2. In the Middle of a Storm
Disclaimer: I do own my OC, Leanne Carson and her family. This movie project belongs to director David Hayter and his production team. And yes I'm back~ I couldn't leave this project alone for long~ and since it is getting close to spooky season I thought I'd get a headstart on this, so there might be another chapter coming up soon to this but anyways please enjoy it! Happy October everyone~!
Lupine Ridge, North Dakota
The town hadn't changed much, from Leanne's point of view, it was still small and so miniscule that it was still encased by trees and wood, lands for the most part. As if nature was trying her damnedest to keep outsiders out. And for a good reason, Leanne surmised to herself. If they knew they'd bolt like hell, to get out of here. Not once they found out who really runs this territory. Leanne had learned that the hard way growing up; it wasn't the mayor, or the police force that ran this town – a town like Lupine had fallen to the wolves. Literally. Ironically enough, as Leanne was growing up she thought she was safe growing up here. Especially with someone like her dad. Mick Carson was a burly, muscled man, that was good at giving off the feeling that he wasn't to be intimidated, with those hard stormy smokey gray eyes, broad shoulders, body lined hard with muscle, and full-shaped face with wispy dark blond hair, though it must have been slowly graying too. Despite his stature, around his kids, Mick was a complete gentle giant.
It was one of the many reasons that someone like, her mother, Evette Marshall fell in love with him in the first place.
Though the life of a smalltown did take its toll on her and she preferred the big city.
It broke her father's heart, but strangely enough, they never officially divorced…and Leanne never knew why they didn't. Oddly, though it comforted her that neither of her parents found anyone after each other. Maybe it was for childish reasons, but it came as a relief for her.
She drove through the town, along the main road, carefully and found the path that deviated into the woods, and turned on a country lane that wove through the forest.
Her family home must still be there – she just hoped her dad and grandma, June didn't mind that she stopped by so suddenly. From what she heard from her mom, it was just them; her dad still bred dogs for the puppy farm, her sister, Amity was studying abroad, and their brother, Kyle was off at university. Her hands gripped the wheel tightly, Leanne scolded herself for not coming to see them sooner… A few more turns, and more trees and foliage passing her by Leanne found a main dirt road that she remembered leading to her family home. She could feel her heart hammering in her rib cage, she wondered if it was that loud for anyone or anything else to hear it.
She almost envied Chester for being able to fall asleep so easily in the backseat, and found herself craving his comfort.
Leanne knew she was closing in on her old childhood home and had no idea what to expect; well, with her father she did a little. Her dad would be a upset with her for leaving but ultimately welcome her back. But her grandma would a be a different story entirely.
June Carson was known to be a tough and critical little woman. She was caring and loving, but she preferred to have things her way. The sass from her mouth was optional~
She was a tiny woman but with a harsh tongue if tested. Leanne remembered how her mom would tell her that nana June was skeptical of her at first but had come around eventually. Naturally though after her parents' separation, June sided with her son.
"Sometimes opposite folks don't mix is all," was all Leanne remembered her grandma saying to her, when she found her crying about her parents' split.
And maybe she was right – her mom was a city girl, and dad was a small town boy.
How strange for, a woman who always spoke her mind and was never afraid to do it, she hadn't said a harsh thing about her mom directly. Maybe it meant that on some level, June loved and accepted Evette into the family. At the end of it all, they were family…
Regardless, Leanne still loved them all for all their clashing personalities and quirks. Still there was love.
Leanne finally found the old dirt driveway to a hundred year old large log cabin; growing up, the brunette loved her house, it reminded her of something similar to "Little House in the Prairie," only in her case it was a "House in the Woods." She stared up at the wood and brick that joined together to make it, and admired the richness of the dark red roof on top and looked back at the front steps which led up to the dark midnight blue front door, tinted through the gray storm door over it. Slowly she stepped out of her car and gazed at the door more than any other part of the house. She was scared…Breathing deeply through her nose, assaulted by the strong scent of pine she moved one foot in front of the other.
