A Family of Strays

It was idiotic from the start. I was telling myself that running away is what’s best for me and everyone else. Unfortunately, that decision left me stranded, with no one to call and nowhere to go. I packed only snacks and a few bottles of water in a backpack and extra clothes in a duffle bag that I carried. All of which was stolen.

I walked and walked, hoping someone would stop to help a poor straggler reach his destination wherever that would be. I was assisted by none and so hungry that I could eat a cow. Ironic enough, a farm was spotted in the distance. It was dark out, so I figured I would just snatch up a few ears of corn or whatever else I could fit into my pockets and take off without being seen. It was my mistake not spotting the colossal hound dog in the area.

The hound dog barked loudly and repeatedly, which alerted the people hanging out inside the nearby barn. If I move, they would see me for sure, and the last thing I want is a dog being let loose to bite me in the butt or a bullet. Although I tried to remain as quiet as possible, my stomach made noises nearly as loud as the dog’s bark. At that point, it was either run or show my face.

“Who’s there?!” yelled out the voice of a young man. I decided to reveal myself in the hopes of not being shot. My hands were raised high, but it was unknown if anyone could see me within the mighty cornfield.

“I’m sorry!” I yelled out in response. “I was stranded and hungry! I don’t mean any harm!”

“Just come on out! Show yourself!”

Slowly, I approached the person that spoke to me, only to see him holding a shotgun and four other people next to him—three girls and two boys, including the one with the gun. They all looked about the same age as me.

“What’s your name, boy?” asked the boy with the gun.

“It’s Nathan. My name’s Nathan.”

“Well, Nathan, what are you doing here on our property?”

I told him what happened and how I came to be where I am now—residing in an old barn with those who would become my new family. The group of kids welcomed me inside the barn to offer me food and introduce themselves. First, there’s Max, the Native-American boy holding the gun with brown eyes and dark hair, standing at about 5’6. Then there’s his twin sister Stacey, same eye color but with hair dyed with burgundy color, standing at about 5’4, and the other three are Julius, Michelle, and Tori. The five are all siblings of different ethnicities, with only the twins being the only blood siblings.

I scarfed down the food Stacey provided me in a matter of seconds. The awkward stares weren’t a bother as I was too hungry to care. “How long have you been out there?” asked a curious Julius. Julius is an albino African-American, about 6’0, and always wears a hat. I’d only been away from home for a day yet; it seems a lot longer. After sharing my story, each sibling shared theirs. I’ve come to find out that I’m not the first or only runaway to reach this old barn. The barn didn’t hold any animals. Instead, there are bales of straw, a table with chairs, a couch, lights strung all over, and some lost souls in search of something. But Michelle is the one who caught my eye. Her skin is the perfect shade of bronze, her hair is long and curly, and she has the most mesmerizing eyes. If only she weren’t such an ass towards me.

“Now that you’re done eating, you should leave,” Michelle says.

“If it’s not too much trouble, you mind if I stay? Just for the night.” I respond.

“You can’t. We don’t need any more strays staying here. We don’t even know you!”

“Michelle,” Tori intervened, “...it’s cool. We were strays, too, remember?”

“But what about Stephanie and Coop? How would they feel knowing we let this kid stay without their permission? Not to mention he’d be another mouth to feed.”

“It’s just for a night,” says Max, “He’s exhausted with nowhere to go. I’ll keep an eye on him and will take full responsibility if anything happens.”

The group went on as if I wasn’t standing right there in front of them. Stacey agreed with Michelle, and Julius was on the fence. All I wanted was a few hours of sleep. My feet ached, had no money, no destination, food, or water, but the couch looked mighty comfortable. So while the others bickered amongst themselves, I sat on the sofa, and before I knew it, I was out like a light.

I woke up just before the crack of dawn. Everyone else was asleep, so I thought it best to leave immediately. Max and Julius slept in the barn while the others went inside. Max must’ve heard me rustling around, seeing as he woke up just before I took my first step outside.

