BEN

The wet roads casually almost slipped my tires to a prickly death, more than once. This area of Washington was dangerous, someone who hasn't been bred and born here could easily get lost. And even though I haven't been here for a while, I still held the upper hand of a true Quileute.

I drove through the trees with ease, the paths were so familiar, I was shocked to remember even the most intricate of detail this place holds.

The way the leaves were shaped, the color of this season, how the very bumpy unpaved roads attacked my cars in memorable patterns.

But it wasn't until I reached my old house did the real memories come back.

The small white, green shutter, ugly house stood, as if it was on its own, at the foot of some hill. I pulled my car up to the driveway and before I could knock, someone came to the door.

It was some tall, obviously Quileute boy. He wore no shirt, and it seemed that he wanted to show off his muscles. He had this huge muffin in his hand, eating it in one bite, staring at me as if waiting for me to say something. I scratched the back of my head in confusion. This was awkward.

"Um..is Sam here?"

"Nall, he went out on patrol" the boy informed

"Patrol?" I squinted my eyes. Sam was a forest ranger now?

"Oh...my bad, I meant...he's at wor-"

Before he could finish his sentence, a woman who seemed to be in charge of the house walked to the front, she was beautiful, but she had three long scars traveling down her face. I looked around, not trying to rest my eyes on the horrid sight.

"Oh! Sorry, sorry, I must be at the wrong house, I was just looking for my brother-"

"Your brother?" the women spoke, with an angelic voice "I may be able to help, what's his name?"

"Samuel Uley" I responded, quickly. Still looking away from her face

"Sam?" the woman breathed "You're in the right place, he isn't here right now...what did you say your name was?"

"Ben...Benjamin Uley"

"Well, Ben, its nice to meet you. I'm Emily Young, Sam's fiancée"

She shook hands with me, and while the touch transmitted through me, a million questions popped in my head.

Emily? Fiancée? What the hell happened with Leah? Why didn't he ever call me? And more importantly, why the fuck was a half-naked man opening doors for him?

I shuddered to put two and two together, obviously Sam and Leah are no more and Emily probably had a brother or cousin who was too broke and lived off of Sam's forest ranging income...seemed like the only explanation

Only as I walked closer in, I found to my shock, that there were more and more half-naked men. I naturally started to raise my lip in disgust. Some were sitting in the kitchen scarfing down food, most likely made by Emily, others were in the living room watching some game and even more were outside tackling each other in what I assume to be a game of football?

Either Sam's house is the new rez recreation center, or they're talking about the wrong Sam Uley.

And either way, I was deathly confounded to believe whatever I saw.

The men didn't really pay much attention to me, and if they did it would a short lock with eyes. I would stare back and see that these people were tired, some were falling asleep right on the couch. Were these juvenile delinquents?

Emily lead me to the dining room, where thankfully no one was in. She sat down, and I managed to pull a seat next to her.

Only then was I bombarded with a million questions of her own.

"Your name is Ben? How come Sam never told me about you? Where have you been? Are you really Sam's brother? Are you Quileute? Whats your Mothers name? Name his favorite color. How old are you-"

"Woah, okay" I began "Yes, I am Ben and I'm 21. I am Sam's brother, I was away at college. Our mothers name was Angela and I wouldn't know his favorite color" I chuckled. "I think it was red? Or maybe blue...?"

"Oh my, why hasn't Sam told me anything about you-!"

"I don't know. I haven't had any contact with him since I graduated"

Emily flared her nostrils, she was obviously mad. Her face reached bright red that matched her scars, her fists were closed as she pounded the table "I can't believe this" she spit, through clenched teeth.

"When did you get here? How did you get here? What college-"

"Hey, hey" I cautioned "I think its my turn with the questions..."

Emily blinked her eyes "Right, sorry. Go ahead."

"When did you get here?"

"I've been here, I lived in the Makah rez, and I came down here to visit...visit an old friend, and I-I-"

"What I'm trying to say is, when did you and Sam get engaged?"

"Oh, we got-"

Before Emily could answer my question, someone barged through the door. I heard it slam on its hinges, Emily stood at once, she stomped through the dinning room. I was left in there to ponder, and though I caught the gist of the argument, I really didn't want to be the reason why Sam broke up with his fiancée.