Ascending the creaking steps now she stood before the front door and felt her hand shake at side, before getting the nerve to press on the doorbell.
Almost as surprising as it still worked, was also the surprising barks that were coming from the other side.
It made Leanne grin at the sound – she had grown up around plenty of dogs as a girl.
The door unlocked and revealed the tall figure of her dad, as he opened both doors, revealing his toughened face. The family hounds were trying to get past him to sniff and jump on her.
Upon seeing his gray eyes softened and his face once registering the shock broke out into a grin, "Glow-bug?" He said using her old nickname, making her eyes sting.
Hearing it made her whole body relax and lurch into his arms, which he caught her in them, "Dad…!"
His arms around her, and hands rubbing her back, made her want to cry in his arms. Perhaps more than her fear of returning home, was missing her family. Phone calls, texts and emails were not enough, and nothing compared to this.
"Hey honey, you're home, I'm here," he whispered to her soothingly, "Pop's here."
She missed her teddy bear of a father…
The hug would have lasted longer had she not felt wet snouts sniffing at her and trying to burrow in between them, with paws scratching at them lightly begging for some attention too.
It reminded her of her own pup back in her car… Drawing back she laughed, "I'm glad to be home daddy," she sniffled, swiping at her eye.
Looking down, she petted and scratched the head of the dogs at their side – the most beautiful rottweiler and German shepherd breeds she had ever seen. She paused remembering her own boy Chester back in her car, "Hold on dad, I gotta get my boy out of my car."
"Oh lemme go help you get your bags," her dad smiled down at her warmly. He was just happy to have her back.
"Thanks there's only 2 of them, and I have a third one, it's a handbag, I can carry it," she reassured him. He nodded, and they walked together to her car; she opened the door for her dog, who was awake as soon as she opened the door.
He wagged his tail upon seeing her – he jumped down from the car, as her dad got her bags out of her car.
She quickly took out her cellphone and shot the text to Gail: I'm in back in town. Lemme know when and where to meet up.
Leanne shut her phone and stuffed it back into her pocket before ascending the steps onto the front porch. She recalled how much she loved to sit out here and watch the pine trees.
"Is gran inside," she asked him over her shoulder.
Mick nodded at his daughter as he hoisted her belongings up, "Yup, with the cat and the dogs," he snickered. This made Leanne smile as well, as she shouldered her carryon bag, and ushered Chester up the front porch steps, matching pace with her dad.
Once inside, Leanne noticed how it still smelled the same; hickory, pine, wet leaves, grass and soil.
The carpet on the floor was the same the old grandfather clock that was an antique in the family, made by her great grandpa by hand, still stood by the staircase, where it always was.
This led into the living room decorated with warm rugs, comfortable couch, and the armchair, in front of the fire place. Leanne paused seeing her grandma sitting comfortably in the armchair with her cat, Opal present on her lap.
"So you've finally come back," June said in her croaked but firm tone.
Leanne straightened up, "Hey, gran, yeah I've come back," she managed to give her a smile and walked up to her to bend down to give her a hug, "How've you been gran?"
June stretched back, "Well, can't complain. Knees still killing me when I'm standin' too long," she chuckled, as her soft and aging face. Her light gray eyes swiveled up to stare at her unflinchingly.
"I'm sorry about that," Leanne smiled went to sit across from her as her dad carried in her bags, with his dogs, and Chester bounding after him and his new friends; she wondered when he had stopped following her, but looks like he befriended the rest of the dogs.
They both heard the door close, as her dad locked it and went to join them in the living room, "So are you staying for good," he asked her, his lips stretching in a barely concealed smile.
It was no secret that her father wanted her to come home.
Leanne smirked up at him, "Maybe," she gave him a sheepish look; honestly she didn't know how long this would take…and she didn't really have a plan on what to do next. It was not a good idea that she came back here only half-cocked, or barely cocked.
