Chapter 5 Lucas
Lucas
I’ve always hated the word “content.” I know, I know.
For someone who’s literally a content creator, that probably sounds pretty strange.
But it’s the truth. Life isn’t “content.” Life’s life.
Sparks of humanity with truth and reality just waiting to be captured by someone like me.
Someone who can see through every moment to find the real story just waiting underneath the surface.
But right now, I need content. That’s just the truth. And I’m on limited time. For one thing, there’s the fact that we have only tonight to get everything I need for this video. For another, there’s the storm. And everything else I need to do.
I can feel the clock ticking as we step inside Thornhill Manor. As I expected from the pictures, it’s absolutely insane. This is the kind of place I’ve been dying to shoot at, and I have to hand it to Emerson. The guy came through.
I check my phone for the time. There’s a text from Mom waiting for me, and I open it up. It’s a picture from tonight, her at the dinner table with Dad and Trey behind her, huge smiles on all their faces. She’s got a birthday cake in front of her decorated with candles covering every inch.
Mom
Wish you were here!!!! Love you.
I swallow hard. I should be there for her tonight, especially for this particular birthday. I should be there capturing everything. And maybe I would be if I hadn’t made such dumbass choices. If I weren’t carrying the kinds of secrets that Mom can never, ever find out.
I send her a quick message, letting her know I love her and miss her, too.
Then I swipe her message away and focus on where my phone declares in bright white numbers that it’s 11:50 p.m. Around me, everyone else has taken off to claim their bedroom for the night.
I’d guess I’ve got about a ten-minute window until they notice I’m gone.
I keep my shoes on. I slip back out the door, into the rain. I pocket my phone but still feel Mom’s eyes on me, even from all those miles away.
Ten minutes. I set a timer, just in case I get distracted.
I’m outside before I can second-guess whether or not I’m just adding another bad decision onto the pile.
After all, my choices have already been made. And at this point, there’s nothing left to do but film what happens next.