Disclaimer: I own nothing. Not Newsies, not LOVE. NOTHING!
Title: Violence Recovery
Author: Buttons
Genre: Drama
Rating: PG-13 (subject to change)
Sunshine falls, show me where your conscience hides in winter's eyes--Forever Moon, She's So Cold
Chapter 4--Sunshine Falls
In the morning we move our bags down to the foyer. Soon there is almost no room to move around because of the many duffle bags, blankets and pillows.
Medda puts us to work making breakfast and Denton takes Aurora out top get clothes. Jack and Skittery recruit Boots and David to help them load the cars.
When Denton comes back with Aurora, she is humming and talking to someone standing over her shoulder.
Jules, I presume?
In the middle of the foyer, on top of all our bags, Aurora empties her new purchases. Next she shoves them into a bright yellow and black duffle bag. Denton brings her a green, brown and white retro skit jacket and a set of pyjamas. She places the pyjamas lovingly on top of her bag and pulls the coat on excitedly.
"Look Jules!" she cries, "a jacket!" She blinks her large eyes at Denton. "Thanks you so much!" she says, carrying out the 'so' like a cartoon character.
Denton chuckles and assures her it was no problem.
Aurora is insanely bubble, but I think maybe that's just plain insanity.
The cars are loaded, and soon we are climbing into them. Blink and I slide into the backseat of Skittery and Jack's car.
Blink sticks his head out the door and calls out to Racetrack. "Oi, Race! Come with us!"
Racetrack looks up. He shrugs and climbs into Denton's van after Sapphy. Boots climbs in ours instead ad Jack turns to key in the ignition.
We pull away from home.
Oh. Home.
0o0o0o0o0
Jack and Skittery have always been friendly. The car is rather small, but no one seems to mind. We keep steady conversation. After a few hours we stop at a gas station where I buy a bottle of Coke, Blink gets an ice cream bar and Jack smokes a couple of cigarettes.
Skittery is on his cell phone with Denton.
We all probably just look like five friends on a road trip for Thanksgiving weekend.
0o0o0o0o0
Sunshine Falls is very beautiful. The trees are all reds and oranges, if they are not bare yet. The cabins all face a small lake, whose water is clear and smooth. There are canoes, kayaks and paddleboats lined up on the shore. The dock reaches out to the water, floating calmly on the surface.
A woman greets us at the office. She wears jeans and a dark t-shirt. Her brown hair hangs to her mid-back and glasses frame her eyes. Her face was happy, if a little tired. She smiles as we climb out of the vans and cars.
Medda approaches and embraces her. "Lyra!" she exclaims fondly.
Lyra brushes her bangs out of her eyes and looks to us.
"Ah, most of you came back," she says brightly, surveying the group slowly.
Denton introduces Aurora, Coin and I.
She led everyone into the main lodge. It has a dozen old tables, which could be pushed together for dinners. There are two couches and a small TV with a VCR.
We sit down at the tables and face Lyra.
"Welcome to Sunshine Falls everyone," she says.
I can see a tall, thin man standing behind the check-in counter.
"My name is Erin Gillman," continues Lyra, "but I would rather be called 'Lyra', please. I used to live at VRCT. I went there when I was sixteen after experiencing…uh…domestic violence. Every Thanksgiving the kids, Denton and Medda come up here and we do activities that help you all learn to trust each other."
A few of the others shoot each other looks that are accompanied with a smile.
"And this is Ethan Cooke, who also stayed at VRCT for almost four years."
The man steps forward and the light hits his messy brown-blonde curls. Freckles scatter his nose and upper cheeks. He wears navy blue sweat pants and a striped, fitted golf t-shirt.
Lyra continues with the rules before asking Denton if we have our rooms.
Denton nods and reads names off of a lust. Of course, Jack and Skittery are together, then Andra, Autumn and Aurora, and Coin, Charley, Ele and Sapphy. The boys' rooms are Race, Boots and I, and Blink, Crutchy and David.
Lyra and Ethan give everyone their own key and allows us to find our cabins and unpack before lunch.
0o0o0o0o0
When we've finished unpacking we head down to the lodge for lunch.
There is a long table, much like the one at VRCT. Coin is helping Medda, Lyra and Ethan pour soup into bowls and make various types of sandwiches. Two platters of sandwiches and sleeves of crackers are placed on the table.
"Come! Everyone take a bowl of soup," calls Lyra, gesturing to the steaming bowls on the counter.
We all eat cheerfully and after lunch we lay poker and watch old Indiana Jones movies until dinner.
When I go to bed it is with a satisfying affection. I feel warm, fed and belonging.
0o0o0o0
It is late at night when I wake up. A screen door clicks shut softly and something rustles outside.
Racetrack isn't in his bed.
The sheets are wild and tangled, but he is missing from the mess. I slouch out of bed and to the front window.
When I look outside I can't see anything. The night is dark and still, the coldness having sucked all the leaves from the nearby trees. I can see the bluish-white glint of the water in the distance, free of ripples and perfectly clear.
I look around the cabin. The care grey tabletop, the mismatched couch, the fat, short fridge. And the coat hooks, one coat short.
Suicide.
The word flashed through my head. That's where Racetrack is.
A breeze floats through the property, ruffling the grounded foliage. The water wavers lightly and becomes still again.
I whisk my coat off the rack and swing the door shut behind me. I am halfway down the walk to the beach when I realize that I am barefoot. I continue down the path with only minor hesitation. The ground is hard but smooth and my feet pad lightly and surely.
When I reach the beach everything is still. Somewhere nearby and owl calls into the night. There is a strange and eerie unmoving aspect to the lake, its water glassy and fake.
