Love...or Life?

Chapter One: A New Beginning

Inhale.

Exhale.

I'd never been good at change.

I felt my palm moisten as it lay upon the doorknob concealed with rust. I loosened my grip before wiping the droplets of sweat from my hands onto my ebony denim jeans.
I placed my left foot back one step on the concrete to prepare myself once more.

This was my third house within the space of two months. Why you may ask? I'm insane. Oh, whoops. I meant my parents think I'm insane. Why?

Well...

My name is Victoria Hudson (but hey, you can call me Vicki) and I see dead people. Not just as their corpses, but as their spirits living on. I speak to them, and they speak to me.

My parents don't see that though, they see me talking to something that isn't there. Something a mental person would do. Something that I would do.

They even put me into an institution at one point. Yes, what loving parents I have that want to lock me up in a padded cell.

Living in that virtual hell for seven months was the absolute worst experience of my life, yet my family still say it was 'for the best'. I've probably gone insane from the amount of meds they gave me, if I'm honest.

I was about to see my new cage, disguised as a bungalow. 'Tis definitely a cage, for the only outside world I would be a part of would be my tutor.

The thought dawned on me: Once I entered this territory, I'd probably never leave. I won't feel the soft bed of grass between my toes, or the warm sun beams glowing upon my cheeks. I won't see...the world.

That didn't really torment me as much as one would assume though, since I had started familiarising being locked up all day without a life. Tragic, I know...

After one last deep breath, I securely pulled at my jacket's edges so it hung from my shoulders and twisted the doorknob until the sharp creaking stopped and the door was unburdened. I halted for a moment and stood staring blankly into the hallway.

I felt a gentle grasp on my fingertips, like the kind that a cherub would give to one in need. But no, it was just my morbid little brother, Sam, being vulnerable and sheepish about the new place.

"I don't like it Vicki...it's scary and gloomy." His voice trembled as he spoke to me. It's times like these that stop me from actually strangling him to death. Although I disliked him immensely, feeling like the bigger person definitely was satisfying.

In my mind, I wanted to throw my arms around him, squeeze him and agree but I couldn't act in such a timid nature to the youth, so instead I pulled back my arm in a quick lash and replied:
"Get off me, Sam. Go cry to mum if you're that scared. I don't care."

He gave me a look of disappointment with teary eyes then ran into the hallway, rubbing his left eye to catch the falling teardrop with his fist.

I breathed a deep sigh and gazed over my shoulder to see the outside world for the last time. Funnily enough, I wasn't missing it though. This house did feel...different. I couldn't tell if I felt positively or negatively towards it.

But in my head I just knew that this place was nothing like the others.

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THANK YOU FOR READING! This is my first story so I hope you enjoyed this chapter, will try to update as much as I can :)