Scared and On the Run

By Bill Flynn

This story begins at a remove ranch in Montana, where three young siblings witness their father kill their mother. They escape in fear and begin a cross-country journey as their father tries to chase them down. The love the three siblings have for each other will amaze you! Each chapter has a new twist and turn of events.

This book deals with domestic violence, murder, survival, love, and an array of events which keeps readers glued to the story. It becomes a nationwide story when the media learns about the siblings' plight and disappearance.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Aug 19, 2022
• ISBN: 9781662476136

Bill Flynn

At age eleven (1964), Bill Flynn began surfing. The Atlantic Ocean was only a hundred yards away from the Flynn family’s home in North Wildwood, New Jersey. As a child, teenager, and young adult, the beach and 2.8 miles long Boardwalk is where he worked and played. Surfing was, and still is, his favorite form of recreation. During the later 1960’s and throughout the 70’s, surfing the waves along the East Coast was a way of life for Bill Flynn. He worked hard and played hard. At the age of eighteen he hitch-hiked across the country and surfed for four weeks at Huntington Beach, California. The following year he toured the country on his 750cc BMW motorcycle. He made surfing stops at Huntington Beach, California and Melbourne Beach, Florida. In 1973 he fulfilled every surfer’s dream, he surfed the North Shore of Hawaii. For five weeks he communed with a group of surfers and rode the largest waves of his life (even till today).

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Scared and On the Run

Bill Flynn

Copyright © 2022 Bill Flynn

All rights reserved

First Edition

PAGE PUBLISHING

Conneaut Lake, PA

First originally published by Page Publishing 2022

Contributing Editor: Melissa Alcamo

ISBN 978-1-6624-7612-9 (pbk)

ISBN 978-1-6624-7613-6 (digital)

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

He Killed Our Mom!

Chapter 2

Train Ride East

Chapter 3

A Shocked Community

Chapter 4

Surprise at Crystal Lake

Chapter 5

Eyes of an Angel

Chapter 6

Chance Encounter

Chapter 7

Serious Stuff

Chapter 8

Secrets Revealed

Chapter 9

The Fishing Camp

Chapter 10

An End to Running

Chapter 11

A Full Circle

About the Author

Chapter 1

He Killed Our Mom!

Sixteen-year-old Travis placed a rose atop his mother's spruce wood coffin and whispered, I will take care of Taylor and David. Don't worry. I will get them out of here and away from Dad's anger. I love you, Mom. I hope you don't hurt anymore. I know you can hear me, so believe me… I will protect Taylor and David just as you asked me to do.

Twelve-year-old Taylor stepped next to her brother, Travis. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she placed wildflowers on her mother's coffin. Travis held her hand as she said a prayer. Dear God, please take care of Mama and give her nice, soft wings. I know you can fix her pain now and make her happy. Please let Mama hear me so I can talk to her every day. I love you, Mama, I love you!

Taylor cried as Travis hugged her and looked at David. He motioned to his little brother to come and join them. David's eyes were dry, and his facial expression explained his uncertainty concerning his mother's death. David was eight years old. This was his first experience with death. His young mind was confused and sad that his mother did not respond to his touch when he went to her open coffin. His eyes grew large when he watched his father cover the wooden coffin with dirt, with his mom inside. David could not speak or hear. His eyes and facial expressions communicated clearly to his siblings. Travis understood David's thoughts most of the time, but all he could do right now was to let him know that he and Taylor were there for him.

David joined Travis and Taylor. He placed a fresh dandelion flower next to the other flowers. Their mom loved flowers; she grew many varieties in a small greenhouse. The children stood together as their father came back up the small hill with a shovel. They looked at the coffin and their father in shock. Mom couldn't hold them or protect them anymore. She was dead at the young age of thirty-five, and the person who killed her was going to bury her.

You kids get to the house now. Wait there for me. Make yourselves useful. Clean up the kitchen. Your mom is gone now, so you will have to start doing more chores around here. Now get going. I've got work to do here!

