Chapter 2

family ties

as Zack was walking down the street, retracing his steps on trying to find a place to go. He was thinking about all of the weird events that happened around him. The strange man, the little girl that he saw in the back garden and the weirdest of all was the two men talking. He also knew that he couldn't go back to the hotel in a bit of time to kill. He walked past of the ever fire tree displays. He knew that it was best that he wanted to try out the disposable camera. As he took a picture of the tree, he was hapy that camera still worked as he than went back to walking to the restaurant. Upon arriving, he saw that it was more full than before. Mother maggie was at the counter. She smiled brightly

"well now, im glad you're back" mother maggie said as she grabbed a menu. Zack smiled softly as she didn't take his coat "i assume that you'd want a booth out of the way?"

"shy huh?" she asked in a slightly understanding tone. "i get it, the carver family's boy is just as shy...slightly odd, but still is a sweetheart" Maggie lead him to a table that was actually out of the way "here you go, so what can I get you?" she asked as she took out her pen and paper. As Zack opened the menu, she noticed that he was dragging his finger she instantly made a noise in saying don't get that "nope don't get that" Zack put his finger on the catfish "no, that would take too long" as Zack was getting nervous he put his fingers accidentally on the fried chicken "there ya go, I have to say..the best chicken in the area...we plan the chicken ahead of time because it's actually fried to order!" she smiled to him as she didn't ask what else he wanted "last thing...what would you like to drink?"

"water would be fine" Zack told her not really wanting soda as he never really agreed with it internally. As he waited for his food, he took off his gloves not to ruin them. Figuring that it would stain with the oil "well..i didn't expect to have fried chicken today..." he said as he than noticed the corner of his eye Maggie as she put down a basket of bread and a glass of water. He nodded in thanks as he than grabbed a roll of bread to eat. As he began to eat, he was thinking that they were too nice here...he figured that he was gonna leave a nice tip, after all she tried her best to make things really special. As he began to eat, a familiar voice was heard

"well, i'm glad to see you again" it was the sheriff, this time he was actually in civilian clothes. Just a red black plaid long sleeve shirt and blue jeans. "may I join you?" he asked Zack as he wanted to eat with with him. Zack nodded and with soft smile he sat down across from him. "i take it Maggie. got you to order the fried chicken...got your bread and everything there.."

"yeah but I gotta be honest with you, I sorta just wanted a burger...something simple, you know?" Zack said as he was actually talking to a man who seemed to actually get through his nervousness.

"well, a majority of time...Maggie tends to tell people what's either best that day…..or, she actually saw you as a good kid and wanted to feed you" sheriff mark said as he than saw mother Maggie. coming "well, hello Ms. Maggie!"

"well sheriff, I take it is the usual?" Maggie said as she smiled as she put down a cup of soup in front of Zack. "i tell you sheriff, it's been strange after the past three days...after all those people in lab coats keep walking past the restaurant" she sat next to Zack, who obviously looked nervous having Maggie nearby "i tell you, that tourist trap has been really made things weird in town..."she confided in the sheriff.

Zack actually decided to make his presence known, only because he was getting nervous being around people "maybe it has to deal with the trees..." the two looked at Zack who was trying not to sound stupid " maybe the scientists are still studying the trees...after all, it is what the town makes money off of..right?" he asked the two maybe trying to get the two to think of a solution

"well that would make sense, after all I have heard that a lot of those egg heads have prescriptions at the drug store" Maggie got up and smiled "well, I'll get your food boys...you both enjoy" she told the two as she went to check on the other two tables and the kitchen. Zack ate some of his soup as he than noticed that the sheriff was deep in thought.

"you seemed to really calm down Maggie, that's good" the sheriff said as he was thinking still, looking down at the wooden table between the two. It was obvious that he was still thinking about the stuff that Maggie was talking about "ever since that damn tree has been found in this town, things have been weird…." he looked up at the obviously nervous Zack "so, you like the town so far?" he asked lightening up as he was trying to make Zack feel welcome.

