Creative Writing August 2022

Countryside

    Clara and Ron, two adorable twins would go on vacation with their new family car. Their father, Trevor was in charge driving. With only a map in his hands he knew exactly where to go. As you see he was an expirienced driver.
  
    He was a bank accountant with a good salary and also capable with fixing stuff. Next to the driver's seat you could find the mother of the children, Dianna. A devoted housewife that used to be an accountant until she met her husband at work. It was love at first sight. You see, Trevor wanted her wife to be treated like a queen. She forbid her to work, probably because he didn't want any other man to take her from him, so what was left for Mrs Dianna was to raise their two children. It seemed as a lovely and bonded family but reality hurts...
   
    Clara was the favorite child. She was talkative, sociable, she played the flute, she was a valedictorian student, she had an incredible voice that made her part of the school choir and she had hair as blond as the sun, as her father liked to say. Her father loved her more than anything else and couldn't say no to her. On the other hand, Ron was occasionally neglected by his father because as he said, he acted like a "pussy". Ron was no less than his sister. He had some friends at school, he was not an ace student but he was considered a good one, he loved drawing even though he wasn't as good as his sister and his passion was playing his guitar.
     His father would show in public a man that is an example for everyone. The ideal family guy but no. He was really strict with Ron and never satisfied with his achievements. Ron's father forced him to play baseball although he hated it. Clara's mother forced her to do the gymnastics and also cheerleading. She hated both as well and couldn't stand eating almost nothing. These children only had each other.
   
     In order to appear like the best family his father worked hard to make it look like it, since Mrs Dianna was a little full of herself and expected everything from her husband.

     A way to set this fake example, was to travel and take the children with them. This year they would go on a trip to their village in the countryside. The kids didn't want to go anywhere because they were exhausted after their big trip in England. Why would they go so far you might ask. Well, Mrs Dianna had a massive fight with Mr Trevor. In order to shut his wife's mouth, Mr Trevor bought tickets to this unnecessary trip they couldn't afford.
  
    Mr Trevor thought that he had cleared every sort of inconvenience with his wife, until summer came along. They spent so much money in England, that they couldn't go anywhere else. But the demands of Mrs Dianna were lots. The best and most economical solution Mr Trevor could think was to visit his old village they had to visit in ages. Kids were not really excited and fond of this idea. They kept complaining about what they were going to do there. Mrs Dianna agreed with the children. But Mr Trevor was determined. His description of the place sounded magical and the kids started being more interested, but this description was what he saw about 20 years ago.
 
    This house was in a terrible condition. Mrs Dianna understood his scheme and forced Mr Trevor to renovate the place if he wanted to bring all the family there. He couldn't spend more money to another prestigious trip or have a big fight with his wife, so he agreed and went there by himself to renovate the place. He bought paint for the walls, swings for the children, new and better furniture, he took care of damages inside the house and cleaned the pool.
 
     Believe it or not the trip in England was way more expensive than the renovation. In just 4 days the house was ready. One more detail Mr Trevor thought, was to put some food in the fridge so that the children wouldn't have to starve after their big trip. His only big concern was about Dianna driving there by herself. The couple had two separate cars but Mrs Dianna barely touched hers.
 
   Dianna herself was really stressed going there. She had studied the map well, but still she wasn't really sure about what she was going to do. The children encouraged her and told her that if something happens she could go ask somebody. With her heart in her mouth Dianna started the engine of the car and then drived carefully.
  
   Dianna successfully arrived safe with the children to the village. The house was beautiful. It was pink! The kids couldn't believe that their dad would do such a wonderful job. Opening the beautiful pastel blue door, it had a stoney path leading to the house. The house was surrounded by a beautiful garden full of roses that looked like it was taken care by a gardener. The colorful swings that Mr Trevor put couldn't go unnoticed by the children! The windows of the house were wooden and softly varnished to look shinier. The doorbell had a beautiful sound and the door was made out of glass, exactly as Mrs Dianna liked. Standing outside the door, there was Trevor standing with a fluffy dog! Kids run to the dog happily and named him Daniel. After years they finally had a dog!
   
   The pool was impressive as well. Mr Trevor put a wide table near the pool with nice chairs for all the family. What a dream was this house...
  
     Entering inside, it was equally astonishing. The living room was separate from the kitchen which was a thing that only rich people had.  The rags were vintage and big. As for the couple's room it was simplistic with an enormous, soft bed with clean bedsheets. The two bathrooms in the house were big and spacious with scentful soaps and towels. The kid's room was full of new toys that made kids really excited!
   
