Change

by J. A. Smith

  Change

  The Coming of Light

  J.A. Smith

  AuthorHouse™

  1663 Liberty Drive

  Bloomington, IN 47403

  www.authorhouse.com

  Phone: 1-800-839-8640

  © 2012 by J.A. Smith. All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

  Published by AuthorHouse 07/26/2012

  ISBN: 978-1-4772-5280-2 (sc)

  ISBN: 978-1-4772-5279-6 (e)

  Library of Congress Control Number: 2012913403

  Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

  Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

  Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

  Contents

  Acknowledgements.

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Acknowledgements.

  I would like to thank my family for their constant support and nagging to get my books published. A special thanks to my best friends that helped me along the way through my editing process (you rock). And thank you AuthorHouse for making it possible to get my books published and out into the general population.

  Chapter 1

  Most people say they want a normal life.

  I thought I was living the normal life. How wrong that turned out to be.

  My name is Lana, I am seventeen. I have dark brown straight hair that comes to my shoulders; my eyes have been compared to a color of aquamarine birthstone. The irises are a blend of teal and topaz green, like deep sinking tropical waters.

  This was the way my Grandma described them when I was little. I am an average height of five foot six, and finally a senior at Shelby High School.

  I am not allowed to date, and have been told that, “All the boys at school are only after one thing” my Dad, Mike would always say to me. I live in a small town in Eastern Montana with a population of about 4000 people give or take a hunting season.

  The day that forever changed what I knew as my normal life, started like any other day; Dad waking me up whistling at me, like I was a dog. The day actually started out completely normal, I got up and ready for school, Ate some toast and drank some juice right out of the carton. Dad hated it when I did that but he had his nose in his newspaper and didn’t seem to notice. It was Friday, and I couldn’t wait for the weekend, so I could hang out with my best friend Amber; but dad had other plans unbeknownst to me.

  “Lana we are going to your Uncle Allen’s for the weekend” my dad said as I sat down at the table.

  “But I’m supposed to go to Amber’s tomorrow, we’ve been planning this for weeks Dad, remember? Jet skiing before it gets to cold? “, I said almost in a whine.

  My Uncle Allen and his four kids all lived in the woods about two hours away and they were really weird, not to mention they’re all guys; making me the only female in my family.

  “Sorry about your luck, but we are having a family gathering, and since you are a part of this family, you’re going end of story” he told me folding his newspaper and sitting it back in his chair. My dad was a big guy so the poor chair protested a little. He owned a construction company named Mike’s; not very original. He never dated after my mother; saying no other woman would compare to her. Since my mother had died giving birth to me I guess I’d never know. As far as I was concerned my dad had done a good job raising me so far.

  “Dad why do I have to go, I hate it there, there’s nothing to do” I said now truly whining. My dad just glared at me, so I did not press the issue. I grabbed my backpack and started the walk to school. Since my high school was only down the street it was a short walk. Amber was waiting for me at the library when I arrived.

  “Hey girl, so when are you coming over tomorrow?” Amber asked as we made our way to class. Amber was in four out of my seven of my classes and a quiet girl. She had blonde hair and blue eyes and stood about two inches shorter than me.

  “Oh, I can’t my dad is making me go to my Uncle’s this weekend” I said feeling glum. Amber stopped just before opening the door to Mr. William’s class.

  “What? We’ve have been planning on this for weeks and now I have to go by myself? That sucks” she said huffing with the same whining tone I used on my dad earlier. I knew exactly how she felt.

  “I know, I’m sorry but you know my dad, once he says something he stays with it you know that”. I was so bummed about my fun weekend being ripped from me. We both sighed as Amber opened the door to our math class.

  The day seemed to drag by in an unbelievably slow pace, once the bell finally rang for lunch I was happy to have something else besides reading to do. I quickly made my selections from the buffets in the cafeteria Amber would be waiting outside on the grassy area behind the library for me. This was our “kick it spot”, we had claimed it since freshman year. Amber was nibbling on her pizza when I arrived.

  “So what are you going to do at your Uncle’s?” she asked me.

  “I don’t know. Be bored I guess. Their all really weird, like stay up till dawn, sleep all day, and they are all guys. So I really don’t have anything in common with any of them” I sighed drudgingly picking at my food.

  “Well make sure you bring your cell then, because I will be in the same boat as you since you’re not going with me” she said rolling her eyes and pursing her lips together

  “Yeah right, you’re going to be on the jet skis and forget all about me” I said giving her back that look.

  “I can’t believe he’s not letting you go. Can’t you bargain with him or something, I know your dad is strict and all but come on! Brad is going to be there!” she teased. Brad was the quarter back of our varsity football team he had a summer tan, frosted blonde tips of his short spiked hair. Biceps the size of softballs and looked like they were as hard as rocks. He was 100% hot. The only problem was he knew it. He was what Amber called D.D.G. or Drop dead gorgeous. I sighed longingly at the thought of him.

