The Aftermath

Travels To Doom

     The scenery flew by in my vision through a dirty car door. Great times that I had experienced disappeared like footprints left on the sandy and calming shores of a beach. But this was no calming experience at all. This was absolute and utter torture my mother 'unknowingly' put me through. She didn't understand how her selfish decision internally effected me and burned my heart to the core, when before this, I wasn't considered depressed. I was one of those happy-go-lucky kids that just loved life, even as a teen. But now? What was I? I knew I wasn't my old self anymore, and a new person arose from me, something a typical 'goth' kid would be considered, not as much with clothing although I truly enjoyed some of the style, but on the inside. It was the usual sadness of moving that would occur with any person who loved something, and was forcefully told to leave it all behind, but this was way more. My friends, were one of the best ones out there. With them, it was a constant feeling of warmth, and protection. If you fell, they'd catch you and put you right back up on your feet, treating you with bandages and love. If you were hurt by someone, they'd find a hilarious and devious way of payback and revenge. But now, I didn't even have their numbers, and we would never be going back to them. All the hope I had left from my old home in Australia that my mother brutally ripped away from me, was my little fennec fox named Toby, that was gifted by one of my great friends, Mira. He was the only little ball of joy, fluff, and hopeful eyes that kept me going for now.

     The new town we'd be living in was straight ahead as if a cloud formed just above that specific area, and seeing it for the first time made me even more upset with my mom. She had just a lovely idea of buying a house in a more 'isolated' town, and well, she did a pretty damn good job at that one. The town look like It just rose from the ground and was plopped in the middle of a tranquil wooded area. The place itself was laid out with run down brick buildings and older homes, with rust on gutters and rotting pieces of wood. Trails seemed extremely cracked and bumpy, and the rugged forest's whispering breezes told anyone who neared it not to enter or to prepare for the worst. And this place, the place that looks like Michael Myers is spying on some teens to find his next kill, is what my own selfish, careless mother chose over the exotic and beautiful Australia? I can't tell if she is physically blind, or just has absolutely no taste in gorgeous areas, and also what her child thinks of her nonsensical decisions.

     Soon after the long and brutal drive, the puny billboard that looked like it was scorched by extreme flames, read:

You've arrived! Welcome to Derry, Maine.

     The dirt ridden sign passed by, and one of my favorite songs came on as my mom let out a small, and most likely fake, giggle while turning up the volume. But who was I to care at that moment? A downgrade was just made that literally ruined my life, I had no other care in the world at the moment.

     "Oh come on Ezrah! I know you love this song, cheer up! I'm sure you'll find friends in no time as well, you're such a cool kid anyway, everyone should want to be your friend." She broke the awkward, but much needed silence I longed for at the time. I know she's a great mom at times, but this, just really broke me and she never gets it. And never will.

     "It doesn't work like that. And I'm in no mood for listening to Michael Jackson." I replied in a short and stern voice, with my usual strong Australian accent bleeding through my hurt words. The new kid is always a castaway, there's no getting around that. It's like you're covered in feathers as soon as you walk in to a different place, everyone staring and questioning you, but still staying quiet. But, for some reason I hated quiet judging, I'd rather a person come up to me and say whatever the hell it is to my face so I could say a snarky and rude remark back, which is also why I dealt so well with bullying in my last school.

     "Ezrah, you know that I truly am sorry for wanting to go here, but everyone needed change in life, and we haven't had it in so long that, our time for it has come..." She sighed, giving me a pity-party type glance in the review mirror. I just spun my head away, viewing the new sights while gently stroking Toby's soft fur as he slept on my lap. I rested my sore eyes from crying on over half of the ride for a few peaceful moments, until we hit a very hard stop, scaring the crap out of me and also making Toby let out a short and high pitched yip as we flung forward straight into seats in front of us. I gathered my startled self and checked on Toby, clearly all discombobulated from the fuss going on, and the situation in general.

     "What the hell was that for mom? Did you hit a dog?!" I questioned, terrified, while looking around like a satellite dish to see what she aggressively stopped for.

     "No, no, it wasn't an animal it was just a group of six or so kids riding together on some bikes, they flew out right into the street before I could see them, and I got frightened." She mumbled, voice a bit shaky from the fear of actually hitting a child. She needs to watch out more...Even if she couldn't see them that well, at least slow down in a neighborhood filled to the brim with people walking and biking. Although, it was unexpected to even see this many residents who decided to live in such a horror movie worthy area.

     I placed both of my hands over my face and groaned, truly annoyed at everything. Well, it was definitely a feeling way above annoyance, but I felt it was unnecessary to start uselessly cussing in rage since that would trigger my mom to shove a stick of soap in my mouth mixed with some holy water. But finally, after a whole arranged mess of terrible events, we made it to our new home as the car revved its engine to initiate the turn into the new neighborhood. It may have been welcoming to an older couple looking for somewhere to live their retirement, but it would never really feel like home to me.

Word count: 1159 words