Escape to Erie's End

By Wade Vermeersch and Pamela Muntean

Where would you run? If you were trying to escape?
Erie’s End is a quaint bayside village on the shores of Lake Erie. It is the perfect destination for a mother on the run, looking to protect her daughter from the ugly truth.

For Jay, Val, Vern, Meg, Dave and Jess it will be a summer of discovery, both beautiful and tragic. Follow their adventure into the turbulent waters of adolescence... It’s all walks on the beach and bonfires until the waves come crashing down on their whirlwind summer.

Escape to Erie’s End for a summer you’ll never forget!

Co-authored by Wade Vermeersch and Pamela Muntean

• Language: English
• Publisher: WaderLikes
• Release date: Aug 10, 2018
• ISBN: 9781775102519

Wade Vermeersch

Wade Vermeersch is the author of Escape to Erie's End. Co-authored by his friend and former work associate Pamela Muntean.Wade is a pop culture pundit and enjoys creating new worlds and characters for others to enjoy.

Book preview

Chapter 1

The windows of the pickup truck were open as it laboured down the highway. It was two in the morning, and Jess’s hair was blowing as she rested her head on the pillow she had wedged between the passenger seat and window. The silence of the otherwise vacant highway was broken by Emm Gryner’s Summerlong booming from the radio. Jess and her mom, Steph, had discovered after countless hours on the road that the only music they could agree on was courtesy of whatever indie station was in range. Jess hoped that this station would hold for a while, and feared that her mom would scan to an easy-listening station - or worse, talk-radio - if they lost it.

If they had rented a car, or taken their own, he would find them. There was no time to wait, and Jess remembered seeing the For Sale sign on the powder blue-and-white 1986 Ford F-150 when she walked past it on her way to school. He would never suspect that they’d go from a Mercedes sedan to a 1986 pickup truck. It already seemed like a lifetime had passed since that night when they banged on the door of the darkened house, until the seller of the truck appeared in his robe, not at all impressed.

When the man in the robe took one look at Steph, his demeanour changed. He could tell that they were in trouble.

We need to buy your truck, Jess said to him. We have four hundred dollars, and can get the rest to you in a few days. I promise we will not rip you off. The man looked uncomfortable.

Jess watched her mom remove her jewellery and her expensive watch, and without saying anything place them in the man’s hands. She could tell the man saw the desperation in her mom’s eyes. He grabbed the keys, and walked out to the truck with Steph and Jess, grabbing the ownership out of the glove-box.

Who should I sign it over to? he asked.

We’ll fill in the rest, thank you so much.

Steph waved the cab away. Jess took a deep breath; they were leaving.

When she woke up, Jess glanced at her mother now in the driver’s seat and was struck by her beauty, despite what had happened, and despite the black smudges of mascara that were left from the tears she shed while Jess was sleeping. Jess studied the contours of her mother’s face. She was gorgeous, but what she’d endured showed in the lines of her face - the lines that forged their way too early for someone her age. Her face was still swollen and sore, and under her makeup it was different shades of red and purple.

Jess turned her glance from her mom back to the sky. She leaned her head as far back on the pillow as she comfortably could. She could not believe how the stars looked when there was nothing else to interfere with the sight of them - they were almost magical, illuminating the night sky with their sorcery. They were nearing the end of the three-day trip from Richmond. Somehow, Jess thought the vastness of the night sky and the possibility it represented gave meaning to the unknown, to what was happening, and she felt a strange sense of security. She glanced quickly at her mom, who was still focussed on the road, and then up again - her mouth curved into a subtle smile, and she felt like they were headed in the right direction.

There was a smell of sweetness in the night air - it was the smell of spring turning to summer. But the crisp chill in the air hinted that spring hadn’t entirely departed just yet. As Steph looked over at her daughter and saw her admiring the sky, gazing at the stars, she felt for the first time like it was going to be okay. Steph hadn’t known in which direction to drive the old pickup truck after she and Jess managed to acquire it. At first, she just started driving. They were an hour outside of Richmond when she remembered a short pit stop she and her parents took while on a family vacation. She was just a kid, and they had only stopped for a few hours. They had a picnic on the beach and she remembered how beautiful it was, how peaceful. She and her parents always said they wanted to go back again and stay longer, but they never did. The only thing Steph knew for certain as she drove the unfamiliar pickup was that Erie’s End, on the shores of Lake Erie, had to be their destination. It was a treasured memory, and it held the possibility of their best future.

