Kate woke to the sound of a bugle for the third day after her eviction.
Groaning from the pain that ran through her body as she sat up she cursed
all of Green Lake. She knew it was already doomed so it wouldn't hurt to
curse it again. Slowly she checked the cut the shovel had given her. Do to
that little incident her shoulder hurt worse than the rest of her did which
made it harder to dig. No matter what they said the first hole was not the
hardest, nor would the third be. She wondered how many holes one had to dig
before you just became numb to it all. After making sure that the cut
wasn't bleeding again Kate left the bench where she'd slept. Every night
since Lou had thrown her out she had slept on the bench outside to office.
Every night she feared a lizard might find her, and yet somewhere inside
her she hoped one would. It would be a simple way to leave everything
behind. As she let her thoughts wonder she looked at the lake. The view was
dotted with the moving shapes of boys but that didn't matter, she could see
it all anyway. She could see the water, the trees, even the town with its
people. She could hear the screams of Katherine Barlow on the night the
schoolhouse was burned. She knew what it looked like the day Jenny was
buried. Kate knew it all and she could see it all. Not even Lou knew what
Kate did. Watching the horizon beyond the camp she saw a figure mount his
horse and begin to ride toward the rising sun. Only she knew where he was
going, and she was the only one who cared.
~~~
Peter smiled at his son's sleeping face before he turned to the woman in the doorway. "Thank you, Anne," he said looking at her.
"Of course Peter, what happened to Jenny is unthinkable!" Anne said doing her best to smile and not cry. "Besides I've been raising children forever. First my children and then their's. You go on and take care of this business venture and I'll see to Sam here."
Nodding his head and thanking her once more Peter left and mounted his horse. The sun was rising now and he had to find Kate before Trout did.
Hours later he had past the cabin, though it felt as if he had only left Green Lake a few minutes before. For him time had stood still since Jenny had died and it refused to move again. He could feel his hatred for Trout as well as his thirst for vengeance growing with every mile of ground that he covered. Shaking the thoughts from his head he continued on his way. Kate was out there somewhere and Trout Walker was looking for her.
~~~
"Wake up, Kate," someone shouted causing her to return to reality. Looking up she saw Mud, the only A-tent boy she could even halfway get along with.
"I'm up, now mind your own business." Mud just shrugged and kept walking toward the Library. Sighing Kate followed him so she would be sure and get breakfast. Once in line she noticed Trip watching her, he had done so since she had started digging with his tent. It gave her the eerie feeling that she had made a rather intimidating and formidable enemy. She had been able to take him on last time, sure. But now he knew what to expect from her and he wouldn't try the same thing twice. After all, he was ugly, not stupid. "Face it, Kate, everyone here hates you. You're connected to the Warden and that means you're branded for good." Kate knew that saying that everyone hated her was an exaggeration but it felt like the truth. Shoving what was supposed to be a big piece of toast into her mouth she grabbed a shovel and followed the rest of A-tent to where they were digging that day. This would only be her third hole but it felt like her millionth. Maybe she was wrong, maybe you never got used to it. Maybe you could feel the burning sun and the aching pain forever. As her shovel made its way into the cracked, dry ground Kate remembered the last time she had seen Lou before she had left her husband and step-child. Doing her best to hold onto everything bottled up inside her Kate realized that something happened to people out here on the lake, it made them hard. The lake sucked out every bit of humanity until you were nothing but dust, just like the dirt that ran for miles. It made you thirsty for something you couldn't find, not out here anyway. The lake made you crave life the same way you did water and that was how it tortured you. It gave you a desire and refused to fulfill it. That was why Lou had left them Kate told herself. She tried to tell herself that it wasn't her fault; it was all because of the lake. Before she had visited Green Lake Lou had loved her like her own daughter, but the lake had changed all that. Squeezing her eyes shut she tried to block out the memories of Lou's anger as she absentmindedly rubbed her bruised arm and then felt her shoulder. Franticly she ducked inside her hole and tried to escape her thoughts. With her eyes still shut Kate leaned her head against the shallow wall and gave up. For a moment she just remembered, it was as clear as the sky above her.
"Mom, where are you going?" Kate asked as she watched Lou pack her suitcase.
The older woman looked at her with fire in her eyes. "I'm going away, Kate."
Kate huffed, at twelve she knew that Lou was doing more than just "going away". However, she humored her stepmother, "When are you coming back?"
"I'm not." Lou said slamming the suitcase shut.
Kate stepped back in surprise, "Why?"
"Because I can't."
"But..." She didn't know what to say so she asked the same question again, "Why?"
