Hunting in Times Square

The headlights pierced through thick New England fog as Henry Creek and his son Edgar drove the winding road to Calais. The prestigious Wormwood Academy lay a mere two miles outside of the town and was the closest American boarding school to Canada. The father and son were picking up the third member of their family, Wynona. The pair of them grew more and more silent as the gates to the school approached. Picking up Wynona was always difficult. Henry would never admit this, not even to himself, but he thought of her as the problem child. The car turned once more and the pair were on the grounds of Maine’s most prestigious boarding school.

Almost ten months of the year, Wynona stayed in Sìthiche Hall. Henry was furious when he found out she was transferred to the notorious troubled kids’ board. It was only at Edgar’s insistence that he allowed her to come home for winter break that year. Only one other student transferred there with her, a boy named Marcus who had become Wynona’s best friend in the years they had gone to school together. Henry had agreed to take his kids to see their maternal grandparents for their annual family get together. He found it unfortunate that it started the day after Wynona was released for break, but her family wanted to see her.

Henry and Edgar found Wynona’s dorm hall with ease and found a small family convening outside. Henry assumed it was Marcus’ family and left the car to introduce himself. The family seemed rather tight-knit and was laughing surrounded by two sets of luggage. Wait. Two? There were only two residents of Sìthiche Hall, which meant the daughter was not theirs, but Henry’s. Wynona stood in one of those wearable blankets that Henry despised and laughed with an older woman. The older woman pinched Wynona’s cheeks and swayed her back and forth. Henry decided not to introduce himself. 

“Wynona!” the older woman laughed. “Top of your class again! I’m so proud!”

“Thank you Mrs. de la Cruz,” Wynona replied in a sing-songy sort of tone that Henry thought had long since retired from his daughter’s voice. 

“Of course! Though I wish you would stop beating my son.” Wynona snickered and removed Mrs. de la Cruz’s hands from her face. A man, who Henry assumed to be Mr. de la Cruz, patted Wynona’s shoulder and began to say something before Henry and Edgar approached. Mr. de la Cruz’s grip on Wynona’s shoulder tightened and he stood up a little straighter. 

“Hi Marcus!” Edgar said with a wave. Marcus, now standing in front of Wynona, waved back. Wynona lightly pushed Marcus out of her way and retracted Mr. de la Cruz’s hand from her shoulder. She grabbed her luggage and took her place next to her father. 

“Hi Dad.” Henry started to go back to the car and heard the clearing of several throats. 

“Hello Wynona,” he replied without turning back around. “Are you ready to head out?”

“I guess.” Henry made it to the car and waited for his kids to be done talking to the de la Cruzs. When the kids finished, the other family accompanied them to the car. Mr. de la Cruz helped Wynona load her things and Henry saw him whisper something to her. Wynona spared a quick glance at her father through the back window before nodding and clamoring into the backseat. Her limbs were too long, Henry thought as he glared at Mr. de la Cruz through the rearview window. Henry had half a mind to reverse and run that man over as he retreated to his family. The twins waved goodbye as the SUV started and began to drive them deeper into Maine. The road to Nashville was long and they only had each other for company.

Barely a mile out, Henry spoke his first unprompted sentence to his daughter in five months. “Why’d you have to wear that?”

“My blanket hoodie?” Wynona scoffed, rolling her eyes. “It’s pick up day, Dad. I don’t-”

“Exactly. It’s pick up day. All of these luxurious families can see you and you are wearing a blanket.”

“Nobody gives a damn!” Wynona threw her hands apart, nearly slamming her fists on the back of the front seats. “It’s pick up day! Jesus Christ on a goddamn stick! No one gives a damn!”

“And now you're speaking with that kind of mouth? Your mother would be disappointed.” Wynona’s mouth snapped shut along with her reply. Suddenly the air became stale and the car quieted. Rosalie Creek had been well and gone for nearly seven years, but the wound was very much infected and leaking all over the hearts of the Creek family. Even Edgar, whose face never moved to disagree with his father, resented the misuse of his mother’s name and pulled the corners of his mouth back with angry, squinting eyes. Wynona began to try and make herself comfortable in the lonesome backseat.

Wynona had become comfortable fairly quickly. She spread herself across the back seat like a cat and took her shoes off, much to her father’s displeasure. After an hour spent catching up with her brother, she put in her headphones, shuffled her playlist, and began to play some 3DS games. She vaguely heard her father begin to talk to her brother as soon as her headphones were in, but couldn’t find it in herself to be hurt. She had been on the receiving end of her father’s silence for the better part of seven years. She was used to it.

