The Happiest Days Followed By the Darkest

 The wood; so tame, peaceful to what things are today. I remember what happened like it was yesterday. I went into the wood at around age 18 where I lost myself in the natural wonders of the world. I learned to survive off the land and nothing but. I learned when to bend a knee to mother nature. And I learned when she should bend hers. I worked the land in the summer to pay for it. I worked it for fur, crop, and meat. The original landowners said when I was about halfway with the payment. That I had earned my share of the land. And that what I had given them would suffice. The natives of Alaska still owned the land by law, but they have accepted me as one of their own.

Given me my own land to make another settlement for them. One of the women has the hots for me. I can see this much. My village is small yes. But I must admit it is home. I learned their language in school because well, I felt at home around them. I felt like one of them. Our village is growing but I wonder what it is like sometimes back in town. Ahnah oftentimes volunteers to go out hunting with me. I most times go out just to clear my head and it’s nice to have a companion. Just know that she is the one that has the hots for me. And not going to lie, she’s nice to have as a companion but she relies a little bit on her experience back in her old village to guide her. I think that she’s a good hunter and she would be a good person to spend the rest of my life with. But she has one drawback… she wants kids very quickly from what others say. And I don’t want kids too, too early. I wanna spend time with her if she and I do get to that level with one another.

As I was skinning an elk I had killed a person was walking towards our village. They carried a bag over their left shoulder.

I walk up to them “Are you…” he grabbed something from his bag. “Jason Burgess?”

“That is me yes,” I say in response. “What is it?”

“I have a letter for you,” He handed me an envelope.

“Thank you sir,” He said his goodbyes and left back the way he came. I went inside and read the letter. It was for my high school reunion class of 1992. I hadn’t been in town for at least 10 years so this should be fun. Ahnah wanted to see where I grew up anyhow. But I wanted to see if I could go by myself. So I could have some time to myself. I looked at the date and it was in 2 days! I had an outfit that I could change into but I needed to get back into town very fast.

I told everyone I would be gone for a few days and that I needed someone to hold down the fort so to speak. When I made the 2-day hike back into town. I stopped by an old store that had apparently closed not long after I left and still couldn’t find a new owner. I went to the old school and everything was just like it was back in 92.

As I met up with everyone. I noticed that everyone here had brought a significant other. All except me. I didn’t know what to think about this. But I went on the night for a couple of minutes and talked to some old friends. But the more I talked with them… the more I felt like a failure. Everyone had a loving husband or wife, sometimes even kids, they had a well-paying job; that they enjoyed a lot, and not to mention the fact that they all seemed happy in the situation that they were in whatever it might have been.

When the festivities really started to kick off. It wasn’t my cup of tea so to speak. So I left and headed back home. I started to make the journey but I was stopped by a blood trail that went down into an alleyway. I took out my pistol and got myself ready for anything. Just in case, either A I was going to be attacked or B a wounded animal had wandered into town and needed to be euthanized. The blood trail led behind a dumpster where…

A woman was sitting there. Her stomach bloodied; dripping still, her eyes lifeless; staring at the floor. I grab her arm and check if she’s got a pulse. But my worries became real she did not have one. I laid her down on her side and closed her eyes. I didn’t know what else to do. The last time I was here was 10 years ago. So things were much more different than they were back in 92.

I get up to leave after saying a goodbye to this woman and wherever she was. I hoped she had found peace within herself. But as I got to the alleyway entrance I heard a box fall back down in the alley. I look back and there was someone putting something over the woman.

I couldn’t get a good look at his face before he ran off. All I knew was he was young no more than 18 19, big nose, and I couldn’t see anything else before he ran off into the darkness. I take a look back and whoever this person was. I think they were the killer and they made me feel weird for a very big reason. They put a blanket over the poor girl. A killer does that if he shows signs of remorse. Like he knows he’s down something wrong. Or he feels bad for doing this because this was a friend of theirs. But he ran off never for me to see him again.

I look back at the young woman. “Rest in Peace, whoever you may have been.” I say as I leave.

And I leave her and right before I get to the edge of the town that I can make the journey home. I hear a man shout “Ay yo cus!” I turn around to see two men looking at one another. “You’re a snitch and deserve to die!” The man pulls out a gun and shoots the other. I get behind cover as a miniature war goes on around me. When the dust settles. I stand up and look out onto the crowd of bodies around me.

I stand there in fear. What has my town come to? What has my beloved Lockinge has erupted into violence and murder. My town is no longer what it once was. It was not everything it was back then. The bustling streets, and lively people. All of which have been replaced by dark corners, shots fired, and nothing but death and destruction. I made the trek home. But as I walked there I felt like my former home was no longer home.

My home is now where I have stayed for almost 7 years now. And I needed time to rest. So I went home and got to bed even though it was the middle of the day. My home was gone. It has changed for the worst. It has changed from good to the bad. It has changed and I don’t like what it has changed to. Goodbye Lonckinge. Goodbye, I will miss what you once were, however no one will miss what you have become.