Walsh Estate Winery

Temecula, California

December 24, 2012 9:17 AM

Christmas Eve

Where do I start? That’s the big question. You know Scott’s and my little sister’s story, so your asking mine right? Well, first off you have an idea of what I went through at home. The crystals, the locals, our long time farmhand Tony had turned into a zombie and nearly ripped my throat out. Thank goodness his brain exploded before he had a chance. Then of course my baby brother being traumatized, the little squirt.

But that’s all you’re getting, that’s my word. Other than that, get the rest of the story from my parents. Of course they can’t tell you, they’re still trying to believe this… government exists. Oh, so you want to know the time they came home, from my perspective. Fine, have it your way. This is just too weird for me.

“Robert, you drank another pot of coffee didn’t you?” Dad said to me.

I can tell you that I was so hopped up on caffeine that my body shook this way and that. My right foot couldn’t stop shaking and my wallet chain kept on jiggling. “Uh… maybe.” It was so excruciating, my heart was pounding out of my chest. I could have had get a heart attack at anytime.

“Robert, just calm down. Katie called that she’s coming home. It’s not like you have to express it so bad,” Mom commented.

I shot up a shaking finger, “Mom, she called, I get antsy, I drink like nobody’s business. I can’t wait to beat her up for what she done to us.”

Mom sighed, “You care for her more than all of us. She’ll come, she promised.”

“Like yesterday?” Mom and Dad shook their heads and went on with breakfast. Yes I know, Mom is calm. She was in shock during that whole containment thing.

Of course Jacob didn’t speak up; he was glued to his DS. Since seeing Katie and those totems over the computer, he had not said made one remark. Frankly I believe he was afraid of ticking any of us off. We went through a lot of stress, one minute after the next, I still believed Katie wouldn’t come home.

Then my iPhone rang, OneRepublic’s Secrets is her ringtone. Even as I looked at her contact picture, it wasn’t her with the new ears. I still have it. I answered.

“We’re walking up the driveway,” Katie said cheerily.

Those words were powerful enough to make me drop my egg-covered fork. She hung up, my shocked face was easily noticed by my family. It was a full minute after I told them, that we just sat there. I think we we’re having a moment letting it sink in. All of a sudden we pushed away from the table, toppled the chairs, and ran out of the house. I was the first through the front door.

The family winery is on a small hill with acres of grape vines. The main house is directly located next to the grape processing warehouse, the silos, the wine cellar both above and under our feet, and the wine store with the small weekend eatery. There, on the main driveway, was my little sister, Scott, and two animals with glowing blue eyes. I spotted the tails wagging behind them. Oh yeah, it was a first.

She saw us and ran, leaving Scott behind. She suddenly looked so happy that tears were spewing out her eyes. The hawk flew and landed on the tree in the front lawn. “Mom! Dad!” She screamed. I stepped aside to let her plow into my parents.

“Katie!” We all said. God, I felt so relieved to see her. The love was so much all of us came together and hugged her tight. Mom and Katie were already crying.

“I’ll never scare you guys again. Never, ever, ever, ever,” Katie repeated.

“Just shut up and hug us,” I told her. Even with her tail touching ALL OF US (creepiest… thing… ever), I kept on squeezing her.

Two coughs came, I looked up, and Scott was all alone. Well, except for that husky. “Can’t hug you guys, suffered an injury while coming here.”

“Oh no, are you okay?” Mom asked.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine. Just still feeling pain.”

We broke apart to let Katie breathe and wipe the tears away.

“Let’s get inside, it’s not safe,” Dad said with a smile.

“Yes, lets, well tell you everything,” Katie sniffed, “and I mean everything.”

“Huh, you better, sis,” I demanded and she scowled at me.

It looked like the family was back together again. Then I remembered something. Why didn’t they bring a car, or a moving truck? I looked back down the driveway and spotted someone at the main gate.

Odd that what he rode on was a motorcycle I had never seen before. He leaned on the right lamp post with his arms crossed over his chest. Thick brown dreads covered his head down past his shoulders. Even with the dark skin, street clothes, and sandals, I could tell he looked mad.

“Who’s the one with dreadlocks?” I asked them.

All of a sudden Katie and Scott looked at each other.

“He’s… our rescuer,” Scott said slowly. “That’s what we need to tell you guys.”

“Tell us what exactly?” I asked, feeling intense worry from Scott’s voice. The husky growled, making more anxious what they were hiding.

“Inside we’ll tell you,” Katie smiled. “God it’s great to be home. Can’t wait to show you what we can do.”

I got a feeling that things were gonna get a whole lot more complicated.