The Vacation That Turned

Prefix

My best friend and I have been tossing around a nice long vacation idea around for quite some time. We wanted to be in nature but with some accessibility to a town within a few miles if we needed things or just wanted to roam around.

Ya see Anna and I are going to lose our last children at home our sons. It is always hard on parents to lose the last child at home for then we as the parents are left to be alone.

Just a little background on us. My name is Beth and I am a divorced single white female, who works 2 jobs just to make things work financially. I have 3 lovely children but my older two are out of the house. One is engaged to be married and the other is a single mother to my beautiful granddaughter, and then my son. See it is my son's last year of high school, of course I want to have one more vacation with him before he fully leaves too.

My friend Anna on the other hand is recently divorced of 3 years do to a cheating husband. She has 2 lovely children one is married living o. The out skirts of town and her son Rye who graduated last year.

Anna is a CNA that travels from patient homes doing in home health care. Her son currently is working at the local grocery store and makes descent money but wants a full time job.

My self like I said holds down two jobs one at a company 30 minutes from home and the evening job 10 minutes from home. Well Henry works at the same part time job I do at night. It helps with the bills and to get some our debt paid off.

Heck enough about us onto the adventure that we bestowed and changed our lives and us as people personally....

"Hey Beth how about we plan that vacation we have been talking about. Maybe over a dinner with the boys so we can settle a location at least, but hopefully more."

"Anna that sounds like a good plan. How about my place tomorrow evening. We can grill out some simple food and just kick back."

"Sure I believe Rye has the vening off at the store."

"Let's say maybe 5pm?"

"Yep and I will bring a side dish. Can't let you have all of the meal."

"OH please you know it is back and forth between our homes. Especially seem as we are each others support people when we need it."

"OK Anna we will see you at 5pm tomorrow night and we will start the discussion on the vacation."

"Yep see ya tomorrow. "

After Anna leaves I go to the freezer and take out some burgers, so it could defrost along with some brats as well. Can't be any simpler then that for the grill.

I go and let Henry know we will be having th for supper. Plus I want to make sure he has no plans for tomorrow night. He seems to go all over the place and make tons of plans without asking or communicating. Makes life stressful.

As I am walking through the house looking for Henry, I feel like I am being watched from outside. I find an area by my big bay window where no one will notice to check out front. As I move the curtains slightly I see someone but it looks as if they are just passi g by for a walk. So I think nothing more of it.

I find that Henry is down in the shop working on some new targets to use. We do knife throwing, shoot guns, and some compound bow. So we make our own targets for challenges, this is to make us better at it and we like to do it for fun.

"Hey, just trying to find you."

" Well mom you found me what is up?"

" Just wanted to let you know that Anna and Rye are coming for dinner tomorrow night, and we are going to discuss the vacation plans. "

"OH, ok I can be there. How long do you think it will take?"

"What is that to mean?"

"Well I have plans with friends."

" Those plans can be canceled for one dam night don't you think?"

" But mom..."

"No you can stay home for once and no friends for a night, wow you would think I was asking for the dam moon. Plus Rye is coming too."

" Alright mom."

"Thank you, I am headed up and to bed, I am tired. What time do you need up by?"

"Um yeah about that I have to be at practice by 7am."

"OK normal time no sleeping in on your side."

"Night"....

"Good night mom"

NEXT DAY......

Today is the day to plan the last vacation with our sons.

My day started off with getting up for work at 5am. Had to take the dogs out for their morning business. It is like clock work everyday never break the schedule for it can cause some issues down the line. I bring them back for the morning feeding and treat.

Once they are good I start to other take a morning shower, which of course I did for I have not turn the AC on so it was a little humid and sticky. Does not help I had one he'll of a dream. Never had one that I can remember like this one. A story for later I believe I shall share with my best friend.

Well like I was saying off to the shower to help wake me up and to get the sticky feeling off of me. As I am washing I have this odd feeling like this was similar to my dream in a way. Scary crap if you ask me. Well finished dry myself off and get dressed.

Off to get my son Henry out of bed. Typical teenager not wanting to get up. As I head up stairs the dogs decide to push me aside to beat me to the top. Lol everyday...

"Henry are you up?"

"Yes I am up. Why do you do this everyday?"

"Well I wonder, someone seems to go back to sleep and I don't know miss school."

" Really you still on that kick."

"Well yes son because I am tired of hearing your dam dad complain. Kind of annoying ya know."

"So get up and get your but moving."

" Yes mom. I am headed for the shower."

"Make sure you let the dogs out one more time before you leave please."

" I will call later to make sure you are up and moving and on time for school"

"Ok"

At Work....

As I enter work I hit another odd feeling, can't really explain the feeling. It gives me an odd sense like a warning to keep my eyes open. Keep a keen eye on my surroundings and who I talk to.

As I am working away, I almost for got to call Henry to make sure he made it on time to school. I called right away and to my relief he was already at school. He will be done with school shortly, so that is part of the reason to get the plans set.

