Lighting flashed and lit up the dark sky a dazzling purple. It was followed by a booming crack of thunder that rattled the tiny, yellow taxi cab.
"Jesus, kid," the burly cabby spat. He adjusted the rearview mirror so we made eye contact. His bushy black eyebrows were knitted together tightly. "Sure picked Hell of a day to go to the middle of nowhere."
I didn't answer. I didn't know how, I just nodded my head slowly and went back to fiddling with my hands.
The cabby gave a loud "Humph!" and shuffled in his seat. Another crack of thunder jolted the car. "Shit!" He exclaimed.
I glanced up at the rearview mirror and noticed my reflection. I looked beaten, tired. Insane. My orange-y, brown hair stuck up in all different directions and my eyes were bloodshot. My shirt clung uncomfortably against my chest. No matter how much I pulled the fabric off my skin it still felt like it was trying to molest me.
I smelt bad too, I knew that, but the cabby had made it apparent that I didn't just smell of general travel, but like a rank teenage boy as well…
"Phew! For the good of society, kid, please invest in some deodorant!"
That was one thing I had forgotten to pack. I got off the first plane and dragged my tired body across the airport to the next terminal, dropped my carry-on and computer bag onto the floor, and slumped down into a chair. I let a long sigh as I flung my legs over the arm rest of the next seat over and reached my arms behind my neck. That's when I caught a whiff of myself. I checked the Toronto Pearson Duty Free store for some deodorant, but all they had was Axe and there was no way I was spraying that foul crap on my body.
So I tried my best with soap and water in the bathrooms. You tend to get a lot of odd looks from middle-aged men when you're hunched over a sink shirtless, splashing water onto your underarms. It didn't do much. 9/10 would not do again.
BOOM! Another crack of thunder. I lurched forward in my seat, causing the seatbelt to tighten against my chest.
An hour ago I had been distracting myself by playing stupid games on my phone, but the battery didn't last long and died after about fifteen minutes. I was left alone with my thoughts again. It left a lot of time to worry.
I worried that whichever Grimm opened their front door to find a wet, smelly Canadian teenager would not let him in. I know I wouldn't, but my Dad…
My Dad was always one to help someone in need. He had helped so many people off the streets to find jobs and get a fresh start at life. I admired him deeply for that, that he could put all his trust and faith in someone and see the good in their hearts. He made friends so easily too. He could go up to anyone of any age, race, or creed and have an instant connection. It's a skill that definitely was not passed down to me.
Who would've thought that Kendall and Meg Culley- the two most outgoing people in the world- would have such a shy and timid kid.
Sure, I ran away from my horrible adoptive parents and hopped on two flights to one of the biggest cities in North America, but it took me a year and a half to plan. In that time I got a lot of chances to let my irrationality get the best of me. There were many nights where I lay awake at night just thinking about everything that could go wrong. Everything that I was sure would go wrong.
But you're here. You did it.
"Yo kid, you okay?" The cabby was looking at me through the rearview mirror again. "Looks like you're gonna be sick."
"N-no, I'm fine," I stammered. I wasn't fine, I was still freaking out.
"'Cause I don't wanna be cleanin' up some teenager's vomit outta my cab in the rain at twelve in the mornin'," he said violently scratching at his patchy beard.
"No, no, I get it. I'm fine," I drew in a big breath and let it out quick as I sunk deeper in my seat. I thought about the train ride from Grand Central to FerryPort Landing. There wasn't much to see along the way, just lots of trees and land. Every now and then a tiny house or barn would whizz past but they weren't very intriguing.
I wonder what it would be like having a sibling to do this with? I thought about the eldest Grimm girl who took care of her baby sister through all the shit they went through. Most of the time I can barely take care of myself.