The young woman knew that she had no plan, and during the drive here, she tried hard to conjure up one.
Grandma June stared up at her, "You didn't just come back to visit did you hon," she guessed.
Leanne knew that she had no point in lying to her, "I wish I had just come for a visit," her voice trailed off, making her grandma hum, and her dad raise his brows at her.
"You in some kind of trouble," Mick asked her slowly.
The young woman paused looking down at her lap, unsure of how to answer that – how was she supposed to explain to her dad that she came back to fix a mistake she made a long time ago, when she had left their town once she turned 18?
That she came back to confront a mistake she made a long time ago. And now someone else would be forced to pay for her mistake. Leanne knew that she never should have left home.
"No, just…wanted to come home," she explained. The other thing she had regretted once she left was seeing the heartbroken look on her dad's face in her rearview mirror as she drove away.
June sniffed watching her with pursed lips and Leanne knew that as always her gran could read her like an open book. Even when growing up, she could never hide anything from her, no matter how hard she tried. Gran's penetrating stare could always pull anything out of her.
Leanne also realized that she might have to have a conversation with her gran later without dad around.
Mick had pulled her into a hug which Leanne returned burying her face into his chest wanting to hide from her grandmother's eyes, and breathe in the natural scent of pine off her dad as she did.
"It's good to have you back Lady Bug," Mick murmured into her hair.
June stood up slowly, her joints creaking as she did and went to give Leanne a tight hug, "You must be hungry, so I'm going to put the kettle on and make some tea. There's lemon squares, I just baked this morning. So let's sit and catch up," June announced and Leanne knew there was no point arguing with her.
Like she had done before, Leanne helped her grandma set the table with the snacks while June fussed over the stove, and her dad sat at the kitchen table asking her questions about her job, and her home, friends, if she had anyone special yet, to which Leanne answered honestly, "There was one guy, but that's over."
"Oh, who was he," Mick asked his brows furrowing, "what happened?"
"His name was Jordan, and we just didn't work out is all," Leanne admitted, "Too different. He liked the city, I preferred small towns. He wanted to move, I didn't. He wanted us to move together, I was comfortable where I was. And I couldn't really afford it," she added.
June rolled her eyes, humming lowly. Mick just grunted, "Wasn't good enough anyways," he shrugged smirking at her.
Leanne could appreciate that her dad was able to drop the subject then and there, when she didn't feel like continuing on it, both he and grandma June hardly ever pried unless necessary.
As the tea was soon ready, they began to switch subjects. Leanne had asked them questions about anything new going on in the town. Some of the old families still stayed local, not many have moved out of the town. The Tollermans, and many others still stayed local.
The young woman sipped at her tea and hummed, reveling in the herbal leaves her grandma would add to it, "And the Timmins'," she asked quietly.
Mick glanced at his daughter, seated in the middle between Leanne and June, whilst the two sat across from each other, "Well, Angelina's working the local bar. Good hangout spot if you're looking for a drink," he commented whilst June barely held in a snort.
"And her sister, Gail, if you remember is…," Mick said uncertainly, trailing off until June cut in sharply, "Still drinking the savings away, and becomin' the town drunk," she scoffed, making Leanne hold in a wince at that.
Looked like grandma June still wasn't afraid to hold anything back. "Tell me how you really feel grandma," Leanne joked.
Her cellphone felt extra heavy as she wondered if it would vibrate right in that moment. Instead she only felt Opal rub and purr against her feet, making her flinch subtly.
June shrugged, "Only say what I see. Virginia told me, what Gail's been doin," she sipped at her tea.
Leanne hummed, "Well she's our cousin and an adult, it is her business," she only shrugged it off and wanted nothing more than to down her tea in one go, just to go upstairs to her old room and take a nap.
And it was true, Gail and Angelina Timmins were her cousins, through June, who was their great aunt, by relation to their granddad.
