alive

five

I wake up with a major headache, drinking two bottles of wine will do that to you. I was still on the bathroom floor, Kaia asleep next to me. It looked like it was around noon, I got up slowly, trying to avoid getting lightheaded, but it didn't help. I stand still and hold onto the sink while my vision comes back to me. I walk into the kitchen and find a bottle of water. The plastic squeaks as I chug the bottle. I glance at the clock and it's two in the afternoon. I walked outside to find everyone sitting in the sun. Ace glanced at me, he was wearing a tank top that showed off his biceps, and some shorts. I was wearing my new favorite outfit, which was just sweats and my sports bra, so it felt nice to have the warm sun beaming down on my cold body. I don't bother talking to anyone, I just walk straight and find myself walking down the driveway and leaving the cabin.

I tuck my hands in my pockets and continue walking. 15 minutes later, I arrived at some trees that led to the small lake. I walked through the tall pine trees until I could see the lake and took a seat on the edge of the dock. I walked here barefoot, which wasn't a great idea since my feet were now sore with tiny marks on them from the sticks and rocks. I was tall enough for my feet to be halfway into the cold water. I take in the heat of the sun and the cool lake, as well as breathing in the warm, fresh air. I listened to the sound of the soft breeze hitting the trees I was surrounded by, along with the water splashing against the bottom of the dock. I lie in a fetus position on the dock, the sun drying my wet feet quickly and sigh, closing my eyes.

I must have fallen asleep because when I opened my eyes, it was pitch black outside. I didn't have a watch, so I had no way of saying whether it was 9pm or 4am. It was now a bit chilly and I had a lot of skin showing, so I was shivering. I stand up and open the door to the small cabin, flicking on the light. There was a twin bed in the back corner of the cabin, next to a door that led down to the basement, but the basement is creepy so I never go down there. I was far too exhausted from lying in the sun all day so I flop down on the small bed and cover myself with the blankets. I left the light on because I was too paranoid to sleep with the light off in this place. I've only slept here once before, with Arden, it was less scary when I had someone with me. I close my eyes and doze off.

When I woke up, the sky was a very dark blue color, so I assumed it was around five in the morning. I got off the squeaky bed and left the cabin, I felt a lot more comfortable in the open, I hated being next to the basement door. I walk 15 minutes back to my family cabin and make myself down the driveway and back into the cabin. I frowned, realizing the glass sliding door was locked. Too tired to walk to the back door, I take a seat on the wooden stairs that led to the front door. Memories of being on this porch rush back to me.

"No!" I shout, trying to catch my bracelet that suddenly broke, but I was too slow. It fell between the small cracks. "Daaaad," I pouted, walking down the stairs and tugging on his arm while he was talking to two of my uncles. "Yes?" he looks down at me. I just turned 8 last month, in June. "My anklet fell," I groan, stomping my right foot on the dirt ground. My two uncles chuckle at the sight of me. They were about 6 inches shorter than him, I glared at them with my very nonthreatening, big green eyes. "That was the one Ace got me," I poke my bottom lip out and look at the ground. "Ask your brother to get it, he's good at that," My dad says before I run back inside to grab my 14 year old brother. "Aceeee, can you help get my bracelet?" I ask, he was in the middle of talking to grandpa Enzo, but I was in a rush, so I didn't mind interrupting. "Go on," my grandpa pats his back and I grab onto his hand and lead him onto the porch. He brought a string with a fish hook attached to it, I remember how cool I thought Ace was for thinking of that. After five minutes of trying, I grew impatient and told him to stop.

I smile, thinking of how things used to be, before this cabin brought the worst of memories.

I got up from where I was sitting and looked around the porch. There was a fridge on one side and chairs on the opposite. I walk over to the unplugged fridge and search through the box that was next to it. "Aha," I smile at the fishing gear container. I pull out a small fish hook and the string that you tie onto fishing poles. I attach the fishing hook to it and shine a flashlight through the spread apart wood panels. There it was, a thin chain bracelet that my brother had bought me for my 8th birthday. I smile widely. I put the string through the panels and attempted to get the hook to grab onto the bracelet, but it wasn't working. After about fifteen minutes, it finally hooked onto the bracelet. I impatiently pull it up and sit on the rug behind me in case I drop it again. I slid it onto my wrist and tightened it a little bit, it was loose enough to move up to the bottom of my hand, and down a little bit on my forearm, but tight enough to stay on my wrist.