The Last Laugh

***

Early the next morning, Uncle Victor and I left his little house in the woods. He hadn't come with luggage since he'd only planned to spend the weekend. He had only a backpack.

Once he'd locked the house, he turned to me.

"Carry this on your back." he said, handing over the backpack. I took it in confusion. He wanted me to carry it when I was the one  with wounded feet and a bad knee? Without a word, I hung the bag on my back.

Then, he squatted to my surprise.

"Get on my back. We won't be able to leave these woods fast if you walk with that knee."

Oh. Maybe I shouldn't have judged him that fast.

I did get on his back. He carried me as we walked through the forest.

"How are we gonna reach Tennessee? I believe you didn't come with a car." I said in wonder.

"There's this farmer I pay to drive me up to Tennessee and back here whenever I come for or return from weekends."

"Oh. And where is he?"

"Waiting for us out of the woods."

"Okay."

I was silent until uncle Victor and I finally left the forest. And he wasn't wrong, there was a man of about 50 years old with a cowboy hat, leaning against his truck.

Uncle Victor let me down and went over to greet the man.

"Hello, Mr Thomas. How's it going?" They shook hands.

"I'm fine, mate. Leaving already?" he asked in that rural accent people from our area and hometown had.

"Yup. Business." Uncle Victor opened the back door of the truck and turned to me, "Cmon."

I came over, greeted the man before getting into the backseat.

Uncle Victor then closed the door.

"Your son?" the man asked.

"Yes. Long story." he replied and they both laughed before he got into the front seat. Mr Thomas got into his own seat and started the car.

I was leaving. I was going far far away! Away from aunt Christina.

***

After a three hour journey, we stopped at my hometown. I'd misses it so much. Uncle Victor and I went to our ranch, that now belonged to aunt Christina, and took my papers and passport. I never believed I'd be using that passport one day. My dad had done it recently before dying. Maybe he'd planned on us travelling. Now I would never know. I took my traveling bag full of clothes that I'd left before going to high Meadows. I also gathered some precious belongings along with pictures of my mom and dad. And with that, we resumed on our journey to Tennessee.

--

When we'd reached Tennessee, we got a room in a motel to spend the night. Uncle victor paid Mr Thomas.

"Thank you, Victor."

you too for having driven us here.

"Okay. Goodnight, little boy."

"Goodnight, sir."

It was only 8:00pm.

about

drive me to

"Um, okay."

He turned to me.

I bought and watch TV. I'll

"Okay."

that, he took

sat down on the bed to

**

hour later,

locked the

had you gone

Mr Thomas to drive me to the airport not far from here so I

"Plane tickets??"

allowed Mr Thomas to

"Back to Barnville?"

lives here in

"Oh, okay."

Tomorrow

me, I was

***

quickly then uncle Victor did same. At eight o'clock, Mr Thomas was already waiting for us in front of the motel.

truck and

a few minutes, we were out of Tennessee. We drove on

didn't you call me?" he

"What?"

gave Lawyer Jay my card with my number on it to give you. Why

looked at

card immediately after the

"What?? She did that?"

fed up. He'd heard enough. He faced his front all speechless and unable to

I was going away. Far away. From aunt Christina. From high meadows and its horrible memories. I had only three good memories, Uncle Ken, Dad and Heather. I looked at my arms and feet. Bruises. Dried up wounds and a still hurt knee. Tears welled up my eyes. I felt anger rise from within me. I felt something heavy in my throat. My mouth was bitter and my heart began to beat faster. Hatred. Yes. I felt sudden hatred and pain. And they all appeared at once in that truck. Yes, I'd just realised how much pain and hunger aunt Christina had made me go through for a year and a half. She'd taken advantage of my vulnerability as

silently in the backseat. And then a final decision crossed my mind. I would never be the same again. I was done being the vulnerable and naïve little boy that always smiled and played like an idiot. I would be someone else to go along with my new identity. I would be me, that is, Sheridan, only around uncle Victor. I was going to revenge. I was going to be called Ace.

would I call her aunt? She was a witch. She'd not only ridiculed me, she'd called me a bastard, an idiot, dumb, stupid and ugly. She'd called me ugly. She'd said no one would be dumb enough

my tears. She

uncle Victor turned to me. He was about to say something but stopped when he

"You're crying?"

"N– noo."

"But you're–"

stared at me and just nodded before facing front. He'd clearly not believed me. As long as he didn't say anything, it was fine

**

at the entrance of a different town. It was populated as a lot people seemed to be travelling or

turned to