19 Years Ago, 1998

A young man named James had his hands still on the wheel as he drove on the highway, his gaze fully concentrated on the road and his mind on the town he's going. He had a fit figure with brown eyes and short hair with the same color on top of his head. The silence was the only thing keeping him company. He doesn't listen to the radio much, but it was fine with him. He enjoys the quiet when he's driving, and he thinks it's distracting to him when it was on.

James's eyes caught the name of the town he's heading to on another mileage sign up ahead. It told him he was getting close, about three miles away. He sighed when the vehicle went past it. He drove for hours trying to get there, and he felt tired sitting in the same spot. Then his eyes were drawn to the rearview mirror, to see the boxes through the back window of his truck. But it'd be worth the time and travel at the end, since he was moving and all.

Several minutes later, he finally made it to the town of Little Valley, New York, his truck driving on main street. James made a very concentrated look as he made a turn to a different one. Truth be told, he wasn't planning to live in that town. He was actually looking for a cabin that's supposed to be somewhere in the woods near it, but he didn't know where to go, what road to take. He's never been around here before. All he knows right now is Little Valley is the closest town to that cabin.

Now since he was here, he needs to ask somebody for directions. Surely someone knows where. He felt his stomach rumble, and another sigh came out of him as a result. Other than ask directions, he needed to eat something. Driving for miles with a growling stomach basically annoyed him. He pretty much regretted not buying a few Twinkies earlier and not having them beside him for the trip. James searched for a diner or restaurant as he drove around. Much to his relief, when a few minutes had passed, he found one. James drove off the road and found a spot to park his vehicle in the lot that belonged to a place called 'Down Right Diner'. His face made a frown when his eyes locked on to the sign. He never heard of a diner having a name like that before, let alone a silly one. Then he shrugged his shoulders to himself. But eating in a diner with a silly name is better than nothing.

James turned the truck off, clicked the seatbelt off himself, and then pushed the door open to get out. After stretching his legs a bit since he finally was off the same seat he'd sat on for hours, he made way to the diner and went in. Upon entry he saw about thirteen customers sitting in their spots, chatting and having their dinner. The young man strolled up to the long counter where seats were lined up very close to it and took a seat on one, about five seats away from two customers sitting in that line. Not too long as he only looked down at the counter with his hands laid on it and cupped together, a cute brunette girl about his age with a ponytail and wearing a blue waitress uniform noticed he was there. She smiled as she came to greet him, "Howdy."

James glanced up and smiled back, his voice came out as low, "Hey."

She placed a menu in front of him, "Don't think I've seen you around here before. You new in town?" While James slid the menu closer to him, she shot a knowing glance towards the huge window near the entrance, "That must be your truck out there and it's carrying boxes, so I'm gonna assume that's yes."

He chuckled, opening it up, "You assume correctly."

The girl gazed back to him, pulling out a notepad, "Well, since you must've had a long drive, how bout I get you something to drink?"

James replied without looking up, "That'd be nice. I'll have a cup of water." She wrote it down and left to get a cup.

As he was still looking for something to order, she came back with the water. She said, placing it near him, "There you go."

He managed to find one thing he wanted to eat when he politely told her, "Thank you."

She got the notepad ready again, "Did you decide what you wanted to order?"

"As a matter of fact I did." He finally rose his eyes to see hers, "I'll take a BLT and a side of French Fries." The waitress wrote it down again and then pulled his menu off the counter and wandered off, leaving him alone again. The second she left, James's stomach growled again and it made him twitch, rubbing it in circles with a hand. Boy, it'd better not be long for his dinner to come.

James was only looking down at the counter like he did before, patiently waiting for his order to come, not gazing around and looking at anybody else who was in the diner. But unexpectedly, a woman's voice broke through his wandering thoughts, "Hey." He shot his eyes up to see it was the ponytailed woman from before, "You okay?"

James made a smile for her and nodded, "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just sitting around."

She remarked with a unsure look and folded arms, "You didn't look it, that's why."

He let out a giggle, "I guess other than feeling hungry, I'm a little tired. You were right that I had a long drive."

She smiled, "I never done it before, but I guess moving away from your home can do that. Where are you from?"

He made a look of concern, "Aren't you busy with everything here?"

