A strong, cold November wind blew through the suburbs, blowing off leaves off the trees that lined the sidewalks, right into the face of a very grumpy Jacob Mukay. He shivered as another car sped past him on the unusually chilly morning. We live in Atlanta! And it decides to have Antarctic weather because...? He thought to himself. Another gust of wind his him smack in the face, messing up his neatly cut long blonde hair.

Vroom, vroom, vroom!

Three more cars sped past him, leaving behind a disgusting smell of exhaust and a mop of hair in his golden brown eyes. Ugh, he thought, only three more blocks. As Jacob turned the corner, he noticed a red truck creeping slowly behind him. The driver was a young man, no older that thirty with an almost bald head. Through the windshield, Jacob could only make out bits and pieces of him. He was broad shouldered, maybe a football player, his green eyes pierced through Jacob's soul, warming his heart. The man smiled and pulled up beside him.

"Hey kiddo, I was on my way home from the store and noticed you were walking by yourself," His voice was gravelly, but kind. "You must go to the middle school right? Quite the ways away and it's too chilly to be walking in shorts and a tee shirt."

Jacob looked down and his clothes. The man was right, he hesitated for a second.

"My name's Ed, Ed Smith." The man added.

Well, he gave me his name; he's got to be trustworthy.

"Ok, I'm Jacob. Thanks." He said as he walked around behind the old truck and hopped into the passenger seat.

"Don't you need my address?" He said.

"I'm taking you back to school so you can be in some heat" The man said.

"Ok, That's cool I guess" He said.

"What school do you go to?" The man asked

"Chisholm Trail Middle School" He said.

"Oh, I know where that school is." The man said

"Do you any pills I have a headache." He asked. Ed reaches behind his seat and got the pills.

"Here ya go boy" Ed said as he gave the pill to Jacob.

"Thank you." Jacob said as he put the pill in his mouth and swallowed it. Jacob began to feel really tired and fell asleep. When Jacob woke up, he was in an unknown room on a bed. Jacob walked out of the room and fell down the stairs. He stumbled into the kitchen and he saw a hot plate of food and a note. The note said, "Ran to the store to pick up my medicine, stay inside the house and enjoy this homemade meal I've prepared just for you."

Jacob knew that he shouldn't take food from strangers, but it really did smell good. He picked up the warm plate, the fork that lay next to it and a napkin and plodded his way down a single step that led to a tan living room. It was decorated with light brown furniture, a chocolate brown coffee table, and dark curtains. He sat in the couch across from the small TV and flipped it on. As Jacob finished his pasta; he heard Ed's truck pull into the driveway. Jacob threw his dishes in the sink and ran up to his room and pretended to be asleep.

"Jacob?" Ed's gravelly voice called as he walked through the squeaky front door, "I'm home, come on, don't be afraid I'm not going to hurt you." He said. He looked at the dirty plate in the sink and called out again, "Did you like the pasta? It's a family secret. Come down and I'll show you how to make it."

The old man quietly crept up the old steps to the bedroom where Jacob was hiding. The door opened and revealed the old age man.

"W-who are you?" Jacob said slightly frighten.

"I'm Ed Smith." The old man said.

"I don't know you." Jacob said.

"Yeah you do I'm your adopted father. Your other family died in a house fire and then you were put on foster care then I adopted you and you're here now." The old man said touching Jacob's shoulder lightly.

"S-s-s-o, so their gone? My mother and father are gone?" Jacob asked as he sobbed. The old man pulled the sobbing boy into his arms, hugging the boy as sobs racked his body.

After a few weeks as the pain began to heal and Ed and Jacob grew closer together, Jacob was homeschooled and he noticed Ed becoming weaker. He noticed simple tasks became harder and naps became longer. He began to worry about him.

"Ed? Are you feeling ok? Do you want me to call the doctor?"

"Jacob, I've got cancer… Terminal. I don't have much longer to live, maybe a few days." Ed replied.

Jacob could only stare, his jaw touching the ground.

"You can't die on me; you're the only family I have left." Jacob said, backing away slowly.

"Jacob, I-I lied. My family died in a car accident, and it killed all of them, including my brother who was very dear to me. He was right around the age you are and he looks exactly like you. I wanted to do everything to protect you, so I kidnapped you. I'm so sorry Jacob. If you believe anything, please believe this, I love you like my own son."

"Really? How do I know that's not a lie too?"

Jacob, im sor-"

"Ed? Ed' DAD?!" Jacob crumpled over, hands on his heart and sobbed. A neighbor heard the scream and called 911. The ambulance came and rushed Ed to the doctor where he was pronounced dead. Jacob returned to his family, but Ed was always in his heart.