2021 English Short Stories

Summer Breeze

White birds of heaven were like dazzling beams from the sea-water dapped by wind; their light in eternal blue otherwise, gliding like free spirits. In every winged arch they became the tips of a drivers' wall that brought a surge of sweet earthly joy to music both for eyes and souls. They were eye music flying in choreographed melody. While the path in front of my feet, burnt in the sun as my shadow followed close behind. But as night rose, the home's lit up one window at a time, ever changing though the starlit moments as if it were the beat of the music.

It was in early may, a cold morning the sun raised higher than normally. The bright golden sunlight, spilled through the small round window, placed above Amber's cushioned four-post bed. A decent room, a little on the small side but simple and welcoming. Wood beams traced the roof coloured of browns and deep reds. Paintings clipped onto her mirror, allowing the sun to reflect off the fragile glass, but nothing was more important to her than her sisters old reading chair sitting still in the corner collecting dust. Eloise left home three years ago for College, all Amber wants is to be there with her instead of at home with her somewhat loving parents. Every morning, she wakes up to her parents yelling in the rooms below. Tears would build in her eyes until she couldn't hold them in anymore. Letting out a little unknown sigh, they continuously dripped down her face as she heard the familiar words come from her mother's mouth. Here we go again, she thought.

"Fine then Amber and I are moving, next week. I don't care what you think about my job at least I am paying for Amber and not sitting around on my lazy butt doing nothing... Addam" She dragged on his name as though it was a dog attached to a leash, not willing to walk along the footpath.

Unknown to where she would venture to next, Amber braced herself for what came ahead. Memories flowed back destroying the barrier of love. Once more, she thought, how could her mother do this. They were always leaving and then coming back, she missed out on Christmas with dad because of their constant arguments. Who could she trust? Who should she believe? Moving once more to a different town, a different city, making new memories and starting a brand new life; all just to repeat the next year. Nothing is more painful than having to move, every year. New year, new neighbourhood, new school and no friends. It started years ago, well since I can remember, I mean it is natural now as my mum is Alexis Coopers, the famous actor, the one in all those theatre productions that travel the world.

So, every year I have to move unless I want to be stuck with old Grandma Josie and Grandpa Biron in Scotland, where the sun never shines because you're stuck playing bingo in the old retirement village hall. Which let's just say no one likes it when you are stuck somewhere you don't want to be, but all I wish that this year is going to better than the last 16 years of my life. After travelling the sky, I finally found out that Florida is my new "home". I say in quotation as I don't think we will be there for long.

"Amber come here, the neighbours have come to visit, I want you to meet them," Mom shouted from the bottom of the stairs.

Before I went downstairs I fixed up my messy bun that sat perfectly in the middle of my head and changed into one of my favourite outfits. My favourite streamer's merch, the deep navy ripped denim jeans I found in the second hand store. Mom and I always loved to go shopping in stores unknown to the public, it was calming not to get harassed by the news agents. I really didn't want to put any shoes on but I also hate people looking at my feet, so slowly slipped on my slightly faded mustard yellow canvas shoes. Shoes that probably will never be clean again.

As I started my journey down the familiar hallway I miss judged the stairs, causing me to not only fall down a flight of stairs but make a complete fool out of myself. Bracing for impact, I waited to meet the floor face-first. Not only the surprise of the fall shook me like an earthquake but the fact that before I could land on the cold hard titles which were laid on the foundation of the newly renovated home, I stopped to find myself in the arms of a boy, he seemed to my age. I stumbled back onto my feet, in the corner of my eye I could see my mum shaking her head in dismay. I straightened my outfit and started to fix my hair.