She shook her head, "Don't worry about me. I already took care of all the customers here, so I'm free at the moment."

"Oh." James made a deep giggle, "Well in that case, I'm from Rochester."

The waitress said when her arms came off her chest, "That's funny. I did picture you as a city boy, but I thought you'd be from New York City."

"Why? Do I look like a person from Manhattan?"

She giggled, "Don't think you can really tell who's from what place. As far as I would tell, all city boys look the same to me."

James asked, "What about city girls?"

"Don't think you can tell about them either, but I can tell whether they're poor or rich, trust me." She winked.

That had him laughing a bit, "And what does that make me exactly?"

Her hands were planted on the counter as she leaned a bit over it, her face halfway to his, "I know you're homeless now, but I doubt you're poor."

He shrugged his shoulders, "But I ain't rich either, so I guess I'm a bit of both."

"So am I, but who cares really?" The brunette girl pulled back with an amused look, "You seem funny...But too bad you're probably not moving to Little Valley and probably gonna leave here after you're done eating, thus leaving me alone." She shook her head in playful pity, "I hate it when people I like do that."

James sighed playfully, "You're right about me driving from town after I'm done eating, but I ain't gonna be driving too far. I'll be living outside of town, so you'll still be seeing me around."

"Oh, well, that's good then!" They shared a laugh, then the waitress pressed him, "Well, now that I know you won't be gone from my life, what's your name?" She lifted a finger and pointed at her nametag, "If you didn't bother looking at it, my name's Laurie."

James replied without hesitation, "Yeah, I did not. Didn't want to give you the wrong idea of what I'm looking at."

Laurie just smiled on in appreciation, "Good consideration."

He told her his name, "I'm James."

"Well, James, where exactly outside of town are you gonna live at?"

"Wish I could tell you..." He slowly shook his head, "But I don't know where exactly. See, I'm looking for a house outside Little Valley."

A giggle came off her chest, "There are plenty of those, mister."

James clarified, "Well this 'house' I'm looking for is a log cabin. I don't think there're a lot of those around here."

"You're right, actually. I do know there's only one outside of town..." Then she wrinkled her brow, "Huh...Never thought somebody's gonna live in that now."

"Why?"

"Oh, no reason....It's just someone I once knew lived in that cabin and died a bit over a year now."

James remarked, having a blank look, "I take it that you and this person were close?"

"We were. We were best friends before she died." Laurie looked down at the floor with her hand on her hip, saying in a bit of a sad tone, "I know it's been a while, but..." A long sigh escaped her lips.

James knew what she was thinking and knew how she felt, other than he knew that person Laurie talked about, "I get the feeling...Losing a friend like Claire Sunderland would be a hard thing to deal with."

Right after he said that name, Laurie frowned at him once again, "Wait, hold on...You knew her? Are you not telling me something?" Her hand made a gesture towards him, "Who are you?"

James smirked, "I'm surprised Claire knew you all that much and didn't tell you about the only sibling she had."

"Her sibling?" Laurie sucked in a breath with widened up eyes, "...Wait a second...Are you...?" He slowly nodded, and that had her face beaming, "Oh wow! You're her brother!"

Apparently his sister did tell her about him. James spoke smugly, "Yep, that's me."

"James...Rochester!" She slapped her own forehead, then rolling up her eyes, "Of course! God, I should have known!"

He giggled, "How could you?" His hand waved around the diner, "You've probably met a lot of people with the name 'James' in this place."

Laurie snickered, "I see your point, but I still should've figured it was you when you said you came from Rochester." She let out a breath as she smiled on at him, "Gosh...Never thought you'd show up here...She did talk about you."

"I bet..." James looked out the window far from him, a regretful breath came out of his lungs, "...But we hardly talked to each other before she was gone."

"Yeah...That I knew." When he looked back at her, Laurie held a hand to her chest with a pity look in her eyes, "Well, if there's any consolation, I am sorry for your loss."

He smiled at her in appreciation, "Thanks."

"And what else I'm sorry for is I didn't go to her funeral...And also meet you." She giggled a bit as she lowered her hand to her side, "I don't like funerals."

He waved her off, "Nah it's alright. Claire would've understood."