The children ran down the small hill, crossing the field in front of their house. They kept busy washing dishes, sweeping the wooden floor, and putting things into their proper places. They knew their father would inspect their work and feared the consequences of not satisfying him. The three-inch scar across Travis's forehead was a reminder to them of how hard their father would strike when a chore wasn't completed to his liking. After years of witnessing the beatings and verbal violence their beautiful mom endured, they were well aware to what extreme their father would go when his drunken rage flared out of control. They were scared, oh so scared, of what might happen to them.

Travis knew he had to protect Taylor and David, so he cleaned and organized as fast as he could. Taylor's tears were gone. Fear replaced her sadness; her thoughts still belonged to her mom.

Travis spoke as they cleaned, Taylor, tonight after Dad passes out from drinking, we need to have a meeting. Be very quiet and bring David with you over to my bed. Mom prepared me for this. It is like she knew Pop would hurt her one day.

Taylor replied, I will, Travis. I hope Papa falls asleep fast tonight. I have never been so scared of him as I am now. How can he not be sad about hurting Mama so bad?

We will talk tonight, Taylor. Don't say anything more until we know Pop cannot hear us.

David tugged at Travis's arm to get his attention. Taylor and Travis looked at David as he pointed out the window to warn them that Pop was walking toward the house. David ran over to the cupboard and grabbed an open bottle of whiskey. As his father entered the kitchen door, David held the bottle up for his father to see.

Now you are thinking, son. That is just what I need right now. Get me a glass too. Taylor grabbed a glass and put it on the table as he took a seat. You three sit down. I need to talk to you about your mother. Taylor, you take notes for David to read so he understands what I say. I don't think he can read lips too well.

The children took their seats as Ted gulped down a double shot of whiskey. He sat forward, putting his elbows on the table. Your mom pushed me too far this time. I didn't mean to kill her, you know. It was an accident. How did I know she would die? I mean… I didn't hit her that hard! Travis, do you think I meant for her to die?

Travis looked up from the table and answered, No, Pop, I guess you just moved too fast or something.

Dad continued, Taylor, what about you, do you blame me?

Taylor could not look up. She answered in a way she knew he wanted her to answer. I think mama must have tripped. I r-r-r-really didn't see anything. David didn't either. He was reading a book.

Pop continued to speak, Well, kids, people are going to wonder where your mother is. They will be asking you questions. This is what I want you to tell them… She ran off and deserted us. Some guy drove up to the house. She took off with him without saying a word to any of us. Ted took another gulp of whiskey, then continued. If anyone finds out that your mom is dead, they will come after me, and you three will be on your own. You won't have me to buy your food, take you to school when it begins in the fall, or buy the oil and propane for the heat and the cooking stove. You need me, so just keep quiet—real quiet—about your mom. Do you understand?

Travis and Taylor shook their heads in a yes gesture as David simply looked on. Travis, you and Taylor have to convince David not to write anything about your mom being buried up there or anything else. You keep an eye on what he writes because if I get mad, it is gonna be with you, Travis. You understand me!

Yes, Travis said to appease his dad. Travis knew not to provoke his dad. It would not take much right now for Ted to get violent again.

Okay! You all go outside and play for a while. When you get hungry, you know where the food is. Taylor, you better learn how to cook. Travis will teach you…and you will have to do your mother's chores now. Go…get out of here now so I can have some peace and quiet!

Taylor grabbed David by the hand. They followed Travis out the door and into the yard, which faced the woodlands and the fields where their vegetables and hay were grown. Their father sat alone, drowning his anguish and guilt with booze. There was not a meaner man in the county. Unfortunately, for the children, the ranch had no neighbors, and the town was eighteen miles away. School had just ended for the summer, and everyone around knew not to visit the ranch because of Ted's hatred toward visitors. Without their mom taking them to town once a week, the children were trapped, cut off from society, and under the control of their father, who had just caused the death of their mom; and now no one knew about the tragic happenings at the ranch. Ted intended to keep it this way…as a way of not answering for his crime.