She knew this little village was safe, a community where the residents would notice change: a place where neighbours were friends, and everyone not only knew each other’s names, but knew each other’s business too. She looked in the rear-view mirror, happy to see that she wasn’t being followed, and relieved to think that maybe their old life could be left in the rear view as well. They had to start over, somewhere no one would ever suspect, especially him, and Erie’s End was the place.

Chapter 2

Val focussed on the lighthouse at the end of the pier, because she knew if she looked into Jay’s eyes, she’d lose what was left of her composure. The lighthouse was not like most - it was an uneven tower of white cinder blocks whose base formed a crooked pyramid. It looked as if the tip of the pyramid had been stretched toward the sky and instead of having a peak, reached up to form a flat-topped tower. It had a bright green door to match the enormous green light-bulb that sat unprotected on top, where most lighthouses would’ve had a lantern room. The word fierce was spray-painted carefully across it in big green block letters, and it was a mystery how the artist was able to get high enough to leave such a mark. The lighthouse was more than a beacon; it was the heart of the village. Val couldn’t help but think of all of the secrets, all of the encounters, all of the life-changing moments the old lighthouse must have been witness to.

At first glance, Jay fit into the cliché of every girl’s dream. He was tall and charming, and had a kind smile that conveyed his easy-going nature. He was well dressed, and his clothes hung off his shoulders in a way that emphasized his lean but solid frame. He was wholesome; Val used to tease that he was the picture of an all-American Scrabble player. She loved his gentle soul and his sincere heart. He was notorious for his love of romantic comedies and 1980s love ballads. He continuously referenced scenes from movies in conversations, and was known for being able to quote any line from any movie.

He laughed at her for being an emotional wreck; he said she always wore her heart on her sleeve. As she stood there on the pier, she hoped that the rush of emotions she was experiencing was not so obvious. The tension in the air was rigid and harsh in contrast to the soft breeze that swept between them and tousled their hair.

Jay stood defeated with his shoulders slumped. I just don’t -

Get it, she said. I know, Jay. I just can’t handle us right now. I’ve got too much going on.

Val was on the verge of tears. She looked up at Jay, staring not at him but past him, wanting to keep her distance.

Too much going on, Val? Jay looked at her with confusion in his eyes, and Val realized that this was all news to him. What the hell? What do you have going on? I can help you through it…or is it something I’ve done? He grabbed her hands and pleaded apologetically, I’m sorry…please, tell me how I can fix this?

Val gently slid her hands out of his. Jay, it’s not you. I promise. You’re great. Tears were now streaming down her cheeks. It’s me. She nervously bit her lip. I’m sorry. She turned around, and at that moment knew that she had to just will her feet to keep moving forward, one in front of the other. Walk, she told herself. Just keep going, don’t look back.

Jay stood on the pier motionless, emotionless - and just watched as she briskly walked away toward the shore, half hugging herself. He could not believe what had just happened. He was waiting, wanting, hoping that she would turn around, and see him standing there and come back, and take it all back. But she just kept going - taking everything they had and making it mean less with each step she took. As she disappeared into the distance, a lump in his throat swelled and a sudden pain burned in his chest. It was over. He sat down on the concrete of the pier - and put his head in his hands.

Nobody from the outside looking in would ever have expected this. Jay did not see it coming either. He thought they were happy. They were just supposed to be - they were Jay and Val. They were in each other’s lives since they were five. They shared toys in the sandbox, then first flirts in the schoolyard, and on his fourteenth birthday after they shared their first kiss, she officially became his girlfriend, and had been ever since.

