It's all just a mirage

Chapter 4- Need this back

People often say that this or that person has not yet found himself.  But the self is not something one finds, it is something one creates.  ~Thomas Szasz, "Personal Conduct," The Second Sin, 1973

Carson's POV

I looked out the window, standing at the kitchen. Just staring. Waiting. "You know you're not supposed to be drinking coffee right?" my mom said from behind me. I turned around and looked at her. Giving her a soft smile. "It's the only way I'll be able to stay awake when those stupid boulders come."

And as if, right on cue, there they were already coming into the back yard. The loud noises that the machines were making gave me goose-bumps. My mother wrapped her arms around me (even though, I'm about a foot taller than her). We both knew that my dad wanted that stupid pond more than anything. And sadly, my mom said yes.

"They're here! They're here!" That would be my dad. Acting like a complete loser and a seven-year-old boy who just got his first fire-truck.

My mom unwrapped her arms from around me and I took a sip of my coffee.  The coffee stayed on my tongue for a bit as I rolled it around in my mouth. From side to side, every part of my mouth tasted it. I gagged a little but swallowed. The coffee didn't have a very good after taste to it. And my mom knew that too.

"I knew you wouldn't like it. Carson,-" She got interrupted by the boulders. Now, they were going straight to work and digging up the dirt and moving it to huge piles somewhere else. 

I laughed at her as my dad ran out the back door. We just moved in here about two months ago and already, my dad was starting a new project. I took another sip as she followed him. Today was going to make me restless. No sleep for me.

Ariel's POV

I ran up to my room and started to pack. I packed everything I knew that I would need. Clothes, money, tampons, a brush, my iPod, this was getting too much for me. I couldn't stay here anymore. It was eating me up, all of the sadness, the hurt, the grief. I can't take it. I lay on my bed and wrapped my arms around my knees and hugged myself tightly. Tonight was going to be the night that I got away from here. 

Looking out the window, I saw the sun setting. Turning from a bright yellow colour a nice pink that was getting tangled up with the lightness of the blue sky. I was going to miss this place. But not the sadness that comes with it.

***************

The windows downstairs went dark. Finally, Uncle Jordy was coming up to bed. Quietly, I brushed my hair back with my fingers and listened. Unlike the old house, which was small and easy to hear when someone was down stairs opening the fridge. The new house was larger and it took more time to hear where someone was. Time that I didn't really have nor wanted to waste.

I walked over to my door from my bed and eased it open slightly. Distantly, I heard footsteps and a door opening and shutting. He was in. I reached into my closet and grabbed my bag, then slowly opened the door widely and stepped out. I stuck close to the wall until I got to the stairs. And then I finally knew that I had luck back on my side- the alarm was set. 

I reached for the knob and eased it open slowly, sliding my hand with my bag through first. I had half of my body out the door way when I first heard high pitched whistling. I looked around me for whatever was making that noise at maybe two AM in the morning. When I looked straight forward, I got my answer. 

"Come on Pepper! Good girl! Let's go."

Coming this way, was Pepper, A shitzu and Amelia, Jordy's girlfriend. I froze. I could see her and Pepper coming up the other side of the street. Oh shit. I started to bite my lip as I wondered if they were far enough that they wouldn't see me if I ran on the other side of the street and dodged the streetlights. The longer I stood there, the faster she came my way. And I decided to go with my gut.