Travis guided his brother and sister to a patch of trees near a small river bordering the hayfield. The clumps of trees stood tall along an elevated piece of ground, which was about five hundred yards from the single-story ranch house. This was where Travis ran to hide away so many times in the past. Concealed within a towering pine tree sat a tree fort he had built last summer. The fort was not visible from the ground because of the thick growth of spruce trees surrounding it. Only a plane or helicopter pilot and crew could see the fort from above. Their mother knew about his fort. She kept Travis's secret to protect him.

Taylor asked, Why are we stopping here, Travis?

Because I want to show you something. He pointed straight up. Can you see anything up there?

Taylor looked up. Her eyes searched the area. Yeah, I see a lot of tree branches. It is all kinda dark green up there.

Travis took them to the far side of the pine tree's trunk. David spotted a rope dangling next to the tree's trunk. If you climb up this rope, you will see why we are here, Taylor. Let David follow me up first, then you climb up.

Travis grabbed the thick rope. He climbed hand over hand.

Knots were tied into the rope, which made it easier to grab as one climbed. When Travis disappeared from view, Taylor signaled to David. He started climbing. David was only three feet and ten inches tall, so it took him longer to scale the rope, but he managed with his brother coaxing him on. His long platinum-blond hair waved in the slight breeze. It seemed to glow against the dark-green and brown colors of the trees. His brilliant blue eyes gleamed with excitement as he spotted the tree fort above him. The rope ended where David could step onto the fort's wooden platform. David felt exhilarated as he climbed the long length of rope on his own and now stood high above the ground in a tree fort secluded by branches and thick needle growth. Travis liked seeing his brother smile again. It brought a bit of hope back into Travis's plans. Taylor came up after David. Her expression of surprise showed as she stepped on to the platform and looked around. She liked the fort.

Wow, this is so cool! How come you never showed us this before? Who built this?

I did, Travis answered. I didn't tell you or David about it because I needed to have a place where I could be alone. Mom knew about the fort. She even helped me get the supplies to build this. I needed to have a place where Pop couldn't find me. Anyway…here we are, Taylor. No one can find us up here, and I have a ton of things stocked up inside. When we leave, we have to make foot tracks all over the area so Pop can't tell we stopped at this tree. You know how good he is at tracking and things. I have another way up, which I will show you when we go back down. When we are up here, always pull the rope up so no one on the ground will see it.

The fort's platform consists of a wooden deck built around the tree trunk and resting on large branches protruding out from the trunk. The trunk was two feet thick where the fort was. Travis put angle supports underneath to help support the platform, which was fairly solid yet would sway with the tree when the tree moved with the winds. It took getting used to, like a boat moving on ocean swells. The platform stretched four feet from the tree's trunk in every direction. The enclosed structure was built with two by fours, plywood covered with tar paper, and a canvas roof put on a slant to let rainwater run off. Travis used spruce branches to camouflage the walls and make it look like a huge raccoon's nest even though the fort could not be spotted from the ground. The pine tree was about one hundred feet tall. Travis built the fort halfway up because there was enough branch cover, plenty of needle growth, and large pine-cone growth to hide in. Inside he had a straw mat covering the floor, plastic containers for storing things, and an old cooler for keeping his food in when needed.

Taylor, wait to you see inside! Come on in.

David went inside first. He could stand up inside, but Travis and Taylor had to crouch, so they simply crawled, sat, or knelt while inside. Travis showed them his storage of canned foods, the many items he had in plastic containers, and his stash of books for reading.

Almost everything I need is up here. I even have a mirror. Travis pointed to a small mirror hanging on the tree trunk. The only problem is that I cannot use a flashlight at night because Pop would see the light and find me. Although I have never really been up here in the dark yet, I do have a flashlight and batteries in this container along with candles and matches, he explained as he opened one of his waterproof containers. Within the same container were pencils and a notepad. He gave David the pad and a sharp pencil in case David needed to use them. He immediately did.

David wrote, How do you get things up here?