“Where’ya headed?” asked Max.

“I’m not sure where to go, so I guess wherever the wind blows.”

“Well, you can leave. We’ll give you a new pack with some food and water and some fresh clothes.”

“I appreciate the⎯

“Or...you can wash up, have some breakfast, and stay here for a while. I already spoke to Steph and Coop, and they were not happy with me at first. But, they did come around.”

I didn’t want to intrude. It was rude for me to stay there, and I felt bad for getting Max into trouble. Still, a nice hot shower and a meal sounded awesome. Also, staying another night or two will maybe help me determine what my next move will be. So I agreed to Max’s proposal and went back to sleep on the couch for another few hours.

I was awoken by a hot stench coming from the mouth of that big hound dog. Doc is what the owners named him. Doc proceeded to lick my face, which was disgusting.

“Move, Sparky,” I said to the hound dog, “Stop licking my face, you grotesque-looking beast.”

“Aww, he likes you,” says Tori as she walks inside the barn. “He’s just saying “hi.”

“I’d like him, too, if he didn’t drool all over me. He even licked my mouth.”

Tori laughs adorably, “Ew! That’s gross.”

Tori is sixteen like me. From what she told me last night, her mom is Chinese-American, and her dad is Japanese. Tori likes to keep her hair short with new color highlights every week. She’s about 5’3 with a fantastic singing voice and an adorable face. She and Max are the ones I became the closest.

As Tori and I were talking and laughing, Coop and Stephanie, along with Max, walked inside the barn to properly introduce themselves. They said I could stay however long I need, but made it clear that I would have to earn my stay by helping around the farm. A day or two is all I need, but I oblige and thank them for being so lovely and trusting a stranger like me.

“We’ll never turn away a child in need,” says Stephanie.

“But we do want to know more about you and what your plans are,” says Coop.

“That’s fair,” I respond, “but can I take a shower first? I stink, and I’m covered in dog spit.” Tori laughs while the others form smiles and giggles.

“Yes, you can take a shower first,” says Stephanie within her giggles, “and it’s ‘May I?” continued the grammar police.

After a nice long shower, I returned to the barn, where I felt the most comfortable. Tori came back to the barn as well to bring me food and to chat. She knew it would be awkward sitting in the house with everyone after last night. She even mentioned how she did the exact thing her first day here. Not long after, everyone else, too, entered the barn where we all ate. It was like they all welcomed me into the family the way they comfortably talked and joke with one another and even included me in the conversations as if they knew me all their lives. The way everyone made me feel made me never want to leave. Unfortunately, I did not get the complete stories of what happened with the other kids, and I never told my entire story. That was to come later on. This much is only the beginning of how these people became my new family.

Had it already been two weeks? What was meant to be a one-day stay began to become a more permanent stay. I can’t believe Steph and Coop would let another stranger into their home when they’re already struggling to maintain things as it is. Ugh! It irritates me so much knowing there’s nothing more I can do but stress-bake. Nathan doesn’t seem like a bad guy, but it’s already too much. He shouldn’t be here. I shouldn’t be here.

I was the last to join the family, and even then, times were rough for everyone. I’ve had this feeling of guilt ever since. Because of it, all I can do is cook and bake and waste the small number of resources that we have, which only causes the guilt to grow even more. So why are Steph and Coop so kind to everyone when they’re drowning? A question I can’t answer.

The first dinner with Nathan went alright. After that, of course, I didn’t like the idea of Nathan staying, but I made the best of it and enjoyed the time. He said he was only going to be there for a night or two. He lied, but I can’t fault him for it. We’re the same.

I leaned atop the island in the center of the kitchen. Stacey walked in just a moment after cutting myself a slice of the chocolate cake I had only just baked. It was a sense of therapy in its own right.

“Whatcha up to, Michelle?” asked Stacey.

“What does it look like?” I responded.

