“Lunette, you can’t be serious? You live on a reservation?”

“Yeah, why is that so strange? Lots of people live on reservations.”

“Yeah, lots of Native people. You know that right?”

“I’m not seeing what’s wrong with where my family and I live?”

“Just how long have you lived there?”

“My whole life, until I came here for college. Why?”

“Odd…but I guess anyone can live anywhere.”

She shakes her head at her friend’s ridiculousness, shoving him ahead of her to the minivan his parent’s are letting them borrow for their trip to her home. He chuckles and moves along swiftly. Behind them another female follow arms crossed, sun dancing in blond tresses, and a scowl for the ages sings on her face. Each step she takes is heavier than the last, practically injuring the bottom of her own feet through thin soled flats.

“Allyseide, can you please stop throwing a tantrum. It’s gonna be a long couple months okay.”

“I don’t see why he has to go. He can stay here. No one likes him anyway.”

“I like him. He’s my friend and his name is Gale. I honestly need you two to get along. A good part of why we’re going together is also for the graduation project. I have to do nature photos. Gale’s supposed to do some conservation thing for the environment. And…”

“Mine is on how different people interact with their environment or some stupid shit like that.”

“And now we know who pays attention in school.”

“Shut up queer.”

“Ally! That’s uncalled for. Gale’s sexual orientation isn’t any of our business. And you should be happy he likes guys. Considering how much you hate him.”

“Leave her, Lune, she does this all the time. Anyway,lets get this stuff packed away so we can get on the road. Your cat looks like she wants to leave this place more than anyone.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

The trio pack up their belongings carefully, climbing in the car at once. Allyseide shoving herself to the front passenger seat. Leaving Gale to climb into the back with two dogs and a restless cat. The biggest dog belongs to Lunette, a husky by the name of Skai whose stark grey fur attaches to any and everything. Starlette, is also Lunette’s cat. A very nosy and social cat. And then there’s Rex, Gale’s onyx pit bull. Rex was a rescue from some of the kids on campus who thought it funny to tase the poor dog. Leaving Allyseide the only one without a pet. Something she’d once told them about not needing a pet, because she wasn’t depressed, lonely, or trying to get anyone’s attention. Once everyone is secure Lunette, pulls out of the parking space and off the school lot. The drive is going to be long, but she’s never been more excited for anything since moving away.

“Do they know you’re coming?”

“No, I want to surprise them.”

“That’s stupid. What if they moved?”

“I can guarantee they haven’t.”

“Right, okay stupid.”

“Allyseide, please, can you have some politeness for once.”

“I’m sorry, did you stuff me in this dinky ass minivan with the schools largest gay kid? Yes. I’ll do what I want.”

The whole car goes silent. Anger radiating out of the driver. She’s rarely upset by anything. However, the constant banter between her two friends is enough to unsettle her. The one thing she hates more than anything is the way Allyseide treats Gale. Theres nothing more bothersome than knowing that the young woman can’t find it in herself to have some common decency for another human being. Making it worse is Gale’s ability to simply ignore her or not retaliate. There’s so much patience in him that it nearly drives the young woman insane when things like this happen. For now all she can do is pray that they can maintain civility for this trip. Especially since she’ll be driving the whole way herself. Not wanting anyone else to do it. Going back has her nerves climbing mountains and free diving off the highest cliffs. It’s enough to make one’s anxiety sing with joy.

Three days drive makes a normal person exhausted, unless said person has anxiety and is running on several hours worth of coffee and energy drinks and sugar. However, she’s happy that they’re only around the corner from her home. Open fields practically call her name as she drives out of the city. The trip was even more terrible thanks to the other two humans in the vehicle with her. If not for the animals things would have ended with her driving the car into oncoming traffic. Instead, she’s managed through and gotten them where they need to be. If not for the sign no one would know it’s a reservation. It almost looks like a normal town.

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“Holy,hell… this is…”

“I know. It’s so different from crowded cities. Fighting is really rare out here.”

“How many people live here?”

“Don’t know, I don’t go around counting. Plus most of the kids born here grow up and move out when and if they can.”

“How do they feel about gays?”

“The same way I feel about driving us into the woods and shooting you.”

“Lune…deep breaths. You have an even bigger concern.”

“Is it this ugly contraption?”

“No Ally, its your dead body.”

Gale shakes his head, bothering more to look out the window at the people going about their daily life. It’s a rare sight to see history and the present come together in such a simplistic way. Very few people take note of the van rolling along the road to it’s destination. That is until it pulls into the driveway of a home. Lunette doesn’t glance up as several move swiftly to cross the street and stare quietly. Her eyes are on the steering wheel. Allyseide on the other hand climbs out swiftly, eyes on everything around her. Kicking the gravel beneath her feet and frowning.

“If this wasn’t to help with the graduation project I’d have gone straight home.”

The other two don’t respond, instead choosing to climb out and get their bearings. Lunette lets the two dogs into the yard along with the cat who chooses to simply perch on the porch and watch the balls of fur bound around. It makes them smile a bit that is until Lune notices something strange about the property. There’s electric wiring along one side of the fence. It didn’t exist when she went away, and if she hadn’t been looking everything over she most likely wouldn’t have noticed that it was there. Hastily, she goes and grabs both pups by their collar to keep them from running into the dangerous setup. Once she’s positive they haven’t been hurt by it she opens the door to her old home. The couple on the couch is startled by her presence so much so that the remote control for the T.V gets thrown at her, hitting her harshly in the face.

“How the hell did you get in here.”

“Dad, it’s me Lunette. Your daughter.”

Her nose is bleeding from being struck by the blunt electronic device. A groan is all she can follow her sentence with as the two adults stare at her precariously. Neither moves to assist her or see if she’s okay. Something she’s used to by now. It would take some kind of miracle for things be different. Instead she moves to go and get her face cleaned up. Shocked by her father’s sudden jump to his feet.

“Get out. I told you when you left not to come back.”

She knew their cruelty knew no bounds, but this even astounded her. They’d raised her. What on earth would compel them to not allow her to come or for them to not want to see her.

“This is a joke right? I’m your daughter. You can’t just do this because I went to college.”

“I warned you what would happen if you left this place. I told you that if you decided to go you were no daughter of ours. You have no right to this place. Get out. Go on.”

Her eyes widen as she’s forcefully shoved out of the door. Nothing could’ve prepared her for the events taking place right now. Before she’s struck again she grabs the pets and darts back for the car. Both of her companions tuck back into the car along side her. Haste hardly covers the motion in which the car pulls from the driveway and back out to the center of town.