Sequel: The Hunter ›
Status: Got writer's block, so gave it a lame ending. Sorry~
The Hunter Version 1
Page 38
In the darkness, he saw his father's lips lift into a smile.
“Yes, you've always seemed to be in some sort of trouble. I'm glad you are alive and well, Ben. However, you really should get some rest. Tomorrow we will have a lot to do and it starts early.” The man told him.
“Alright...Father.” Ben nodded.
“Ben, you can call me Dad.” His father told him affectionately.
“Dad, then.” Ben replied and they both gave an awkward laugh.
The two bid each other goodnight, and Ben headed back into the house. The woman who had shown him outside was just opening the door to investigate the sound. She questioned him about it, but he simply gave a shrug and told her good night before stepping past. He made his way obediently back to his room without too much difficulty, placed the book back behind the painting once more, and went to bed.
The next day Ben was woken early and taken to visit the family's doctor. He wrapped up his clothes from Claire and hid them away with the notebook just so he could have something he was sure William had not touched. After the doctor, Ben and his father, once again cold and refusing to speak to him, had lunch with a group of young men Ben's age. The men seemed to be very familiar with Ben and asked him a lot of questions, though they tried to steer away from his time at the island. Ben could not recall any of their names, but several of their faces looked familiar. One of the men reminded Ben strongly of Sam, but he did not say anything to him. Then Ben had been taken to a large mall and was ordered to get some clothes that fit him better. The building was so massive, it made his head spin and what should have been a two hour shopping trip took the rest of the day, as they stopped to get more than just clothes.
The next few days were much the same. Almost every day, Ben would start the day by going to the doctor, then he would meet up with some group of men, sometimes the same group he had first met, often times other people were there as well. His father once took him to where he worked and Ben met his father's co-workers and then spent the rest of the day reading in his father's office. Some days he would accompany the driver to pick Charlie up from his school and the two would spend a few hours wandering about. Every day, Ben was kept out of the house and away from William as much as possible. Often times, even in the house, his father arranged it so Ben was never alone.
At night, however, there was nothing they could do. William would visit Ben at night, just before he generally went to sleep, and bombarded Ben with questions. Ben tried to come up with excuses to not answer, or he straight out lied, sometimes very obviously, which would anger William. As days passed into weeks, William's patience with Ben grew thin and he snapped at him more often. The house-workers began to whisper about some strange brotherly rivalry, how Ben was obviously the favored child. Although Charlie was the heir, it was becoming more and more likely to Ben that he was, indeed, the favorite child of their father.
He was kept so busy, Ben barely had time to think about Max or Toby. He began to wake up from nightmares in the middle of the night, however. Unable to get back to sleep, he would wander about in the rose garden or the forest of evenly spaced trees. His father, who went to bed late and woke early, would sometimes join him and they would talk about nothing. It was during their talks that Ben began to remember more about his previous life. And the more he remembered, the more he disliked both William and himself. Ben realized he had been a selfish coward, and he had driven his father away, not the other way around. He could not think what kind of information that William wanted from him, however. He never asked about anything but the islands and Max. Ben regretted having ever mentioned Max to him.
Two months passed like thatbefore William snapped. Ben was leaving his father's library to go to the bathroom when William ambushed him with one question after another, following Ben until they reached the bathroom. He slipped in front of Ben so he could not get in and shoved Ben back.
“Yes, you've always seemed to be in some sort of trouble. I'm glad you are alive and well, Ben. However, you really should get some rest. Tomorrow we will have a lot to do and it starts early.” The man told him.
“Alright...Father.” Ben nodded.
“Ben, you can call me Dad.” His father told him affectionately.
“Dad, then.” Ben replied and they both gave an awkward laugh.
The two bid each other goodnight, and Ben headed back into the house. The woman who had shown him outside was just opening the door to investigate the sound. She questioned him about it, but he simply gave a shrug and told her good night before stepping past. He made his way obediently back to his room without too much difficulty, placed the book back behind the painting once more, and went to bed.
The next day Ben was woken early and taken to visit the family's doctor. He wrapped up his clothes from Claire and hid them away with the notebook just so he could have something he was sure William had not touched. After the doctor, Ben and his father, once again cold and refusing to speak to him, had lunch with a group of young men Ben's age. The men seemed to be very familiar with Ben and asked him a lot of questions, though they tried to steer away from his time at the island. Ben could not recall any of their names, but several of their faces looked familiar. One of the men reminded Ben strongly of Sam, but he did not say anything to him. Then Ben had been taken to a large mall and was ordered to get some clothes that fit him better. The building was so massive, it made his head spin and what should have been a two hour shopping trip took the rest of the day, as they stopped to get more than just clothes.
The next few days were much the same. Almost every day, Ben would start the day by going to the doctor, then he would meet up with some group of men, sometimes the same group he had first met, often times other people were there as well. His father once took him to where he worked and Ben met his father's co-workers and then spent the rest of the day reading in his father's office. Some days he would accompany the driver to pick Charlie up from his school and the two would spend a few hours wandering about. Every day, Ben was kept out of the house and away from William as much as possible. Often times, even in the house, his father arranged it so Ben was never alone.
At night, however, there was nothing they could do. William would visit Ben at night, just before he generally went to sleep, and bombarded Ben with questions. Ben tried to come up with excuses to not answer, or he straight out lied, sometimes very obviously, which would anger William. As days passed into weeks, William's patience with Ben grew thin and he snapped at him more often. The house-workers began to whisper about some strange brotherly rivalry, how Ben was obviously the favored child. Although Charlie was the heir, it was becoming more and more likely to Ben that he was, indeed, the favorite child of their father.
He was kept so busy, Ben barely had time to think about Max or Toby. He began to wake up from nightmares in the middle of the night, however. Unable to get back to sleep, he would wander about in the rose garden or the forest of evenly spaced trees. His father, who went to bed late and woke early, would sometimes join him and they would talk about nothing. It was during their talks that Ben began to remember more about his previous life. And the more he remembered, the more he disliked both William and himself. Ben realized he had been a selfish coward, and he had driven his father away, not the other way around. He could not think what kind of information that William wanted from him, however. He never asked about anything but the islands and Max. Ben regretted having ever mentioned Max to him.
Two months passed like thatbefore William snapped. Ben was leaving his father's library to go to the bathroom when William ambushed him with one question after another, following Ben until they reached the bathroom. He slipped in front of Ben so he could not get in and shoved Ben back.