“Attitude much?”

“Sorry. I’m just a little stressed out.”

“Apology accepted. Mind if I have a slice?”

I slid over the cake to Stacey, and she joined me with an irritating conversation. So, of course, the first thing she asks me is what I think about that stranger. All I could tell her is what I’ve been saying over and over. He doesn’t belong here. None of us do. That’s when the realization hit me. I’ve been so busy stressing over another person that I forgot I once had a destination beyond this place and why I stayed in the first place.

Stacey went on about Nathan as if she had a crush on him or something. I pretended to listen up until the point she mentioned his reasoning for being here. “I overheard Nathan’s convo with Steph and Coop,” Stacey whispered, “...and you’ll never believe the reason he ran away from home.” So naturally, I was intrigued and wanted to know more. Sure, it wasn’t any of my business, but if this kid is going to lay his head where we lay ours, it’s vital to know the details.

“So, are you going to tell me or not?” I asked Stacey as she went for a second slice of cake.

“So here’s the deal….”

Before Stacey could even begin the story, Tori walks in.

“You shouldn’t be eavesdropping and telling business that isn’t yours to tell,” says Tori as she grabs a plate to place a slice of the chocolate cake.

“Well, isn’t that the pot calling the kettle black, huh, Tori?” Stacey responds. “Plus, I think it’s important we know who this guy is before we welcome him into the family.”

“I totally agree,” I said.

Nathan only gave us a small piece of why he ran away, but it was clear as day that he was hiding so much more. Though Tori disagreed, Stacey and I both knew she was right.

“It’s a trust thing,” Tori says, “We’ve all been there and withheld things from our past. We didn’t open up until we knew we could trust one another.”

“Well, he seems to trust you an awful lot, and pretty quickly, too,” Stacey says to Tori, “You know something, don’t you?”

“Tori responds, “ I know enough, and I know there’s more to his story than what he’s told to Coop and Stephanie.”

It is that type of thing that worries me the most—secrets upon secrets. I only say that because I’m the same way. I, too, am holding back information regarding my past that I don’t want anyone to know. It’s not that I don’t trust anyone will understand. It’s just that I can’t bring myself to say anything about it.

I did find it odd the closeness of Nathan and Tori. The boys I can understand, but I notice Tori blushes whenever Nathan is mentioned anywhere outside of a serious conversation. I wonder.

“You really like this guy, don’t you, Tori?” I teased.

“What? I-I mean, he’s okay...I guess.”

“Just okay?” teased Stacey. “Okay, or smoking hot?”

“Oh my gosh, shut up! It’s not like that, okay?!”

Tori’s cheeks burned a bright red as she tries to hide her smile. Stacey and I laughed at the moment. Quickly, Tori grabs the entire cake and cuts another slice just to avoid the awkwardness. Then, she began talking about how moist the cake is. Stacey’s response, “I bet that cake isn’t the only thing that’s ‘moist’!” Both mine and Tori’s jaws dropped to the floor. I died in laughter. Tori stuffed her mouth but couldn’t hold back the laughter. She’s so bashful that it’s adorable. As we each joked and laughed, Steph entered the kitchen to see what was going on.

“What are you girls talking about?” asked Steph, who, too, went for a slice of cake.

“Nothing!” we all said in sync with giggles and full mouths.

I couldn’t help but let out Tori’s little secret about her crush on Nathan. Naturally, Tori denied the accusation, all while lightly placing her head on the island. She’s feeling embarrassed. Then went Stacey. “So, Steph? Would you say this cake is ‘moist’ or what?” Immediately, I dropped to the floor and cracked the hell up as Stacey couldn’t help but laugh until she fell alongside me. Tori herself slid down onto the floor, redder than a ripe tomato.

