Cannibal (Book One of A Bloodline's Saga)

Not Long To Go Now

I just see the waters cold 

And so is this world we live in 

And so I segregate

Separate from the ones without a cause 

As I Lay Dying

Stirring awake with Luke gone, I observe that it's early in the morning and I'm starting to think that he left so it was easy for me to leave. Either way, he should have told me he was going. 

Checking my phone I was right, he didn't want to make it hard for me even though it was tough for him to leave me this morning, especially because the bed was still so warm. 

Laughing at that part, I shoot him a text while getting my s**t ready once again to hit the road, my heart hoping we're sent back again only I have a gut feeling it won't happen. 

"So, did you guys have a good holiday?" Mum announces when we pass the point where we were stopped yesterday. 

"Yeah." 

"Sure did." Lucy and I pipe up in unison, both of us sharing a small smile until I'm back to being el depresso. 

"Good because I'm thinking of coming back here again, hopefully not too far in the future." Cam states while seeing the sign 'Thank you for staying' come into view, and eventually leaving the small snowy town behind. 

With Luke and I texting each other the whole way up before we hit familiar territory of my home, I finally inform Luke I've made it and that I wish he could come down to see it with me. 

Talking some more I eventually gather all of my things so I'm ready for work tomorrow considering I was graced with the day off, my thoughts continuing to be solely on Luke and the plans of how I'm going to make it back up there to see him. 

"Emily!" Mum summons from what sounds like the kitchen. 

Great, what now? 

"Yeah?"

"Can you come here for a minute?" 

"Okay!"

Dropping all tasks at hand, I shuffle my way into the kitchen to see Lucy as well as Cam there, all stares now on me when the topic of what we will be having for dinner, comes up.

"I don't care; I'll eat whatever you guys are in the mood for." I shrug in a quiet voice, Lucy shooting me a small smile while Mum and Cam resort back to talking about what they feel like. 

Settling on steak, chips, vegetables and gravy for dinner, Lucy and I are once again left with the task of getting our s**t into the wash before it starts to stink.

                                                                                                   * 

Two weeks have passed since last seeing Luke and every time I'm at work, I expect him to come around the corner. Though it hasn't happened and I'm starting to laugh at myself for being so pathetic as to think he would do that. 

Well that and I'm beginning to find myself throwing up in the mornings, but then again I haven't been eating properly either. 

"Hey Emily, I found your pills in my bag." Lucy states slowly when she comes walking into my room with the said birth control pills in her grasp. 

My face pales as I recall the last time I took the actual pill and that was around the first time Luke and I s*x. 

"You forgot about them didn't you?" she asks gently then stepping in and closing the door behind her.

"I didn't mean to, I mean with everything going on and Luke-" 

"I understand, I mean you have been sick a lot lately and maybe you missing it for so long was enough." she intervenes when my heart starts pounding in my chest. 

"Look, we don't know yet, I mean I haven't been eating properly lately." I point out, Lucy giving me a look as if to weigh that into account as well.

"Alright, but for the meantime, try and not smoke just in case you are. I'll get a pregnancy test soon and see if you are pregnant considering I know you wouldn't want to buy it. That and I'm actually f*****g excited, even though you kind of just met the guy." she grins, my cheeks flushing while delivering her a serious stare when the thoughts of me keeping it, come to mind.

"What should I do, I mean should I keep it like I can't even look after myself-" 

"No one is ever ready to have a child. When it happens, it just so happens you get to have one now." she intrudes while a large smile twitches the corners of her mouth, a semi-smile of my own spreading across my face when I think about how much of a cool Aunty she is going to be. 

"Alright girls, Cam and I are off-" only a knock at the front door has everyone stopping mid-conversation before Cam is at the door answering it. 

Straining our ears, we start freaking out when the men announce themselves as Policemen and need to take Mum and Cam as well as Lucy and I, back to the snow. They need our help in trying to track Jake down, apparently his family have put out missing person's reports on all of them including a few others we believe were with Jake's parents that night. 

Then all eyes turn to me when my name is summoned, my heart racing with me now in front of the Policemen and mulling over what the f**k they would want me for.

"So you must be Emily?" one of the men asks in a polite and gentle tone while he smiles down at me with a notebook and pen in hand. 

"Yes sir, is everything okay?" I squeak when I'm told to take a seat on the couch, the Officer asking me questions taking a cushion next to me. 

"Now, would you like to tell me what happened the last time you saw Jake." he questions, his eyes hard and on the book as he waits for my words to hit his paper. 

So I tell him everything, every detail as to what happened, right up until the part about when I was attacked and had to show them the healing evidence on my head. 

"I see, and you sure you didn't see or hear anything?" the other Officer examines, his eyes a shade lighter than his partners and a darker hair tone. 

"Well when I think about it, I'm pretty sure I heard him apologise to me before I was struck down, but then that could have been in a dream I don't know." I confess, my brain trying hard to distinguish between dream and reality.

It's true though, I wouldn't have a clue as to who attacked me. All I know it that I wasn't hurt badly and I wasn't raped. So I got out of that one pretty scot-free in my opinion. 