  “I know.” I said after a minute of day dreaming. “But you know how it is; I won’t be able to budge my dad since this is a “family matter” I said using my fingers as quotes around the words while looking at her for sympathy.

  “I guess we could try tying him up then leave” I suggested with a smile.

  We both laughed. My dad was six-foot four, with arms the size of a football, he also had emerald eyes though he was missing the blue that made mine so pretty. That must have been my Mom’s genes peeking out. He always had a deep tan, since he worked outside all the time. I envied him a little for that skin pigment.

  At the end of the day, I was thankful that at least I had weekend homework so I wouldn’t be completely bored. I had a three page essay due on Monday about wild life for science. Since I was going to have to be in the damn
forest at least I would have a hand’s on approach to the matter, I thought sarcastically.

  I took my time walking home since normally my dad would not be there yet. I dumped my book bag down in my room and turned up my music a little loud, since the Hip hop countdown was playing. I loved to dance so I dipped and swayed to the beat, I was so engrossed that I didn’t hear my dad come in.

  “Lana ! ! ! ” He screamed. Making me jump, then scrambling to turned off my radio.

  “Hey dad” I said a little weary, he didn’t like me listening to that kind of music and he sure didn’t like me dancing, it was to “suggestive”.

  “Sorry” I whispered, when he turned in the door way, he nodded his head towards my closet where my suitcase was held officially telling me to start packing. Since it might be chilly at night I packed two light sweaters. Two tee shirts, a bathing suit, and some underwear that Amber and I had bought from a risky adult store. My dad would surely kill me if he ever saw them. We joked and called them our Lana’s secret. Two pairs of jeans and a pair of shorts rounded out my suitcase, topped off with all my toiletries from the bathroom in a nice and neat zip up baggy.

  I brought my bag down stairs and placed by the front door. My dad was sitting in his recliner in front of the TV, watching reruns of the three stooges.

  “All packed up?” he asked as I turned around to go back to my room. He seemed in a better mood.

  “Yeah all packed; what time Sunday are we coming back from Uncle Allen’s?” I asked. His face went stone. “We are staying a week” he said with a firm lip.

  “WHAT?” I yelled “I have tests and a report due next week, Dad”, breaking into my outrage “Why didn’t you tell me about this? I can’t be out of school for that long!” I protested. My dad stood up and looked down at me sternly and since his height towered over me I truly felt like a mouse.

  “There will be family present you haven’t met yet.” he said and then gave me a look that shut the argument down. I wanted to stomp my feet, but I knew that was childish and would get me nothing, so instead I turned and went to my room, slammed my door instead, while wondering who had I not met? I picked up my cell to call Amber.

  “Hello?” she said after only two rings.

  “Hey” I was still fuming.

  “What’s wrong?” With that I broke into my story about why I was going to be gone for a week.

  “Wow, school is going to suck” she said when I was done with my tirade. I was her only best friend so I knew how she would feel and I really didn’t want to go to the reunion.

  “So what family is going to be there?” she asked. My mind shift gears to the matter at hand. I did not know if my dad had any family alive, my grandmother had died when I was two. Dad had two brothers and I had a total of eight cousins between the two Uncles. All my Uncles had their children with different mothers and neither married. I did not know my mom’s side of the family and then a light bulb went on and flickered in the back of my brain.

  “Maybe my mom’s side of the family will be there, that would be cool” I said out loud.

  “. . . But why didn’t your dad tell you? I am pretty sure that would be a big thing, right? That is something he would or should tell you.”

  “I don’t know, but I’ll call you tomorrow, the minute I find out anything” I promised. It was getting late and I knew my dad would want to leave at dawn so I told Amber good-bye, hung up the phone, and went to sleep.

  I had weird dreams that night.

  I dreamt of tigers circling me. I was so scared I woke up screaming. My dad, who was already awake for the trip, burst in my room looking for an intruder but instead there I was completely shaken from the nightmare.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked after a minute and when I stopped shaking.

  “I had a horrible nightmare dad.” I said gasping with tears brimming up.

  “It was so real” I whispered. My dad put both hands on my shoulders and looked at me with a surprised, but suspicious eye.

  “What did you dream about?”

  “There were tigers, dad and they were all around me” I said with tears now coming down my face. He gently wiped my tears away with his finger.

  “Well maybe you have been watching the nature channel a little too much” he suggested standing up. I never watched the nature channel before in my life.

  “I was just about to come and wake you up anyways. Come on, get dressed so we can get going.” he said smiling at me. At least he seemed excited about this trip. I got up and put on my faded jeans, and a light red sweater I had set aside while packing. I brushed my hair and my teeth then grabbed my bag to go put it in my dad’s big green new pickup truck.

  “Lana, give me your cell phone.” my dad demanded before he got in the truck.

