Page 3 of Moose

That night, I packed the kids and myself up and we headed north. We were all excited about starting a new life. We rented a small apartment in a tiny town with the money I had left in my account.

It was a one bedroom place, so I put both kids in the bedroom and slept in the living room on a pullout couch. The first week at work went great. I worked hard and caught the attention of the big boss. He offered me more hours and more money. I hired a young girl to babysit while I worked even more hours.

The only problem was that I was dead on my feet after a normal day. Some guys I worked with offered me some pills to help keep me awake longer. I accepted with the hopes I could work hard enough to buy a house, then back off my hours a bit; promising myself that it was just for a bit. Just until I could buy a house and then I would stop them.

Weeks went by and my body craved the pills more and more. I was back at work almost all day; from when the sun rose until the sun went down. I worked Monday through Sunday just to make that extra cash to pay for my pills.

I found a sweet older woman who watched my kids for free. She had raised three kids herself and was dying for grandbabies. She adored Nova and I could tell she missed her little girl, who was off at college. She insisted we called her Mama Crawford.

A few months had gone by when Mama Crawford introduced me to her husband. He was a large man who worked on their ranch with her twin sons, Silas and Sawyer. They all seemed to be a perfect family. He loved my kids and had them call him Papa. The Crawford’s welcomed me into their family without a second thought.

I had picked the kids up one night and got home to see a yellow paper tacked to our door. Ripping it up, I stormed inside to see Mama Crawford sitting on my couch with the kids. She looked up when she saw me come in.

“What’s wrong, dear?”

I sighed and grabbed a bottle of beer from the fridge.

“Landlord is evicting us. Guess he’s selling the entire building.”

Mama Crawford stood up and grabbed the beer from my hand, pouring it down the sink.

“Well, first things first, put that bottle down. I’ve been watching you, Jacob. You’re a good man, but those boys are going to get you into trouble. There are plenty of other apartments around here, you just have to look. Now, I’m gonna head home and I’ll see you bright and early tomorrow.”

She walked out the door, and I turned to grab another beer from the fridge. I needed this beer to fucking relax and make a plan.

I walked into the bedroom and kissed both kids goodnight before heading to the couch. I would figure out everything tomorrow…

The next day at work, I had mentioned to one of the guys the eviction and money problems. He made me an offer to help him sell some pills to the mining community. I accepted without a second thought. I needed that money to keep a roof over my head, to put food on the table, and to keep those pills coming.

At first, everything was going great. I was making enough to cover my pill habit and had leftover money to move into a two-bedroom apartment. I was walking home one night after going to the bar when a man stepped out from the shadows.

“We need to talk, son.”

I laughed and moved around him.

“Don’t think we do, old man.”

Mama Crawford’s husband, Charlie, stepped out and glared at me.

“We know what you’re doing, Jacob, and it needs to stop now.”

I shook my head. “Don’t know what the fuck you two are talking about.”

I went to walk past them when the other guy stepped in front of me.

“You’re in my territory, boy. And I won’t stand for it.”

I pushed him out of my way, but he grabbed my arm and spun me against the wall.

“This is how it’s gonna fucking work. Step the fuck down or we’re gonna have some issues. I sell to the miners, not you.”

Charlie shook his head. “I thought better of you, Jacob. Do you know what kind of trouble you’ll be in if the cops find out? Do you think those fuckers you work with would protect you?”

I growled as I tried to move, but Charlie and the other man stood in my way.

“I need to get the fuck home and see my kids.”

Charlie sighed. “We’ll walk with you. Gotta pick up my Old Lady, anyway.”

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