Long Walk Home

Prologue











They were fighting again. They were always fighting. It couldn’t have been worse timing. How was she supposed to tell her parents that she was pregnant when they were all ready screaming at each other?



Her father, a thirty-two year old ex-marine who drank heavily, stood six foot three and was beginning to develop a pot belly. With shoulder length dirty black hair and a light beard, pale green eyes and a malicious manner. She already knew what he would call her, a bitch and a dirty little whore.



Her step-mom, Alyssa, a twenty-nine year old model with light red hair and bright blue eyes, of course she was in perfect shape and anywhere she went she turned heads, and would be for many years. She would worry more about her own public reflection than she would about her daughter in law.



When the yelling finally stopped and the house was quiet, for the next ten minutes at least; she crept out of her room and down the stairs before her courage fled her. Stopping in the kitchen doorway, she couldn’t help but smile. With her father sitting at the kitchen table reading the paper and Alyssa standing next to the stove, finishing dinner, they looked just like a family out of a movie.



She went to stand in front of the mirror hanging next to the kitchen window. Looking at her reflection she smiled at herself and told herself that everything would be ok. Her dirty blonde hair and pale gray eyes and a smile that flattered everyone she looked at. She had a nice body and she was remarkably beautiful.



Out of the corner of her eye she saw movement outside the window. She peered out into the rapidly dying sunlight and saw a man standing near a tree across the street. Their eyes meet and she felt a chill run down her spine. A truck suddenly sped past and caused her to jump; when the truck was gone and she searched for the man again but he was nowhere to be seen. She thought she had imagined it.



“Summer, dinners ready.” Alyssa called.



“I’m right her.” Summer replied.



Her step mother looked at her, momentarily surprised than said. “Oh. Well go sit down and grab some plates, please.”



Grabbing a few plates from the cupboard she walked to the table and set them down, one in front of her father and the other two in front of her chair and Alyssa’s. She abruptly realized that her hands were trembling and she quickly sat down and put her hands in her lap. Alyssa carried over a steaming roast and a big bowl of mashed potatoes.



Summer suddenly realized that she was starving and began to dish up a pile of potatoes and a thick slice of the roast. She began to eat and then remembered way she had come down early. Her hands began to shake again and she dropped her fork with a clatter. Of course, Alyssa noticed.



“Are you ok, Summer?” she asked, concern written plainly on her face.



Summer hesitated before saying, “well, no.” She took a deep breath and slowly said. “I’m pregnant.”



Everything went quiet. No one moved or said anything. Next thing she knew her father was standing in front of her and looking down she saw the same knife that she had just used to cut her piece of roast sticking out of your stomach.



Her father bent over and she looked up at him and saw the fury etched in every line of his face. “Not anymore you little bitch.” He whispered in her ear and Summer was surprised at how calm he sounded.



He pulled the knife out of her gut and she toppled over onto the floor. The last thing she remembers seeing before blacking out was her Alyssa slamming hard onto the floor, the same blade sticking out of her chest. Then everything went dark.