"Second or third cousins," she griped at that, "F'ya' ask me, all that no good comes from runnin' around with the people in that bar," June said grumpily which Leanne had a feeling was meant to carry more weight to it, and she knew why.
But then it was no secret to Leanne, that ever since their own mom, June had made her dislike of the Timmins family abundantly clear.
"So dad," Leanne started up again, "Tell me how's the breeding going? Are many people buying our pups," she asked him, getting away from the subject.
If it was one thing that could get them talking for hours it was their shared love of dogs; Mick Carson was a simple man, living out in the country running a puppy farm and making his living off of that, and when he wasn't, he was working part time for either the police department training their K-9 unit, or running dog training in general. Growing up, Leanne remembered loving being surrounded by all kinds of dogs. They chatted some more leaving the subject behind to Leanne's relief, and she was able to zone into a zen-like state watching her dad and grandma talk as she hung back and occasionally nodding along.
It all came to a grinding halt once her dad spoke up, causing Leanne to stiffen at who he mentioned, "That Connor Slaughter's still going around like he runs this town," Mick grumbled downing the last bit of his tea.
Leanne stilled subtly, briefly recalling in her mind's eye the image of Connor Slaughter; he was tall, from what she remembered, a mess of wild hair and muscle, devilish yellow eyes that had given her nightmares whenever they had fixed her with a stare.
She had recalled only meeting him a handful of times, counting each time on both her hands, but his stare had unnerved her.
June scoffed, "Are you so shocked? After what he got away with what he did? How the Tollermans still live here I'll never understand," she grunted.
Leanne only bent down and stroked Opal's head who nudged against her fingers purring against her, then rolled down and splayed beside her feet – growing up here, Leanne was also aware of the Tollerman family hating Connor, and she never quite understood what it was until she was older. Before then she only knew that it had something to do with John Tollerman's niece, Lucinda. Leanne was only 7 at the time when everything happened, but she heard people whispering and all judging Connor and for some reason Lucinda too. Upon turning 17, Leanne had learned what really happened to cause that much tension between the families. It was from her grandma and her friend when they walked through the town shopping, with Leanne trailing behind them listening to her CD player, that she heard them through the music gossiping about the matter again, and the words that she had picked up on was Connor, Lucinda, and force. All the rest she was able to piece together, because she knew now; Connor Slaughter had raped Lucinda. What happened to Lucinda afterwards, was a cold hard facts then that couldn't be denied, because after that awful incident, Lucinda was never seen again, nor would she ever be again.
"I'll never understand how he wasn't locked up," June said distastefully, drawing Leanne back to the present.
"There was insufficient evidence," Mick simply replied.
Leanne wanted to excuse herself from his conversation and once she felt her phone vibrate, she knew that she could now, that Gail finally answered her.
"Uh gran, dad I'm gonna go shower and take a nap, I'm feeling a bit tired," Leanne stood up gently brushing Opal away with her foot carefully.
They nodded and let her go. Leanne went to get her bags and whistled for Chester to come follow her up but he seemed to prefer the company of his new friends instead.
She walked up the carpeted staircase, briefly recalling the number of times she had fallen down it, grateful that the carpet provided a soft landing for her.
It led up to a hallway and she quickly found her old bedroom and pushed the light brown door open and was bombarded by old movie and favorite band posters on her walls. For her it felt wonderful that they still kept her room as is after all these years; from her posters to, to her closet, to her vanity and desk, right down to the bed.
Leanne dropped her bags onto the floor by the bed and plopped down on it and nearly felt compelled to fall asleep, but reminded herself of the text that vibrated in her phone.
Fishing it out of her pocket, she opened it and opened up the text from Gail:
8 pm tonite at the bar. Don't be late.
