Chapter 1: A Big Move

I couldn't believe it. I did not fucking believe this! I never thought I'd see the day when my mom would actually get the courage to move away from my dad and take me and my brother with her. I mean, I understand why. I just never thought about actually moving to a different state.

Just last month we were all happy and sitting around the dinner table enjoying our favorite meal together. Roast beef, mashed potatoes with puddles of gravy, and lots and lots of beef broth noodles. We'd always talk about our day and laugh at dad's sarcasm. We weren't a perfect family, but we were happy. Well, up until last week that is.

***FLASHBACK***

It was a horrific Monday afternoon. At least it was summer. I didn't have school, but it was so groggy out to do anything. The sky was dark and the grey clouds were rolling in. I walked to the open window in my bedroom and smelled the coming of rain. Then suddenly, another smell entered my nose. Mmm chocolate chip pancakes. Mom was in a good mood today, she always made pancakes when she was happy. I hurried and got dressed and went downstairs.

As I ran down the 26 steps to the kitchen, I overheard the 10 o' clock news say that there was a storm watch today. I glanced at the mini TV that sat on the bar in the kitchen. Then I heard mom humming. She heard me and turned around to greet me, "Good morning, Tally. Looks like it's just you and me this morning"

"Where's dad and Cameron?", I asked confused. Wondering where they'd go this early in the morning.

"Cameron just got his hunting license yesterday and he just begged your dad to take him out.", she chuckled.

"Oh, I see, so why are you in such a good mood today?"

"My boss just called and I got the promotion!", she exclaimed.

"Really mom? That's fantastic!", I squealed and hugged her. Mom loved her job. She designed wedding gowns. Beautiful wedding gowns that her clients absolutely loves. She hopes to become famous at it one day. She wishes to see a celebrity wearing one of her ball gowns. So getting this promotion was highly important to her and being there a good fifteen years, she deserved it.

So mom and I celebrated by eating her chocolate chip pancakes and laughing and talking and just enjoying each others company. Maybe today wouldn't be such a gloomy day after all, but, I was wrong.

About 3 o' clock, it started raining. Light at first and then it came down hard. Mom and I started getting worried about Cameron and dad. They were out in the woods for a couple of hours and it was raining cats and dogs outside. But, a little after 3:30 they had stumbled in the house wet and muddy.

"Oh, goodness look at you poor guys! Let's get those wet clothes off you and get you all cleaned up into some dry ones!", mom explained. As she started taking Cameron's camouflage jacket off. While she did it I took notice to the expression on my dad and brother's faces. Dad was smiling, a smile that looked so evil and sadistic, a fake smile perhaps? Cameron, well, he wasn't smiling at all. I swear, if it wouldn't have been for the rain, it would've almost looked like he'd been crying. I never seen him so sad. Mom had them up the stairs and when she had came back down she started supper.

We all sat down at the table, my dad and brother had the same expression on their faces as they had when they first walked in the door. Mom, being up on her high horse about the job promotion didn't take notice. It was quiet at the table. Not how it normally was. Someone always had something to say. "So, I have very exciting news!", mom exclaimed breaking the silence. Still, no one said anything. Cameron slurped his spaghetti and dad just stared blankly across the room. Seeming to almost be spacing out. Almost a minute had gone by before dad replied.

"Oh, really honey? That's wonderful." Now mom knew something was up. Dad NEVER called her honey, EVER! Dad has always told us how much he hated that word because it reminded of bees, which he has a strange phobia of. Mom began eating again with a look on her face that said to me that she was pondering what was wrong with her son and husband. Five more minutes went by.

Suddenly mom slammed her hands down on the mahogany table, hard. "Alright somebody better tell me what the hell is going on now! What the hell is wrong with you two?" I was stunned by her voice and her actions, but my curiosity peaked, and I desperately wanted to know too. More silence. A minute went by. Dad had finished his last bite and excused himself from the table. Mom and I watched him leave the table as Cameron just sat there burying his face into his plate. We saw dad darting for the door. Mom screamed, "Richard! Richard! Where the hell do you think you're going? It's raining cats and dogs outside!" My dad paying no attention left without a word to any of us. With the slamming of the door Cameron started crying.

"Cameron, what's wrong?", I asked worried for my little brother.

"It's okay sweetie. I don't know what daddy's problem is but he'll be back. What happened? Did you two get into an argument or something?", mom asked worried sick for Cameron.

"Kind of, but I'm not crying because of that.", Cameron sobbed wildly, "I...I'm crying because...daddy raped me!"

My mom was wrong like I was about the events that occurred that day. Today was a gloomy day, and that day, was the last day I saw my dad.

Now here we were. A broken messed up family packing up the car to move to the great state of Georgia. I begged my mom to stay and at least move to a different town and not a different state, but I knew this was all for the good of Cameron. Poor little guy was still traumatized after what happened, and who wouldn't be? We all were. I begged mom to stay and let me live on my own. I only had 3 more months till I was 18 but living alone didn't fly well with my mom. As soon as I knew it we were leaving West Virginia and on a plane to Georgia.