02 | Broken

Awoke early the next morning to the sound of howling. At first I thought it was the winter winds moving through the cracks of the old wood. I had rolled over and done the best I could to ignore it and squeeze out another twenty minutes of sleep before my alarm went off. When It continued on and only seemed to grow louder, I realized that it wasn't the wind but something more sentient. I sat up in my bed remembering having read quite a bit of information about Twin Peaks before deciding to move us here. I knew there was a nature preserve close to the town and that the wildlife there sometimes wandered off, but to have wandered so far down the mountain seemed like bad news for both the creature and the townspeople.

When the howl came again it sent a shiver up my spine. I got up out of my bed and tip-toed to the window, the floorboards creaking under my feet. I  peeked out the window to see if I could spot anything but it was still too dark, the first rays of the sun hidden behind trees and overcast skies. Another howl echoed, it was beautiful and haunting all at the same time. I backed away from the window feeling as if there were eyes watching me from the shadows of the trees. I felt like the prey to an unseen predator. I made a mental note as I snatched some clothes from my duffel and headed to the bathroom, that a gun might not be such a bad thing to own when living so close to the wilderness.

The bathroom wasn't anything grand but it was big enough for me, and it was far superior to the one I had back in my studio apartment in the city. I turned on the water, undressing while I waited for the water to heat up.

And waited.

And waited.

And waited some more.

Finally, with an annoyed huff I turned off the faucet for the tub when it seemed that hot water was an impossibility. It was like waiting for the sun to rise in the east and set in the west, not happening anytime soon. I pulled my clothes for the day on and headed down the stairs to the main floor. Obviously I should have known that a home that had been vacant for so many years was going to need some maintenance.

I headed to the basement, opening the creaky door. I stood at the top of the stairs staring down into the darkness, flipping the light switch on and off a couple of times and nothing happened. No light turned on. I let out a heavy sigh, "Great another thing to add to the list..." I grumbled as I pulled my phone out of my pocket, turning on the small LED flashlight. I used it to light each step before I took it. I was clumsy enough as it was, falling down the old stairs and breaking something was not how I wanted to start this new adventure in my life.

The musty smell became overpowered as I moved deeper into the dank darkness. I wasn't sure what I was looking for, most of the maintenance I ever needed done my landlord took care of. Now I had to figure all of these things out for myself like a fish trying to learn how to walk on dry land.

I stood on the last step, trailing the light around the space. It was filled with lots of boxes and some large pieces of furniture. I could see that there was a small couple of pathways that had been cut through the junk. Overall it was a death trap in my mind, but I didn't have any other option in my mind but braving it if I wanted a hot shower.

As I maneuvered myself around a large cedar chest of drawers at the bottom of the stair I tripped over a box at my feet and came tumbling down toward the ground with a loud panicked screech. I threw out my hands, which caused my phone to go skittering across the cement floor in front of me as I caught myself. I was breathing heavily, my face inches away from smacking into the hard ground, "Good one, Luce..." I commented as I pushed myself up onto my knees, dusting my hands off on my pants.

I reached out for my phone the flashlight illuminating the small area in front of me. My eyes fixated on marks that seemed to be carved into the cement floor as I grabbed my phone. My brows furrowed in confusion at what I was seeing, "What the hell?" I reached out with my free hand and pressed my fingertips to the marks, following the length of them.

The hairs on the back of my neck raising, I pulled my hand back as I moved the light along the floor around me. I found more marks, some deeper than others. I pushed myself back up to my feet as blood rushed through my veins. I backpedaled toward the stairs, almost tripping over the same box that had done me in moments before. I made a promise to myself as I rushed up the steps to the main floor to keep what I saw in the basement to myself. I didn't need anymore confirmation for Mary-Beth to believe that I had put us into a house with bad history.

I closed the door behind me, "You'll just have to talk to Casey about getting someone to check the plumbing. Not a big deal." I said to myself as I calmed my racing heart. I was probably just spooked from the howling in the woods. Most likely those groves had been put there from heavy furniture that the old owners had put down there and moved around. There was an explanation for everything, that's what my logical reasoning had taught me.

I could make a small amendment to my regular morning routine by foregoing the shower and skip ahead to heating up some water for my morning tea. The knew movers wouldn't be arriving with most of our belongings until saturday so I had made sure I brought my tea kettle with me. My morning routine was necessary, without it I was usually lost. Today hadn't started off well but it didn't mean it had to be a sign of how my whole day was going to turn out. Optimism was a crucial part of survival and I was a survivor.