"That's what I keep telling myself." She let out a breath as she still laid her eyes on him, "James Sunderland...Well, it's really nice to meet you."

James gave her a nod, "Same here, even though I don't know you that well."

Laurie replied, "I think you will soon, now that you're about to live around here."

"Right...So can you tell me where Claire's cabin is at?" James slowly shrugged with his hands, "Hey, if you're looking out for her place from strangers trying to burn it down or whatever, don't worry, I wouldn't, and I'm not much of a stranger if I'm related to her."

Laurie giggled in amusement, "I know that you were a stranger to me a minute ago, but you didn't look like the dangerous type kind of one. I probably would've told you where to go anyways if I didn't know who you were." She winked.

He giggled too, "Well, thank you if you did."

A bell other than a voice rang out across the building, "Laurie!"

Laurie glanced to the kitchen, eyes wide, "Oh shoot!" She turned her head to him in a swift motion, "That must be your order. I'll be back." James nodded in acknowledgement and she left to get his food. He chuckled to himself and looked down at the counter again.

Well, looks like getting directions to that cabin wasn't as hard as he thought it would. And what's more, he's already made a friend in a town he's never been to!

Talk about luck.

*****

"Ah, there it is." James said out loud with proudness in his voice when he found the gravel road on the side of the highway. He turned the truck off the pavement and onto the gravel, heading into the woods now. With the radio off, he can hear the tires of his truck crushing the rocks as drove over them. His eyes looked back and forth, seeing every leafy tree going past him. About several minutes later, his sister's log cabin was in view.

James was not taking his sight off it as he drove out of the trees and getting more closer with each roll his tires made. He admired the sight, kinda what he'd imagined. A cabin, four miles away from a town, nothing but the trees and critters around it...He thought his sister had picked a nice place to live. At least he found it thanks to Laurie before nightfall came. His vehicle moved up on the driveway, up close to the cabin. James put the truck in park and turned it off. When he piled out, he stared at the log-made house with his forearm on the roof of the truck and his chin laying on it.

It did look like a nice place to live and hang out, and James very much regrets not finding out where Claire lived and came out to visit her sooner before she died. He can see himself and his sister now. Her long, red hair falling down near her smiling face, peeking out of that wooden front door, happy to see him when he parked on the driveway, then running out and embracing him. James sighed. That probably would have happened...If that one small thing hadn't come between them. The one thing that had them not speak to each other...

James pulled himself off the truck and slammed the door, then put on a smile, pushing that thought away. Well, what's he waiting for? He hasn't got a chance to look around in his new house yet! His form went around the truck and headed towards the front door. He turned the doorknob and pushed it open, the hinges on it only greeted him with a loud squeak. James began to enter it, first off stepping on the 'WELCOME' mat that was real close to the door and then making tracks on the wooden floor. It creaked beneath him with one step he made.

He found that the inside of the small cabin was as nice as the outside as he was glancing around and seeing the living room and the kitchen at each side of the place. He wandered further in the cabin, and very soon was close to two doorways, seeing through one of them that it held a bathroom that has a tub and shower inside. James walked through the other one, pushing open another squeaky door, and saw that it was a bedroom, and there was practically a bed still in it. James strolled in there, eyes trained on that bed, then stopped at the foot of it. Looking at it made him feel more tired, but he can't sleep now. He still has work to do. His eyes squinted towards it. Plus the sheets were probably dirty. He'll change them later.

James turned his head towards the dresser that was in the room too, looking at the mirror over it and at his own reflection. With all the furniture in each room and the photos he sees on the walls, it appeared to him that most of his sister's stuff was still here. Which he figured there would, since there wasn't anybody that he knew of that would take her stuff...Not even him if he still lived at the apartment in Rochester, knowing there wouldn't have been a lot of room for all of it. James just smiled at himself. But he doesn't have to worry about that now. And at least he didn't have to worry about moving his own furniture to here, cause there is all the furniture he could want in this cabin. Whoever else can have the furniture he left behind in the city! He giggled low then trotted out of the room, his figure walking towards the entrance of the cabin with thoughts of getting all the boxes on his truck in here.

Well, now that he's done giving himself a small tour, now's the time to get them all inside.