Lou looked at her and wanted to be sick. Kate looked so much like her father. She had his hair, his nose, his eyes. Those deep green eyes that she hated so much. Lou hated him and she couldn't stand to look at someone who bore so much resemblance to her husband. Without thinking she lashed out at the face she despised. Kate screamed as Lou's hand hit her face, leaving a red mark on her cheek. "Get out of my sight!" Lou yelled at her. "I'm so sick of you, Katherine, you're such a waste of air!" Lou kept screaming at her as Kate ran from the room. As Lou settled down she felt guilt set in as she realized that everything she had just said had been meant for the girl's father. However, she could not bring herself to find Kate and apologize. Instead she grabbed her suitcase and coat and walked out the door. Maybe someday she could face those eyes again, but not today. Everything about Kate just hurt too much, as did everything else about else about Houston. Walking as fast as she could Lou headed for the nearest bus stop. It was time to go to Green Lake even if it was a wasteland now. Lou allowed herself a bitter smile; the lake was cursed, as was her life. As she walked away from the house she didn't see Kate watching her, she couldn't see her cry at the lose of another mother.
Kate's eyes flew open as she realized someone was watching her. There, standing over her was Trip. "What do you want?"
"I noticed you stopped digging."
"So, Aren't I allowed a break?"
"Sure, but you'll never get done at the rate you're going." His laugh was not a pleasant one.
"Oh please," she huffed. "What do you care?"
"About your hole? I don't. You on the other hand..." He stopped and eyed her over.
Kate shot up from the ground as a shiver ran up her spine. She didn't like the way he looked at her and she was not ready to take any of his lip sitting down. "Leave me alone, Trip. I hate you and you hate me, let's leave it at that."
"Why are you so cold, Kate? Don't tell me your letting the Warden eat at you. I heard you two going at it the other night and it sounded pretty harsh."
Kate raised and eyebrow, Trip was trying to soften her. "It's not any of your business. Now, I have a hole to dig and you're in my way."
"Honestly, you're something else. You can't tell me that she doesn't bug you, that she doesn't blame you." Slowly he reached out and touched her face. Kate didn't respond but she didn't move away either. Somehow it felt good to be held, no matter who it was. Not meaning to she closed her eyes, forgetting where she was and who was with her. For just a minute time froze and she didn't know where she was, she didn't care either. And then it was over as she felt his lips brush her's and then press harder. She remembered that this was Trip, that this boy had given her trouble since the beginning and would simply want his way. Kate opened her eyes and pushed him away.
"What?" He asked as he stumbled back.
"Stay away from me." She warned, her hands balling into fists.
"That's not what you were thinking a few seconds ago."
"I wasn't thinking. Now leave me alone, I know what you want and you aren't going to get it."
"What's wrong with me, Not good enough for you?"
Kate scoffed, "No, you're not." With that she turned her back on him returned to digging her hole. How dare he toy with her like that! How did he know that Lou blamed her for anything? Was she that easy to read? Shaking her head to remove the thought Kate flung another shovel full of dirt out of her hole. Trip had been a nuisance before but now he was a threat. If he could play with her mind that much he was dangerous and that scared her. Biting her lip so hard it drew blood Kate tried not to lose it again. Life out here really was Hell and there was no escape.
~~~
Peter smiled at his son's sleeping face before he turned to the woman in the doorway. "Thank you, Anne," he said looking at her.
"Of course Peter, what happened to Jenny is unthinkable!" Anne said doing her best to smile and not cry. "Besides I've been raising children forever. First my children and then their's. You go on and take care of this business venture and I'll see to Sam here."
Nodding his head and thanking her once more Peter left and mounted his horse. The sun was rising now and he had to find Kate before Trout did.
Hours later he had past the cabin, though it felt as if he had only left Green Lake a few minutes before. For him time had stood still since Jenny had died and it refused to move again. He could feel his hatred for Trout as well as his thirst for vengeance growing with every mile of ground that he covered. Shaking the thoughts from his head he continued on his way. Kate was out there somewhere and Trout Walker was looking for her.
~~~
"Wake up, Kate," someone shouted causing her to return to reality. Looking up she saw Mud, the only A-tent boy she could even halfway get along with.