Mary-Beth walked into the kitchen about fifteen minutes after the basement debacle dressed in dark clothes and make-up. She looked a little like wednesday from the Addams family but who was I to judge. It wasn't that long ago that I was a teenager, trying to stand out amongst the crowd of angst riddled youths. I greeted her with a smile as I poured hot water into my mug for my morning tea, "How did you sleep?"

She gave me a blank look that practically shouted she would rather be anywhere else and doing anything else than talking to me, "Like the dead. What's for breakfast?"

I stared at her over my steaming mug, realizing that I had forgotten one of the most fundamental parts of caring for another human being, feeding them. I looked around the room quickly trying to come up with something on the fly. At my old apartment my fridge had usually been stocked up with cartons of leftover take out because I rarely had the time to actually cook myself a meal. At this point I wasn't even entirely sure that I remembered how to.

My gaze fell on the plastic bag full of our leftover gas station snacks from the drive. I set my mug down and moved over to it, fishing around in it for something that wasn't sour patch kids or crumbled pieces of garbage. Near the bottom of the bag I found the last package of poptarts. I snatched it up triumphantly, knowing that I hadn't completely failed the test of being someone's guardian. I held them out to her, "It's even Blueberry flavored, cause I remember how you hate strawberries."

Her eyes trekked down from my face to the silver gloss wrapped pastries in my hand before snorting at them, "I think I'll just get something at school. Even if it unidentifiable at least they aren't going to feed me junk food."

I tried not to let the defeat show in my face as I dropped the poptarts back into the plastic bag, "Well, give me a minute and I drive you up to the bus stop. I have to go into to town anyway for my job interview."

"Don't bother. I'd rather walk if I'm going to be living off a junk food diet. Obesity is a huge problem in this country I would hate to become apart of that." She fixed the strap of her shoulder bag before walking out of the room. The sound of the front door slamming shut behind her, had me clutching my hand into a tight fist.

"I love you, too." I mumbled to myself in the empty house.

I finished up my tea and did my best to make myself presentable to other humans. When I checked the time on my phone I felt a little better. I still had a couple of hours before my job interview that I decided that I could get a couple of errands done in town before. I grabbed my purse on my way out, locking up the house behind me. Not that it was necessary, I doubted that I needed to worry about anyone breaking in this far up the mountain.

My truck took a couple tries before it started up but that was something I was used to. It was like we were an old married couple, I had to put in the extra effort to turn her on now but she was totally worth the trouble to me. I admired the scenery as I headed down the highway, even in the snow it was breathtaking.

My morning was completely turning around until the sound of a loud bang rang out, and smoke began to pour out of the cracks in my hood and in through my vents. The engine rattled as I pulled over to the side of the road and cut it.

"Shit!" I unbuckled quickly and jumped out into the cold, making my way to the front.

I popped open the hood of my truck, only to be surrounded by hot steam as it billowed out of the engine at me. I waved my hand back and forth, trying to keep it from clouding my eyes from seeing the possible problem. I was staring in at my engine, all the wires , hoses, and gears. Yet, I had no idea what was wrong but I knew it was broken like most thing in my life were at the moment and I had no idea how to fix it.

"You piece of...no good..." I finished the broken thoughts with growl of frustration, slamming the hood back down. I kicked the tire with my boot as I passed by to the drivers side. I was going to have to call for a tow truck, which meant I was going to be late to job interview I had lined up before I moved Mary-Beth and I to Twin Peaks. The door creaked loudly as I ripped it open in my own frustration, leaning across the center console for my purse. I fished around in it for a moment before I found it, pulling it out only to see that I didn't even have one bar of reception.

I clutched the stupid thing in my hand, visualizing myself turning around and chucking it into the woods. I squeezed my eyes shut and took a deep breath, "It's not that bad, Luce. So you don't have any hot water at your house. So your sister hates you. So your truck broke down in the middle of nowhere and your phone doesn't have any reception. It could be worse. It could." I recited to myself, sucking in a bigger breath before releasing it.

