Chapter One

Meet 17 year old Tanner. He's the joker, the one who always finds a joke in whatever is being said. But as most people who do that, Tanner is only putting on a front to protect himself.

Peace is just a fancy word for imprisonment. Koda thought as he tried to remember his locker combination. It’s just another fairytale that is just another lie…
  “Bug, what’s my combo?” Tanner asked RaeLynn…or, more appropriately put, tried to ask. She was always writing in the little notebook, and what she wrote made no sense. He was starting to worry about her. “Bug…Hello? Anyone home?”
   “Sorry Koda…what did you want?” RaeLynn asked half heartedly.
   “I asked what my locker combo was. I forgot it again.”
   “Oh, its 11-28-91…try remembering it this time. Its your birth date, you dolt.” She was trying to make him laugh, but it wasn’t working since she was distracted.   
   “Kay, thanks Bug. See ya in class.”
   "Yeah, okay.” She was still writing in the book.

   Green eyes were shining with his frustration. He just couldn’t figure out what note to make that. And his guitar strings continuously busting wasn’t helping anything. “Damn it! That’s the fifth string today!”
   “Koda, sweetheart, please keep your voice down. I just put Taylor down for her nap.”
   “Sorry Momma…I’m just really stressed out.” Tanner said in a lower tone.
   Tanner’s mother instantly put the dishes she was washing back in the sink, and sat down on the old couch by her son. “What happened, Koda?” Her eyes were searching his, for any sign of a lie.
   “…Rae. All she does anymore is write in her notebook. She hardly talks anymore, Momma. Something’s wrong, and she won’t talk to me.” He knew his mom was thinking about RaeLynn’s father, and how he used to beat Rae’s mom. “Mom, I think something more than abuse is going on. She isn’t RaeLynn anymore. She looks like Rae…but everything else is different. She even sounds different.”
   “I’ll have to talk to Dolly, and ask what’s happening in that house. But in the meantime, why don’t you call her and invite her to diner? She used to love dumplings, and that’s what we’re having.”
   “Sure, will do mom.” Where the hell did I put my cell…I just had it. Pondered Koda as he rummaged around the disastrous living room. “Mom! You know where my cell is?”
   “Your back pocket Koda…just like it always is.”
   “Oh yeah…Thanks mom.” Koda mumbled as he started dialing RaeLynn’s number. “Hey, Rae…yeah…cool… Anyway, wanna come over for some food? Mom says she’s making dumplings…okay I’ll tell her…See ya.”
   You're not seriously going to leave it at "I'll ask her mom whats happening, and give her some food are ya?" I love your mother, but she needs to open her eyes to the big bad world. Tanner heard his Grandfather say. 
   "Grandpa...not now. I'll listen to you complain about mom later...right now I have to come up with a plan to help Bug." Koda muttered under his breath.
   "What dear?" Tanner's mother asked from across the living room.
   "Nothing mom...just muttering some new lyrics." He told his mother. Then whispered quietly to himself, "Grandpa, you know better than to talk to me while I'm by people."
   Sorry boy...sometimes I forget that I'm dead. Its alot like living...you just don't gotta pee or eat. Thank the Gods. Another day of your grandmother's cooking would've killed me off, before the cancer had its chance. His grandfather's voice cackled in his head.God, how I miss that woman. Oh well, she'll be with me soon enough.