It didn't take long to get to FerryPort Landing on the train, only about an hour or two, but it was the wait for a cab in the middle of a severe thunderstorm that really slowed my plans down. I ended up walking in the pouring rain to the nearest shop I came across, a tiny café named Expresso Yourself. I pushed open the doors and took in the smell of sweet, sweet caffeine and pastries. A couple sat in front a small fireplace and cooed over cups of aromatic coffee. A curvy woman with long black hair sat by herself in the corner of café. She violently tapped on her laptop's keyboard as she took a sip from a long cocktail glass filled with a greenish-orange liquid and tapioca pearls.
I rolled my luggage towards an empty booth and walked up to the counter. A small girl with hair like bubblegum smiled from behind the cash register and asked to take my order.
"Hi, just a black tea with milk and a chocolate croissant. To stay," I dug my hand into my jacket pocket to find my wallet.
"Sure thing, Hazel Eyes," she said with a wink as she began brewing the tea. After a couple minutes the girl returned with my tea and croissant. "Five twenty-five."
I passed her a handful of one dollar bills and told her to keep the change. I still have yet to convert most of my money. "Actually, can I borrow your phone?"
"Sure thing," she reached behind the counter and pulled out an old rotary phone. "Need a phonebook?"
"Please," I nodded as she passed me a thick blue book. It was a small town, so they had the residential and business numbers in onephone book. I flipped through the pages until I got to G. I ran my finger down the column of names. Gabriel, Gilbert, Grimm! I grabbed a yellow pen off the counter and wrote their address and home phone number down on my palm, then proceeded to look for a cab service, which for small town there were a lot of, but none of them were willing to drive out into the country in this storm. After an hour I gave up hope and decided to sit at the booth and wait out the rain.
Not many more people came into the café. The couple left not too long after I arrived and the woman with the long, black hair packed up her computer and said goodbye to the girl at the counter. "Bye Penny, see you tomorrow!"
"Have a goodnight, Corrine!" The pink-hair girl replied. After her friend left she looked at me and said, "I'm gonna start closing up shop soon. You're welcome to stay until I lock up." She untied her apron from around her waist, grabbed a broom and jumped over the counter.
"Thank you," I said glancing out the window. The rain hadn't slowed at all.
The girl walked over to me and placed a piece of paper on the table. "Here, try this guy. Not the best cabby in the world, but he'll take you where you need to be," she said as she pulled her pink hair up into a ponytail. "I'm Penny, by the way."
I said picking up the piece of paper. It read Ronan's Taxis followed by his number. Penny smiled as she began to sweep the floor. I jumped out of the booth and headed towards the phone to call the number.
Unfortunately it took Ronan a couple hours to get to the café. Penny had already kicked me out of the shop and I was stuck huddling under a plexiglass bus stop when the taxi came hydroplaning down the slick road and swerved to the left to avoid crashing into me. I screamed and flinched my whole body as the car wheels sprayed me with murky road water. The passenger side window rolled down and a man with a neck like a tree trunk stuck his head out. He spat out something brown onto the pavement.
"You call for Ronan's cab services?" He asked chewing what I hoped was odd coloured gum.
"Uhh," I looked at the ratty cab and considered saying no. "Yep, that was me. Where should I put my suitcases?"
The cabby rolled his eyes, relaxed back into the drivers seat and reached beside the the steering wheel. The trunk popped and I loaded my luggage into the back. A loud crack of thunder boomed overhead, causing me to scurry awkwardly into the backseat.
"Where to, kid?" He spit into an old McDonald's cup.
"E-uh…" I strained to look at the smeared address on my palm. "Two-twenty-seven-twelve, Crescent Drive."
"That's quite a ways to go in this weather…" he craned his neck around the headrest to eyeball me.
I bit my lip and started to twiddled my thumbs. "I'll pay you extra on whatever it is I'm going to owe you. It'll be part Canadian money, but that's all I have at the moment."
He paused for a moment then shrugged. "I always wanted to see Quebec. Deal," he put the car into drive and sped off into the rain. He gave me a curious look through the rearview mirror. "So you're from Canada, huh? I've never met a Canadian before, let alone a ginger one."