"I'm up, now mind your own business." Mud just shrugged and kept walking toward the Library. Sighing Kate followed him so she would be sure and get breakfast. Once in line she noticed Trip watching her, he had done so since she had started digging with his tent. It gave her the eerie feeling that she had made a rather intimidating and formidable enemy. She had been able to take him on last time, sure. But now he knew what to expect from her and he wouldn't try the same thing twice. After all, he was ugly, not stupid. "Face it, Kate, everyone here hates you. You're connected to the Warden and that means you're branded for good." Kate knew that saying that everyone hated her was an exaggeration but it felt like the truth. Shoving what was supposed to be a big piece of toast into her mouth she grabbed a shovel and followed the rest of A-tent to where they were digging that day. This would only be her third hole but it felt like her millionth. Maybe she was wrong, maybe you never got used to it. Maybe you could feel the burning sun and the aching pain forever. As her shovel made its way into the cracked, dry ground Kate remembered the last time she had seen Lou before she had left her husband and step-child. Doing her best to hold onto everything bottled up inside her Kate realized that something happened to people out here on the lake, it made them hard. The lake sucked out every bit of humanity until you were nothing but dust, just like the dirt that ran for miles. It made you thirsty for something you couldn't find, not out here anyway. The lake made you crave life the same way you did water and that was how it tortured you. It gave you a desire and refused to fulfill it. That was why Lou had left them Kate told herself. She tried to tell herself that it wasn't her fault; it was all because of the lake. Before she had visited Green Lake Lou had loved her like her own daughter, but the lake had changed all that. Squeezing her eyes shut she tried to block out the memories of Lou's anger as she absentmindedly rubbed her bruised arm and then felt her shoulder. Franticly she ducked inside her hole and tried to escape her thoughts. With her eyes still shut Kate leaned her head against the shallow wall and gave up. For a moment she just remembered, it was as clear as the sky above her.
"Mom, where are you going?" Kate asked as she watched Lou pack her suitcase.
The older woman looked at her with fire in her eyes. "I'm going away, Kate."
Kate huffed, at twelve she knew that Lou was doing more than just "going away". However, she humored her stepmother, "When are you coming back?"
"I'm not." Lou said slamming the suitcase shut.
Kate stepped back in surprise, "Why?"
"Because I can't."
"But..." She didn't know what to say so she asked the same question again, "Why?"
Lou looked at her and wanted to be sick. Kate looked so much like her father. She had his hair, his nose, his eyes. Those deep green eyes that she hated so much. Lou hated him and she couldn't stand to look at someone who bore so much resemblance to her husband. Without thinking she lashed out at the face she despised. Kate screamed as Lou's hand hit her face, leaving a red mark on her cheek. "Get out of my sight!" Lou yelled at her. "I'm so sick of you, Katherine, you're such a waste of air!" Lou kept screaming at her as Kate ran from the room. As Lou settled down she felt guilt set in as she realized that everything she had just said had been meant for the girl's father. However, she could not bring herself to find Kate and apologize. Instead she grabbed her suitcase and coat and walked out the door. Maybe someday she could face those eyes again, but not today. Everything about Kate just hurt too much, as did everything else about else about Houston. Walking as fast as she could Lou headed for the nearest bus stop. It was time to go to Green Lake even if it was a wasteland now. Lou allowed herself a bitter smile; the lake was cursed, as was her life. As she walked away from the house she didn't see Kate watching her, she couldn't see her cry at the lose of another mother.
Kate's eyes flew open as she realized someone was watching her. There, standing over her was Trip. "What do you want?"
"I noticed you stopped digging."
"So, Aren't I allowed a break?"
"Sure, but you'll never get done at the rate you're going." His laugh was not a pleasant one.
"Oh please," she huffed. "What do you care?"
"About your hole? I don't. You on the other hand..." He stopped and eyed her over.
Kate shot up from the ground as a shiver ran up her spine. She didn't like the way he looked at her and she was not ready to take any of his lip sitting down. "Leave me alone, Trip. I hate you and you hate me, let's leave it at that."
"Why are you so cold, Kate? Don't tell me your letting the Warden eat at you. I heard you two going at it the other night and it sounded pretty harsh."
Kate raised and eyebrow, Trip was trying to soften her. "It's not any of your business. Now, I have a hole to dig and you're in my way."
"Honestly, you're something else. You can't tell me that she doesn't bug you, that she doesn't blame you." Slowly he reached out and touched her face. Kate didn't respond but she didn't move away either. Somehow it felt good to be held, no matter who it was. Not meaning to she closed her eyes, forgetting where she was and who was with her. For just a minute time froze and she didn't know where she was, she didn't care either. And then it was over as she felt his lips brush her's and then press harder. She remembered that this was Trip, that this boy had given her trouble since the beginning and would simply want his way. Kate opened her eyes and pushed him away.
"What?" He asked as he stumbled back.
"Stay away from me." She warned, her hands balling into fists.
"That's not what you were thinking a few seconds ago."
"I wasn't thinking. Now leave me alone, I know what you want and you aren't going to get it."
"What's wrong with me, Not good enough for you?"
Kate scoffed, "No, you're not." With that she turned her back on him returned to digging her hole. How dare he toy with her like that! How did he know that Lou blamed her for anything? Was she that easy to read? Shaking her head to remove the thought Kate flung another shovel full of dirt out of her hole. Trip had been a nuisance before but now he was a threat. If he could play with her mind that much he was dangerous and that scared her. Biting her lip so hard it drew blood Kate tried not to lose it again. Life out here really was Hell and there was no escape.