"Alright, and did this person sound familiar to you?"

"No sir." 

"Alright, well would you mind coming up and giving your statement?"

"I wouldn't mind at all." I tell them, Mum and Cam protesting when they are once again forced to pack up a bag for an overnight stay.

Lucy however manages to dodge the bullet of another trip considering she wants to see Rory again. So we say our last goodbyes as Mum, Cam and I are escorted back to our vacation spot to make a statement with the Police.

                                                                                              * 

Arriving at the station I text Luke to call me then give him a rundown on what's happening, and how I'm in the station giving them my statement on when I last saw Jake and his parents. 

"Are you going to be okay?" 

"Yeah, I just can't shake the feeling that I'm here once again because I'm meant to be here." "I know, well hopefully I'll be able to see you again before you leave."

"Me too, I'll let you know what's happening." I inform him and hang up when I'm told to come through. 

So following the same Officers who took my statement back home, I'm now forced to repeat what I said yet again, though it's being recorded this time.

"Do you honestly think he's missing?" I question in a gentle voice once the interview is over, the Officers sharing a look as the one that asked the questions in the interview, answers. 

"I honestly think his parents are in hiding and Jake is taking that as an opportunity to go with them considering we know that he's going to be a father. The reason as to why we say the parents are in hiding is because there have been numerous tips on how they owed a lot of people money. All I'm saying is, I'm glad you got away from them as soon as possible." 

Blushing at the man's words, we're told to stay here for the night with a different place of lodging. Gone are the cabins and a small motel room with enough room for the three of us and get us through until tomorrow, takes its place.

I start to think how I'm going to sneak out and see Luke considering I share a room with the parents, though I force it to the back of my mind and focus on getting the f**k out of the station.

Once we're in the car we then head off to the place the Officers payed for, the topic about how the Police are also searching down the man that attacked me and the names of those who came with Jake's parents, surfaces. 

                                                                                                   * 

"Goodnight Em, I'll wake you up in the morning when it's time to leave." Mum informs me when she and Cam announce that they're going to bed. 

"Alright, well I love you guys and will see you then." I half-smile as a yawn threatens to come out. 

Hearing their door close, I sit up for a bit more before deciding to go for a walk while I wait for Luke to come. 

So gearing up for another cold night's walk, I slip out my window without alerting even God himself then head towards the mountains, a place Luke once navigated Lucy and I through. 

Slipping through the gates closing off the mountain due to it being after hours, I commence my walk through the dimly lit tunnels then silence my footsteps when I hear a noise sounding from close by. 

Straining my ears some more, I keep pick up the noise again until finding something about it familiar, only I can't place a finger on it considering I'm too busy trying to figure out where it's coming from. 

Finding a locked door with the words STAFF ONLY written in thick black lettering, I start to think that I'm hearing things before it starts up again, my adrenaline spiking as I'm able to hear the tune better. The song slams me with familiarity though and my mind is trying to grasp the memory of where I have heard it. 

"Oh my God, Jake!" I shout as my shoulder and feet meet the door with hard blows yet to no avail.

Finally I pull the bobby pin from my hair and give it a go with doubts of unable to unlock it, only I'm surprised when the thing unlocks regardless of my trembling hands, with a sweet 'click'. 

Barging in and expecting to find Jake tied up, I discover nothing other than a semi-empty office and not a window in sight, smallish desk and chair behind it with a few things stacked on it and a large chest freezer in the back corner. 

My mind spikes curiosity as to why there would be a chest freezer in here, so I contemplate on doing one thing, and that's have a look in there. 

Pushing that aside when the ringtone starts up again, I'm back to hunting Jake's phone before finding it in a locked drawer under the desk. 

Using the bobby pin with a little more hope this time, I'm proven wrong when the thing won't open. So giving the room one last search, I find a small bundle of keys hidden in a secret compartment of the desk then open the drawer, the phone surely in there alright along with not only his phone but more than just phones. 

On further inspection I discover more phones as well as wallets and purses amongst other personal items. With my heart pounding, my eyes take me to the chest freezer considering it has been nagging me since I saw it. I mean what could possibly be in there? 

Storming over to it I get a good grip on the lid before yanking it open, my gaze falling to its contents and locking on a bit of what looks to be meat for a split second, though when my eyes adjust to a picture that looks tattooed on it, my innards rise to my throat as I realise I've seen this mark. Its Jake's tattoo he has on his leg and on further inspection, the rest of his leg is cut up into roast sized pieces all throughout the freezer.  

Letting the lid drop while stumbling back and falling over my fumbling feet, I pick myself up in favour of rushing out though I'm met with the hard chest of Luke's Dad, a scream tearing from my lungs as things go dead.

                                                                                               * 

Rousing groggy as s**t with a thumping pain in the side of my head and dry as f**k throat, I manage to make out my surroundings and know I'm underground. 

Observing that I'm tied to the bed, I absorb my surroundings with me and the bed being the only things in this room, my tears start up while thinking what the f**k did I get myself into. 

What seems like hours later and I'm all cried out, someone appears bursting in through the room and I'm automatically crying and screaming for him to f**k off. 

