The Peculiar Gun

Part 1

It was a frosty cold winter night in the town of Artemis, two deer trotted along the snowy filled mountains. The deer could be seen from her window.
The dull glow from her phone lit up her tired face. A few texts from her friend, Sade. Her favorite song by Lolo Zouai played faintly in the background on the LED light up speakers she got for Christmas.
Dawn felt relaxed but disconnected from everyone. She decided it was time to get out for a bit as she spent the whole day inside. Wearing leggings, gray sweater, and black coat she walked over to her neighbors house and asked him to go for a walk with her.
Her neighbor Darren wasn't really social and from what Dawn saw he had some anger issues. She never went inside his room, but he showed her a picture of a hole punched in his wall, and the gash on his hand. His mom passed away a few years ago, to cope he worked a lot,  went on fast drives when he was stressed and apparently, punched walls. What they had in common— working to distract himself. He also seemed secretive. She felt comfortable with the emotional distance they had. She wasn't very affectionate herself so it felt like their bond was great.

"I bought a new game recently"
"Oh sick"
"I tried to get her to play it but she won't"
"what did you expect? She hates video games." Dawn replied harshly
"Yeah but it has girls in it so I thought she'd like it"

Darren always was dating and venting to Dawn time and time again. She didn't get tired of it because she understood and felt sympathy.  And she felt for him platonically so she didn't get jealous.
The cold sky was covered in stars and the river was frozen. She desperately wanted to feel alive again but things just seemed so bland lately. Nonetheless she felt gratitude for the past and present. What is my future going to be like? She pondered.
Dawn walked back in to her house and took off her snow covered boots, to see her sister hot glueing seashells onto string lights for the beach themed birthday for her moms friend. Not exactly seasonally appropriate, Dawn thought but the woman loves the beach. Dawn reflected on her vacation in Santa Cruz, CA back in June with the colorful boardwalk and the cute beach house they stayed at.

"You're not gonna invite Darren over?" Her sister asked bluntly
"Hi how are you to you too"
"he's a really good friend to you, maybe you could invite him"
"I'm fine thanks"

Jana definitely liked Darren and I'm just not having it, Dawn spoke in her mind. Her sister and her mom were extroverted and always had people over and hosted events, which was really nice occasionally, but annoying when Dawn wanted privacy.
Dawn walked past the ivory walls and gripped the black door handle as she walked into the bathroom. As the shower warmed up she stared at herself in the mirror for a long time, brushing her honey-brown hair and examining the single freckle on her forehead. She stepped in the shower with one foot and realized she forgot to grab a towel from the closet, so she gathered her clothes and put them on again. She walked out but all the lights were off and the house seemed empty, which was odd but she assumed they all went to sleep.
She turned on her phone flashlight and grabbed a towel from the closet. She had work tomorrow at a coffee shop, where she mainly just cashiers. She sucked at making the milk foam and other craft coffee connoisseur crap, she just liked the vibe of the place. She also didn't even drink coffee, so she never bought drinks from there, she just got some for free sometimes.

Good day, she thought to herself as she turned off the shower. After replying to Sade, she climbed into bed and shut off the light.