When Wynona’s eyes began to sag, she fought with them until they stayed open and she could take in the rolling hills of southern Maine. She didn’t want to be asleep; she had to stare out the window and look dejected. Plus, her father would never let her hear the end of it. Wynona, don’t you know it's dangerous to sleep in cars? Wynona, that will hurt your neck. You could pinch a nerve and die and then where would we be Wynona? It would be awful. Wynona knew that somewhere in the Mariana Trench of her father’s heart that he did love her, but she had long since grown used to the freezing cold of a world without his love. The only times she and her father ever had a meaningful conversation was when she got home from doctor’s appointments. It was warm whenever she got home from doctor’s appointments. Her father would look her in the eyes, ask how it went, and say everything would be alright. It was on those days that Wynona could actually withstand being a daughter to the man, where she could actually let him hug her. Suddenly the backseat felt colder. Wynona tucked herself further into her blanket hoodie and tried to imagine running free in the hills of southern Maine. 

As the Creeks edged closer to New York City, Wynona decided the SUV was too close to her father. She had been in the car with him for nearly four hours and needed to stop breathing the same air as him. She decided to kick at the car console until she got bored. After two miles, her father took notice. He froze his drawling with Edgar and turned his pupils to face his daughter. His brow was so furrowed Wynona was almost shocked it hadn’t hit China. She tensed under the assumption she was about to be ripped to shreds. She was correct, as always. 

“Wynona Elizabeth Creek!” her father screamed. Edgar prompted him to look at the road and the car swerved slightly in adjustment.“What on Earth do you think you're doing?!”

“I’m bored.”

“Dad, the road,” Edgar said.

“So you decided to try and destroy the console?”

“Yeah. So?” Wynona rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. Edgar looked frantically between his father and sister, pointing.

“The road!”

“God, what is wrong with you, Wynona?” said the girl’s father as he was white-knuckling the steering wheel, but not looking anywhere near the road. Edgar was screaming out desperately for someone to look at the road. His father and sister were too busy fighting amongst themselves to care. 

“What do you want me to do, huh? Throw the console a goddamn funeral? Hell, that thing is less fragile than me!”

“THE ROAD!” Wynona's father looked up just in time to dodge a semi-truck. The horn slowly faded into obscurity as the Creeks sat in silence.

“Honestly, Wynona,” Henry sighed, loosening his grip on the steering wheel. Edgar seemed to be doing his best impression of a black hole and avoiding all eyes. “Why can’t you be more like your brother?” Wynona clawed the backs of her elbows and stayed silent, letting her father work out the answer for himself.

Eddie wasn’t surprised the two were arguing; they always did that. They’d been going hunting in Times Square for years and acting shocked when someone got hurt. Edgar’s eyes flitted between the man who had given him life and the girl who had received it at the same time. The decision was impossible and Eddie would have to be in a car with them for the next day either way. He hated road trips and all the time he had to spend cramped in a small car with big personalities. But Eddie also hated being at home because at home everything was a shrine to him and he had to convince himself that he had a sister. Then, he’d call Nona and they’d talk and they’d be closer than they ever were even though she was across the state. 

Eddie turned to face his twin and found cuss words gently streaming out of her lips. He decided against striking up a conversation with a loaded gun. When Nona was mad at him, he always looked to his dad for answers. Eddie spared a glance at his dad who was occupied trying to explode the road with his mind. That wouldn’t work either. Eddie decided to fiddle with the radio until it played showtunes, at which he was content. After about an hour of driving, Nona began to get restless.

“Pull over,” Nona finally barked, leaning into the front half of the car and gesturing to the side of the road.

“Why?” Eddie’s dad grumbled.

“I have to pee and I need to get the hell out of this damn car.”

Eddie winced. The guns were being aimed. He wanted nothing more than to sink into the cracks of the dusty seat covers. His eyes dashed between outside agents to determine a distraction.

“Can’t you wait? We’ve only been driving for a couple of hours-”

“A couple of hours? It’s twelve and we’ve been driving since seven. It’s-”

“Oh my gosh!” Eddie yelled. “Look! That billboard says there’s a truckstop with a pirate ship inside!” The Creeks all stopped and stared at the billboard. There was a truckstop with a pirate ship less than fifty miles away. Nona agreed to wait. Nearly an hour later, Eddie’s dad pulled into the massive parking lot of a truck stop. Eddie could hear Nona repeatedly pull on her door handle until the door popped open. She ran outside then toppled over because her feet were asleep. Eddie snickered and went to collect his sister off the ground. The twins’ dad abandoned the SUV and reminded Nona to take her medicine, beginning his venture inside. Nona rolled her eyes in response, but followed suit with Eddie anyway.

After it was confirmed Wynona had taken her medicine, the family quickly found the advertised pirate ship. It wasn’t anything too fancy, a deck you could walk on, a flagpole, and the rough shape of a pirate ship outlined in wooden planks, but the three enjoyed touring it nonetheless. They were also pleased to find that there was a BBQ restaurant and happily ordered a mountain of brisket. Eddie was happy because his dad and Nona were finally getting along. They were even peacefully sharing food. He had done it. His family wasn’t going to argue anymore, not until they were back in the car, at least.