Travis wrote, I usually put things into my backpack, but I also have that bucket over there with a long thin rope tied to it. I put the bucket down to the ground, then I climb down, put things into it, climb back up, and pull the bucket up. Everything takes time, and none of it is easy.

David read Travis's words and shook his head in agreement. David wrote, I think this fort is the coolest thing I have ever seen!

Then Travis told Taylor, I had to have a place where Pop couldn't find me. Ever since he started beating me, I needed a place to hide until he cooled off.

Why does Papa hit you so much?

I don't know, Taylor. Maybe because I am the oldest, and I stuck up for Mom too. He didn't always hit me. Do you remember when he was nice to us?

That was a long time ago, Travis. Why did he turn mean?

Mom thought it was because he lost his job with the Sheriff's Department. That is what she told me. He was mad about it…really mad. She said he started drinking then. He blamed Mom for losing his job. Mom told me it had nothing to do with her, but he took it out on her anyway. Then Grandpa and Grandma died in a car accident, and we moved out here to their ranch. Ever since we moved out here, Pop got more and more angry like a mad bull penned up in a corral. Now look at what he has done! He killed Mom! He killed her, and he will kill me too. He has gone mad, Taylor, really mad.

David pointed to the photos tacked onto the tree trunk. Travis had put photos of their mom, his classmates, and several pictures of David and Taylor playing near the river. His small mirror hung up in the middle of the pictures. David opened a wooden box.

They are my supplies and tools, Travis explained to Taylor.

Travis watched as David sorted through the box. It contained a hammer, a small handsaw, nails, screws, twine, a small folding stove, and six Sterno cans. There was also a variety of hand tools, two gallons of bottled water, rope, and a pocketknife. Travis showed his brother another container, which was plastic and waterproof. It had a sleeping bag, extra clothes, a rain poncho, toilet paper, comic books, and a pair of binoculars. In a second container was freeze-dried fruits packaged in plastic, several packages of trail mix, nuts, and raisins. Travis gave David one package to eat, which brought a smile to his face.

Taylor, I have some peanut butter crackers if you want them.

Sure, I am feeling hungry.

There are two dozen bottles of water behind the tree. Just peek around there, and you'll see them. Taylor pulled three bottles, one for each of them. Water is the most important survival thing, Taylor. I can last a long time up here as long as I have plenty of water. It all comes from our river.

David patted Travis's arm. He wrote, Where do you go?

Travis and Taylor laughed as Travis pointed to a plastic bucket with a plastic bag inside of it. Travis wrote on David's pad, There isn't much privacy up here unless you are alone. We can go out onto the deck if you have to go right now.

David signaled yes, then grabbed the toilet paper. Taylor and Travis crawled outside.

Taylor giggled, then said, I hope he doesn't smell up your fort.

Just then they heard their father's pickup truck start up. Within ten seconds, they heard it screech off toward the highway and accelerate down the road.

We are safe, Travis said. Papa has gone to town. He won't be back for a while.

Taylor asked, Do we stay here?

No, Travis replied, we go back to the house and get our stuff. We have at least one hour, so we need to hurry. If Pop goes to the saloon, we will have more time, but we better not take a chance. We'll get our things and come back up here for the night.

Then what? Taylor asked, feeling scared again.

Don't worry, Taylor. I will leave a note saying we left for the bus station. Pop will think we hitchhiked, so he won't look for us out here. I will explain everything to you and David tonight, but right now…we have to move fast. I promised Mom I would look out for you and David.

Within twenty minutes, they were back at the ranch house. Taylor packed her knapsack, then helped David pack his.

Grab some food and make sure you take your coats and your sleeping bags. We are not coming back here, Travis said loudly as he grabbed his things. He moved the bunk bed and pulled up a floor plank. David watched as Travis retrieved a burlap sack and threw it into his pack. Grab some juice and fruits too, he added as he put on his backpack and grabbed David's hand.

They ran from the house up to the hill where their mother now rested in peace. They knelt next to the fresh grave site, breathing hard from the excitement and running.

Travis put his arm around David, then said, Mom, I am doing what you told me to do. I promise…David and Taylor will be taken care of, and we will stick together no matter what.