Someone had to come down this road eventually, I looked toward the direction I had come with doubt. Mrs. Jones had said that someone lived  maybe they would decide to take a trip into town today. I waited for a good thirty minutes the cold biting at my skin even from inside the safety of my truck. I would probably be able to get warmed up with some movement. It couldn't be that long of a walk into to town. Maybe a few miles at best, I had lived in the city before and walked basically everywhere I went. I could certainly handle a couple of miles in the cold.

I jumped down out of my truck, throwing my purse over my shoulder. I glanced down at my stiletto boots, frowning. The sound of a roaring engine echoed off the rocky mountainside beside me. I lifted my face in hope, looking over my shoulder as a black ford truck came around the bend of the road, cruising at a steady speed. As it came closer it didn't look like it had any intention of stopping for me.

It passed me, the wind rustling my hair. My heart sunk as I watched it go a couple more feet, before it began to slow down. I watched as it pulled into the shoulder and the driver flipped on the hazard lights. I lifted my hand to shield my eyes from the glare of the sun on the clouds overhead as the door opened. I wanted to get a good look at my rescuer and a good look is what I got.

My gaze trailed up from a pair of booted feet to long legs and powerful thighs wrapped in dark denim. A heavy plaid jacket covering what I knew would be a trim waist and broad chest. I forgot about the cold as my body heated up, a chemical reaction to the male moving toward me. I licked my lips as my eyes locked on my own good samaritan, a couple weeks worth of beard growth cover the lower half of his face, firm cheek bones and a slightly crooked nose. It was his eyes that put the final nail in my coffin of logical thought processes.

"Having trouble?" The deep voice wrapped around me like a warm blanket, my stomach fluttering nervously. I held the strangers gaze, it was hard to tell if his eyes were green or brown, but I did know I probably looked like a mad woman staring at him for so long without saying anything in response.

I forced myself to look away, cheeks burning with my own embarrassment, "I think my engine blew, and I didn't have any reception out here to call for a tow."

The stranger clicked his tongue off the roof of his mouth, "Mind if I take a look?"

I shook my head, not trusting myself with speaking anymore words lest I sound like a complete moron. He turned away from me moving around to the front of the truck. He walked as if he was completely put out by the fact that he had to stop and help me. He pulled the hood open and began to move things around. I found myself approaching him, curious to know what he was doing. I also felt uncertain about having a complete stranger touching something so personally valuable to me and potentially breaking it more than I knew it already was.

I leaned in next to him, trying to ignore how good he smelled. It was like fresh pine and cigars, "So what's your thoughts, Stranger?"

He seemed startled by my closeness, pulling back as if I had caught him with his hand in the cookie jar. I followed his movement as he wiped his hands on his pants, "It's blown." He said in a clipped voice.

I glanced back down to engine with a sigh of defeat, my optimism waning. He reached up and slammed the hood down, nearly missing my face. My body jolted in surprise and I lifted my gaze to meet his once again. He had an aura around him that screamed dangerous like I was staring into the face of hungry predator. I found myself nibbling on my bottom lip, a nervous habit I had when I was much younger.

His hazel eyes seemed to be drawn to the action, growing slightly heavier somehow,"I'll give you a lift. I know someone who could come up here and tow your truck into town. He could probably get it fixed up for you without putting too much of a dent in your pocket."

"You sure I wouldn't be putting you out? I mean I don't want to get in the way of anything else you had planned for your day..." My voice sounded weak even to myself.

"I don't think either of us have many options at this point. This isn't a popular road, not many people come through this way except for camper and hikers in the summer months. I'd feel uncomfortable leaving a woman out in the cold on her own with no means of protecting herself." His reasoning was matter of fact. He seemed like a kind of man that didn't waste time conversing unless he had something worth saying. I didn't know if I could trust him but as he had made perfectly clear I didn't have many options at this point.

"Guess I'll be keeping you company for a bit then Mr?"

He snorted my terrible attempt to be subtle, "No Mr. Jet will do just fine if you need to call me anything..." He commented before turning away from me, and walking back towards his truck. I quickly rushed to my truck and grabbed my purse, locking the door behind me.

I came around to the passenger side of his truck, popping open the door, "I'm Lucinda by the way." I blurted out as I attempted to climb up, my boot slipping on the small step. I started to fall but the momentum stopped as a calloused palm wrapped around my wrist. I sucked in a breath as I locked eyes with Jet who was staring at me with a tightened expression.

