The Ghost of the Lake

Chapter 1

I was anxious for the moving trucks to arrive. After all that talking and packing, the day finally arrived. My family was moving to a house in Wells, Maine. I've only seen the house a couple of times on the outside, but it seems like it is in good shape for a house that was built in the late eighteen hundreds. At least that's what my parents told me. The previous owners were a happy couple with two kids; a boy and a girl. The family had to move away because the girl had had some problems. They wouldn't say what problems exactly, though.

When my parents first told us that we were moving, I hadn't believed them. Then they started bringing boxes. I hadn't minded the boxes very much. I had actually thought it had something to do with their jobs. It was when parents told me to box all the stuff in my room did I start taking them seriously.

My father got this new job as a professor at a school there. He will be teaching summer classes and then teaching social studies during the school year. My mom is an author, so she can, basically, work anywhere.
This morning they barely paid any attention to my brother, sister, or even me. Which wasn't a surprise to me because I'm practically invisible to everyone in my family. What striked me as odd, though, was that they were ignoring my sister and brother. I guess they were also nervous. They were, in fact, getting everything ready, checking again if everything had been boxed or if there was still any food left in the pantry.

The only actual words that I heard them say were to ask us if everything was ready or they were talking to each other. That was only during breakfast, though.

I am the oldest of the three, being fourteen years old. My name is Opal, and my full name is Opal Ivy Ballwin. My dad gave me my first name and my mother gave me my middle name. I have long, straight black hair, dark brown eyes with a long face, and small nose. I will start my sophomore year in the fall.

Now you must be wondering how can a fourteen year old girl be in her second year in high school. Well, I guess I was too smart for my grade. I got moved up a grade in 5th grade. I guess that wasn't enough because I'm still in advanced classes.

Well, when you're in advanced classes and all, some people tend to get jealous. I was in 6th grade when students started to bully me. After my parents found out, I had to transfer schools. In 7th grade, I made my very first and only friend. Her name was Alice, like Alice in Wonderland. She was a good friend, but her life was short and had a very tragic end.

My younger sister, May Mila Ballwin, or just May, is 12 years old. She is very small for her age being only 5'1. Unlike me she has hazel eyes. Many people say we look alike, but I do not see any comparison between us. She has short, straight blonde hair. When you glance at it in the sun, you can almost see red highlights in her hair. Her face is round and circular shaped. She will be starting 7th grade in the fall.

Unlike me, she isn't so bright. She is an average B student. She is a very detestable person. When she isn't acting like a jerk she is annoying someone. She has a high pitched voice that irritates all sorts of human nature. She is always annoyed at something. She is the biggest drama queen I know. If my sister was a color, she would be yellow. Yellow is my least favorite color. It is very shiny and irritating.

Jackson, my brother and youngest of us all, is only 5 years old. Unlike my sister and I, he has no middle name. I guess both parents agreed on the name Jackson. His face is long and his nose is small like mine. He has a cute personality. He is jumpy and very sweet when he wants something. He will be starting kindergarten in the fall. He has short light brown hair and blue eyes. If he was a color he would be blue. Blue is a very interesting color. It has a bright side, but also a dark side.

We also have a dog named Balto. Balto is a really joyful german shepard. He has brown fur with blue eyes. I named him after the dog in Alaska that saved many children from dying of Diphtheria. He has been my companion and buddy for years. Before Alice, I only had Balto. Balto is still only a puppy. I don't know what I would do without him.