any friends. She has pushed me so far from her so I don’t understand what “bond” she could be referring to. I sometimes feel like she is jealous at the fact that I have friends and she doesn't. She is constantly on my ass when I go out with them. Telling me that I don’t spend enough time with my family and friends are not as important. She barley speaks 5-6 words when I am home with her. I am a 17 year old girl, it’s impossible for me not to have friends. I may not have many but I do have a few that I would like to spend my summers with. My father, James, stays out of the arguments when they arise. I guess it’s easier not to fight with mom, then to endure the tongue lashing he would get for disagreeing.

                                                                ***

            Three days until we leave for the Lake House and mom is running around the house packing. I have already packed by bags and I refuse to help pack for a trip I don’t want to go on. As I am sitting in the kitchen eating a steaming hot bowl of chicken soup and I get the strong smell of dust and dirt. Oh no...The camping gear. When the camping gear is brought out it means she is almost done packing and the trip is right around the corner. Nausea hits my stomach as I think of the two months I have ahead of me. I turn my head and peek over my shoulder watching her pull out the oil lamps and outdoor cooking gear. Then she pulls out the two air mattresses that we use when my Grandparents come to visit. She throws them on our white couches and continues to dig in the closet under the stairs. Why would she want to take those? Were we going to be dragged on another "Outdoor Adventure", as if going to the Lake House wasn't enough.

"Mom" glaring with concern "Why are you bringing those?" dropping what she is doing, she put her hands on her hips and takes a deep breath.

"Because, Niki, this year we are going to have company". I can feel my eyes growing larger. I can’t believe what I am hearing. We are going to be bringing someone else to the Lake House. Our precious “bonding” time is going to be interrupted by company. This has never happened before. Maybe she is letting me invite my friends...finally. I turn my body to face my mother and raise my eyebrows "Really and who would you allow to come?" sarcasm dripping from each word. I knew the moment the words left my lips that I was in for one of moms famous ass chewing’s. "Well Niki, it just so happens that an old friend of mine will be joining us with her Son, is that ok with you?" she snaps back at me. "No it isn't, mom, it’s not ok!" anger filling my chest "Every damn year I am drug on this stupid trip and every time I ask if I can bring a friend and you say no, but now you get to bring someone we don't even know! How is that fair?!" yelling every word with frustration. I can feel my nails digging into my palms and stinging pain trailing up my wrist. I can’t believe that this is happening right now. She has been ignoring me for so long and now she is going to bring some random woman and her son to the Lake House. Is she trying to find a way to have no contact with me at all? Her face grows bright red "For one thing, don't raise your voice at me Niki, I am your mother and I won’t be spoken to that way! And another thing, I don’t have to ask your permission to bring one of my friends on a trip." she almost screams the words "I just so happens that I haven't seen this woman in almost 18 years and she is going through a rough time, so I am helping her get away for a few months." I throw my arms in the air and storm out of the kitchen and race outside. There is no point arguing with her right now. It's not like she is going to change her mind, it's already been done.

            I step out the front door and slam it shut behind me. I close my eyes and let the sun warm my face. I can’t help but absorb every inch of it. I walk over to the freshly mowed lawn and lay down under the willow tree. As I stare up into the hanging branches I begin to relax and forget the pain of fighting with my mother. The limps are swinging back and forth. Its leaves fall all around me. I can’t help but feel like there is something watching me. I don’t know why but all of a sudden I feel hot eyes on me. I sit up and look around. All I can see is the limp limbs of the willow tree shifting from side to side as the breeze blows, making circle around me, blinding me from seeing past it. I feel the breeze push through the willows protective barrier and my name is whispered on the wind “Niki”. Fear runs up and down the spine. “Hello, Is there someone there?” Silence is the only answer I receive. I close my eyes and try to focus on all the noise around me. I can hear the willow limbs leaves’ shaking in the wind, birds chirping in the trees but the whispering voice is nowhere to be found. I still have the uncomfortable feeling of eyes on my back. I place my hands on my side and feel the prickling of the grass on my palms. I open my eyes and turn around quickly to see if I can someone but there is nothing there. The breeze stops; the limbs are no longer swaying, the leaves are still and the birds song has become silent. Fear is swelling up and panic sets in. There is something near me I can feel it. I move up to my knees but fear is slowing me. CRACK. The sound of a twig breaking seems to echo in the dome of the willow tree. I jump to my feet and plant my back against the willow trees trunk. My breathing quickens and I feel hot breath on the side of my neck and then the soft whisper I heard before floating in the breeze “Niki come to me.” I break the restraint that fear has bound me in and run out of the willows dome of weeping limbs. I stop abruptly and turn to see who is around the tree. There is no one. Not even cars passing on the road. I am completely alone. Who was calling to me? All I know is that it was a woman’s voice. There was something about the voice that pulsed fear and warning through me but at the same time I felt curious to find out who is calling me and where they want me to go. My heart beat begins to slow as I collect myself. I don’t feel safe staying outside, in the open. I start to walk up the cobble stone walk way back to the house still harboring the feeling of curiosity. I want to know who that was. I can’t shake the feeling that there is something out there that is waiting for me. Maybe I am losing my mind.

            I open the door and take a step onto the hardwood. The cold shock on my feet of the floor reminds me of the argument that prompted me to storm outside. Fights with my mother normally went this way. We would scream at each other and I would run away from the issue, retreating to my favorite spot under the willow tree. I don’t know if I can return to that spot after the terrifying whisper.

My father is always waiting for me in the foyer when I return back inside from an argument. It was always the same. I take two more steps into the foyer with my eyes to the ground and I could feel the regret climbing into my throat. I shouldn't have yelled at her and now I am going to pay for it. I slowly raise my eyes waiting to see my father, but he isn't there. There is no way that I am getting away with this. Maybe he is too busy packing to even realize that we had a fight.

            I walk to the living room and sink into the large white couch that is facing the large Bay window. The window looks across the bright green lawn with the willow right in the middle of it. I rest my head against the back of the couch and