Malachi.
Ontario.
Thursday 22nd December, 14 years earlier…
We're at Tenshaw's Chalet in Ontario.
The entire land, a hunting ground, has been in the family for decades. Dad has taken care of it ever since. Someday, Dad says, I'd have to take care of everything like him.
It's open season and dad has brought us all here for Christmas. He does this, whenever it's the holidays. Brings us to our chalet and we celebrate Christmas, while he and his buddies go hunting.
But this time, something tells me it would be different. I see it in the way he's looked at me since we arrived.
Aunt Regina just arrived and is in the kitchen with mum. They're both cooking and chatting, while Nate and I are dragging the pad for our game console.
"Malachi! Nate! Stop fussing, or I'll come break that console!" We hear mum's voice.
Nate frees the pad and cuts me a look. I smirk, sticking my tongue out as I play the game. The phone rings on the wall and Nate and I ignore it.
