Spear Forest

Chapter nine

"The beds are bigger than I thought," Mitch flips through the dozen photos mudon had sent them through the mail.
" they haven't gone for a month and they are already writing letters. Let me see some of those."
Mitch hands Michael a few photos. "Check out the decor , it screams sam's touch."
Michael laughs to himself as he examine the photos one by one. " You're right all I see is dark neutrals. Didn't mudon request special circumstances for roommate decision."
Mitch places the photos down and go back to his side of the room to continue packing. " Yeah ,with Sam having social anxiety they didn't let her take her pet hamster so he stepped in a negotiated with them to have him be her roommate."
" ah I see."
" you spoke with Agatha? How she holding?"
Michael grabbed an empty duffel and walked over to his dresser. " Yeah she is holding, our university is an hour half drive from each other . Getting to her won't be to difficult."
"Hour and a half huh, I'm glad for you but I wish it was further for me."
Michael turned towards his brother puzzled. He was going ask but then he realized. Mitch was standing stiff holding a photo of him and his now ex girlfriend at her graduation ceremony.
He held two sides of the photo with both hands and with one motion he thrusted his left hand down and right hand up.
The execution wasn't smooth the film of the photo stretched and made popping noises,echoing through the room.
Mitch grunted as the film fought back . Slowly but surely a jagged line crawled its way through mitch's smiling face over her face then it made a detour through mitch's chest and down to left corner of the photo.
The one photo was now two halves. Mitch walked over to the window and held out the two halves with one hand and the other to his brother who was watching.
Michael didn't need him to say anything,he knew what he was reaching for . Michael dug in his drawer and pulled something out. He tossed it to Mitch who caught it with ease.With a quick flick of the thumb the photo halves was set ablaze. Before the flame reached Mitch's finger tips he set it free. The wind caught weight with ease and carried it freely towards the pavement and there it fell to ground in a pile of ash.
Michael walked over and rubbed his shoulder . Mitch gaze stayed glued onto the nothingness that was left. Finally he swiftly moved himself from that position and turned his back to it. He went back to packing .
Michael glanced at the pile of ash before joining him.
.....
" pass the steak plate, boys are you sure you packed everything?"
Michael grabs the plate and passes it their mother. "Yes mom we are sure."
A knife scraping against a plate takes the attention from the boys to a frustrated elder.
"Mom it's easier with gravy ,would you like some?" Dad tilts the gravy dispenser towards his mother.
Ms. Dean scrunches her nose. " Sure dear , I see she tighten her grip on cooking, for your sake I hope that's not the only thing she tightened."
Michael choked on his water and dad shot his mother a glare as he poured gravy on her steak.
Mom remained unfazed at her in-law's taunting as she sipped her wine. " oh, just like the corset you're wearing?"
It was Mitch's turn to struggle to hold back a laugh.
"I noticed it's a couple notches back, that can't be good."
Ms.Dean smiled weakly at her and continue to work at her steak. Dad avoided eye contact with either of them . He knew better than to get in between such hell storm but his in-law wasn't  that bright.
" Sorry about my daughter she is just as feisty as her mother. She meant no harm you look dashing in that corset."
" Dad careful,you might vomit up a perfectly cooked meal with all that ass kissing you're doing . Mom would be thrilled ."
The table went silent. Smacking of jaws and silverware clanging against plates took the place of a supposed attempt of small talk for the duration of dinner and dessert that night.

"Well thanks honey for such a good meal." Grandpa leaned in from the front doorway and placed a kiss on his daughter's cheek. Mrs. dean smiled.
"Ahem , I'd like to leave , honey it was nice to see you and the grandkids.
The deans stepped aside to let her through .
Dad hugged her as she made her way out the door "Goodnight mom."
All was left was grandpa,he had two more farewells to give. " Mitch,Michael come on over here and give your grandpa a hug?"
Michael swung around the stair banister and climbed up to his room without a word.
Mitch scratched his head and walked over . " Forgive my twin he too takes after grandma."
He hugged his grandfather and as he did they exchanged quick messages.
"Watch him for me will ya?" Grandpa mumbled.
"Get sleep while you can pa,Kay?"
Mitch stepped back and smiled,Before heading up the stairs he waved at his grandfather who was glaring and said goodnight to his clueless parents .
Mitch wasn't in complete agreement with Michael but he wasn't gonna let his brother do whatever he was going to do alone. He wasn't going to make the same generational mistake his grandfather did.

Mitch stepped into the room . The lights was off. "Dude it's kinda early to sleep, I want to know your plan-"  He flicked on the lights ," about confronting..that ..spi-rit."
Mitch was taken back at what he saw . There before him stood,her. The woman he saw in the woods that day. She had the height of 5'9 and dressed in animals fur and skin from head to toe. She had a tan tactical belt filled with different types of knives and hand made stone blades . Her features mimicked sams but she had a sharper jawline and longer hair that reached her hips. Her eyes just as dark as sams , almost black.
She had Michael pinned up against a dresser,his back against it and hands pressed on its sides. His face was pale and his pupil was pinpointed on the needle tip of a five foot spear just inches from his nose.
Mitch was in no better condition he didn't know what made his heart rate race so fast, was it the other spear that was inches away from his face or her beauty?