"Oh Jesus…" I cowered my face in my hands and shook my head.
A small house started to come into view and my heart skipped a beat. Was this it? As we got closer I noticed how teeny, tiny it really was. Two storeys, looked like it only just had enough room for two bedrooms. A faint glow came from the front window. Was someone up? Ronan pulled into the driveway next to thoroughly beaten looking black jalopy. Is that what they drove?
It felt weird to observe the place they lived. Their home. That wasn't a word that I used often, at least not since I moved in with the Bennets. Their cold, grey condo felt more like a prison than a place where people were supposed to live and grow, but this place! The Grimm house, it looked like a home, it looked like the place where I grew up. Old, but loved. Something told me it smelt like heather and honey inside. Welcoming.
"Okay, we're here," Ronan spun around in his seat and stuck out his hand towards me. I dug into my pocket and handed him the money I owed plus a little extra. "Ahem?"
"What?" I grumbled. I was getting antsy. Twitchy. I felt like I was about to barf butterflies at any second.
"I believe we agreed on double the amount?" He asserted. A sly grin plastered across his greasy face.
"Wh-at?!" My voice cracked, fantastic. I did my best to deepen my tone. "Uh no, we did not agree on double."
He huffed and popped the trunk. "Fine, whatever. Forgive a man for trying to make an honest livin'."
I opened the backdoor and scoffed, "I don't think you know what honest means. Thanks for the ride." I walked around the back of the car and heaved the luggage out. They were still soaking wet, which made them even heavier. I pulled out the handle on the smaller, striped suitcase and did my best to drag the broken red one a couple steps across the driveway.
Wait, I didn't make hotel arrangements!
"Hey wait!" I cried after Ronan's cab, but he had already disappeared down the country road. "Fuck…"
I dragged the suitcases down the driveway and up the cement path towards the front door. I noticed the house was a bright yellow colour, though it looked a little green in the rainy, night air. I made my way up the steps and stopped in front of the door. I choked on my breath as I reached towards the door with my fist. I hoped someone was up, that I wouldn't wake anyone. That they would accept me into their home.
I hadn't planned on what I was going to say to whoever opened the door. I put that off, putting my faith in that I would make something charming up on the spot. I don't know how I convinced myself that I could be charming.
"You've came all this way, you can't give up now," I took a deep breath in knocked three times on the door. I waited a few seconds, but I heard no stirring coming from behind the door. I cleared my throat and tried again.
Knock knock knock!
The sound of the lock opening jump started my heart as an elderly looking woman answered the door. She was wearing a light pink nightgown that went down to her feet. Grey hair hung around her neck and smile lines surrounded her eyes, which were a youthful green. She looked up at me and gave me a confused smile. "Oh, hello? What can I do you for at this hour, young man?"
Her voice was sweet and grandmotherly. The warmth of the house leaked out from the front door and caused goosebumps to poke up onto my arms. "I uh," I shuffled my feet and dropped my head. I felt the sting of tears welling in my eyes. But I was not going to cry. I was not going to cry… I looked up at her as a fat tear rolled down my cheek. "Mrs. Grimm, I've… I just… I need your help."
She looked at me with welcoming eyes and gestured for me to come inside.
Sabrina stirred to consciousness as birds chirped happily outside her bedroom window. She stretched her arms behind her head and threw back her blankets to open the window. The grass was still wet from the rain and the air smelt like moist earth.
"It's going to be drizzling all day," Sabrina grumbled to herself as she walked towards her dresser and pulled out a pair jeans and a T shirt. She got changed and grabbed a hairbrush off her nightstand. She down on the edge of her bed as she brushed her long, blonde hair. It was comforting to have her hair brushed from all the years that Daphne did it. When her hair was smooth, she tossed the brush to the side and flung herself back onto the bed. It was quiet in the house for once. Sabrina unplugged her phone from it's charger and turned it on.
