Bubba and I walked out on the porch and took a seat on the edge letting our legs dangle over the side. The sun brutally beat down on us at full blast and I wished someone would turn it down. We just stepped outside and already my shirt had begun to cling to my back. Heat licked at my skin like I was in hell. Oh, wait! Silly me, I almost forgot. I am in hell. God, I hate summer.

Grandpa slumped in his wheelchair behind us, eyes closed and limbs as still as a cadaver. Drool seeped from his pale lips, trailing down his chin and soaking the collar of his button-down shirt beneath his suit jacket. I'm surprised he hasn't had a heat stroke out here wearing two sets of long sleeves...or maybe he has...Is he even alive? Flies swarmed his head and crawled across his face, but he didn't even so much as twitch. I stared at his chest for what felt like an eternity trying my best to make out some movement, my heart dropped to my stomach. A faint wheezy breath slipped through his lifeless lips breaking my intense concentration and letting me know that he is in fact still living.

We sat in silence listening to the birds' chirp and cornhusks rustle as they swayed in the hot breeze. We were completely secluded from the road. No traffic, no people, no nothing. Just endless empty fields concealing the house. I could make a run for it. What's the chance I'd actually make it to the road. Even then, I'd have to run all the way to town and pray they don't catch up with me before I can get there. There's no way I'll make it. He's faster than me. I learned that the night this nightmare began. You have to be smart about this, Tilly. You get one chance. Don't waste it. I'll wait until the timings right, break Matt out, and we'll escape together.

Bubba turned to me and raised his hands up as if he were about to sign something, but the screen door opened behind us and Nubbins came bounding out with a backpack in his arms. He wiggled his way in between us and plopped down with the worn-out backpack in his lap.

Bubba threw his hands up and grunted before shoving his brother's shoulder hard enough to make him fall into me. "Go away," he signed over and over waving his hands as if he were shooing him away.

" What's that supposed to mean? " Nubbins shot back, furrowing his brow and shoving Bubba in retaliation.

" He wants you to leave. " I said absentmindedly while swatting at the flies that had left grandpa and started swarming me.

He gasped sarcastically and threw his hand against his chest. "Oh, I know why you want me gone, baby brother. You want her all for your self." He made kissy noises at his brother making him duck his head and hide his face in his hands. "That's why I'm gonna sit right here and make sure y'all don't start neckin' again. "

I couldn't roll my eyes far enough." Oh, Bubs, I think we've been visited by a green-eyed monster named Jealousy. " I know we've NEVER kissed and will NEVER kiss, but I'm not gonna say that to Nubbins and embarrass Bubba even more. Sometimes you've gotta do what you've gotta do.

Bubba chuckled into his hands trying to suppress his laughter. His brother, on the other hand, kept mumbling something under his breath about how he's not jealous and throwing in some obscene curse words.

"Hey, wanna see somethin' cool?" Nubbins asked changing the subject. He pulled out an old switchblade from his back pocket and twisted the blade in the daylight as if he could slice through the sun's rays. I'm all too familiar with that knife. It's the one he threatened me with while I was locked up in the barn. "It's a good knife. My- my brother gave it to me. He got it when he was in the war."

His brother? I know it couldn't have been Bubba so that means he must have another sibling. Maybe that's who's in the attic. I wonder if he's just as crazy as they are. Probably. One bad apple spoils the whole bunch, right? Once a Sawyer always a Sawyer. I can't trust any of them.

Here, I'll let ya hold it." He thrust it out to me and motioned with his head for me to take it.

I brushed the wet hair sticking to my forehead off of my face before hesitantly reaching for the handle. He's being somewhat kind to me and it's really suspicious. What's he up to? With a flick of his wrist, the knife sprang open and sliced through my fingertip drawing out thick red blood. I caught my breath and jerked my hand away. My finger throbbed in my mouth as I licked away the blood. Holy crap, it stings! I should have seen that coming.

"Ouch! What the-" I paused to refrain myself from cursing then yelled, "What was that for!?"

He licked the blade clean and threw his head back in an enormous cackle, laughing so hard he might bust a gut. Bubba sprang to his feet and grabbed his brother by the collar pulling him off the porch.

