Chapter One

It was a long day, even before it went down hill. Of course, he couldn't have seen what was going to happen, but if he had? Jackson would have stayed in bed and forgotten all of his plans. Then again, if that had happened, he would not have been on such a grand adventure. . . he would be dead.

Jacksons difficult day began with an annoying alarm, he had already not slept well but now this piece of shit was going to drive him insane long before sleep deprivation. He rolled and dropped a fist on it--repeatedly--until it cracked and died. He turned his wrist over to see how long it had been going off only to find out it was 9:00 a.m. and he was supposed to be leaving for the bus station at 8:30.
"Oh come on!" He threw off his sheets and made his way through the mess he called an apartment to find clothes suitable enough to wear.

Not finding any around the house he reached into a laundry bag in the living room and clawed through it to find a dark blue button up, which he left open, exposing his white tank top, and a pair of jeans with no holes. "Shoes, shoes, where the f. . ." He stopped in the doorway of the living-room kitchen area and found his only pair of good shoes under the table being nibbled on by his dog Cujo. "Buddy what're you doing?" He grabbed the first one out of the puppy's jaw and the second one before he could try and grab it. Thankfully the shoes looked ok besides being slobbered on by a german shepherd. "Come'on Cuj' lets go for a ride." He waved his arm to the door and he was off like a bullet. He started sliding on the wooden paneling by the doorbut got his bearings, enough to bark twice and ring the bell that was kept for him. Jack grabbed the leash and put it on while opening the door, just in time for Cujo to running for the car.

"Easy boy, Easy!" He held on but it was all fun and games for the pup. Once the were both setled in they were off. He pulled into the bus station which was only a 5 minute drive from his house, he looked around for who he was picking up. When he didn't see her he climbed out of the running car and ran inside to look.

"God damnit girl." He muttered, he rubbed his hands together to try and rid himself of the bite of the october air, he walked to the front desk. "Excuse me." He asked the front desk lady. She was staring very intently at a romance novel, apparently it was a good part because she held up a finger with a long red (and possibly manicured) nail. When she finally looked up the smile left her face after she gave him a once over and started on chewing gum.

"Yes?"

"Can you tell me when the bus from. . .Shit uh. . . I don't know where it's coming from but it was coming in at like 8:35?"

"Sir no bus comes in at that time until. . ." She turned toward her computer, looked at what was probably the schedule and looked back, "tonight."

Jack blinked. "What?"

"8:35 bus from Bangor to Augusta is this evening, not this morning sir." She pulled the screen so he could see and she was right. He nodded, sighed and left. "Have a nice day sir." She said to his back.

He climbed back in the car fuming that he had gotten it wrong. It was then he wondered why his alarm was set to that time. He never woke u that early. A light clicked on in his head a he dialed the number for Grace. When it rang three times and went to voicemail he knew he was in trouble. He called again and this time she picked up. "I don't want to talk to you Jackson. This is the third time you've left me high and dry and I will not stand for this. . ."

He sighed. "Grace, Grace. Wait ill you just listen for one second. . . Ok that language is not nice. . . Grace!" She finally stopped for a second, shocked that he was yelling. "I'm sorry about yelling, and I'm sorry I wasn't there but I do have a good reason. I confused the times. I thought we had a dinner date and I thought I had to pick up someone this morning, but I guess it was the opposite times."

She gasped. "Who the hell are you picking?"

"Jocelyn, my little cousin. Why do you think through the 3 years. . .

"4 years. . ."

"ok 4 years we have been together I usually don't see you on this weekend? It's her birthday and I always see her. When I moved down here she missed me on her birthday so I drove down, then we made a deal that each year I would either drive and see her or she would come visit me."

Jack heard a sniffle on the other end of the phone. "That is so cute Jackie." He roled his eyes at his pet name. He pulled out of the parking lot and headed back home to try and get some work done. "Of course I understand. Can I meet her?"

"Yeah, I'll let you know tomorrow what's going on. She likes to bring up a notebook of ideas that we go through and try to do at least two so I'll ask her. This is her weekend after all."

"Wait. . ." Static filled the phone as Grace sat down, probably in her own car in a huff he figured. "Why is she so important to you?"

"After her Father died I would ride my bike to my Aunt's house after school and help out with anything I could. That was the big reason I first got a job was to help pay the bills for them. She thinks of me as a brother, maybe even a father in some ways." Jack started to recall the past, thinking of her as a daughter and more. "She even helped me when I got into some pretty bad things. She looked after me and I protected her." Another 'awe' filled the phone and Jack sk his head to clear his thoughts. "I'll talk to you tonight Grace, I got to get some work done."

They said their goodbyes as Jack pulled up to the apartment again where two men stood on his doorstep knocking and looking very angry.

"Can I help you boys?" Jack closed his door and opened the backseat to grab the dog who was whining and barking slightly and started walking to his apartment.

"Are you Jackson Carter? Resident of 4B of this complex? Author of Rising Storm and Power Surge?"

"Yeah." He answered hesitantly. "What's this about?"

"Have you seen or heard anything strange lately? A big dog wandering around. .." Cujo barked an nuzzled the other man who got down on one knee to pet him while Cujo licked his face. "Besides yours."

Jackson shook his head and called the dog back to his side. "Only noises or sights I've seen are Mr. Lewinsky in 2A ho gets drunk and yels at his wife before storming off to the bar a few blocks down." His hand that wasn't holding the collar naturally went to his pocket as he grabbed his phone. For some reason these men worried him enough that he wanted to make he had it in case anything happened.

"Well if that's the case just let us know if anything comes up." The first man shook his hand and headed over to the black car that Jack just now noticed, the other came up to Jack before reaching into his pocket for something, Jack tensed a little before he pulled a pad and paper out his jacket.

"Can I get an autograph sir? I'm a big fan." He gave a goofy grin as he held them out. Jack sighed and smiled back, taking the items and signing them. "Have a good day Mr. Carter."

Jack gave a small wave before unlocking his door and going in. He dropped his keys on the sideboard, and let Cujo off his leash who went straight to his bed by the window to make sure everything was in its place.

Although when Jack visited his study it was a different story. What was a room with books shoved on the shelves and papers all over an oak desk was a room that had the papers all over the floor and the books looked as if they were almost torn apart. "What the. . ." He felt for his phone which was going off and found a text from his aunt telling him his cousin had gotten on the bus and he needed to be there. He replied with a yes and went about fixing everything.

When he got to the window which was left open he saw the brush start to move. "Shit." He scrambled around the room trying to find a weapon and found a bat, and ran outside to find out just what was in his house.

Hello again

Good morning viewers of the world and readers....of few who actually see this. There's been much in my life and I wish to share. I have a new job, some may have heard of my firing and other such lovely (hateful) and joyous (pain in my @$$) response from the state of Maine. I now work at Kmart. No I will not say which one you stalkers xP. I have realize I have lost direction in my life and I am hoping that with my blog I can regain it. I shall hopefully write once a week and update on anything going on but now I have decided to also write a chapter a week story.... I have not decided on what...hopefully I will write later today and it will....*pauses*. One from the sky... I don't know but I will be doing so. It may show up anytime, one day after another or even a post on Sunday and then another one on the next Sunday. But we shall see. For those who do read this I will be making a group of people on Facebook, it will be private so ask if you would like anyone to join, but once the group is big enough we shall let it run free and maybe...maybe I can spread wide enough to actually get something done...lets wait and see ;)
Please feel free to leave comments on Facebook and let me know what needs to be fixed or changed, that means you sister...if you read this thing of course still. So...enjoy.