Taylor added, I love you, Mama. I have faith in Travis. We will never forget your love for us.

Davis placed his hand on the turned soil. For the first time, a tear flowed down his cheek and fell onto his mother's grave. Travis hugged David, then Taylor joined in on the hug. The young siblings became one as they stood and huddled near their mom's resting place. A few minutes passed, then they ran off to the safety on the tree fort.

It took some effort, but they managed to get all of their gear up into the fort before dark set in.

Travis instructed, "We can't use any light, so set up your sleeping bags now while we can still see. He helped David spread out his sleeping bag and showed him how to make a pillow by using his clothing. When they were all set up for sleeping, which would come later, Travis suggested they eat.

We will dine in style, he said in a way as to cheer up his sister and brother.

Let us start with some fresh fruit and the ham I grabbed from the fridge, Taylor said in a similar style.

David laughed silently at his sister's and brother's comical actions. They were very hungry and ate until their stomachs were full. David fell right asleep soon after. Taylor and Travis put him into his sleeping bag, then sat outside on the deck where they could see fairly well because of the moon's light.

Travis had the burlap sack with him as Taylor sat next to him. I don't know what is in here, but Mom told me to take it if anything ever happened to her.

Mama hid it? I thought it belonged to you when I saw you pull it up through the floor.

Mom told me not to tell anyone about her hiding spot, and I wasn't allowed to look in the sack. I don't know what to expect.

He emptied the contents onto a towel he set between Taylor and himself. Three white envelopes, a large pile of paper money, a book, a map, and three small boxes fell on to the towel. Taylor saw her name written on one of the envelopes. She picked it up and opened it to find a handwritten letter from her mother.

It's too dark for me to read it, Travis. Can I use a flashlight?

No, we can't take a chance, Taylor. We will all read our letters in the morning. I know you want to read it now, but if Pop comes down the road, he will surely see a light in the trees up here, and then we are toast. We have to wait. Besides, it will be good for the three of us to read our letters together. It will be fair to David.

Okay, I will wait. Look at all of that money! How much do you think there is?

Travis gathered the bills and put them into small bundles. We'll count them tomorrow. Mom really saved up a lot. I will bet she did it all for us.

You know she did! Taylor answered with a smile.

Travis yawned, then said, Let's get some sleep. We've been through quite a bit since last night. I am trying to handle what has happened. I wish it was just a bad dream and I could wake up hearing Mom yelling, ‘Time to get up!'

Taylor and Travis surrounded David. Within minutes, they were sound asleep in their sleeping bags.

The children did not hear their dad's truck come down the road at two in the morning. Ted made it home. He was so intoxicated he could hardly see. He swayed the truck back and forth, doing only ten miles per hour as he neared the house. He parked the truck right onto the flower garden next to the porch. He never checked to see if his kids were in the house. He simply stumbled to his bedroom and passed out on his bed. This was not an uncommon thing for Ted. The new reality was that he was now alone. He had no wife, and his children were so afraid of him, hiding out in a secluded tree fort. Things were not good at the Yellow Aspen Ranch!

The day after

When the morning sun rays hit their pine tree, the three siblings awakened. Travis immediately peered out a slit he had made when constructing his fort to see if his father's truck was in the yard. Looking out through the pine branches, he had a narrow view of the house. He nudged Taylor and put his finger to his lips, signaling her to be quiet. He pointed to the hole in the fort. Taylor took a look through the opening.

She whispered, What do we do?

We keep quiet. We'll let David know. Don't drop anything or let anything bang together. We can talk, but let's do everything really quiet.

Taylor wrote out the instructions for David as Travis went outside to relieve himself from the edge of the platform.

