"Turn off the 101 to La Push Road, it's marked on your left" my father David Clearwater said sighing into my ear on the cell phone. He wasn't very supportive on my decision to leave Castle Rock. When my father was seventeen he left La Push in a rage. He's never told me why but he left his mother, father and younger brother Harry, all of the former at La Push and never turned back. Whenever the topic was brought up he would always change the subject or give me one of those 'It's not up for discussion looks'.
About a year ago my Uncle Harry died leaving my Aunt Sue alone to raise Leah and Seth. All the time's my mother talked to her on the phone she always said the kids were out, thus giving the impression she had no control over them what-so-ever, especially when they were out at times like 2 a.m on a school night when she would call crying.
Now eighteen I can make my own decisions, though it wasn't fully supported by my parents it was eventually supported. I have decided to move in and help Aunt Sue with Seth and Leah, well more so Seth because he's still young enough for me to discipline if I want. Leah is about two years my elder she 20 now I think she's moved in with her boyfriend Paul who also lives on the Reserve.
"I still don't like this Amanda, you could get hurt"
At this I snort, what trouble am I going to get into on a Reserve?
"Dad I'll be fine, tell Mom I love her, I'm pulling in now and you're cutting out, Bye!" Without giving him time to answer I snap the cell phone shut; turning it off. I sigh contently as I drive down the dirt road; houses lined one side, while pathways lead to others.
In the center by the main lodge a circle of houses went around the main area. The elder's houses, generations of kids lived in the same house year after year. When my grandfather died his house went to my Uncle Harry since my father wasn't around, it always goes to the oldest male. I knew some names from the story's my father told me about the people on the Reserve. There were the Black's, Uley's and then a few other I don't really remember. Along with the Black's and Uley's the Clearwater's where the third oldest family. Thus meaning my Aunt's house was in the 'center circle' and like always she was out in the garden.
"Amanda dear!" she calls as I pull up in my beat up truck. Quickly she whips the dirt off her knee's and puts down the flower's she had been formally planting. When I open the cab door she pulls me out with strength that I didn't expect from her hugging me tightly.
"I'm so glad you here dear, the house feel's so empty with just Seth and I now, I mean Leah isn't far away but still" she breath's out squeezing the life out of me.
"Awh Auntie Sue, I've missed you too" I reply patting her back semi awkwardly. Usually I would only see her three times a year and that was on holiday for dinner. On those nights's I kept to myself head down and I stuck close to my mother who was doing the same things as I was. "Well let's get you unpacked then shall we?" she question's helping me with my bags.
The two of us finally managed to drag my bags and other things into the house and into Leah's room when Seth showed up grinning like a kid on Christmas.
"Planned that perfectly didn't I?" he asks watching us struggle with the desk I had brought for when I felt like planning. Before I even thought about disciplining him his mother set to work ordering him to place the desk in my room and to not complain about it. Maybe she didn't need help…
As for the planning, I was designing my own restaurant. My father owned a chain of diners and said if I could come up with a good design that he approved of he would put it together and I could manage it. Much better then collage, don't you think? After putting my things away in the small dresser that had formally belonged to Leah I decided to help Aunt Sue with dinner.
"Do you really think that my small frame can even store that much food?" I ask eyeing the plateful my aunt had put in front of me. The plate was heaping with red meat and potatoes, I think there was some corn too but that was also hidden in the depths of potatoes and gravy. "Oh I sorry dear, I'm used to giving Leah that much" I stare at her my size 2 cousin ate this much food, that had to be impossible all that starch and red meat, when I next see her she better be the size of a small whale!
At around midnight I heard Seth walking around, being the nosy person I am I rushed out of bed and into the hallway just as he opened the door. "And where do you think you're going young man?" I ask trying to look frightening but tapping my foot in a motherly fashion. "Out" was his simple reply not looking at all intimidated. He was sixteen for crying out loud he should not be leaving at midnight. 'Out where?" I ask. I was going to get an answer, and I was going to get it now. "Just out okay, yesh Mand I thought you were cool" he says grabbing the door handle.
"I'm cool, but before cool I'm nosy and I want to know where my sixteen year old cousin is sneaking off to?"
"I'm not sneaking anywhere, there was no sneaking. I have to get to Sam's"
"Sam? who is Sam your girlfriend?" I ask waggling my eyebrows.
"Sam's a boy" he say's duly.
"Okay, your boyfriend?" never knew that, don't worry you're secret's safe" I say smiling at his reaction. His face turn's to horror and then he scowl's at me.
"You know what, why don't you just come with me, you can be my excuse for being late" Ahh well better then sleeping. I shrug and grab a sweater and shoe's before following him out of the house and down a trail to a smaller house.
"You ate all the buns you pig!"
"No I didn't it was Paul!"
"Don't eat all the chicken, shouldn't you be watching you're figure or something"
"Shouldn't you be staking that girl?"
"Leah that was a low blow and you know it"
"Serve's him right calling me fat"
"I didn't call you fat!"
"Um… hello?" Seth calls as we watch Leah take a dive at a boy around my age.
Before I could even blink all movement stopped and all eyes were on me.
"Who's this Seth, you're girlfriend?" Paul asks taking a large bite of a chicken leg.
"That's my cousin smartass" Leah says smacking him upside the head. I smile slightly at the exchange, then frown as he spits out the large chink he was chewing or on the verge of chewing.
"Well Seth don't be rude I know you were raised better introduce her" says a motherly voice to my left. Turning I see a rather young and very pregnant woman washing dishes.
"Right, Amanda" he coughs "This is, Paul, Quil, Embry, Jared, Jacob, Sam and you already know Leah" I hear a cough from over by the dishes. "Oh and that's Emily" he finishes in a hurry. Something tells me I should fear that women. "Well this is unexpected" Sam says eyeing Seth. Something tells me I'm intruding…
I jump up before an awkward 'Can I talk to you guy's outside' line could even be muttered. "It was nice to meet you all but I was just making sure Seth here wasn't sneaking out to see a girl or something." I start but get interrupted by the group laughing and Seth turning red. "Yeah, Ill just go, see you" I finish turning for the door. Well that was officially awkward, I'm glad they have midnight pow-wow's here, creepy.
I walk down the pathway and back to the house humming quietly to myself it really was a nice night. By the time I crawled into bed I still had yet to unwind, I was still keyed up. I walk over to the widow in sit in the window seat looking up at the moon. I see a fire going in the pit in the center a few people around it, boy these people were night owl's.
Deciding it's for the better I push open the window to let in a breeze and then slid into bed. Just as I drift off I hear a wolf howl in the distance. A long mournful howl, like it had lost its mate or child.
In my dreams that night was a red-brown wolf that seemed to be looking for something in the forest. Every once in awhile he would stop and sniff the air, sometimes he would follow the scent and other times he would growl angrily before heading in the opposite direction. One thing was for sure, he was sad and heartbroken. I longed to reach out to help him somehow point him in the right direction; guide him on a road to recovery. Not till the wolf rested did I, finally I fell into a peaceful sleep.