"I didn't know what happened; I came as soon as I heard!" Luke protests over my screaming as he approaches me in favour of trying to calm me down and untie me.

"DON'T YOU f*****g TOUCH ME! YOU KILLED JAKE AND CHOPPED HIM UP INTO PIECES YOU SICK f**k! HOW MANY MORE HAVE THERE BEEN LUKE?" I scream when the events of only hours before come rolling back into thought.

"I didn't want you to find out like this, please, can I at least un-tie you so I can talk to you properly?" he questions while giving him the silent treatment due to my question going unanswered. 

"What, you going to kill me if I try and escape?" I retort when my eyes refuse to meet his burning gaze on me. 

"No, but my Dad will because he blames both of us for getting the Police involved." he confesses as my face scrunches up into unfathomable anger while picturing a million ways to kill his father.

"You have got to be f*****g kidding me; I had nothing to do with this s**t!" I round on him, Luke sighing and rising to his height to try and un-tie me once again.

"I know, that is why I am trying to help you get out of here!" he hisses then my struggles against his touch ceases when I peer up at him with watery eyes.

"Please don't say that just to make me feel better. How do I know you aren't going to kill me too?" I sniff when he un-ties the first restraints around my ankles. 

"Because Emily, I love you and I am willing to risk my own life in getting you out of here." he confesses as he gets up to the part of un-binding my wrists. 

"As good as that sounds Luke, you have to find a way to make me trust you again. I mean what you did to Jake was f****d-"

"But I gave you the option to go and find him didn't I, and you didn't. So I took that as a sign." he intrudes across me with folded arms.

"As a sign to kill him then cut him up or what? I'm a little fuzzy on the idea." I snarl when Luke runs a hand through his mocha hair before lighting a cigarette. 

"Look, if you really want to know, my father is responsible for all of those items you found in that drawer apart from Jake's and his parents. I took those after I knocked you out as well as Jake and his parents. I also managed to get my hands on those people who also came with them that night. I held onto Jake for a few days before I killed him, I wanted to make sure that all love for him was definitely gone-"

"What, so I wouldn't hate you?" I retort across him, the words like venom as I spit them at his saddening face. 

"So you wouldn't leave me for him once you found out what I was." he mumbles, my hands running down my face while exploding in anger, the questions on "what the f**k is he on about" all the way to "what is he going to do with the body", wreaking havoc in my brain. 

"Just calm down before my father comes in and sorts you out. He has it in for you and in all honestly, he has wanted you from the start." he hisses and suddenly my face distorts into one of disgust. 

Rope please, I'm stepping off this rollercoaster we call life.

"Not in that way." 

"Well what f*****g way do you mean?"

"He wants to f*****g eat you!" 

His father's hollering silences our argument automatically when I fail to force back the urge to cry, the fact that I no longer will get to see my family again dawning on me more and more each second.

"That's why I am trying to get you out of here; my father has been watching you and took you when he saw you discover where Jake's body was. He is trying to cover up my mistake of taking out someone who would draw attention, and with that being said, he wants me to get rid of you." he states calmer considering I'm once again bursting out with more tears. 

"I want to get you back to your family." he assures me with an even gentler touch, my body jolting against a touch I once longed for, now I find myself recoiling away from. 

At least the phone call I overheard between him and his Dad makes sense, he was talking about Jake and his parents.

"What about your Mum, does she want to see me dead too?" I sniff as the tear track marks on my face become cold. 

"No, she came down once she heard what I did and was planning to hide me once the s**t with the cops flared up. That and she's helping with the cover up, but you now know why I did it, but I can understand if you hate me even if it will kill me." he confesses, his voice breaking a little when he turns away to face something else. 

Is he crying over me, like he killed my ex just to be with me but then again, was he going to eat Jake with his family? 

Then the flashback of when Luke and I were on the trail walk and how we stopped past the abandoned shack, the story of cannibal groups and whatnot living throughout the mountains and how they were all chased out, rushing to my thoughts. But I'm also guessing there were some that stayed behind and blended in, meaning that Luke and his family are possibly the largest family of cannibals in this town.

"Your family is one of the cannibal tribes that survived the influx of people?" I demand while things begin to quieten down, pretty much giving me time to think either things through or questions.

"We are yes, but if you ask me, I would live my life differently." he declares then grabs my hands, for once my hands not recoiling and eyes locked in his gaze, as I try and figure out what he means by that. 

Does he mean what he says or is he saying that just to get me to hear what I want? Either way, I want answers and more explanations now. 

"Explain?" 

"Well if I get you out of here and you find somewhere in your heart to forgive me, then I will come with you. Even if it means cutting ties with my parents after we go into hiding for a bit with my Mum's help, we can try and figure out a way to get you back and out of the Police's interests." 

Mulling his words over, my hand absentmindedly rests on my stomach as the conversation between Lucy and I and me being possibly pregnant, comes rushing back. 

If I am pregnant, maybe then he will stay true to his words and become normal in some way. Well in his mind of becoming normal, that's no longer eating humans.