"Thank you..." I stated breathlessly. He released his hold on me without a response, turning his gaze back to the highway as I situated myself in the seat next to him.

I sat in the passenger seat hand resting on the handle as we made our way down the road into town. I glanced toward my rescuer once more, he had removed his beanie once the heat in the truck got too much. I could now see that his hair was a dirty blonde color that looked as soft as goose feathers. I hated that, my hair never looked that good even when I tried. He hadn't said anything since he had picked me up and the silence was only making me more anxious about being alone in a car with a total stranger. I was completely at his mercy at the moment.

I turned my gaze away from him when he turned his eyes in my direction, clearly having noticed my staring. I bit into my cheek, "So have you lived in Twin Peaks your whole life, Jet?"

He took his time to respond, "I left for a couple of years but I've been here most of my life."

I nodded my head, "I'm new." I almost face palmed myself as the words left my mouth. Of course he would know that I was new if he had lived here most of his life, "But you already knew that..." I added with a nervous laugh.

"You're the one who bought the house buy the lake?" His questioned, tone dry.

I turned my face toward him, "Yes I did. Do you know the place?" His eyes connected with mine for a brief moment, his brows were furrowed slightly in a thoughtful manner as if he were trying to solve a puzzle. When he turned his gaze back to the road I found myself letting out a breath I hadn't known I was holding.

"I've been there a couple of times." He says dismissively. I wanted to ask him more about it but we pulled onto the main road that went through the town. The streets were more alive at this hour of the day than when Mary-Beth and I had come through them the other day. I leaned forward in my seat to get a better look at the people on the streets and the shops, "This is is a beautiful town."

"Yeah, beautiful..." He echoed back. I twisted slightly to get a quick glimpse of him, noticing how his hands wrung at the leather of the steering wheel. His knuckles turning white.  I knew sarcasm when I heard it. I was curious as to what it was that caused that reaction in him. What did he know that I didn't? What did he see that I didn't?

He pulled into a parking lot, cutting the engine. I unbuckled my seatbelt, reaching for the door handle, "Wait. I'll help you out." He stated in a demanding tone as he dropped out of his side, slamming the door closed behind him not leaving me room to debate the issue. He opened my door and reached in, grabbing me by the waist. I let out a small sound of surprise in the back of my throat as he lifted me out as if I weighted absolutely nothing to him.

"You might want to invest in some hiking boots. You're bound to break your neck walking around on these things." He commented in what sounded like anger as he set me down on my feet again, my stomach in a whirl of butterflies. He held my gaze for a moment, fingers clutching at my waist a little tighter than before. I searched his whiskey jade eyes for the answer to why he was having such a strange effect on me. I wanted to know why my mouth was dry and my mind was screaming for me to run away like the devil himself was chasing but my body was begging for him to never stop touching me.

The sound of a horn honking broke whatever moment the two of us were having. He released his grip on me quickly, practically leaping away from me. I cleared my throat and looked around us as I came back to my senses. I narrowed my eyes as I noticed we were parked outside what looked like a bar at the very edge of town. I turned my face toward him, brows furrowed, "I thought you were going to take me to get a tow?"

"I am." He replied causally as he walked away from me, heading toward the front door.

I rushed after him, heels clicking on the half frozen cement, "But this is a bar."

"I'm aware." He said as he reached out for the door. I lunged forward, slamming my palm to the aged wooden door. I panted as I lifted my gaze to meet his. I could tell from the tightening around his eyes and the way they had seemed to darken that I was wearing on his patience.

"I have some place I need to be." I held his gaze even though a large part of my brain was telling me to look away.

He stepped in closer to me, "So do I and you're blocking my way, sunshine."

I frowned up at him, trying to ignore the fact that I liked the sound of that nickname coming from his lips even if he was saying it sarcastically, "You don't understand..."

"No what you don't understand is I'm hungrier than a wolf in winter and this place has the best burger in town." He interrupted as he reached out and grabbed my hand, prying it off the door, "It also just so happens that the cook is also the town mechanic. Lunch hour just started, so it looks like you're going to have to wait to get wherever you're going." He released my hand and I let it fall to my side.

He pulled the door open and made his way inside, clearly not caring if I followed him in or decided to go my own way. I debated what I should do for a moment before I growled to myself in frustration, pulling the door open and following after Jet.