A Stranger in The Bushes | Teen Ink

A Stranger in The Bushes

December 15, 2013
By DeLauraRachelle GOLD, Fishers, Indiana
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DeLauraRachelle GOLD, Fishers, Indiana
10 articles 0 photos 0 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Never frown becasue you never know who might be falling in love with your smile."


Nobody knew about the man in the bushes, watching the house. He smiled and chuckled to himself. This will be very fun, he thought. The scare was always the best part of it all. He was a professional at it and he knew what to do. This time, he would get away with it and she would be his.

The sun was tipped low in the sky and the crickets had started chirping. Jeremiah McCool stood at the edge of town, pondering whether to go straight through town, or to stop by his parent’s house. He considered going straight through, but he knew his parents would never forgive him for not stopping by. The only reason he didn’t want to stop by his parent’s house was so he didn’t have the chance of accidentally meeting Lindsay Corbet, his old flame. His home town of Little Creek, South Dakota looked like it hadn’t changed much. Except for maybe the population, which had grown a couple hundred. He sighed in reluctance and resignation as he pressed the gas peddle of his F350 Ford truck. Bittersweet memories flooded his mind as he passed familiar hang-outs from his teen years.

After five minutes of torture, Jeremiah pulled into his parent’s driveway. The lights were on and he heard the radio faintly. He smiled, they had always danced together before they went to bed; it was their little tradition that had started when he was born. He remembered sitting on the couch, laughing as they frolicked around like little bunny rabbits. Then they would chase after him and scoop him up and tickle him as they walked him to bed. Those were the good memories of his childhood. After he turned 10 there were no good memories it seemed. But there was no use in thinking about the past, it was over and done with and he couldn’t go back and change it.

Jeremiah grabbed his bag and headed for the door. He walked right in yelled out, “Mom, Dad, I’m here! Where are you guys?” he waited, but didn’t hear any voices, except the radio. This wasn’t normal. Where in the world were his parents? He set his bag on the ground and stood on full alert. The Marines had taught him to expect the unexpected, and to be aware of your surroundings. He took a couple steps and he heard the creak of a floorboard and he froze. He looked around for anything suspicious, grabbing his HK45 as he took a couple steps forward. The floorboard creaked again and he cocked his gun. Another step and another. A face shot out from behind the corner and he immediately recognized her. “Linds?” He asked right before she smashed the fireplace shovel into his head, and then everything went black.

Jeremiah struggled to open his eyes, the pain pulsing from his nose made it hard for him to do anything.

“Don’t freak out.” She said.

“Freak out about what?” He asked.

“Um, I think you should just see for yourself.” she held up a mirror in front of him. Jeremiah looked into the missor and gasped. His face was black and blue and his nose was taped.

“You broke my nose.” It was a fact.

“Yes, I may have. I didn’t mean to. I felt really bad when I realized it was you.” He looked into the mirror again. He looked like he got caught in the middle of a drug deal gone wrong. Just wonderful.

“My goodness Lindsay, I am afraid for anyone who really tries to jump you in a real situation. I cannot believe you broke my nose. How did you know how to fix it?”

“I had four brothers remember? Also my mom was a nurse.. I learned a lot. I was afraid someone was robbing your parents’ house, I took action.”
“Wonderful. By the way what are you doing here and where are my parents?”

“They are on a cruise for their anniversary. They’ll be really upset that they missed you though. How long are you going to be here for?”

“Great the one time I come and visit and I get my nose broken and my parents are out of town. I was just passing through. I was going to stop to say hello and then leave but I guess I should stay until my parents get back and I don’t look quite so horrendous. Thank you by the way.”

“Jeremiah, just shut your mouth, and stop complaining. I am sorry, if I had known it was you we wouldn’t be in this situation now would be?”

“Did you not hear me yell out ‘Mom and Dad’? My Lord, Linds, are you deaf?”

“I wasn’t in the house. All I heard was the door open and close and I freaked out. Your parents put me in charge of house sitting, so I am trying to do a good job.”

“Still feeling the need to prove yourself, huh?”

“I hate you so much Jeremiah McCool! You still haven’t gotten over your selfishness, and arrogance I see.”
Jeremiah sat and thought about what she had said. Being around her was making his head swim. Their relationship ended when he enlisted into the Marines, and he never looked back, okay maybe that was a lie, but why was she affecting him this way? “I don’t want to fight with you anymore, Lindsay. We fought enough when we were kids and now we are mature adults so let’s act like it ok?”
“I really am sorry, Jer for everything. When we were younger and now.”

“Yeah, well, it is in the past so doesn’t matter anymore.” He couldn’t let her know that it still hurt him the way that she had betrayed him. But then again he betrayed her too.
“Yeah, well I need to go to the store and get food are you going to be ok by yourself?”
“Yes I am fine. I have a broken nose, not a broken leg. I remember where everything is.”
“Calm yourself. I was just seeing if you were okay. I won’t be gone long.
“Okay, see you later.” Lindsay grabbed her purse and jacket and headed for the door but paused and turned to look at Jeremiah one more time. She sighed and shook her head sadly before going out the door and getting into her car.