It was late in the evening, and Leanne had time to have some lunch with her dad and gran, then go upstairs, unpack in her old bedroom, rinse off, changed into a pair of faded blue jeans, gray tank top, and a dark burgundy hoodie. Nights were usually cool in Lupine, even in the summer, it would drop down to a windy 60, whilst the days could be as high as 97 and just the overall worst sometimes. Now Falls were the best here, which Leanne had missed the most; the greenery of the pine trees, and leaves of the different kinds of trees, were just perfect. She enjoyed walking down the forested paths and just taking it all in, before winter would strip the trees bare.
That was actually the reason why she chose to walk down to the bar, she wanted to take in the town and the wilderness along the way.
It hadn't been that hard to slip away, she had told them that she was going into town to just do some walking, Chester had all but settled into the new place so he didn't seem troubled at all.
Before leaving the house, she grabbed her phone, wallet, and a nail file – she doubted she could conceal a knife in her pocket and she didn't have a pocket knife on her.
Deciding she was ready after applying some light make up on, she walked out of the door and headed down the familiar road and trail that connected to the rest of the town. The walk there wasn't too bad as she believed she was making good time there, until she came onto a cement sidewalk and walked down the street and headed towards where she knew the bar would be. The rest of the walk there passed like a blur and for Leanne, she realized it was all muscle memory; she could never really forget her home, nor the bar she spent much of her teenage years, sneaking into and getting some drinks. She had remembered it to be something of a biker bar if she recalled with a rough and tough crowd, Connor's gang included, and she found it hard to believe that someone as waif-like and shy as Angelina actually worked there.
Passing by some buildings, cars, houses, shops and apartments, Leanne kept her gaze firmly ahead until she once again found herself on a dirt path that led to a lot where there was bikes, and trucks parked out front, and Leanne mused at how even the clientele was still the same.
Slowly she made her way onto the lot and let her eyes skirt over it briefly, wondering if Connor's bike or his truck carrying all his members was present.
Gail's text implied that she wanted them to talk after hours once the bar was closed. But wouldn't that only be until midnight?
Leanne sighed and slowly kicked the dirt beneath her with her sneakers, as she walked up to the doors, noticing there was again no bouncer, and pushed them open, and instantly the smell of alcohol, smoke, leather, fried bar food and other stenches assaulted her nose. It was crowded as usual, and as she predicted with the usual clientele moving about and around, some standing and talking, others shooting pool, and others seated and talking either at the tables or at the bar area. It was red dimmed with some red and yellow lights around, a deer head mounted on the wall, pool tables somewhere off to the left side and the bar area in the right, and tables and chairs in the middle. And all the rest was filled with a blend of country and rock music, but really she couldn't quite tell. All in all it was a typical dive bar with a personality.
Quietly Leanne pushed her way through the area and made her way to the bar, where she figured Gail would be, and finally got there pushing herself up to sit in the high stool.
"What can I get you," a voice asked her as the owner of it approached her, making Leanne look up, and almost do a double take. It was a teenage girl with dark sable hair, delicate and well featured face, pretty cheekbones, dark blue eyes and tanned skin, lined with mascara and eyeliner looking down at her.
"A-Angelina," Leanne asked her cautiously and a little taken aback.
Last time she had seen her, Angelina was a gangly 11 year old girl. Leanne had reminded herself that it had been seven years.
The girl raised her brows in surprise, "Uh yeah…? Sorry do I know you Miss?"
Leanne swallowed, the image of the little girl with pigtails now morphing into this young lady, "I-It's me, your cousin, Leanne. Leanne Carson."
Recognition flooded into those dark blue eyes and as Angelina looked her up and down, "Oh wow…Leanne? What are you doin' back," she asked sitting down across from her with the bar counter separating them.
"I-I'm back in town, visiting mostly, catching up," Leanne replied hoping her voice wasn't stuttering.
"Well what're you doing here," Angelina asked her motioning with her arms spread out to this place.
Sneaking a glance over her shoulder, Leanne tried to spot Gail, but seemed to be out of luck.
"Just grabbing a drink and hopin' to catch up…with you," Leanne said to her hopefully.