What’s happening now is what I love the most about this place. When I got here, it was just a farm and a place to lay my head for a short while. Now, it’s a home with the most amazing people in the world. Who knew a bunch of strangers could form such strong bonds and become a family? This realization alone is what knocked some sense into me. None of us belong here, but we are here, and there’s nowhere else I’d rather be. So in that aspect, I want to apologize to Nathan for the cold shoulder and welcome him to what we call “a family of strays.” The story continues.

There was a loud and repetitive knocking sound in the middle of the night. I wake up and walk to the barn door to peek through the crack. A strange man is pacing back and forth. I can’t see him clearly from a distance, but a quick look in my direction made me nervous as it seemed like he saw me. In his hand, a peculiar package wrapped in brown paper. The strange man then took a few steps toward the barn, but the lights came on in the house. The door opens, and Coop steps outside with a rifle to confront him. The stranger is obviously someone Coop knows, but is he friend or foe?

The two argued in whispers. I couldn’t hear a thing. Finally, coop and the stranger stopped their bickering and went inside the house. Something fell out of the package the stranger held just as he entered the house. It looks like...a marigold flower. Never have I ever been more curious and confused. Instead of trying to investigate, I’ll just leave it alone, mind my business, and go back to sleep.

The following day, I woke up to yelling and crashing noises. Quickly, I rushed outside to see what the commotion was all about. There’s a freakin’ bull going wild around the farm! It’s destroying everything in sight! Coop yells for me to get back inside of the barn. He and the stranger were both trying to immobilize the bull. The bull then had its eyes fixated on Coop. I don’t know what happened, but my body decided to move on its own to reach Coop before the bull did as Coop stood frozen. The next thing I know, I’m waking up on the couch inside of the house with a massive headache and a sore body.

Upon my awakening, everyone was yelling about whatever. Tori stayed by my side, but her attention was set on everyone else. Julius stood by and stared out of the window. Once Tori felt my movement, she immediately turned her attention to me. After her, everyone else came to me to make sure I was okay. It was too much. Being surrounded by everyone began to cause my anxiety to go wild so much that I freaked out and then passed out. This time I awoke in an actual hospital. Between an anxiety attack and a hit from a raging bull, I don’t know how I’m still alive at this point.

This time, Michelle was the one by my side. It’s odd, seeing as she’s been the only one who was unwelcoming since the day I arrived. I watched her sleeping in the chair next to me. Her atrocious snores shook the room. A small laugh from me woke her right up.

“Hey there,” she says as she stands and stretches out.

“You snore really loud, you know that?”

“What?! I don’t snore!”

“Woke up thinking there was an earthquake.”

“Wow. What a lovely way to greet the girl whose been by your side.”

“Thanks for being here. What happened, though?”

“What happened is, you’re a hero. Like an idiot, you jumped straight in front of a raging bull and nearly died. Though, if it wasn’t for you, Coop would have. Doctor said you have a concussion but, miraculously, that’s all you have. Except for that little episode you had at the house.”

“Episode?”

“You don’t remember?”

“Oh. That episode. It’s not the first time. I just don’t like to talk about it.”

“Say no more.”

Coop and Steph walked into the room. Their faces expressed joy, worry, and sadness all in one. Coop asked Michelle to leave the room so they could speak to me. Right off the bat, Coop thanked me for pushing him out of the bull’s way and Steph hugged me gently. Right after, they felt it only fair to tell me who the stranger was and why he was around. The stranger’s name is Toby and he just so happens to be Coop’s younger brother. Toby also seems to be the reason there was a wild bull at the farm.

I wasn’t given all of the details. Best I didn’t for all of our sake. There was something else. After all of the praise and appreciation, I was told that I could no longer stay at the farm. Apology after apology, Steph says it’s for my own protection, and there’s. I’m a runaway after all and seeing as I was in a hospital, my emergency contact had been called. The people I’m trying to stay away from are on their way to come to get me. With that knowledge and a disappointed expression, I understood why I couldn’t stay with Coop and Steph. Still, there is no way in hell I’m ever going back to those people. Ever.