It Begins Again

I’ve known since I’ve been back that all this peace and tranquility wouldn’t last forever. It’s all been one long waiting game. It’s been nice though because here I’m not who I am, instead I’m just a normal person who grows their own vegetables and herbs and has a small farm that like to sale her homemade goods in a local store to help assist one of the owners to gain some business.

I’ve come to like the owner of the general store quite a bit, which is surprising considering I hadn’t been a fan of her when I first arrived her. She’s too bubbly and happy, like walking Prozac all the time. It’s annoying. Her store was failing, and it’s a family-owned store she had inherited. After seeing her cry and heartbroken about the failure I decided to help out. I knew for a fact that the stuff I grow and make would be the number one best sellers in this town. No one can do it quite like me.

In all honesty though, Renee is so not the business type of person. The only reason she even has the store is because of an inheritance. She didn’t want to see it close down considering her parents had been excellent businesspeople and had poured their heart and soul into this store to keep it running and bringing in money for the people of this town. I never got the chance to meet Renee’s parents, they had already passed by time I arrived, and the store had almost been completely bankrupt.

Renee is a special kind of person. She reminds me of some fairies that I once knew. Although, I don’t believe she has anything to do with any of this that’s going on. In fact, I doubt she even knows anything about the ongoing war that’s currently happening. She’s just an innocent bystander in all of this, as are the majority of everyone in this world.

Renee is much like I am when it comes to other people. She’s people friendly and way to nice, but yet she still doesn’t trust easy. She only has one other friend in this town besides me, and that’s a man named Jackson. Apparently, he moved here as a young adult and has been living here for the last ten years. Him, I don’t trust. Something is just off about it, although I do tolerate him for Renee’s sake.

You know what they say, keep your friends close but your enemies closer. While a wonderful statement, for me, personally, I prefer to keep them both at a distance. My life and from what all I’ve been through I’ve learned that even those you believe are closest to you and would never harm you will hurt you more than anyone else while those you’ve never met do you better.

Have I mentioned that everything is so messed up? What’s right is wrong and what’s wrong is right. What’s up is down and what’s down is up. The good are punished while the wicked are rewarded. At least by time this war is over with everything should stabilize back out to way it has always been meant to be.

(Third Person – Present)

“Amillia, what are you doing?” Renee asks as she comes up behind her friend who is setting at the counter of the store as if she’s an actual employee.

Quickly, Amillia put her notebook up under the counter in a spot where no one but she and Renee can get too.

“Nothing, just clearing my head,” Amillia answers.

Renee looks at her a bit concerned. “You’ve been ‘clearing your head’ quite a bit here lately. Is everything okay?”

Oh, if only I could tell you the truth, Amillia thinks to herself, but she can’t. She can never tell Renee the truth about everything no matter how badly she wants to spill the beans. There’s too much to explain anyway and Amillia doesn’t even have a clue as to where she would even begin to start.

“Yeah, everything’s good girl,” Amillia responds.

Renee looks at her sideways not believing a word she says. She does believe that she has come to know Amillia a little better than what Amillia gives her credit for, and she can tell when something isn’t right with her friend. In fact, Renee has known for a while that Amillia is keeping something from her, she’s just never mentioned it aloud because other than Jackson, Amillia is her only friend.

Speak, or in this case think, of the devil and he shall appear. Jackson walks through the front door of the store setting off the entrance bell that allows them to know when someone has walked in. He’s looking around the store, nervous almost, and then he spots Amillia and smiles, but just for a brief millisecond and the anxious look returns to his face.

“Finally,” he speaks, surprisingly with relief in his voice. “I’ve done been by your house trying to find you.”

“What’s going on?” Amillia asks her curiosity peaked to the max right now. His current state is very worrisome because it’s completely out of character for cool and collective, sarcastic, non-emotional Jackson.

As if he’s just realizing that they are inside Renee’s store and that she is present, he asks, “So, um, can I talk to you for a second?” The nerves showing in his voice.

Oh, this is just too much, Amillia thinks to herself. What’s up with the dramatization? What in the world could he possibly have to say to elicit so much anxiety? After informing Renee that she will return, Amillia follows Jackson out of the store.

Once outside Amillia’s suspicions grew as two men who are not from there join them the moment they exit the door.

“Look, you’re going to have to back up a minute,” Jackson says very seriously and annoyed sounding a lot like his old self again.

“What the hell Jackson? What’s this crap?” Amillia asks not knowing whether to go with the fight or flight instinct. She’s really not trying to get into a fight with men in the middle of the street because she sure is not about to let any man take her down. We’ve moved pass that phase a while back.

One thing that Amillia does not like is surprises, and Jackson is well aware of this fact. So, why has he set her up for a surprise? Well, at least it explains all the nervousness. The men are smart though, they stopped walking toward the two of them with both of their hands held in the air as if they are surrendering.

“Okay, look,” Jackson goes to explain due to the deadly stare that he is getting from Amillia. Before he can finish his sentence though, he’s cut off.

“We’re hunters,” The tall, strange man with a built body says quickly then just as quick as the words came out, his mouth zipped shut. Amillia shooting her dark and deadly look in his direction before looking at the other stranger that’s standing beside him. Finally, she looks back at Jackson.

All she can do is shake her head slowly trying to hold her anger back. Not only is she mad about the answer she received, but she’s also more suspicious and very curious about what Jackson knows, or at least what he may think that he knows anyways.

“Not here, it’s too open.” She simply states. She doesn’t sense danger from anyone, in fact, if anything she senses fear coming from them. If they’re who they say they are then why would they fear her? She’s not who they’re looking for, unless she is, and then in that case it’s going to really suck to be them, which would in fact explain the fear. This instantly sets Amillia’s anxiety and paranoia on edge. She likes Jackson, he’s been a good friend, but this is a set up she will kill him and not think twice about it.