     After the house tour, Mr Trevor called his family for lunch that he made by himself. Dianna and the kids were surprised by Trevor's will to do all these things. The food was delicious and the plates were new as well. The kitchen had windows that made all the room shine. After their meal, Mr Trevor shower everyone the new TV in the livingroom. Kids screamed happily and started changing the channels that were uncountable!
   
    Mrs Dianna couldn't help herself but tear up and kiss Trevor. She apologized for being rude to him and told him that this place was the only thing she would like to go for vacation. Mr Trevor felt ecstatic. He did his job well and he knew. This house was a way to bond the family. They've been through so much after all...

                  Alternate ending

   ....His only big concern was about Dianna driving there by herself. The couple had two separate cars but Mrs Dianna barely touched hers.

    Dianna herself was really stressed going there. She had studied the map well, but still she wasn't very sure about what she was going to do. The children encouraged her and told her that if something happens she could go ask somebody. With her heart in her mouth Dianna started the engine of the car and then drived carefully.
 
     Even though Dianna followed the instructions of the map she felt that the road was very unfamiliar. It seemed that this road was abandoned and her and the children were entering a dead land. Dianna started shaking. Lucky her, there was a phone booth in the corner of the road. Dianna quickly parked the car and put a cent inside to call her husband's private phone number. He picked it up and Dianna felt so relieved.
"Trevor I think you gave me an older map I can't find the village but I know where I am. I am at the...."
   
     After Mrs Dianna let Mr Trevor know where they were, Mr Trevor gave them very different instructions based on the map he took with him. Mrs Dianna thanked him and listened to his instruction carefully.

    Clara was very upset and started crying. The place they were facing was very gloomy, the trees were dead and their branches looked like hands that were about to grab them. Also it seemed like a huge fire took the life of the scenery.
  
     As about for Ron, he was hugging his sister telling her that everything was going to be alright. Dianna was so pissed with the children because their behavior made her stress out even more.
"Mom there's another phone booth to ask dad! I think we're lost again!"
Mrs Dianna didn't ignore poor Ron that desperately tried to help her. She stopped and called her husband again. He picked up.
"Trevor I'm sorry I can't go on anymore the children are crying I can't find the way I'm here in this sketchy forest that doesn't lead anywhere. I think we're running in cyrcles..."
Trevor was shocked to hear this. He felt so bad about their situation that his first reaction was to calm down his wife.
"Don't worry Dianna if you can't go on you better return back home, I'll come to pick you up dear and I'll bring you to the village."
"Why did you gave me the wrong instructions in the first place if in the end I would return back home? You think this is funny the kids and me are frightened!"
"What wrong instructions Dianna you had a map with you."
"Are you kidding me? I called you an hour ago from a phone booth and asked you for help!"
"Dianna I don't remember answering and giving you instructions..."
Dianna froze after hearing her husband's words.
"Trevor, I called you some while ago telling you that the map I have is old and probably yours is newer and more accurate. You started giving me instructions from your own map..."
Trevor freaked out.
"Well that wasn't me Dianna."
Dianna closed the line and took the car facing the opossite side of the road running like crazy.
  
    The kids were shaking and hugging one another wearing tight their seat belts. Dianna couldn't believe what was happening this place was hunted.
  
     To calm down the children she thought that it would be a good idea to turn on the radio. The sounds coming from it were unspeakable. You could hear voices screaming, nails scruching the chalk board, babies crying unstoppably and a man saying saying in gibberish really fast as if he was reading a satanic prayer.
 
    Dianna tried to close the radio but it was in vain. It couldn't stop no matter how hard she was hitting it. As she was trying maniacally to close it she wasn't paying attention to the road and then a flock of bats attacked their cabrio car leaving injuries to the kids' soft faces... Dianna looked behind and saw everything that happens to her kids. Looking in front of her, there was a broken electric utility pole. Dianna broke down the car in front of it and the car was set up on fire.
 
    Trevor was waiting for hours. He started losing his mind. He also bought a dog for the kids. He couldn't stand there doing nothing knowing his kids were lost. He called the police and said everything about what happened.

     The case was soon left. Trevor even hired private detectives. But nothing. Trevor couldn't cherish all of this by himself nothing mattered. Did he really gave the wrong instructions? He couldn't believe his psychiatrist telling him that this behavior was due to his multiple personality disorder. Having so many doubts and guilt, he hanged himself in this dreamy home. What would be the best explanation to this tragedy? He was the one that killed his family based on the facts. The dog soon died because there was no one to feed it.

Writer's note: The story was intended to have a bad ending but I couldn't bear writing it. So I gave two endings because every family deserves happiness!!!