Lovley Fire

Chapter 6

I was exactly correct. Today was already turning out to be a long day. After my quick argument with Chastity, I decided to take a little ride and chill in my aunt’s awesome car while I get over the whole situation. I had never had an actual fight like that with Chastity, not one where I was as pissed as I was now. My weekend was obviously going to be a crappy one and out of fear of my aunt’s fury and rage, I decided not to go home after about half an hour of driving around thinking. Instead, I went to the one place where I can just let go and forget everything. The one place where I can throw my worries out the window and leave them to dry out in the sun. Willow’s Peak.

I parked the car on the side of the empty road in front of the quiet forest and looked around warily. Hopefully creepier man doesn’t track me down here, because here, I’m all alone. Deer Crossing was still dried up, no water in sight. I was a little disappointed by that. It just made the forest all the more quiet without the sound of the slow trickling of the water sloshing over the rocks and sticks that had been stranded in the creek for years. I tested the old, almost broken bridge that laid flat across the creek. I half jogged-half skipped across the old wood quickly, just in case it decided to give way. The willow trees around me were still in the condition they were in last time I visited this place. All nearly dead, but they each had a few living leaves left. I would say that the heat was the cause of the dead grass, trees, and dried up creek, but I know I can’t keep telling myself that. This forest followed in my family’s footsteps: the family dies, the forest dies. That’s how it works, but I wish it were different. Losing my parents and my home was bad, extremely bad, but losing the forest too was dreadful. It made me feel even more alone than I really am. It’s a constant reminder that I’m the only one left.

You know that saying ‘What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger’? Yeah, well I’m starting to doubt that concept. I have gathered up the courage to not cry every single day because of that night, but only because I have barricaded my heart behind a stone wall, so no emotions can break through. Usually when I think about my parents, I tend to get a bit teary and think about all of the holidays that I will have to spend without them, but now I just feel nothing. At least, I don’t think I feel anything. I don’t tear up, I don’t frown, I surely don’t smile…I’m just nothing. I think there might be this one little spark that tries to shine through the wall that covers my heart, the spark that wants my emotions to break free and just flow out of me like water. I can feel it. That bit of pain deep inside my heart that I won’t let show. I think it wants out.

“Hey Emrey, I thought that was your car.” I jumped and spun around to see Caiden standing a few feet behind me. How in the world does everybody keep sneaking up on me like that? For a moment I didn’t know what to say. He was smiling happily, obviously not seeing my depressed state of mind. He always seemed happy, like nothing ever went wrong in his life. But go figure, he had the life I’ve always wanted. The perfect life. The life I can’t have.

“Oh, hey,” I tried for a small smile. “What are you doing here?”

"Well, I was going to Jay’s house to see if he wanted to go hang out somewhere since it’s the weekend and I have nothing to do. Then I saw your car on the side of the road and thought that I would find you here.” Caiden walked around briskly, taking in the sight of the forest. His smile faded as his eyes landed onto the path way that lead to Flower’s Heart. Caiden’s eyes seemed to slip from that giddy, innocent look to a sad and depressed look. I couldn’t help but notice how his shoulders slumped forward and he stared mindlessly at the path like a unicorn was about to come springing towards him.

“More like my aunt’s car. She will be furious when I get home so I decided, why not wait a little longer?” I edged closer to him, gazing down the path as well. The path used to be abounding with butterflies and lively trees and bushes and small flowers blooming out of the ground, but now it was just a pathetic little walk way with dead vines hanging above.