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Chapter Eleven

Jayden

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Stepping off the train, I dropped my duffle bag on the ground and stretched my legs. Kicking the bag along, I moved to the side, just letting the realization set in that I was actually there.

I'm home. Who would have thought I'd ever see this place again.

I swore I'd never come back, I swore to leave this place behind, but here I was, taking in the same air I did as a kid, seeing the same sky and the same trees and the same fields that had been there forever.

Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out a pack of cigarettes and lit one up. Taking in a long pull, I held the smoke in, allowing wispy tendrils to spill out over my lips as my eyes just kept scanning my surroundings.

I didn't walk away from the train immediately, instead, I just stood in limbo, watching the rest of the world as it moved and squirmed in front of me like a colony of ants. People were brushing past me, their eyes dead set on a destination.

And still I just stood there, smoking my cigarette, unmoved and in no rush to start dealing with anything that had to do with my father.

“Are you all set, Sir? Can I give you directions?” A worker from the station touched my shoulder, the older woman's face caring and sincere as her brows arched softly.

Shaking my head, I lifted my foot and put out the cigarette on the bottom of my sneaker. “Nah, I know where I'm going, thank you though.” Tucking the blackened tip into the pack, I shoved it into my back pocket and picked up my bag.

The woman nodded, lifting her eyes and looking around the platform. Giving me a smile, she shuffled off, ready to assist the next lost soul.

Starting in the direction of my childhood home, my stomach quickly turned into knots, the twisted rope weighing down my gut like rocks. I tried to convince myself that enough time had gone by and things there would be different.

She's not here anymore, she probably moved away.

I never thought there was ever a reason for anyone to stay in this place. It was a mirror image of the town next door, of the town two states over, and on the other side of the country.

Stores closed, new ones opened, trees were mowed down to make room for shopping centers and housing developments. That was how it worked in the rest of the world, Kine Valley wouldn't be any different.

I'll be damned.

Turning up Main Street, I was shocked to see it looked the same, as if that place had somehow been hidden or trapped in a time capsule, keeping it safe from the sickness that was consuming the rest of the earth.

Mrs. Vicki's bakery was still there, the front window colorful and lively. The hardware store, the cafe, the general store, it felt like I never left. Everything was exactly the same, just the covering had changed some.

The posters in the windows were newer, the signs had been updated and cleaned, but it was all the same. I was blown away, shocked at how the outside world hadn't seeped into that place yet.

Grabbing a coffee, I took my time heading to the old house. My sister knew I was coming, but I never gave her any real details. The wake was supposed to be tomorrow, and my plan was to leave the day after we buried our father. He didn't deserve any of my time, my sorrow, or my life anymore. But Beth wanted me there, so here I was.

Standing outside, I leaned against the building and blew on my drink. The steam swirled up across my lips, letting me know it was still burning hot.

The hairs prickled on the back of my neck, making me more than aware of my surroundings. It felt like someone was watching me, but as I glanced around, I didn't see anyone.

“Jayden? Jayden Henry is that you?”

Twisting over my shoulder, I was met by Mrs. Vicki, her smile much larger than the last time I saw her. She wasn't too happy that I had been the one taking her pies, but she was a forgiving woman, and when she saw what Blue and I had made, she easily forgave me.

“Mrs. Vicki, how are you?”

“I'll be damned, look at you, you're a grown man now.”

Chuckling, I smiled playfully. “That does happen. And you look like you haven't aged a day since the last time I saw you.”