Running the Gauntlet

I should have looked both ways.

Garden

Hi, my name's Garden Pavlovena, I'm thirteen years old and I haven't had the best couple of days.

Two days ago my life changed dramatically. I had just gotten off from school which was fine since a break just started and it was a nice day in Iowa, a good seventy degrees. My mom and I had the windows rolled down in her sixty-nine chevelle, she had just gotten it cleaned so the cherry red paint was popping. Somehow my mom always kept the new car smell in it, I asked if she was magic to which she said yes but the kind that moms had.

I looked at her with a big goofy smile and she returned it with a small smile as she turned the radio up. It was Today by Smashing Pumpkins to which we both sang along to.

When we got home there was a man on the porch. He was older and looked really tired. He had slicked back jet black hair, he wore a dark suit with a red tie and had all kinds of rings on his fingers.

"Stay in the car, do not come out until I say so." My mom said assertively as she turned the car off and got out and walked to the porch. I couldn't hear what they were saying. After a minute or so of the two adults talking my mom motioned that it was for me to come out, so I took off my seat belt and got out, walking towards the porch and noticed the two of them staring at me.

"Sweetie, go ahead and introduce yourself." My mom told me with a smile so I held my hand out towards the man.

"Hi my name's Garden." The man just stared at the bracelets on my hand. I couldn't quite understand the look on his face though as he slowly shook my hand before quickly putting it in his pocket.

Before either me or the man said a word my mom spoke up.

"Garden honey, why don't you go upstairs and pack a bag for a summer camp." She said with a concerned look on her face.

"But mom it's not summe-"

"Please Garden just do it quickly." She interrupted me.

I just huffed and walked inside, closing the door behind me. I was quickly assaulted by our doberman Clouds. He was such a sweet dog, my mom found him at the pound and when she saw him she knew which dog we were taking.

"Come on boy." I said pushing him off of me and patting my leg.

Our house was a one story, three bedroom, and two full bathrooms. It was old, but nice and it smelled like pine. The house was a good twenty minutes away from the nearest town so we didn't have to worry about neighbors or anything like that.

Walking into my bedroom it was a clean mess if that makes sense, I walked towards my bed and grabbed my duffel bag that was under my bed. I set it in a chair nearby and went to my closet and started grabbing clothes.

"I'm thinking of five pairs of clothes, what do you think Clouds?" I asked my dog which he ignored and continued licking his front paws.

"I better change the clothes I'm in now." I said taking off my clothes and replacing them with a Nine Inch Nails shirt, red jeans, and my white hiking boots that needed to be cleaned soon.

On my desk there was the stem of forget-me-nots that I was found with that are somehow still alive. I picked the stem up and put it between my ear. Also on my desk was a photo of my mom and I which I took out of the frame, deciding to fold it and put it in my pocket.

"Garden! Come here please." I heard my mom yell from down the hallway. I put my golden bracelets back on and I walked out of my room and into hers I saw she was digging in her closet. She pulled out a chest and opened it. She pulled out her pair of dog tags from her time in the Russian Military. I also watched her pull out a handgun and holster.