Shallow Valley

Prologue-Another Home

Prologue

Not so far I swear
There's another turn that leads
Towards another home somewhere
(Mary Chapin Carpenter-Another Home)

The car was driving really fast. The woman breathed in relief. No one was behind them. No one was following them. They were safe and they would have always been. She turned towards the backseat. Aden was sleeping sweetly, leaning on the big suitcase next to him. She smiled.

"Can you pay attention to the road? I don't want to die, idiot." the girl next to her told her, in a very rude way.

"Madi, don't talk to me like that. I know you're not happy about moving, but we have to do this. It will be funny, you will have new friends and we will be able to start again."

"I had friends. I had a life. I had fun. Oh, and I also had a mother." the girl replied, with anger. The woman sighed. She knew the sacrifice she was asking the girl was enormous, but she couldn't act in a different way. Not that time.

"I'm sorry, honey. I know how you feel, but..."

"You don't know anything! She was my mother, not yours! And now pay attention to the road and stop talking. I don't want to hear your voice anymore.". The woman rolled her eyes and kept driving. She gazed at the girl, watching her while she was putting headphones in her ears and turning on her iPod. Fifteen years old and a very strong passion for heavy metal music, Madi was a whole mystery to her. The two didn't get along well. They would have never.

"Mama, are we there yet?" a sweet and gentle voice asked from the backseat. Aden was awakened, but his big brown eyes were so sleepy.

"No, we aren't, sweetheart. Keep sleeping." the woman said.

"But I have to pee." Aden complained. The woman groaned and stopped the car on the side of the road. She went off the car and helped the kid to do the same, so he could pee. Madi was laughing of her. She loved watching the woman in need.

"Thank you for helping me!"

"Oh, you're welcome idiot." replied the girl, with a grin on her face. Lord, help me thought the woman.

"Are you okay, Aden? Can we go back to the car?" she asked the kid. Five years old and an incredible talent for doing the wrong thing at the wrong time, Aden was a sweet and lively child. He loved the woman and, unlike his sister, he considered her his parent. He felt really attached to her, she was his mama after all. And she loved him back, of course.

"Come on sweetheart, we have to go. I don't want to be late at my sister's."

"Are you fucking serious? It's six in the morning, we will be early, not late!" Madi shouted from the car.

"Shut up! We have to go, come on!" the woman insisted. Aden and she went back to the car, quietly.

"I will miss home." he stated. The woman kissed his temple.

"Me too, but we have to go.". The woman started the car. She was driving faster then before. Madi tried to say something about her driving skills, but the woman cut off her attempt. Madi shrugs and kept listening to her music. Megadeth, she loved that band. Devils Island was one of her favorite songs ever. It reminded her of her mom. She was a huge fan of Megadeth and she introduced Madi to heavy metal music. They used to go to concerts together and listen to a lot of albums. She really missed her.

"Turn down the volume, please.". Madi laughed.

"I want to enjoy my music, so no, I won't lower the volume."

"Madi, please, turn down the volume! You will become deaf if you listen to music so loud." the woman insisted.

"You decided to move from Polis, depriving me of concerts and ruining my life. I won't turn down the volume!" Madi retorts. The woman sighed and surrendered. She kept driving. It was seven in the morning. Finally, they saw a sign reciting Shallow Valley and some houses. The woman breathed in relief.

"Yeah, there will be a lot of fun." Madi commented ironically, noticing how small that little town was. The woman didn't reply. She just wanted to arrive to her sister's. She drove through the narrow streets of that small sleepy town, looking for a green house.

"We lost, didn't we?" Madi asked.

"I just don't know where to go." the woman replied.

"Yes, sure.", the girl commented. The woman decided to pull over and to ask a police officer she saw some information.

"Good morning Miss! May I help you?" the police officer said. He was a young and shambling guy of funny and kind appearance. The woman swallowed. She didn't like police officers at all, but she had no choice. She had to ask him some information. Also, there was something reassuring in that guy.

"My name is Jasper Jordan, you are new in town, aren't you?" the police officer tried to approach that strange trio.

"You should be the smart guy in the family."

"Madi! I'm sorry, don't listen to her." the woman apologized. "I'm looking for... Uhmm... So, do you know how to reach Philpott Street?" the woman asked, shy. Hearing that, the police officer smiled.

"Yes, of course! Two of my best friends live there, Anya Woods and Raven Reyes. Are you visiting them?"

"Well, we are actually moving there. Anya is my sister, we need to go to her place." the woman told him.

"Oh, great. Well, you need to go straight for one mile and then turn right. You will see a green house, your destination." the police officer explained.

"Thank you so much."

"You're welcome! Shallow Valley is a pretty and quiet town, you'll be fine here." the police officer said.

"I hope so, Mister Jordan." the woman claimed, a bit of sadness in her green eyes.

"So, let's see you around Miss..."

"Lexa. My name is Lexa Woods.". And, after having revelead her name, the woman started driving again towards her sister's house, towards a new life. Towards a new beginning.