"i was planning on exploring the town tomorrow...today was just a time for me to get settled in and get somethings..." Zack said as he finished his soup, holding his cup of water..the water made him feel more at ease. "i actually wanted to see the trees, mainly cause it is strange to see something that looks on fire.." he than was interrupted by Mother Maggie putting giant plates in front of the two. Fried chicken, mashed potatoes and a mixed vegetables. "oh wow...i."

"don't worry, it's on me.." the sheriff said as he started to eat, it was obvious the sheriff actually liked Zack, mainly as a person who sees that the good in Zack. As the two ate, they both began to loosen up more.

"well at least let me leave a tip" Zack said leaving a five dollar bill on the table, mark noticed the pictures one was of a middle aged man in a Grey suit behind a bar.

"is that your father?" mark asked Zack out of curiosity

"yeah, that's my papa...he is a bar owner from the town that I come from, he knows everything about bars.." he said looking at his wallet photo "my papa is an amazing man"

"is your mother blonde?" mark asked Zack, as his hair was blonde and his father's hair was black.

"i don't have a mother, in fact...he's not my birth dad" Zack said to the sheriff, not beileving that he was talking to mark with such ease. "my papa, he raised me since I was a baby, he was more of a dad than any other of my classmates dads or any other kids I ever saw" he said as mark smiled, he pulled out his wallet.

"this is my wife Connie, I met her three years ago when she was my boy's teacher.." he said as he flipped around to show a young boy at age 6. he looked like a spitting image of the man that held the wallet. "every chance I get I spend time with him, course you know, being a cop means that you are always busy" he said as he was looking at the table.

"he understands, in fact if you're always there for him than that's all that matter" Zack as mark smiled at him

"that's true, well how about we eat before the food gets cold" mark said as he started to eat, the two ate quietly, but there was a mutual respect.

After dinner, Zack and mark walked up to the front..the two were going to pay but mark refused to let him pay. Mother maggie smiled knowing that it was marks way of being nice. Without them seeing Zack pulled out his camera and took a picture of them.

"take that again, we were not ready" Maggie said in a joking sense. Zack took it again and this time the both smiled nicely.

"just want the memory you know" Zack said nervously

"well that's fine" maggie said as she smiled warmly "you are a sweet boy"

As Zack was leaving, he noticed that the streets were pretty quiet. Perhaps it was the benefit of small town living. As he was walking down the streets, holding the bag of odds and ends of the pharmacy. He enjoyed the calm night's breeze as he actually took his gloves off. He looked up at the stars and actually smiled "this is the beginning of a great vacation". He suddenly heard the sounds of a trash can being knocked over...thinking it was a cat, he just ignored it till her heard a soft child-like voice mutter in the alley way. Zack stopped in his tracks as he was trying to focus on what was going on. The sounds of the children's muttering was getting louder and louder till he heard one thing that put him on end

"uh oh, he heard us" a young timid girl said as than the sounds of three pairs of footsteps could be heard. Zack instantly turned to the alley and saw two kids...they were both little girls..they both seemed to be wearing paper dresses that were like hospital gowns.

"hey wait!" Zack said as he started to call out the for the girls and started to follow. The only one that he saw was a girl with long black hair was running away "hey I'm not going to hurt you..." he cried out trying to stop her as it was obvious that the kid was actually scared, hungry and cold. He chased after them, trying his best to keep up but as he was running all he felt was a giant bump like he was hit in the head. He was out cold, in the middle of the cold alley

after a minute of trying to figure out a way, he saw the phone and tried to call. He called 911 and nothing came up, no dial tone, no static...nothing. Sitting on the bed, he realized that there was no way to escape this...he looked outside his window and saw everything was calm outside. He opened his window but as he did, the sounds of screams could be heard and strange noises as well. As Zack realized something was happening, this was not safe at all. He looked around till he saw all of the curtains, blankets and anything he could use as a rope. He had to do this one or twice to go out during curfew to a late night gaming party so it was the only way. He decided that it would be best to travel light..all he brought with was his travel med kit he could put on his belt and a small flashlight. He threw out the make shift rope as he than inched his way down. He decided to grab the camera, and the accordion binder and the blank notebook "never know when I might need this"