Recently they had been discussing taking their relationship to the next level - physically. It started with casual discussion - it was like they were both thinking it, they were both curious. Jay didn’t mean for the topic to be so serious. Maybe that was it, he thought. Maybe he had given Val the wrong idea, maybe she thought he was too eager to experience their first time - but it wasn’t true. He’d thought about it, but he was happy just the way things were. Jay wished he could tell her that it was okay, that he would wait as long as she needed him to…that he loved making out with her. But he knew that nothing he could say would change her mind. He sat on the pier, listening to the waves, trying to take it all in.

Val’s feet continued their task of carrying her forward, one foot in front of the other through the streets of Erie’s End, toward her house. She hoped that she would not meet anyone along the way. She just wanted to get home and disappear within the four walls of her bedroom. She wasn’t expecting to break up with Jay, and was slightly stunned by what had just happened. What surprised her even more was the fact that she didn’t want to change what happened. It was over, and she didn’t even know herself until the words came out of her mouth on the pier. Jay held a special place in her heart, but she couldn’t be his girlfriend and deal with everything else that was going on.

She started walking up the front path towards her house. Val could already hear the arguing through the open kitchen window. Not now, she silently wished.

Jesus, Janet! Get off my back!

"What, Kent? Where are your priorities?"

Val quietly opened the front door, and stood in the entrance. She didn’t know whether she should make herself known to her parents, or try to sneak up to her room. She just stood there without making a sound, not sure if she would be able to endure another episode of her parents’ fighting. Not now. Not today. She wanted to disappear, she wanted them to disappear. She wanted to return to the time when they were all happy, and when they needed less from each other to be that way.

"Ohhh, I’m so sorry, Janet! That’s what you want isn’t it? You want an apology?" Her dad sounded ridiculous. He tended to over-accentuate and over-pronounce his words when he was arguing with her mom. Val wished he knew that it just made him sound like an idiot.

"Actually, Kent - yes, I would love for you apologize and to take some responsibility for what you’re doing to us. Look at how you have been treating all of us lately - not just me, the kids too. I don’t understand why you’ve been acting like such an incredible asshole?"

"Jesus, Janet - I’m the asshole? Well - then - I - am - sorry. I am so, so, sorry - so sorry that I ever married you in the first place!"

Val’s silence expired with a loud, uncontrollable gasp - she felt like she had been punched in the stomach. She briefly leaned against the wall, gained her balance, and as her soft tears progressed into audible weeping she darted for the stairs. She stumbled on the first step, revealing her presence to her parents.

Val! her mom cried, and she picked herself up and continued to run up the stairs.

In the mirror at the top of the stairs she could see the look of disgust her mom gave her dad. She heard her mom, through gritted teeth, seethe, Look what you have done now. Val stood there, trying to catch her breath and stop sobbing.

Don’t put this on me, Janet. I’m about up to here, he raised his hand above his head, with this shit. She watched her dad stand up from the kitchen table, walk over to the fridge and grab a beer. He shot a look of loathing at her mom and walked out the door. She heard the abrupt crash of metal as her dad kicked the garbage bin before entering the garage.

Val quietly closed her bedroom door, not wanting to draw attention. Not wanting to create any sort of invitation for her mom to come and check on her. She lay down, holding one pillow close to her chest and sobbing into the other - sobbing so hard that she felt like she could hardly breathe. She closed her eyes, and held them shut. She imagined that she would open them again and all of this would have just been a bad dream. She would open her eyes, and this day wouldn’t have happened.

Chapter 3

Meg sat in the dim living room, staring into space. She was amazed how the house she had grown up in her whole life could feel so different now. It used to be so vibrant and full of life - and now it was dull, and grey, and sad. She realized that her mom was the soul of the house. With her mom gone - the house seemed to have no heart. It was just walls, and a roof, and a place to stay. Meg sat there and watched as her dad struggled through the pile of bills. He would write things out, punch something into the calculator - then he’d curse, cross something out and run his hands through his hair.

He never really had to deal with bills much before this. Her mom used to take care of all of it. They got married just after high school, and Meg was born shortly after. Meg’s dad used to be gone a lot. He was a fisherman - it was a job he was able to do right out of high school, and it provided a pretty solid income - but he had to give it up; he just couldn’t be gone all the time after what happened. Meg’s dad was a bit younger than all of her friends’ parents. Everyone used to love coming over to Meg’s place: her parents were the fun ones - they were always joking and teasing or dancing around and making fools of themselves. It’s amazing how things can change, she thought.

