Preston Greens

31. Vital

The sunlight was streaming through the windows and curtains, as I woke up to the smell of cherries. Mom lit a cherry candle, which I found on the nightstand. I noticed my lamp was turned off, probably because mom or dad turned it off last night. Careful not to knock the candle over, I went to the window and saw the orange tree. Today was going to be a beautiful day, and something in my heart told me today was going to be an important day of discovery. I ran my hand across the curtains, inhaling deeply. I looked out to the sky and saw birds chasing each other, and clouds moving. 

I took a very long shower that was full of thinking, said good morning to mom and dad, and went outside. I knew it was time, time to find out the truth, so I sat on the grass and admired the nice air outside. As if right on cue, the man comes up to me. 

"I've been waiting." I said calmly. 

"I know you have." The man said, still standing.

 I had no interest to harm him, and neither did he. I didn't want him to leave, especially in this important moment. "Why have you been watching me?" I asked him, picking at an ant in the grass. 

"You may have never realized this, but you need to be watched." He said.

I didn't want him to vanish right now. I wanted him here with me, telling me this story. 

"You are a very important person. People out there will want someone like you to figure out their problems. You may not know it, but you are the most important person in this neighborhood. It has been my duty to watch you and make sure you're safe, but I have failed." The man said, his eyes wandering. I could tell he was ashamed. 

"What are you talking about? Who sent you to watch me?" I asked him, running my fingers through my hair.

 "We all knew. We all knew there was going to be someone like you to find out our secret. The developers noticed that this one house was different, probably a defect. When that man fell in the foundation, we were ready to give up. I watched over the whole neighborhood, living in a small house on Autumn Chase, where nobody noticed. I watched for suspicious activity. The day you were born and brought home from the hospital, I had a feeling. I had a feeling it was time." He said, tears on the corner of his eyes. 

"I don't understand, I, I, why am I so special?" I asked him. 

"Because, Carla, you are vital." He said. 

I reached my hand out to grab him, but he was already starting to vanish into the air. "Don't go! I called to him, trying to bring him back. I fell to the grass. Tears were streaming down my cheeks. I wiped them off with my sweater, but I persisted my crying. I looked up to the sky. "Help me!! I need you! I need you to tell me what happened!" I screamed, my lungs seeming to be on fire. I felt like nobody could here me, even though I was so loud. The world was still, and I was the only one moving. 

I slapped my hands onto the cold earth, and I couldn't stop crying. "Where is everyone!?" I screamed, wanting an answer. I stood up, waiting for the world to move again. I sat on the grass, and told my mind to think, but it didn't want to move. I had never experienced this feeling before, and it seemed like whenever my mind stopped, the world did too. I went over to the kitchen window and saw mom and dad, frozen. I was a little freaked out. I banged my fist against the neighbor's tree. 

"Work! Work!" I yelled, beginning to get frustrated. I needed to figure this out. I sat on the grass again, and I felt a snap in my head. Things were coming together, and after a few seconds, there was another pop in my head, signaling that I had figured out this whole thing. I knew why Charlie's spirit was stealing bleach. I knew why this was all happening, and I know why the man failed at his job. I knew why he existed, and I felt like my mind was about to explode with all this information. 

I danced around the light posts, full of joy all of the sudden. I now knew what the man was trying to tell me. 

I was important because if it weren't for me, nobody would have figured out what was going on with this neighborhood. The man failed his job because no one was ever supposed to find out. The houses were like this because all the builders made were mistakes. People fell in the foundation, and the spirits were within the house, and within the people.

 I fell into the grass once again with a severe headache. I seemed to sinking into the earth, and my mind was bustling with activity as usual. I felt the world move again, but I stayed in place. Mom and dad stormed out of the house. 

"Breakfast is ready! They shouted, looking at me in the grass. 

"I'll be there in a minute." I said, gazing at the clouds.

 They shook their heads and went back into the house, knowing not to interrupt me and my thinking.