As I am setting at work doing email responses I get an email I do not recognize so I delete it out. Don't want any viruses on my desk. Then I get another one and I delete that one too. I do not open these to see what they are about but they are not normal emails I would receive at any given time. So I let our IT department know so they can look into it.

Boy I cannot wait for the day to be over with. The sun is shining good day or evening for grilling out enjoying friends, the weather, and a drink to kick back with. Could not ask for a better day.

As I get around d to finishing up my day the IT department calls me.

"Hello, Cindy what can I do for you?"

" Well Beth we located where those emails were coming from. Do you know anyone in the Tennessee area that we might do some business with?"

" No I do not and on another we do not have any companies from that area."

"Do you know what the emails said or did you not read them either?"

"I read one but it did not make much sense."

"What do you mean?"

"Well it said this: watch what you decide when it comes to your vacation. It might not turn out how you want it too."

"Um ok, don't know what to say. "

"Cindy what do you suggest on this? Do we just get rid of them and block them or tell authorities? For I know of no one wanting to hurt me or anyone else I know."

"Well I have to report this to the authorities and let them handle it from there which I will do. But I am going to block them from contacting you here at work. Talk with your providers at home and have them do the same if you find on your personal emails."

"Will do and thank you. Have a good evening."

I clocked out and headed home to start the grill to be ready to cook. I still felt uneasy, kept a close eye to see if I was being followed from work and nothing. I just felt leary and out of sorts.

Dinner and planning......

I was in the middle of prepping the burgers when Henry made it home from baseball practice.

"Hello how was practice today?"

"Mom you know same old stuff. When is everyone coming over?"

"Very shortly. Hey quick question. Have you received any odd emails at school today?"

"Let me check my computer. Why?"

"Well I got two odd ones with slight threats on where we should take vacation at."

Henry booted up his school computer and low behold right in the junk mail there were emails from the same thing.

"When you go to school tomorrow have these blocked please? Do not answer or open them? Secondly have you been keeping an eye on your surroundings like I showed you?"

"Yes but I have not seen anything out of place, does not mean that there is not something going on."

"OK, just keep your eyes open for odd things."

Just then Anna was knocking and walking in with her son in tow. She usually just knocks and walks right in without waiting for an answer.

"Hello my friend I brought some salad and chips."

"That works great it keeps things simple I also cut up a watermelon to go along."

While Henry is grilling Rye is over there with him conversing. While me and Anna set the outdoor table with the side dishes and plates.

Plus drinks for everyone.

While we wait for Henry to finish with grilling I asked Anna if she has any weird occurrences today.

Anna explains that she got some strange emails and reported them. Rye over hearing our little conversation speaks up saying he had a couple to. It seemed they all correspond with the same message.

"Now why in the heck would someone want us not to go to Tennessee area for vacation?"

"Secondly who the heck are these people to get that kind of access to all of our stuff?"

"Beth why don't we just plan and let it go for now."

"I agree but it is strange for I don't know of anyone any if us upset."

I drop the subject so we can move forward. But I gave my son a look of let's be ready. You see we have been practicing for war situations and survival techniques. I do not believe in not being prepared for just in case factors, you never know when it will come in handy.

Anna suggested that we rent a cabin in Southern Kentucky. She also knows eventually I am wanting to move there.

"Beth this will be a good time to look at properties why we are there."

"True, how long are we staying for?"

"Hey Rye and Henry you tell us the time frame."

"We would like 2 weeks, and you two?"

"Anna that sounds good, what do you think?"

"Ok"

"I will have your sister stay here with P and watch the dogs."

"Beth I will call a realtor to see about a cabin rental in the area."

"Anna I will look into a rental for the drive and yes I will get an suv for room boys."

"I suggest we make a list of stuff to bring and we can get groceries there before getting to the final destination."

"Beth that sounds like a plan. Should have a price for rental by end of the day tomorrow. Are you renting the vehicle tomorrow?"

"Crap we need exact dates. What dates are we to be gone?"

"Rye what do you think?"

"Well how about we do the last 2 weeks of June?"

"Sounds great. Anna? Henry?"

"Yes we agree."

We decide to call it a night. As iam laying bed I again had a feeling o was being watched. The hairs on my neck were standing up as some would say. So I do not turn on ant lights as I am going through my house looking out the windows from a distance so I am not seen. As I proceed through I look through the dining room window and see a pair of bright green glowing eyes staring back at me.

My eyes go large as I do not lose eye contact with what ever is staring back at me. I am scared stiff to a point but aware that I must stay alert. Fear should be made a motivator to keep you moving. Eventually the eyes disappear. I run to Henry's room and wake him up to tell him what I had seen. He looks at me like I made it up and my imagination got the better of me. Maybe but I do not think so. Back to bed I go.

I lay there wide awake wondering if I was tired and my mind was playing tricks or if the dream I had was a foretelling of what is to happen. Like a huge warning. Finally I exhaust my mind enough to fall fast asleep.

That dream comes again but a little different like the future has been altered by some current change. Again it starts with talking about the vacation.