Welcome to Madina Lake

Chapter 11

Mom, Papa, Matthew, Adalia and I. We had all been so happy once upon a time. I look around the town we all grew up in and wonder where did it all go so terribly wrong. Had it always been this way? Had Papa always been the drunk he was now? Had Mom always had her heart on someone else? Had she always ignored what Papa was like? Worse still, would Adalia and I be alive now if someone had just noticed, if someone had just said something? I think about Matthew, how I desperately want him to get out, I want him to get away from this family, this prison before it's too late.

"Matthew! What are you doing? Your father wants to take us out, are you nearly ready?" Mom called out to my brother from the kitchen. She looked happy, she was dressed in a bright yellow dress with flowers and a straw hat and she looked like she was going on her first date in years. Heard Matthew's footsteps coming down the hall to the top of the staircase.

"I had plans to go see Pandora, were had a date for today, do I have to go?" He was half dressed wearing his jeans and a shirt but no shoes or socks. I smiled; maybe he would talk with Pandora, get away from Madina for good. I could only hope.

"C'mon boy, we have had too many tragedies in this 'ere family. Let me take ya both out, come lighten the mood with yer Ma and Pa." Papas voice spoke to Matthew from behind. I shook with thoughts of what that oaf of a man could do to my twin from that vantage point.

Matthew shrugged his shoulders and sighed resignedly. He knew that he wouldn’t get out of this little 'family' outing, there was no point fighting it.

"Let me go get dressed, I'll be down in a minute."

"Don’t forget to call Pandora dear, wouldn’t want to keep a girl waiting." Mom called out after him as he pulled his door closed. I stayed downstairs and kept an eye on Papa, he was 'helping' Mom get things ready for the days' activities. I couldn’t understand it, he was acting like Adalia and I had never even existed.

"I'll be right back Ma, I have to get somethin' from the den to take with us. You jus' pack that lot inta' the truck alright love?" his voice sickly sweet like the honey color liquid he drank night after night. Something wasn't right and it was all him.

I followed his ogre like frame down the hallway to his den, thoughts of Adalia came flooding in, seeing her in here the night before she had killed herself… I shook my head; I knew I needed to focus. I watched as my father produced a key to his hunting cabinet and pulled out his freshly cleaned rifle. He kissed it like he would a child then cradled it out to the truck.

"Marshall, why are you bringing your gun?" Mom asked innocently enough. Pa just smiled at her.

"I was plannin' on taking Matthew huntin' later, you could come too if ya like Lois, I know ya been wonderin' about it." He showed her a toothy grin and placed his rifle into the cab. I didn’t like this, not one little bit.

"Matthew! Git yer butt down here and into that there truck, we have a picnic that’s to be had!" His voice echoed through the yard and surrounding area, he had done that a lot as kids, the neighbors were used to it by now.

*****

Papa drove deep into the woodlands but no one seemed to notice. It seemed like at least an hour passed before we got to 'the spot', I watched as everyone got out and stretched. Mom fussed around setting up the blanket and picnic basket. Matthew and Papa talking about school and Pandora, talk about family bonding. That man made me sick.

"Alright boys, time to come and eat something. Don’t want you starving." Mom was smiling, almost excessively happy, was this what she wanted? Or was she just holding back the reservoir of tears, I guess we'll never know.

"Marshall, are you coming? I have a plate right here for you." The last thing I heard from her was the high-pitched wail as Papa cocked his rifle and sent a shot into her chest at close range. Blood was everywhere, Matthew was covered in blood and small bone fragments, he was yelling at Pa.

"What did you do?! What are you doing? Are you crazy?!" he doubled over and began throwing up, heaving until he could barely breathe.

"Now Matthew, I'm gonna give ya a chance. I like ya. You was always my favorite child I always loved ya more then your brother, he was nothin' more then a whiny inconvenience." Matthew was crying, I could see that he had never even been aware of our fathers distaste for Adalia and I.

"Papa please, what's wrong? Why are you doing this?" The drunkard just looked at him with cold calculating eyes.

"Run boy. I'll give ya a seven second head start, if yer are out of ma range and out of my viewpoint, I might jus' let ya live, if ya can run that fast that is. Go, GO!" Matthew's eyes wide in panic, he hesitated just for a moment, Pa cocked the rifle and shot at Matthew tearing through the thick of his leg making him scream out in pain.

"ONE…TWO…THREE…" His feet took off; I don’t think he cared what way he was running, or even for the pain as long as it was away from Papa, away from the gun and away from here. His feet sliding in the damp leaves that covered the ground, I ran with him, I wanted to keep him safe, I wanted to be with him, I wanted to be near him in case something happened.

Matthew was breathing heavy, his body covered in blood and sick, I could see he was exhausted, he had been running for hours, running from every little sound in the dark. I could see lights up ahead, I pushed him, I stayed near to him, and I prayed that my presence would give him the strength that he needed.

"Nathan, I can see lights. I think Im safe; I think I'm going to be safe. Nathan, I can't do this much longer, Im barely holding on…" Blood was still flooding from the gaping wound.

"You have to hold on Matthew, hold on for me, for Adalia and for mom. You have to hold on for us all."

*****

I remember hearing Nathan's voice keeping me here. We kept me alive until the park ranger found me and was able to take me to safety.
Papa was no where to be found when they went looking, Sheriff had said that he could be anywhere out there, father had known the woods better then anyone. I told them about what he had done to Mom and what he had done to Nathan all those years ago.

Pandora and I never got married, I caught her drugging me one night, and it was all thanks to Nathan's presence. I now live in Chicago and am a happily struggling guitar player. I was happy to leave Madina Lake behind but I still go back to see Nathan and my family, after all, that’s what Madina Lake is all about, family.