  “What? Why?” I almost screamed. He was going to cut me off from civilization, I began panicking a little on the inside. My temper seemed to be getting the best of me lately when it came to my dad.

  “Because you won’t have service out there” he said holding out his hand.

  “Well if they didn’t live out in the middle of no-where this wouldn’t be a problem” He just gave me a hard look. I slapped my phone into the palm of his hand and slouched back into the seat of the truck.

  The trip was about two hours so I slept the whole way. My dad woke me up when we arrived. once I was able to focus my eyes, I saw a really large two-story cabin styled home. I let out a heavy sigh. I really didn’t want to be here despite its rugged beauty.

  The house seems to sit commandingly in a large clearing that was surrounded by trees covered in moss. The house included a long porch type of deck that extended the entire face of the building and appeared to wrap around all the way to the back of the house. The wood on the deck was stained perfectly to match the home and made it look like a perfect extension of the structure. Two large down stairs windows framed the front door that had an exquisite glass paneling that almost looked out of place and far too delicate compared to the rugged exterior. Large bay windows jutted out from the upstairs bedrooms and soft gauzy curtains fluttered in the open air through the windows. I could already see the gnats flying in circles and I criticized myself for not remembering to pack the bug spray.

  My Uncle Allen, whom I hadn’t seen since I was ten, looked almost the same as the last time I saw him. He stood on the porch with his dark brown hair that had a touch of grey at the temples, green eyes like my dad’s. Both my Uncles were built like my dad if I remembered correctly. I let out a huff and grabbed my bag from the back seat of the truck.

  “Lana? Wow! You’ve grown up.” My Uncle Allen said looking at me up and down in admiration. “Yeah people usually change over seven years huh?” I said sarcastically. Allen looked at my dad and smiled.

  “Well she seems to have taken after her mom in the attitude department” he remarked to Dad. Dad had told me stories about my mom’s charming attitude and I was happy that I had something of her in me or at least in common. I waited for my dad to grab his bag before I started towards the house.

  The inside of Uncle Allen’s cabin home reminded me of a ski resort. Ripped right out of the mountains and crashed landed here in a clearing in the woods with its huge living room that had a gray stone fire place that took over the entire wall. The couch was pushed back on the adjacent wall revealing the expensive living room rug with an embellished Tiger in the center. I thought of my nightmare and shivered at the remembrance.

  Then the youngest of my cousins, Derek, came down stairs, he was a definite improvement to the room. He was only two years my senior making him nineteen. We used to make mud pies together as kids. He had a head full of curly black hair and brown eyes. He was almost as tall the rest of the men in the family and just as muscular. Wow, he was cute. In the end I had officially grossed myself out because he was family.

  “Hey Lana, wow yo
u grew up” he said looking at me. What was with this family; I wondered.

  “Yeah, so did you.” I remarked holding my sarcastic comments but stretching out my hands for a hug. He embraced me so tight that I thought I heard my ribs crack under the pressure. I tapped him on the shoulder the way prize fighters do to tap out and submit. I mouthed “Can’t breathe”. I was immediately released crumpling to the floor and Derek looked embarrassed.

  “Oh sorry don’t know my own strength sometimes” he said looking down at me meekly offering me a hand up.

  “No problem” I said still gasping mouthfuls of air while he helped me to my feet. Derek was one of Uncle Allen’s four boys, along with Jason, Dean and Albert all are older than me, the baby in the family.

  “So where are your brothers?” I asked as Derek took my bags I assumed to show me to my room. Ok so chivalry was completely dead in a testosterone home.

  “Oh, they’re out fishing” he said walking up the giant stair case that appeared to be large enough for four people to walk up side by side. At the top of the stairs there was a long hall with at least ten different doors dotted down the wide expansive hallway. I did not remember the house being this big.

  Derek showed me to my room which was all the way at the end of the hall, last door on the right. He opened it and in the middle of the room was the largest most elaborate bed I had ever seen. It seemed bigger than a king sized bed, I racked my brain trying to figure out what was a larger size called, I came up empty. I bet that I could roll over on it twice and still never fall off. The color scheme was rich dark brown with a tarnished antique brass headboard.

  The bed spread had embroidered piercing gold eyes that made you feel as though a cat was watching you. In front of the bed and to my right was a stone rock fireplace a small version of the one downstairs in the living room. Hanging above the rock mantel was a large picture of a tiger running in the forest, giving the impression it was chasing its prey. The wall that paralleled the bed had a huge walk in closet. The bathroom was off the right of the bed. I had my own bathroom, I thought excitedly. It had a huge oval clawed foot bathtub. At least I could take a relaxing bath while I was being held prisoner. One of the large bay windows was at the far side of the room. Below the window, was a window seat that was plush and inviting, The seat cushion was same dark brown as in the bed spread and was accented with leopard print throw pillows.