The Monster That Lurks

Chapter 1- The Move

"Val! Come down stairs! We need to talk!" My mom yells.

I wonder what she wants. It's probably nothing important. I continue to listen to my favorite band, Pierce the Sirens.

"IMAGINE LIVING LIKE A QUEEN SOMEDAY! ANOTHER DAY..."

"VALERIE!!" My mom yells louder.

I pause my music," What?" I scream.

"Come down we need to talk," She says softly. I make my way down the long wooden stairs, not really caring what my mother has to say.

"What do you want?" I say in a rude way.

"Well firstly, don't speak to me like that. Secondly," she pauses," Well I don't know how else to put it so, we're moving to Washington."

WASHINGTON? "But, mom I just got comfortable here!" I complain.

" I know Val, but my company asked me to do some work out in Landburgh."

Where is Landburgh? I've never heard of that place. " Why didn't you say no? We just moved back to Los Angeles!"

"My job requires me to move around sweetie." My mom says in a convincing manner.

"When are we moving?"

"This weekend."

"That's in two days mom!"

I run upstairs and text my only friend Rachelle.

"My mom is making me move again."

"What no way? You just got back! I'm coming."

"You can't come Rach, your dad wouldn't let you."

"I'm going to ask. Ask your mom if it's okay."

"Okay.."

•••Five minutes later•••

"My mom said if it's okay with your dad she'll let you."

"He said yes."

"Alright!!"

"Yay I won't have to not see you for years again!"

"Ikr i'm going to start packing. You should too."

"Okay, see you later Val!"

"Bye Rach"

———————

I can't believe my best and only friend Rachelle is moving with me. I've been here since the beginning of summer and I've seen Rachelle every day.

When we were little we used to live next door. But, when I was 5, my dad got in a crash on the way to work with my mom. My mom obviously lived, but they never found my dad or the car. My mom was too traumatized to stay at home.

She thought my dad was still alive and she says she saw him every night in the closet.

We moved to Georgia, where she got her current job as a real estate agent. Her job isn't normal though, because we move a lot! I can't even list all the places I've moved to. I talked to Rachelle every day on the phone since we moved though. I never made any other friends.

When we moved to Texas, 10 years later, I decided to dye my blonde hair blue. I started listening to "emo" music and I wasn't my mom's innocent little 5'5 sunshine anymore. Rachelle cut her hair short and shaved half of it. 2 years later I moved back to Los Angeles and here we are today.

———————

Saturday rolls around and Rachelle and I are sitting in the car waiting for my mom to stop conversating with Rachelle's dad.

"Okay dad I promise i'll be safe. We need to go now." Rachelle says in a 'get-away-stop-bugging-us- type of way.

"Okay Rachelle, I love you. I'm going to visit for winter break okay?"

Rachelle's dad is one of those people who are very worried and attached. Although, he has every right to be, his wife left him after she found out the guy made more money than them. The poor guy has been living alone with Rachelle for 13 years. Him and my mom are pretty good friends, so that's probably why he let Rachelle come with us.

"I love you too dad," Rachelle says.

My mom starts to drive away.

Us moving obviously happens a lot, but this time it's different. I feel... happy? but also scared. For some reason, I feel very scared.