"Nine-thirty?" She said with a yawn. She stood up and exited into the hallway. She could hear Daphne snoring from behind her bedroom door. "Am I the only one up?" Usually Daphne was wide awake from breakfast time. The girl could sleep through a tsunami, but she never missed breakfast. She continued down the hall and noticed that the guest bedroom door was closed, but didn't think much of it. She double-stepped the stairs and swung open the door to the kitchen. Puck leaned against the sink gazing out the window into the back yard. Sabrina cleared her throat and Punk spun around on his heels. He gave Sabrina a slight smile and repositioned himself so his body was facing her.
"Where is everyone?" She asked opening up a cupboard and pulling out a tin of coffee.
Puck tapped his fingers against the counter. He watched her closely as she spooned out coffee grinds into a french press. "Out, I think. I got up and no one was here."
Sabrina nodded but didn't answer. She filled up a kettle with water and set it onto the heating element. She walked over to the round table in the middle of the kitchen and pulled out a chair. Puck pushed himself off the counter and did the same. Sabrina could feel her cheeks flush as Puck stared awkwardly at her.
"What?" She snapped. She wiped at her forehead and looked down at her hands to make sure there was nothing on her face.
"Nothing… it's just odd," he looked down sheepishly and up again at her, his blonde hair in his eyes. "Seeing you again. I mean, Daphne is the same age we were last time I saw you."
Sabrina nodded. "She sure has grown up a lot."
"I'm glad to see that smile of her's has never gone away," Puck said leaning back in his seat.
"You've grown up a lot too," Sabrina pulled her hair back behind her ear. "What happened to 'I'm never going to grow up'?"
Puck laughed. "Well, you could say someone changed my mind." He looked up at her. He licked his lips and brushed his hair back, but it fell into his face again. They simultaneously leaned across the table and gazed at each other, nose to nose.
"I thought about you a lot… while I was gone," he said softly.
"Me too," Sabrina's heart thumped against her chest as Puck reached for her face, he tilted his head and fluttered his eyes. She felt the his breath against her lips as she leaned in closer to him. The tips of their noses touched and Sabrina began to pucker her lips.
"Oh! I um…" A voice behind them croaked. Sabrina flinched and ended up head butting Puck. They jolted away from each other and rubbed their sore foreheads. Sabrina turned around and found a strange boy standing in the doorway. He looked around Puck's age but he was a lot shorter. His hair was as red as his embarrassed face.
"I didn't mean to-ooaf!" The boy was lurched back as Puck sprang across the table and pinned him down. He held the teen's shirt in one hand and reeled his other hand back, getting ready to punch the kid in the face.
"Who are you? What are you doing here?" Puck yelled as he tightened his ready fist. The boy blocked his face with his hands and spurted out incoherent words.
"Puck! Stop it!" Relda rushed into the kitchen and put her hands on Puck's shoulders, pulling him away from the cowering boy. Puck released his grip from the the redheaded boy's collar and stood up. The boy peeked out from behind his fingers and let out a long sigh. Puck reached out a hand to help him up.
"Granny?" Sabrina said pulling her hair back. "What's going on? Who is this guy?"
Puck stepped back and Granny put a hand on the boy's shoulder. "This is Faryn. And you need to get everyone to the house now."
A/N: And finally it's here, chapter three of Afraid of Flying! I don't normally like to add Author's Notes but I wanted to thank you all for reading my story so far and I'm very happy that you all seem to be enjoying it! Haha. Anyway, I apologize that this took so long to upload, but now that's school started and I finally have a little area that I can write I should be able to upload a new chapter more frequently! Also, I do post updates about when I'm going to upload new chapters on my Profile, so you can click on there and see when the new chapter should be up! But if for some reason I'm not going to be able to upload for a long while I'll include that in which ever chapter was uploaded last.
So yeah, that's about. Thank you for reading my story and farewell for now :)
~Luv, R.