AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Reaper Hill!” I answered. Doll nodded, and Delilah looked confused. I looked at her, grabbing the back of her neck, bringing her face closer. “She’ll explain,” I said, nodding my head towards Doll.
“Okay,” she said as she nodded. I leaned in, kissing her on the lips. Pulling away, we smiled at each other.
“Alright, I’ll be back!” I shouted. I kicked up the stand and started towards the gate, passing Nathan. The gate opened, and I looked around, making sure I was in the clear before flooring it onto the road, Nathan close behind.
***
I downshifted, slowing down as we approached the old wrought-iron gate. Parking in front of the gate, I kicked the stand on my bike down as I stood. Nathan pulled up behind my still-rumbling bike.
“What is this place!?” He yelled out his car window. Unlocking the chains holding the gate closed, I looked over my shoulder at him.
“My parent’s place!” I shouted. The lock disengaged, allowing me to untangle the chains. I give the large old gate a swift kick to get it to budge. Damn thing always gets stuck when I don’t visit for a while.
The gate screeched open slightly once I kicked it. I push it open and latch it so it doesn’t close. I jog back to my bike and get on. Kicking the stand back up and began driving up the long-overgrown dirt driveway towards my parents.
The old house emerged over the hill. Watching as the dark Victorian house came into view, I look back at Nathan. His eyes locked on the house. I revved the engine and sped up, passing the house, and towards the next gate that was always open.
Driving through that gate, headstones come into view. Slowing down, I parked my bike and switched it off, kicking the stand down. Nathan pulled up next to me, parking. I stood up and took off my helmet, hanging it from the handlebars of the bike.
“Where are we?” Nathan asked as he got out of his car and walked over to me. Looking out towards the dozen scattered headstones, I answer.
“Reaper Hill. It’s where we bury club members that don’t have any family,”
Nathan’s head hung low. “Oh”
“Come on,” I said, walking down the hill, Nathan following behind.
“Your parents?” Nathan asked, pointing out two headstones next to each other, with raven statues sitting atop.
“Mhm,” I hummed, nodding. Weaving through the overgrown grass and headstones, I finally get to my destination. I kneeled, grabbing hands full of overgrown grass and ripping them away from the old headstone, revealing the person laid to rest here.
William N. Swan
November 13, 1969 - July 16, 2010
Loving Father
Protector & Friend of the Raven
“Holy shit,” Nathan said, kneeling next to me. Slowly he reached out to the stone, hesitating to touch it as he feared it would crumble beneath his fingertips. He traced his father’s name with his fingertips, letting out a breath he’d been holding. Looking over at him, I watch a lone tear slide down his cheek. “At least he had somewhere to go,” he said with a sigh. Dropping his hand, he looked down and noticed a dead bundle of flowers.
“Doll used to come out here and place flowers on all the graves,” I answered before he asked.
“She doesn’t anymore?”
“You think she’s gonna walk around this tall ass grass in those heeled boots she wears? Not a chance. She keeps bugging me to come out and clean it up,” I sigh, standing up and looking at all the stones.
“Why haven’t you?” Nathan asked, also standing up.
“Honestly?” I said, taking a deep breath before spilling a secret. “I hate driving by that house.” Nathan turned and looked up at the house. “They left it to my sister, brother, and me, but they both signed off on it. Neither of them wanted it, so I got stuck with it. “
“And you don’t want anything to do with it?”
“No,” I said, shaking my head. I reached into the back pocket of my jeans, pulling out a joint. Nathan rolled his eyes but said nothing as I lit it.
“So why not sell it?” He asked. I took a hit, holding my breath for a second, then slowly blew it out.
“This,” I said, pointing around the graveyard.