And in seconds Sam was being pushed into the room.

It was kind of awkward seeing him like this. You know, about six foot four, shirtless like the rest of them and just yelled at by a much smaller looking Emily. Embarrassing for him.

I stood at once, and put my hands in my pocket "Hello, Sammy boy"

"Hello, college kid" he returned "Would you like to tell me what the fuck you are doing here?"

"Hey, hey profanity! I taught you better than that, Sam"

"No really" Sam walked closer, his eyebrows frowning "What are you doing here?"

"Well, Sam, I'm fine, thanks for asking, and I decided to take a break this summer instead of finishing up another semester, because I have a life...now would you like to tell me who all these people are?"

Sam raised his hand to his temples "This is why you can't be here right now. It's too much to explain."

"Really? Oh gee wiz, brother, I think you're gonna have to explain because I'm not gonna leave my house clueless"

Sam pinched the bridge of his nose "It's...I-I can't tell you, okay. I'm sorry, my hands are tied. It isn't my secret to tell"

"Oh, dear, I'm so sorry. You get engaged, yet you can't even pick up the phone and call your brother? Maybe I should go back and finish up another semester. It'll do more for me than this crap"

"Ben, look. You really don't understand whats going on. I would love to tell you, really, but like I said, I can't. It isn't my secret to tell"

"And your secret is...you're opening up a porn shop with a dozen half naked men?"

"Ha Ha Ha" Sam grunted "Funny. Listen, don't say shit if you don't know whats going on"

"And I wonder why I don't know whats going on?"

"Look, I really can't have you stay here" Sam said, regretful like "I...I need you to go back to State, okay? Finish that semester, go do something with your life, be successful. Just stay away from La Push, before its too late"

"Now you're talking in gibberish. Like thats supposed to scare me...however, I do admit, that last line was a little creepy. Have you been practicing that to any of the new recruits?"

Sam closed his eyes, and it seemed like he was counting backwards from ten. Looked like he was trying to calm down. Before I could even think to stop it, I felt a snort escape my mouth.

"Did you get those relaxing tips from an episode of Oprah? I hear those really help"

Sam continued to close his eyes, I focused on his hands which were beginning to clench and unclench. I narrowed my eyes.

"Hey, wanna tell me how you suddenly shot up?" I continued, ignoring his obvious annoyance "Last time I saw you, you weren't eight foot six. And you also weren't engaged. Like seriously, you were planning to get married and you didn't even think to tell me? That hurts man, hurts deep" Despite his irritation I taunted him sarcastically, holding a hand to my chest mocking my heartbeat

"Well what was I supposed to do? Look Ben, this is seriously not something you want to get yourself into, I'm sorry, but you're gonna have to leave. This is just all too much. "

"This is all just too much? Oh come on, man up"

"Why don't you just leave? Theres nothing here for you! Staying here isn't going to help, and please, get out before you're screwed."

"What is so bad about La Push?" I was yelling now "I grew up here, Sam. I'm not gonna leave just cause my baby brother got himself into the porn industry-"

"Ben" Sam roared "This is serious. Get out of here. Now"

"Oh, am I supposed to just leave because you told me to? Are you forgetting that this is my house too? Are you forgetting that I'm the eldest?"

"If you don't leave, I'll make you leave" Sam threatened

He advanced towards me, I didn't move an inch. Did he really think I was scared? Thats when I began to get angry. Not that I wasn't before, it made me not want to have anything to do with him.

"Mom would be ashamed" I spoke before he could attempt to touch me "I can't believe you would kick family out,"

"Ben," Sam began again, pinching the bridge of his nose again "You just don't-"

"Forget it" I finished "I'm out. Are you happy?"

I slid past him with ease, and didn't crumble once. The fact that he threatened me was enough to make me feel unwelcome. Not that I didn't feel that way when I walked in, but enough to push me over the edge and just leave. I don't even remember leaving or jumping into my car after that, I don't remember how I ended up in the middle of the forest.

My mind was somewhere else, I didn't know if I could grasp the feeling.

I drove as far to my sanctuary, the place I used to run to whenever I was lonely or angry. The small river that I used just place my feet in and skip stones. It was still as serene as it was when I first found it as a kid.

La Push didn't change. Sam did.

And staying here was not gonna "screw" me over