Autumn leaves float towards the ground, gently landing atop the dewy grass. The sun still below the horizon begins to inch its way into view. Faint chirping from a nearby nest can be heard. Many birds have already begun their journey to warmer destinations. The few singing stragglers shake one of the newcomers from her slumber.
"Good morning hun," the driver of the vehicle whispers towards the younger passenger. "We are pulling into the drive of our new oasis now."
The young girl peeks through the window of the minivan to see a red-brick building neighboring many other similar structures. Located on a main city street rests the 3-story 'oasis.' Vines slowly creep up the sides of this tired place. Large shop windows dress the first floor of the building, almost as if there is no cover for anyone who occupies that space from the outside world. Smaller, two-pane windows adorn the surfaces of the second and third floors. Flowering pear trees line the sidewalks just outside of this new home. Although losing their leafy vesture, the trees continue to provide shelter to the neighboring wildlife in the area.
"This looks a bit big for just the two of us... don't you think mom?" the girl articulates as she soaks up the rest of what she can gather from her new place of residence.
"It may be big, but any place can be called home with the right attitude. Just think. This is a new start for us. I finally have the space to start up my own craft store. You might make some new friends at your new school later. With some time, you may come to find that you like it here. Endless possibilities lay right behind this very door," remarks the young girl's mother as she motions towards said door. The young girl opens the door for her mother who is scrambling to gather some bags and a few other stray items from the van to tide them over until later in the evening when they will unpack.
A few steps in and the younger girl starts analyzing any detail she can take in. White and gray striped walls. An open, industrial ceiling hangs over her head along with multiple, black, iron light fixtures. The light produced by the seemingly small lightbulbs is painfully harsh. Black-brick tiles cover the floor. It seems a bit too hipster-esque for someone as kitschy as her mother. After removing her slip-on shoes, she begins her trek up the stairs to find the potential space that will serve as her room. Her mom had all the larger furniture delivered and set up a few weeks prior with the help of a small moving company run by the girl's uncle. A few rooms later she finds her things. Her bed, void of sheets and pillows, silently gathers dust in the corner of the room. She rummages around the items in the room to find a suitable blanket. She obtains a small, light green throw blanket and lays down with it, covering herself as best as she can to get whatever sleep she can.
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The girl sits up, stretching her arms above her head, shaking the sleep from her features. She leaves her bed to shower and gets ready for whatever is left of the day ahead.
As she lumbers out of her room, and down the hall, she finds herself in a large open space that has all the appliances necessary to cook and a floating island in the center of the room with a few bar stools just underneath the lip of the counter. Her mom rushes from one side of the kitchen to the other, trying to prepare what could be labeled 'breakfast.'
"Howdy C." Her chipper voice rings.
"Hi mom," the girl replies.
YOU ARE READING
Slow Me Down
Romance[18+] Two teens, two tragedies. A young girl and her mother start a new life in a new city, searching for refuge from their past. A young boy is just trying to get through high school without leaving too much of himself. They meet and friendship blo...
