The Awakened

Chapter 2

I awoke abruptly in a slight daze, rubbing my eyes as the truck came to a slow roll in an unfamiliar, wide driveway. I grabbed my phone out of my pocket, then pressed the power button. It was at twelve percent and read, 5:55 pm, in the center of my lock screen. My eyes wandered upward, revealing the full extent of the driveway in front of us. It was lined entirely with shimmering black steel fences that stood nearly as tall as the truck itself. Green shrubbery lined the entirety of the property, glittering with fresh water droplets from a recent storm. Unmistakably, the blistering sun was pushed away by dark clouds that seemed to reach on for eternity.

From the driveway it was clear that our new home hadn't crept into view yet. The whole move was making me anxious, although the property seemed extensive and beautifully well kept. I chewed on my thumb nail, glancing from side to side.

 
Taking a deep breath, I glanced down toward Jackson. Small freckles dotted his sleeping face. His dark hair was a complete, utter disaster with small curls flying everywhere. I covered my mouth, attempting to cover up a laugh, after noticing drool trickling down from his mouth. Not more than ten seconds after covering my mouth, Jackson's bright blue eyes burst open as he jolted upward, slamming his head square into my chin.

"Ow!" I yelped as pain radiated throughout the area, "What was that for?!" My chin throbbed mercilessly as I held my hand against it.

"I didn't do anything!" Jackson retorted back, rubbing the top of his head. "You're the one who hurt me!"

 
Holding my chin in hand, I glanced toward the windshield. Not more than six feet in front of the vehicle stood a glistening black gate. Gradually, my eyes made their way towards the ground. The ground below was made of an assortment of rocks that had been set together with cement. Numerous cement-filled cracks had a layer of bright green moss growing in between them.

There were tall stone towers on either side of the gate that loomed high above us. My eyes fell particularly on the right side of it. There stood a tall man who wore a black and white suit. He held a small device in his hands that seemingly had only a single button atop it. In an instant, a shriek from the gate echoed through the area. Despite the ear bleeding noise, my mind felt clouded. I had no idea who this man was. The way he dressed and held himself was nothing like the way people in Akens Town had been.

Those who lived in Akens Town almost always wore plain clothing. Nobody living there ever had enough money to spend on expensive clothing. Many could barely afford the basics of living at all. Food, running water, and power were what a majority of paychecks were spent on there. My family was no exception to that rule.

This guy was entirely different from those back home. He stood up completely straight and had not even a speck of dirt on his suit. The air around him seemed still as though his exuding confidence kept it at bay. At first glance he looked to be in his late twenties. However, upon a closer inspection, I could tell he looked more like he was in his late teens. His hair was as black as onyx and had been swept up then to the side by hair gel.

As soon as the gate opened, our truck passed through the threshold and onto the property. From the entrance onward, the driveway was surrounded by a vast amount of empty space. All that filled it was a field of bright green grass that stood out against the deep green of the bordering shrubs.

During the time the truck trudged along, a massive Victorian Mansion took up the center of the property. Without so much as a thought I let out a gasp as I took in the image in front of me. My father brought the truck to a halt beside an edge of the mansion that towered above us.
Surrounding the exterior of the house were more of the green shrubs along with trees of various shapes and sizes, all of which were cut to be perfectly proportionate. An old stone path wound itself up like a snake toward the home's entrance, a short wall of stone lining it.