Now Meg, I don’t want you to get too comfortable. He looked at her through his reading glasses. I really want you back here, living with us, I really do - but you know how Grandma and Grandpa are. If they don’t think we’re pulling things off, they’re likely to have you move back in with them come September.

Meg thought her dad looked like an overgrown teenager trying to be an adult when he wore his glasses. He was wearing sweatpants and the same Hollister t-shirt that was part of every sixteen-year-old boy’s daily uniform.

I’m gonna try, I just don’t know, he said, "maybe they can take better care of you than I can. He crumpled up a piece of paper and threw it across the room. I don’t seem to be doing too good of a job so far," he grumbled.

Meg got the impression that her dad allowed her to come home from her grandparents’ house out of obligation. She knew he must have blamed her for what happened. Why wouldn’t he - she blamed herself for what happened, too.

I know, don’t worry Dad - I’ll keep Grandma on alert, in case you decide you want me to go back, she replied, trying to keep the tone light. Meg was the spitting image of her mother. She overheard her grandmother say it to her grandfather one night, after which she couldn’t help but wonder if that was why her dad couldn’t bear to look at her.

She, like her mother, had flawless skin that looked like she had a tan year round. Her eyes were an unusual glacial blue that stood out against the tanned look of her skin. Her hair was chestnut brown with natural golden highlights that made it look like she had spent hours in the salon. She was a natural beauty. When she first started staying with her grandparents, her grandmother would plead with her to dress more like a lady. Meg tried to explain that how she dressed was just who she was and what she liked, but her grandma was relentless. Show off that dynamite figure of yours, she would say. You’re hiding behind these baggy cargo pants and t-shirts. And your hair - oh, what I could do to your hair if you would take it out of those baseball caps.

As for now, her dad continued, your brothers and I are glad to have you back around.

Meg shot a soft smile in her dad’s direction. Thanks, I’m glad I’m back too. She knew her dad was trying, but couldn’t help but feel that he was so distant. It was like she had lost both of her parents.

Matthew sauntered into the living room and curled up on the couch beside Meg. He started to have a coughing fit. Meg covered him up with the comforter she’d been using and put her arm around him. Even though he was nine years old, he still seemed so little to her. He had always been small for his age, but holding him against her side, she could feel that he was truly skin and bones. She had missed her brothers so much when she was gone - it was like her whole world had been ripped away from her in an instant. She worried about Matthew the most; ever since she was little she’d worried that he would just die from his illness, and then she would feel guilty for even thinking the thought.

Do you want some chocolate milk, Matty? she asked. Her brother nodded, and smiled - she knew it was a special treat for him. She got up, tucked the blanket around him on the couch, and went into the kitchen. It made Meg feel good to take care of her brothers - she wished her dad would see that she could.

Meg, although she loved her grandparents and appreciated their intentions, did not want to be forced to live with them. She wanted to stay with her dad and her brothers, in her home, in her room, in Erie’s End - where she belonged. Being away from Erie’s End made her realize how much she really loved it. She loved that it was a place seemingly stuck in the past. Living in the city caused her to realize that Erie’s End had a culture that was not the norm. In Erie’s End, people still stopped to chat with one another, neighbours looked out for each other; kids played outside more than they played on tablets. They didn’t even have high-speed internet in Erie’s End, but no one who lived there seemed to mind. Music people listened to was not necessarily the most current. The internet they did have was too slow for Netflix, so people still rented movies. It was a place where technology had not yet infringed on the quality of people’s relationships, and where those relationships were built on face-to-face conversations instead of through texts and Facebook posts. It was the place she wanted to be, and the place where she wanted to stay.

Chapter 4

Got a letter from your mom today, Jay’s grandma said as she passed him a bowl of homemade potato soup. It was his favourite, and although he hadn’t told her about what happened with Val, she knew that he needed a bit of subtle comfort. The soup reminded him of when he was little and he used to help her in the kitchen - his job was always to add the secret ingredient, the TLC. Every recipe needs a dash of tender loving care, she would say. Jay had been spending summers with his grandparents for his whole life. He had his own room there, and their house might as well have been an extension of the home he shared with his parents.