Eddie noticed the atmosphere started to shift early on, before it had really even begun to shift. He knew that the two were growing tired of talking to each other. He could see their smiles tighten and their eyebrows sag, even minutely as they were.

“Yeah,” Nona laughed. “Y’know, this place really reminds me of this place I went with the debate club.”

“Oh yeah? Did that place have an indoor pirate ship too?” Their dad began to laugh, one of those big, roaring, Santa laughs that shook the whole world. Eddie awkwardly joined.

“Nah, but it did have a clown statue. Scared the shit out of the president.”

“President?” Eddie helplessly watched as the two began to load their guns. Nona cocked an eyebrow and gave a sarcastic nod. “Oh it’s nothing. I just thought you were the president.”

“Well, I’m not.” The father and daughter duo were now making impenetrable eye contact. The guns were aimed. Someone just had to shoot. “I dunno what gave you that impression.”

“I guess I shouldn’t be surprised,” their dad snickered. Eddie couldn’t find it in himself to join. He knew what was coming. “It is you we’re talking about, Wynona.”

“The hell is that supposed to mean, Henry?” Nona slammed her drink down on the table and took the shot that Eddie had been dreading.

“Don’t do this.”

“What? Do you- do you think I can’t run some shitty club? Huh? I could do it, asshole!”

“Don’t be overdramatic, Wynona.” The girl’s dad spared a glance around the pirate themed BBQ. “People are staring.”

“Is that all you give a damn about? Is it?” Nona was screaming now. The waiters had begun to make their way to the table. “If I’ve taken my medicine and gone to the damn doctor? If people are staring? People are always staring, Henry! You’re a single white dad with two mixed kids you don’t know how to take care of, I’m sick and Eddie has one leg! For Christ’s sake! People are always staring! You just don’t want them to stare at me because you’re ashamed!”

“Wynona Elizabeth Creek! Shut your mouth this instant!”

“Or what? You’ll be disappointed in me? You’ll send me off to a boarding school and never talk to me? You’ll never hang up pictures of me? Admit it! You’re ashamed of me Henry.”

Their dad violently stomped his foot and propelled himself upwards. In one swift motion, he grabbed at the collar of Nona’s shirt and pulled her up to his eye level. He didn’t say anything, just glared. 

“Say it, Dad. Say you fucking hate me.”

He didn’t say anything. He just dropped Nona’s collar and walked off to the parking lot. Nona stared after him for a second before stomping off to the pirate ship. Eddie just sat in the newfound silence and did his best not to hate it. The waiter gave him a sympathetic look and a pity pastry, but Eddie didn’t move. He couldn’t decide if it would be better to follow his dad or his sister, so he chose neither and slowly killed the whole family. 

Henry decided to find his kids after fifteen minutes. He found Eddie first and directed him to the car. Wynona was harder to find, but he eventually saw her pinched in between the pirate’s steering wheel and the plank. Her back was facing him and she was on the phone with someone. Henry noted with pride that he tried to bury that she was crying. 

“I just- I don’t know what to do. No, he didn’t say it, but I knew he meant it! And- I am not being dramatic!” Wynona wrathfully yelled, using the steering wheel to push herself up. Henry decided he should go get her. He was directly behind her when she said it. “I- you’re right. I’m sorry Mr. de la Cruz.”

He saw red. Why would his daughter confide in that man over him? That man was just some rando who happened to be related to her best friend. That man probably lusted after Wynona. Henry was enraged that that man was so close to his daughter. That man… that man!

Henry grabbed Wynona’s phone without thinking. Neither of them had time to speak before the phone was launched off the pirate ship and down to the first floor. Henry heard the crack and solemnly understood what he’d done. Wynona was deathly silent behind him. He turned to face her and was met only with a glare. 

“Nona-”

“Don’t.” The tears flowing down her face had never been more apparent to Henry. 

“I- I didn’t mean to, Nona. you must understand that. It was an accident. Nona, I swear.” Henry reached out to lightly grab his daughter’s shoulder but she slapped him away.

 “DON’T TOUCH ME!” Wynona stood in a defensive position and refused to lock eyes with her father, who was trying desperately to. “You don't have the right! You do not have the right.” The two stood in painful silence for a minute, rocking back and forth between their feet. “Let’s just go.”

“Nona-”

“Let’s. Go.” Wynona left the pirate ship and Henry followed after her. They did not pick up her phone because they could see it was entirely shattered. When they reached the car, Edgar was sitting on the trunk, clearly distressed. Henry got back in the driver’s seat and sighed. His kids stood awkwardly talking outside and, for a shameful minute, he wished he’d just had the one. Henry honked and his kids began to filter towards the SUV. Wynona threw open the back door and slammed it shut after she’d climbed in. Edgar spent an eternity considering. Henry sighed again. The road to Nashville was long and they only had each other for company.