Following breakfast, the children sat together inside to read the letters their mom had written for them. Travis gave David the envelope with his name written on it. He opened it and read it as Travis and Taylor watched:

Dear David,

You are my little angel of love. How many times you made me smile? (Too many to count.) Your sweet smile, your caring eyes, and your gentle touch always make the sun shine brighter, the wind softer, or the snow more beautiful-looking. My days are more special because you are with me. We communicate together so good! I am sorry I am not here to hold you, but you can believe I am watching you from a special place. I am your mother, your best friend, and your protector. Because something very bad has happened to me, you are reading this letter right now. I write this letter so you will have something from me to carry with you throughout your life. It is a simple piece of paper with a lot of love pouring out to you. When you miss me, just look out into the distance and picture us running and playing together. I am not with you physically, but I am with you in spirit. You and I will always be together because of love. Put your hand to your chest and feel our heartbeat, that is my singing to you, sweet David. You cannot hear with your ears, yet you feel, see, and sense more than others do. You cannot speak with your mouth, yet you communicate so well with your eyes and facial expressions. You read so well! You can read and write better than your brother! You learned so fast. I have never had a better student! Listen to your brother and stay close to Taylor. Travis will make sure you are safe, and he will protect you. Help them in any way you can, but do not leave their sides. You must trust Travis because he and I have talked about your needs, and he has promised me to protect you and Taylor. Hug Taylor and Travis for me. Someday you will understand why I am not here to laugh and play with you. Travis knows what to do. The three of you must stay together and look out for each other. I love you, my little angel. I love you!

Ama

David handed Taylor her envelope. Taylor opened the envelope and read her letter:

Dear Taylor,

The happiest day of my life was when I held you for the first time. Your father and I were so happy! This time was many years before he began drinking. I never thought that you and I would ever be apart, but now we are. I write this letter so you will know what to do and understand what to expect without me. Travis and I have talked about this many times, hoping this day would never come. I have prayed every day that our family would always be together and your father would get better. Your dad was such a loving and good man. I don't understand what went wrong.

We all had fun together until a few years ago. I always feared the rage in him and that one day he would hurt me. I love him, and I can't leave him. I had to keep praying and trying to help him. Travis always tried so hard to protect me. You must now trust and follow Travis. He will keep you from harm and lead you and David to a safe place. Travis will take you to Aunt Holly's house in Pennsylvania. Aunt Holly is my twin sister, who is your only living relative, besides your father and your brothers. You look so much like your aunt Holly and me, with your long, straight black hair, brown eyes, rosy cheeks, and thin body. Aunt Holly will care for you and protect you from your father. The people in town do not know your father as we do, or anything about his violent behavior—a secret we have kept quiet out of fear, hoping one day he would change. Your father always told the police lies to cover up things, and they always believed him because everyone thought he was such a great provider and a hardworking man.

David needs you now more than ever. Keep him near you every minute and teach him the sign language you have learned. Stay together as a family. Do not let anyone separate the three of you. Aunt Holly will keep you together and provide for you and your brothers.

I put your grandmother's bracelet in a small box for you. Keep it safe until you are with Aunt Holly. It is very valuable and one of my favorite pieces of jewelry. Be strong, Taylor! Think of how strong I have been. God is always with you, and I am with you in spirit. I love you so much! Your brothers love you tremendously! Travis teases you sometimes, but it seems you tease him more. I laugh at how you two compete at teasing. I will live on through you, my sweet girl. Rely on your big brother, and keep David safe.

Love, Mama

Tears flowed freely down Taylor's face as she read and felt her mother's concern. David sat near Taylor and read the letter too. He gave Taylor a tight hug as she put the letter back into the envelope.

Travis read David's letter, then opened his envelope. He read it as David and Taylor hugged each other.

Dear Travis,

I am sorry you and I cannot have our special time, talking on the front porch with all of nature in front of us anymore. Our fears have come true, but you are prepared to handle what must be done. You must leave at once without your father knowing where you are going. Aunt Holly's address is in the box with your name on it. I have put as much money together as I could for the three of you. Your birth certificates are with the money. Keep them safe and do not lose them. Aunt Holly will need them. Keep studying the Bible. I put one in the sack. Make sure David and Taylor study also. It is your guide to life. Without God, you have nothing!

It is now up to you Travis to protect and guide Taylor and David.