Angelina looked stiff and tense to her, "Sure, yeah okay. My shift ends around closin' time, if you're still here," she asked her lowly.
Leanne nodded, "Sounds good," she managed a smile that she hoped didn't look too awkward or nervous.
"What's your poison," Angelina returned the smile with her own small one, putting her pen and pad aside.
"Huh," Leanne asked her confused by the question, "Oh uh, gin…on the rocks," she asked.
By the end of the night she was hoping to at least still be able to hold a conversation, so she would make a single glass of gin last her through this shift, the ice should help keep it watered down once it all melted and dilute the taste of the drink.
Respectfully, she was certain the last thing her dad or her gran wanted was to be woken up in the middle of the night with her stumbling into the house, waking not just them but the dogs and the cats up.
For some reason Leanne felt a bit safer in the bar, and once the glass was placed in front of her, she grabbed it and thanked Angelina reveling in the cool feel of it in her palm.
It kept her centered and grounded, as she ignored the rest of the patrons and just stared down at her gin and the ice in it.
The chatting and music all melded into one hum, as Leanne took little sips of her drink, as she waited, and waited, and waited…and waited.
Leanne reached into her pocket pulled out her phone and the time glaring back at her was 9 o'clock now.
Gail was an hour late…
She checked her last text from Gail and reread it. Gail said 8 pm. So where was she?
"Hey Angel," Leanne asked her casually.
The young dark haired girl lifted her head from the glass she was wiping and looked over at her, "Yeah?"
Leanne shifted in her seat and lifted her green eyes to meet Angelina's, "I haven't seen Gail around here yet. How's she doin'?" She asked her hoping she didn't sound off to her.
Angelina snorted at that, "And you probably won't for a while at least. But you know, I always said that Gail'd be late to her own funeral," she joked flatly.
This drew a laugh from Leanne whilst inside she couldn't help but feel a pinch of annoyance at that. What she had here now, was a waste of a perfectly good evening.
What could she have possibly expected from Gail Timmins of all people?
Now more than ever she felt like downing her gin whole, and wishing she hadn't ordered it with ice at the very least she could have gotten drunk.
She took a swig of it and placed it on the counter with a 'clank', and let Angelina go to another patron asking for a refill.
Might as well, drink sine she was at a bar.
And so she did; it didn't take Leanne long to down the last of the gin and order another one this time without any ice in it. She wanted to drink it straight.
As she started to finish her second drink off she barely registered that the doors opened and a large group walked in, and went to take up one of the tables in the back. Leanne just ordered her third glass, only feeling a little buzzed.
Leanne barely even registered that the crowd had seemed to have become a bit more quieter and subdued.
Angelina's movements seemed to have stilled as she served Leanne her drink. This caused Leanne to look up at her noticing that Angelina was…well, looking down at her hands or at the counter.
She looked skittish now, different from how she was with her earlier.
Leanne was about to ask her if she was okay, but heard a whispered hush and a name, then a cold feeling washed over her, as she felt ice travel down her back, like someone just spilled cold water on her.
Slowly she turned around in her stool to look over her shoulder, feeling her hair brush against her cheek, and what…or rather who she saw made her want to hide her face into her hair, or just close her eyes, but she found she couldn't look away.
There was Connor Slaughter surrounded by his lackeys, some Leanne recognized vaguely and others barely at all.
But it was him all right…the same as ever, the locks of hair that tumbled down messily framing his face, the chiseled face, mustache and slight bearded stubble he had, the russet toned skin and build he had.
Those yellow eyes seemed to sense and find her right away from where he was seated, and they locked onto her, making her feel smaller than she was. His nostrils seemed to flare lightly like he had just smelt something.
Connor stared at her with his lips slightly parted, like he was in the middle of saying something to his group, replying to whatever they had said, but instead they curved upwards as his eyes were locked onto her, and she knew at least two things now, which she hoped didn't make her pale and wilt under his dark impenetrable gaze.
Gail wasn't coming…and Connor had been waiting for her…