"Don't be such a baby!" he said through his laughter and shoved Bubba away. "I didn't cut ya that deep. It don't even hurt. See..." he proceeded to cut open his entire palm and jump around excitedly as the gooey crimson liquid seeped from his wound, coating his hand and dripping down his fingertips.

I gasped and stared at him in horror, my eyes wide and mouth agape. Bubba stood there seemingly unphased by what just happened. I know he's probably used to his brother's crazy antics, but I'm sure not.

Loretta stormed out on the porch with her hands on her hips, wagging a finger in Nubbins direction. "Boy, I thought I told you not to be bothering your brother."

"It's okay Momma," he said, smearing his bloody hand across the front of his shirt. "I was just leavin'." He grabbed a shovel leaning against the side of the house and slung the backpack over his shoulder. "So long suckers," he shoutedwith a wave of his hand and turned to leave.

" Now, where you think yer goin', " Loretta called out.

" The graveyard." he huffed, "Don't worry, Momma. I'll be back before long. Right on time for supper. "

"If you're going to the graveyard then why are you taking a shov- " I started to ask, but decided against it. "You know what, nevermind. I don't want to know."

A string of sharp coughs rattled Grandpa's fragile form. Spastic coughs, loose and wet, followed by long drawn- out gasps for air. Each breath seemed to be a struggle. Loretta rushed to his side to attend to him, wiping the slobber off his chin with the apron around her waist and patting his back until he finished coughing up a lung.

"Oh, don't mind us, children," she said, wheeling the sickly old man back into the house. "I'll just bring grandpa inside so he don't bother yuns. I know you two would like some alone time." she flashed another creepy smile and winked at Bubba as she ventured back inside, closing the door behind her.

What. is. going. on?! She's being weirder than normal and it's starting to creep me out. I honestly feel like I'm in the Twilight Zone. Nubbins is more violent, Loretta's being suspicious, and Bubba's acting antsy. It's like they both have some huge secret and are making a game out of keeping it from me.

When we were finally alone again, Bubba grunted and gently tapped my shoulder to get my attention."Gift," he signed "For you."

"Ooh, A gift? For me? What is it?" I asked, scooting closer to his side, bridging the gap Nubbins made between us.

He dug around in his shirt pocket and retrieved something small enough to fit in the palm of his clenched fist. Softly taking my hand, he dropped something onto my palm, curling my fingers closed around it.

I unraveled my fingers to see a thin golden ring resting on my palm. I picked it up and turned it over in my hand letting the light glint off the surface as I looked for anything special like an engraving, but there was nothing to be found. It was just a simple plain ring bent out of shape and no longer a perfect circle.

I raised my eyes to Bubba who was chewing his fingers, his expression was caught somewhere between pride and fear of rejection. What do I say? Thanks for giving me a bent up piece of jewelry that you probably stole from the corpse of one of your many victims? Yeah, probably shouldn't say that.

When I didn't answer right away, he hung his head and dropped his shoulders defeatedly; a broken sigh escaped his lips. I touched his chin lightly and tilted his face towards me. His eyes, partially hidden by the shadows of his mask watched me curiously.

"Oh, Bubs, how sweet of you!" I exclaimed making his face light up like a Christmas tree.

I really don't want to put it on, but I'm afraid to refuse him after last night. The last thing I need is for him to go psycho on me again. Like the story of 'Goldie locks and the three bears', the ring was either too loose or too tight. I tried it on my ring finger and it remotely fit. It's a bit loose, but I've got to wear it somewhere.

" I think this is the most beautiful gift I've ever received," I said, sliding the ring into place and pretending to admire it just to please him.

He squealed and clapped his hands together, obviously excited that I liked his gift. Before I even knew what was happening, he threw his arms around my shoulders embracing me in a huge bear hug. His chest was damp beneath my face due to the sweat droplets beading off his skin. Even though the heat was nearly unbearable outside and this burly man clinging to me sure isn't helping to cool off, I wrapped my arms around his neck and hugged him back. The scent of stale blood, death, and musky sweat that doused his clothing invaded my nostrils. I can't say it's the most pleasant combination of smells, but I've started getting used to it. Is that a bad thing?

" Thank you, Bubs" I whispered softly and buried my face into his pudgy chest. "I'll never take it off..."