The canoes and kayaks are all flipped over, lying in glistening roundness on the shore. On the platform of the slide, with their legs hanging over, are Racetrack and Sapphy.
I rush beneath them and call up.
"Racetrack! Don't jump!"
He looks down and his eyes grow wide.
"Spot? What are you doin' here?"
"Don't jump!" I say again.
"I am not going to jump," he calls down.
I relax, resting my heels on the ground. I suddenly realize that I was standing on the balls of my feet. My calf muscles ache.
Sapphy at Racetrack and then she looks down.
"Come up," she calls to me in a kind tone.
I hear Racetrack whisper something to her, but I can't make out any words. The stairs to the slid jump are steep and cold. They have little metal grips on them that are rough and sharp. They cut into my feet and make them tinge.
Sapphy moves over so that her feet are angled down the slide. My legs hang over the steps and Racetrack sits between us. My feet are beginning to numb from the cold.
"So," I sigh, trying to sound casual, "why are you both up here?"
Behind me Sapphy shifts.
Racetrack clears his throat. "We…uh…"
"Race and I are dating."
Dating? How can they be dating? Where would they go? Where would they get money to go anywhere?
"Well, we haven't actually gone anywhere on a date," says Racetrack awkwardly. "This was supposed to be our first one."
Suddenly I am struck with the uncomfortable unease of intrusion. I open my mouth to apologize and excuse myself, but Racetrack continues.
"What are you doing out here?"
How stupid would if sound if I actually told them I thought Racetrack was going to commit suicide? That would ruin any date.
"I don't know. Just on a walk, that's all."
No questions.
"So…I'd better be going."
I move to go back down the stairs when a smooth and squeaky noise comes and Sapphy is standing below me on the ground. Racetrack goes next, and me last, my dirty, tingling feet leading my way. My feet hit the cool sand and I look at Race and Sapphy, holding hands and standing closely.
"See you in the morning," I say, allowing the words to hang in the air as I turn to go.
Back at the cabin I crawl into bed with my jacket still on. I lay awake for a while and about half an hour later a faint memory of Racetrack enters the room, almost silently and slides under his covers.
Secrecy.
I won't tell, I promise. They didn't ask me not to, but I have a feeling they don't want anyone to know. Everything takes time.
End Chapter((Yeah, I know I promised an update soon, so here it is. I hope you're not all mad at me! If you are please forgive me!!!
So, as you all see, there's a little relationship between Race and Sapphy…see what cramming little info and quirks into your reviews will do?))
Shoutouts:
C.M. Higgins—I actually didn't mean to imply that Andra and Autumn didn't get along, it was just the way I wanted to portray the room. Maybe I'll work that in though…Sunshine Falls is actually based on a place I spent my Thanksgiving this year.
Unfortunately, my camera is broken. I can't turn it on, so now I have to take it in to Henry's. I really wanted to use it on Christmas because my uncles were dancing. Chinese guys have no rhythm. Really.
Erin Go Bragh—Yes, you were mentioned and you're even in this chapter! Cool. I love slash too, but I find I'm not as good at writing it. However, I would read it 24/7 if I could.
Sapphy—Aw, Sapphy, I love you! You're going to be Aurora's friend (shoves you two together)
I hope you like the Racetrack thing, thought that would make you happy. I already have a whole sub-plot written for it.
Blink: Hey, I don't mean normal like cheerleader normal, I mean normal like I can go out in public without fear and with less paranoia about people I meet. That kind of normal. However, that's not always true to all of you…
Lastly, I LOVE Les Mis! My friend thinks I sing like Eponine. I totally hate Marius though. Especially when 'Ponine dies. What the hell. Honestly…
Utopia Today—Updates quick…uh…yeah (tugs at collar) Thanks for reviewing thought Please don't be mad!
Nakaia Aidan-Sun—that's so sweet of you to say. I get a lot of my story ideas when I'm driving because we pass so much stuff and there's so much to see. I also get ideas reading magazines and newspapers, which is where this idea came from. Tell me how the super hero thing is going!
Kid Blink's Dreamer—I think Aurora did have a traumatic experience. In fact, I know she did…you will learn no more! Thanks for the compliments!
Shooter O'Brien—Actually, I babysit a girl named Julia and sometimes we call her Jules. Now, however, I'm going to keep thinking of Aurora's Jules and that will scare me. The demon child.
Don't worry, you're tons of help.
Coin—I promise not to make her father a drunk. There are too many characters with alcoholic pasts/traumatic experiences, so I will very happily cut that out (EVERYONE: but if you're character does have something to do with alcohol, it's fine. Don't worry about offering a change. I'll make it work!)
I loved that you used the word 'irk'. My friend uses it all the time and it cracks me up.
Madison Square—Thanks very much. I think it's because my new English teacher is evil. If that makes any sense. She doesn't like how I write, so my style changes, but keeps all descriptive still. She doesn't like descriptiveness, she likes stuff to be to the point.
I'm positive that I sent you an application at the beginning, but the email wouldn't go through or something ridiculous like that, but I can't accept anyone else right now. However, I will be writing some new stories when these are done, so I can send you an 'application' then.
Dreamer110—I loved that insight! ACDC are cool and I love the girls' rooms too. I thought it would be interesting to give them all really creative rooms like that. Thanks for noticing and commenting like that.
I don't really think that Aurora will be an antagonist. She's just a little unstable, especially after just arriving in a new home.
Inquisitive—Thanks! I will keep it up…I hope…
Spell—Sorry! I don't have AIM! In fact, my Internet is down right now. I'm so happy you like this fic so much!
Wasn't A Great and Terrible Beauty awesome?
Sorry to take so long for the update.