Dahlia Red

Chapter 2

When Misty leaves I take the dumbwaiter to my bedroom.  There's one right outside my hidden room and one across the hall from my bedroom.  It's confusing referring to both in one sentence; it's hard for Misty to tell. I get to bed in my usual pajamas, which are a light shade of red, and close the light so my parents know I'm sleeping.  But instead, I turn on my lamp light to read a book.

Its a girl, riding down a hill on her bike.  Wait no, she got off and is walking her bike down the hill.  Why?  That's my favorite part of riding a bike, the slope, the hill, the mountains!  Why would Annie take the safe way instead of taking a chance, be daring, get into trouble!  I just don't get people these days.

ring ring.

It was a soft ring.

ring ring ring.

It came louder this time.

ring ring.

Oh right, that's my alarm clock.  I turn over and slam it with my book.  It's 4:27.  I set my alarm for 4:12 now because I need to wake up at a different time every day so one one can track me.  It's Tuesday and I have school but I refuse to go on the last week before regents.   I also refuse to do regents, but that time will come.

I get out of my queen bed and walk to my closet.  It's a huge walk in closet with a spinning rack that is always facing my green clothes to the front.  I press the green button on the wall and it spins until I see my colored clothes.  I pick a purple, blue, and pink galaxy tank top with a grey outline and white and grey shorts.  I switch clothes and find my jewelry shelf and pick grey earrings and my hunting white ring.  In my makeup closet I put on silver eyeliner and black mascara.  I add some powdered foundation, the shade of my pale skin.  Inside an empty compact case I take out $467.  I hide my money in secret places that almost no one could find.  Another 500 bucks are in the pocket of my too-small red cardigan sweater I wore for my birthday when I turned 4.  I haven't seen that sweater since I put that money away. 

Putting on a green over-sized shirt, I grab my pink sling bag and stuff the money in there, along with a room-temperature water, a chocolate granola bar, and my hand mirror.  I clutch my galaxy S6 in my hand so tight, I'm afraid I'll break it (with the otter box on).  I also pack a lifeproof case because Dahlia Green doesn't take chances; that involve her $4,000 phone. 

I lock up my closet and head to the bathroom to brush my teeth and my hair.  It's sloppy, but I put in aback braid, leading into my signature dutch braid.  I tie it off with a clear elastic and brush the thick ends of my hair with a comb.  Putting everything back to the way it was, I close the door ajar and hope no one hears me.  But I whip my head around and who do I see?  My father; of all people.

*****

It took almost and hour but I finally explained to my dad where I was going. To school!  And as soon as I said I was heading in early to do extra curriculum, he let me slide by like an eel; fast and dangerous. He may be  just another bump in the road, but he acts like a mountain that I can't seem to climb over.  Right now I'm out on the front porch, waiting for someone to arrive. He's like my best friend, but we're so different.  He's Misty's brother, David. 

He shows up a few minutes later and we start walking on the railroad tracks.  They usually lead out of the city but they are blocked off my security cameras.  And believe me, they have been upgraded to be the most highly dangerous technology ever created by mankind.  Misty used to have another brother, Rocky.  He was kind of like Harold, always so smart and cautious.  But he didn't watch his back when the owners changed the cameras.  He was killed when trying to escape back home.  The radiation from the cameras kill you, but there are rare survivors. 

We march up to the rusted booth where they used to sell the tickets. On the faded map in the window we find where the north woods are. That's our destination.  I stare at him from an angle.  His blonde shaggy unbrushed hair flies in his face.  Such a perfect movie scene, but there's no time to tell him that. I lean my head on his shoulder and say "Are you ready?"  We have to walk up a mountain which looks half the size of Mt. Everest; to me at least.  He looks back at me and says, "Race ya to the top."

*****

I slump down on a tree stump that is shaped like a seat. Taking my water bottle out of my bag, I look up at the sky and find the sun above, glaring down at us with a look of happiness.  When you do something for a good cause, even if its a bad action, the sun is always there to give a smile to you. Then my eyes move towards the top of a 20 foot tree.  There's David, staring down at me like he's the monkey king. I can climb that high, I just can't fly up half the way. David can. Lucky mistake...