*****

James could practically hear crickets outside as he laid on his side in bed. After rolling over to the other, he breathed in through his nose and finally opened his eyes to see the moonlit sky through the window. He blinked his eyes a couple times before his body slowly rose off the mattress as he didn't take them off it.

James chuckled to himself, glancing down at his side, particularily down at the mattress he's sitting on. Whew...Such a nice nap he had. Earlier after he'd carried all the boxes from his truck, he really wanted to take a nap. Immediately after dropping off the last box near the front door, he started looking for the bed sheets he packed up. When he found them, he went to strip the dirty ones off the only bed there was in the cabin and replaced them with the ones he found. Not a moment too soon, he took off his shirt, flopped down, covered himself with a blanket and went ahead to sleep.

The young man patted the bed twice. Well, he knows his sister's bed is a very comfortable thing to lay on. Least it still worked for another person. He let out a breath, gazing at the bedroom window once more. Well, since he ain't tired, no point in closing his eyes now. James shifted to the edge and his feet lowered and planted on the wooden floor. He'll wander around a bit till he felt ready to lay down again.

James got up and walked to the dresser, the moonlight through the window helped guide his shirtless form through the room since there was no source of light on and it was dark in here. He picked up the flashlight he managed to leave on it and turned it on. As the room was lit a bit thanks to the handheld object, he let out a nervous sigh. Electricity wasn't on for the cabin yet. He honestly admits he's a little nervous moving around in a dark cabin, all by himself without another person around. If only he left the cabin earlier and went to the electric company after finding it, or at least look for a motel to spend a night in and then go there the next day....But he didn't wanna drive anymore.

James shined the light through the bedroom doorway as he made pace through it. Then he took a deep breath and pushed that nervous feeling away as he stood out of the bedroom. Oh, he can man up for one night. What's wrong with spending a night in a house without power? He made an assured nod to himself, heading for the living room. It's just for one night. Then in the morning, he'll head back to town and find the people to turn the power on here.

Yeah...He can handle that.

After the flashlight found his suitcase on the floor, his feet carried him to it. James remembered there were about a few bottles of water in it. He wanted something to drink since he was just thirsty from his slumber. He wouldn't get a glass of water since the water here wasn't turned on yet either. James knelt down and zipped it open. One bottle of water will have to do for now. Least he packed up a few just in case. His hand dug around, his flashlight helping his eyes out with searching...Till he found the bottles buried a bit beneath his clothes.

James snatched one out of it, stood upright to head for the couch to sit around, and opened that up after placing the flashlight beside him with only the beam pointed up towards the ceiling. He chugged down several gulps, his thirst quenching from the liquid going down his throat. He let out a satisfied breath, leaning back his head over the furniture. He said in content, "That's better."

James was like that for a few moments...Until he heard something.

He shot his gaze at a nearby window, while a eerie howl echoed outside. James's face made a frown, and then he placed the bottle he still had in his hand on a table in front of him. He got up from the couch, intending on looking out through that window. James was careful moving between the furniture with the flashlight's help, and walked up till he was very close to the glass. The reflection of the shining flashlight got in the way of seeing out there so he flipped the tiny switch to off. With no glare in the way, he can see through it and it wasn't hard to see anything out there. Thanks to the shining full moon in the sky, he can see his car and the whole front yard.

Shortly after he stood near it, another howl emerged over the sound of the crickets, coming from somewhere within the forest, and it wasn't a short one that time, it was long. Then suddenly, another one came, and several more joined in after that.

"Damn..." That was the only thing he muttered. The howling had stopped, crickets back on the mantle of noise of the night now. James frowned again. Those howls sounded weird...A little TOO weird if you ask him. Then he giggled to himself. Course they'd sound pretty weird, since he's standing around in here alone in the dark! James ran a hand through his hair. There's nothing to worry about. Since he'll live in the wilderness, he's sure gonna be hearing howling outside during nights. And maybe it'll sound less weirder next night around.

A sigh escaped James's lips as he turned the flashlight back on and whirled back around to pace back to the living room table. He picked up the water from where he left it and gulped down the bottle till it was empty. Then when he threw it down on the couch, he decided he had enough moving around and it was time to head back to bed, and try to get the night without electricity over with. With that thought and the flashlight's help, James strolled on back for bed.