Thread: Green Valley Farm, Forsyth, Georgia.

A gentle ding sounded through the airplane cabin and the fasten seatbelts light turned on overhead. Tara Shepherd woke with a start at the sound, then looked around the cabin in a sleep induced haze. She was so tired, even now, after sleeping for God knows how long on the plane. A soft voice came over the intercom next. Ladies and gentlemen, the pilot has turned on the fasten seatbelts sign in anticipation for our arrival into Atlanta Hartsfield International Airport. We expect to be on the ground shortly. Good. The plane touched down with Tara holding onto the armrests in a white-knuckled death grip. She relaxed when the plane turned onto a taxiway and sat back in her chair. You okay, the man sitting next to her asked. Yeah, she said with all the smile she could muster. Landings just...bother me. You fly a lot, he asked. I...have. I'm done now, I think. The plane stopped at the terminal and everyone stood up at once to try to get off. Tara took her carryon from under the seat in front of her and disembarked when she found an opening. She made her way to customs where she was asked the standard questions. Then... Have you been sick lately? Cold? Flu? Anything? Another agent scanned her forehead. No. Nothing. The man with the thermometer nodded and Tara was allowed to continue on her way. At the baggage claim she retrieved her duffel bag and waited. Normally her parents would have been here by now to pick her up, but for some reason they were late. They arrived twenty minutes later. Hey sweetie, Her dad, Aaron said with a hug. Her mom, Brandy, gave her a hug and a kiss as well. It's so good to have you home! Is everything okay? Are you hungry? Do you need something to eat? Yeah, Tara said. But can we just go home? I'll get something to eat there. It was a long flight and I'm really tired. Her parents agreed, and they loaded up in the truck for the drive home. On the way the three engaged in small talk, mostly about the things that had happened since she visited last. How the horses were doing, how her cousin won second place at the state fair for her hog, how grandma was expecting her at the next Sunday dinner, and again how the horses were doing. The ride home was over soon enough, and while Tara took a quick shower her mother fixed a light dinner of fried chicken, mashed potatoes, fried okra, black-eyed peas, and cornbread. She took her peas in a bowl so that the juices wouldn't run, and she ate them first. Next was the okra, then the potatoes, fried chicken, and she finished with the cornbread, washing everything down with a glass of sweet tea. There was enough left over in case company came over, but they never did. It would all be put in containers and stored in the refrigerator until tomorrow where she'd probably finish it off for lunch. After dinner everyone sat in the living room, and when Tara began to doze everyone went to bed. It was hot. It was always hot. And dry. They were driving along the road. She sat in the front seat of the second vehicle. An explosion. The first vehicle flipped over onto its top. Another explosion. Behind them this time. Gunfire. Fighting for their lives. The smell of gunpowder, burning rubber, and...charred flesh. An explosion. Tara sat up in bed. She could still hear the gunfire in her head...oh, wait. That was the rain on her window, the explosions were, instead, thunderclaps. A flash of lightning and she looked over towards the window. The thunder came sharp, then followed with a rolling rumble from west to east. She stood up and walked over, looking outside. She watched the storm rage for several minutes. Then, another lightning flash. She waited for the thunder before returning to bed. Usually after one nightmare she could make it through the rest of the night. If the dead would just leave her alone.