Nicole sat stiffly on the passenger sit of the speeding Hilux, scratching furiously at her poor nails. Mother had just driven them two thousand miles away from her life in Nashville Tennessee, a life that though wasn''t all that perfect, but was a life nonetheless and a settled one at that.


    It has always been like this, moving Everytime. Everytime they find a place to settle down, a new place they could call home again, Mother sends them on the road yet again.


    “Why do you always do this?” Nicole found herself asking one time.


    “Sweetie, am doing this for you.” Mother replied. “I know you might not understand now, but you really need this.


    We can''t just stay in one place for too long, if not bad people would find us… very bad people.” Mother once told her


    That was when she was eight. Seven years later, she had already gotten used to the pattern.


    Mother later told her the truth when she found out that teenage Nicky, as everyone called her, just wouldn''t have it. The constant moving, settling and moving again.


    But the truth was akward. Her Father was a hopeless addict and gambled a lot, happened to have been in a huge debt, and now the son of a gun was six feet under, escaping loads of responsibilities.


    Now they were always on the run every now and then, to avoid being caught by devious loan sharks.


    For years Nicole resented her Father. For real, she has been in tons of relationships, healthy relationships which ended because of the long distances. Because of the constant moving caused by her father.


    Now, this time she and Mother were approximately a two thousand miles off the boarders of Tennessee.


    “Oh come on, stop sulking… you should be used to this by now.” Elena said to her daughter who has been quiet since they hit the road.


    “You''re gonna like it there, I promise. Especially when we get the family house back in shape.” Elena said ecstatic.


    “Whatever.” Elena heard her daughter whisper tiredly.


    Apparently Nicole wasn''t in a good mood to appreciate the fact that they were going to the town where Mother was born. Which was supposed to be a great thing considering the fact that she knew next to nothing about her dear Mother.


    “We''re here!” Mother said after they drove pass an old sign with Willow Creek painted in bold white letters.


    So far all Nicky cold see were woods a large mass of them on either side of the road. In fact, the whole town was surrounded by woods.


    Willow Creek was a relatively small town with a population of approximately five hundred. Which could be considered crowded compared to the census stats it had before.


    The discovery of ancient ruins in some part of the town lead to an influx of tourists in the town, which in turn increased the town''s population and also boomed the businesses of the locals.


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    Mother had driven passed some developed areas, like some motels, some outdoor cafes, the sheriff station, locals houses and cottages. Currently they were driving passed a Park but were stuck in a small traffic.


    “Seriously! How could there possibly be a traffic jam in such a freaking hell hole like this?” Nicole ran her hand through her hair, she couldn''t be more frustrated.


    “Language sweetie.” Elena said to her daughter. And couldn''t help but wonder what was going on. People were already abandoning their cars, the road was pretty wide and the jam hit those entering the town which left the other side of the road free.


    “Sweetie, I''m gonna figure out what''s going on okay? Just stay right here.” Mother said, much to Nicole''s irritation. “Do not leave the car Nicole__.” She said yet again after exiting the car.


    “Oh my God! Just go, I heard you the first time!” Nicole snapped back. Elena sighed and left for the road. Following the small crowd exiting their vehicles, she suddenly had an idea of what was going on.


    The Park was full and festive, if she remembered right today was the last Saturday of July; Kala Saturday. A carnival dedicated to Kala an old Deity said to be the goddess of nature and protection, who the locals believe have always been protecting them since Willow Creek was founded.


    The carnival dancers really didn''t care about the long traffic they had caused. They just kept dancing and marching to the drums skillfully.


    People on the other hand didn''t quite mind, many where tourists, so they left their vehicles to enjoy the show instead.


    In front of the Hilux which Nicole was sitting very uncomfortably in, was a school bus, a really noisy school bus.


    I might as well die of heat stroke. Nicole thought. As the extreme heat, wasn''t sitting so well with her, even though it was already way past midday. She kept trying to fan herself furiously with a magazine she had found, but she still couldn''t feel the comfort of the breeze as much as she wanted.


    “Fuck it.” She cursed as she tried to get rid of her jacket. While zipping it down, the zipper got stuck. But Nicole wouldn''t have that, she kept forcing it until the poor zipper decided to quit. In the end, she took off her jacket but lost a zipper on the process.


    Nicole''s frustration has built up a lot since the jam started, enough to have her go into a frenzy, flinging the poor jacket everywhere as she screamed out a desperate groan. “Could this day get any worse!” She exclaimed.


    Nicole sat there in the passenger seat wondering what Mother would do if she found her outside. She''ll be really frustrated. She thought as a mischievous smile appeared on her face.


    But then she shakes the thought away, Mother''s frustration brings her Joy. But she knew, that was a big lie. But at least, it would make the woman talk more, and maybe slip a thing or two about her past.


    In the meantime she decided to get a shut eye, for a few minutes, but as she closed her eyes a vain almost popped in her head. “That damned school bus.” She said with gritted teeth as she glared at the bus. The glare startled a boy who coincidentally, have been staring at her.


    Two hours later, it was already dark. But even so, the lights from the Park did a marvelous job in scarring away the darkness.


    “Don''t wonder too far Nicole, when you need me just__.”


    “I know, I''ll call you.” Nicky said as she backed away slowly into the crowded Park.


    When it was understood that the jam was just piling up and could probably be caused by reasons unrelated to the festival, and had no intention of freeing up yet, people finally decided to at least do something with their free time, by joining and enjoying the festival.


    The school bus was now empty, and so was every other vehicle.


    The students have been allowed refreshments before they hit the road again, when the jam cleared. Apparently they were just returning from some sports competition.


    Mother on the other hand, wanted to distract Nicky from the whole moving out drama. So she decided to let her stroll for a bit.


    The Park, was just a typical Park but more crowded and festive this night. Nicole strolled around, she had been to a park before, more standard ones than this. But still she felt really comfortable and satisfied with what she saw.


    She found herself smiling unconsciously.


    The Park didn''t have much rides, so she decided to go for the roller coaster which was the biggest ride she had seen so far.


    She hugged herself to warm up a little, her jacket was in the car and the temperature has dropped by a few degrees.


    As she decided to go for the roller coaster, she and everyone were startled by a very loud explosion that went off and took the light with it, plunging the once very bright and lively Park into darkness.


    A very loud howl bellowed somewhere in the dark startling everyone, and everyone started running and screaming. There was something with them in the dark. And it had caused chaos.


    Nicole immediately turned on her heels.


    But unfortunately she couldn''t get far, as she crashed into someone and they fell.


    ''What the hell is going on?’ She thought.


    Nicole found out that something was wrong. Of course something was wrong. If there wasn''t something wrong, nobody would be running. Nobody would be screaming. And maybe she wouldn''t have berged into someone else. A someone who seemed to be dying.


    With everything that has happened it''s only understandable that she would be scared. It''s just that Nicole didn''t know if she was more scared of the unknown or the fact that she might have knocked down an asthmatic person who was literally dying in her hands.


    A few more crashes and screams went off. There were sparks and flashes of light with which she was able to get a glimpse of the boys face. He was very good looking, she had seen him somewhere before. ''The guy on the bus.’ She thought in realization.


    But now wasn''t the time to admire someone''s beauty, especially if that someone is dying.


    ''He''s not breathing!’ She thought in horror as she raised her hand to high Havens and striked down on the stranger''s face, slapping him awake. But only for a brief moment.