Half an hour later Lindsay pulled back into the driveway and went inside with her groceries. Jeremiah was nowhere to be seen. “Where did that stubborn man run off to this time?” She muttered to herself. “Jer, where are you?” She called. No answer. Well this was not good. A few seconds later she heard someone stumbling down the stairs and then a very loud thud and a groan. She turned the corner and saw Jeremiah sprawled out on the floor at the bottom of the stairs. “Are you trying to kill yourself?” she asked.
“No, I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going and I missed a step.
“You crazy man, maybe you sleep. Will you please sit back on the couch so I don’t have to worry about you anymore?”
“If I can get up.” Jeremiah struggled to get to his feet and then slowly and cautiously went over to the couch and sat down in a huff.
“Thank you. Now what would you like for dinner?”
“Ribs.”
“How did I know you were going to say that? I got the makings for them at the store just now.”
“You know me so well.”
“Yes I do.” She said and walked into the kitchen to make him ribs. Some things don’t change, she thought. But then again, he had changed a little too much. It almost seemed as if there was a sadness that clung to him. Why did he seem so sad and depressed, was it because of the things he had seen overseas or was it something else entirely? She couldn’t even guess.
Jeremiah sat back on the couch and thought about his past. It probably wasn’t a good thing to be doing but being near Lindsay was causing him to reminisce. He wished he had the right to love her. To look into her beautiful green eyes that always sparkled when she smiled. To see her beautiful blond hair shine like gold in the sunlight and run his fingers through it. She was his dream that was lost forever. If she knew what he had done after he left here and what he was running from, she would never talk to him again. He shook his head to stop the flow of horrific images that flooded his mind. He took deep breaths and tried to forget about everything so he could try to get some rest.
Lindsay stood at the sink washing dishes. Jeremiah had fallen asleep which was good, he sure looked like he needed it. He looked like the world sat on his shoulders. She wondered if he moved on. If he had a girlfriend, or anyone remotely special. I hope not, was Lindsay’s immediate thought. She shook her head. She couldn’t think she even had close to a chance. The way they parted ways was not a good one. The phone rang and brought her out of her memories.
“Hello?” she asked.
“Well hello there beautiful,” A hoarse voice croaked into the phone.
The hair on the back of Lindsay’s neck stood up. “Who is this?” she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.
All she heard was the voice quietly laughing and say, “I am watching you darling and guess what? You are going to be mine soon and very soon. You can’t run from me this time.” The phone clicked dead. Lindsay sagged against the counter. Fear taking her breath away. Tears blurred her vision and she slid to the floor. He knew what she looked like? He was watching her? This creep she had no clue who they were.
“Lindsay? The phone woke me up, who was on the phone?”
She was frozen with fear and couldn’t say anything.
“Lindsay? Lindsay, you are scaring me. Linds, Honey? Lindsay!?”
His panic was evident in his rising voice and it brought her out of her haze. “Jer.” She whispered.
“Dear Lord Linds, you scared me half to death. Who was on the phone Linds?” He slowly walked into the kitchen and sat at the table. Lindsay got up and shakily sat down and put her head on her arms.
“Sorry I was lost in thought. It was just a wrong number.” Her heart still beating wildly.
“What were you thinking about? What did they say?”
“Nothing important.” was all she said. Jeremiah was pretty sure there was more, a lot more that she wasn’t telling him, but he didn’t press her for the information.
Lindsay knew Jeremiah saw right through everything she just said, he was always able to tell. They sat there at the table in silence for a while; just being near him made her feel safe. Through everything that happened in their lives, Lindsay was glad that she had Jeremiah there with her, even if they weren’t as close as they used to be back in high school. She wasn’t even sure if she wanted to tell him or not. He seemed to have enough on his mind without all of her problems. The bell on the oven dinged and Lindsay got up and started getting out plates and silverware. This was a good distraction to keep her horrifying thoughts at bay, she couldn’t be afraid anymore.
“Dinner is served,” she said, keeping her voice light and joyful.
“Lindsay,” Jeremiah said, taking her smooth hand in his rough one, “Please tell me what is going on. Who was on the phone? Don’t lie to me; I know you aren’t telling me something. You can trust me.”
“It was nothing. I promise. It was probably just some silly prank.” But even as Lindsay said it, she wasn’t so sure.
“Well I want you to tell me what they said anyway.”
“Jeremiah.”
“Don’t argue with me Lindsay. Tell me. Please.”
“Fine. All they said was that they were watching me, and that I would be his soon and I wouldn’t get away this time.”
“Lindsay, that doesn’t sound like nothing to me. I think you need to tell the police.”
“It was just some harmless prank. Don’t worry about it, Jeremiah. You aren’t part of my life anymore so you have no say in what I do. So just leave it alone, okay?”
“Lindsay, please.”
“I said no. Now eat your food and stop talking about it, I am not changing my mind.”
“I will stop talking about it. For now. But if it happens again, you better tell me.” He caught her gaze and gave her a hard stare to make her agree with him. She thought that just because they weren’t as close as they used to be meant that he didn’t care about her anymore. It was the complete opposite; he still cared about her, a lot. But he didn’t deserve her. Never did and never will. Even growing up she was surprised she went out with him. The bad boy, the one who didn’t have anything going for him. Especially after he turned 10 and his sister died, nothing was ever the same.
Lindsay slept in the guest bedroom of the house like she always did when Jeremiah’s parents traveled, but it was hard to go to sleep when she knew the man she had loved, and thought she would spend the rest of her life with was just upstairs. If she let herself think about it she would find that she actually still loved him. But she wouldn’t let herself go that far. She gave up on love when he walked out on her when she needed him most. She’d been there for him through everything, when his sister died, when he started hating the world, started getting in a heap of trouble. she didn’t think he knew that she knew everything he got in trouble for, but she did, she made sure of it.



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