His parents were both teachers, and every summer they volunteered with their church and travelled to perform missionary work. This year they were in Ghana, and although Jay wasn’t involved in the church like they were, he was proud of his parents for the work they were doing. He couldn’t wait to hear the stories they shared through letters, and of course when they returned in person. Jay’s grandma chuckled and said, Your mom says the mosquitoes are the size of hummingbirds over there.

Jay loved spending the summers with his grandparents. They were pretty easygoing; they made sure they provided whatever he needed, but otherwise they left him to his own devices. They didn’t impose any rules or curfews on him, and once his grandpa actually advised him to take advantage of his youth. There was no harm done if he wasn’t going to be home for dinner - but Jay always made a point of letting them know where he’d be and when he’d be home. He respected them and appreciated the freedom they allowed him.

Jay finished his soup and put his bowl in the dishwasher. He kissed his grandma on the cheek and walked toward the screen door. Before he left he said, See ya tonight, Gram! She gave him a flimsy wave, while still chuckling about something she was reading in his mother’s letter. The wooden screen door banged behind him, and Jay made his way down the lane.

His best friends, Vern and Dave, were already waiting for him when he arrived at their usual meeting spot at the lookout. They started walking toward the centre of town, and Jay told them about what had happened with Val.

No. She. Didn’t. Vern stated in disbelief.

Yeah, man, Jay assured him.

Are you telling me she actually pulled the whole, ‘it’s not you, it’s me,’ routine? You’re not shitting me?

Jay was getting slightly annoyed with Vern, as it seemed like he was finding this overly entertaining.

No. I am not shitting you, Vern - for the last time, he replied, completely unenthusiastically.

Classic! Dave piped in, and Vern responded with You’re telling me, bro!

Wow, Jay said. You guys are making me feel great about this, so much better, thank you!

Not gonna lie, man, Dave said, I saw it coming.

What? he said to Dave with irritation in his voice. Well, thanks for the heads up? He was annoyed that they weren’t taking this more seriously.

Nah man, not like that, Dave said. "It’s just that Val - Val is really hot, man. No offence."

Vern reached around Jay, who was standing between them, and offered Dave a high-five and a Hey-O! Jay wished he had just stayed home.

Vern looked at Jay and realized that his attempt to make him laugh had failed. He wasn’t used to seeing him so bummed out. His clothes didn’t match, which was unusual for Jay; his hair wasn’t gelled, and nothing he was saying caused Jay to even crack a smile. As out of character as it was for Vern to have a sense of someone else’s feelings, he recognized that his friend was not himself and might actually need a little boost.

Don’t get us wrong, J-Slice, he said. Like, we’re stoked you’re single again! Think about it dude. We haven’t done anything awesome together for quite some time now. Plus, your parents are in Tasmania or some shit trying to save the world, so you have free rein, man - this summer will be epic! It’s gonna go down in the books, bro.

Impressed by Vern’s little pep talk, Dave responded with an Amen, and Jay cracked the first smile he had since before yesterday’s breakup on the pier.

Jay had a couple of movie rentals in his backpack that he wanted to drop off at the video store in the mini mall. He loved that Erie’s End was probably one of the few places left in the world that still had a movie rental store. Hey guys, he said, What are the plans today? I need to stop and return some movies on the way.

Vern gave Jay a little shove. Are you carrying rom-coms in that backpack? he asked. Or something from the more intense drama variety - like the movies where she says, ‘It’s not you, it’s me?’

Shut up Vern, Jay said - although he couldn’t help but laugh.

Chapter 5

Meg and Val sat on the patio outside Dougie’s Diner at the mini mall; they had a lot to catch up on over their Dougie Burgers and diet soda.

"I love that we both just ordered the biggest burger known to man, and then made sure we ordered diet soda," Meg said, and they both started laughing.

Although they spoke on the phone nearly every day when Meg was gone, it wasn’t the same. There’s something about a friend face-to-face that makes them more tangible.

Meg looked at Val and said, "I can’t even tell you how good it