Hideaway | {ocxoc}

. 1 .

"HOME? "

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. August 23rd, 2023, 2:28 PM .

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I laid my head against the window of the car, my headphones plugged in. I watched the trees pass by as the car drove through a small town in Portland, or should I say, our new "home". 

I never enjoyed the idea of moving here in the first place, but after ten years of our family being connected to her death, it gets tiring on your family.

I felt the belt buckles that held my mask up to my face being messed with. I quickly snapped my head over to my younger sister, who snickered and gestured to our dad. I scowled at her under my prosthetic and pulled my headphones out. 

"Wassup dad?" I said with a small sigh, looking at my dad, whom drove the car.

"Kit, you gotta start turnin down that music, you're gonna go deaf one of these days-" 

"Get to the point." I frowned under the prosthetic and huffed softly.

My dad hesitated, I saw his eyes peering at me through the rear view mirror. I saw him look back at the road. "Well, I was gonna ask if you wanted to explore the new apartments a bit while I unpack."

"I mean, sure I guess. But I get to pick my room first, since I'm the oldest." I looked at Vanessa, my younger sister, and snickered at her.

"Sure. Your sister needs to learn how to share anyways." My dad said, stopping at a four way road that had a stop sign.

Vanessa frowned, and went back to her ipad.

--- 2:48 PM ---

We got to the new apartments after a while. I helped move everything inside, after that I was free to go.

I stepped out of our musty new apartment and sighed softly, looking around. There were four rooms on every floor, which was odd to me. I looked to the left and saw a staircase down, making a mental note to my mental map. I always did this, but I never knew why, nor did the doctors back in Florida.

Heres a little tip, don't trust doctors. They don't help. They only stuff meds down your throat that is supposed to help.

But, they never do.

All they do is distract you from your problems, but when those meds reach their limit and you go back to your fucked up self, hell either opens, or you go to sleep.

Shitty for me, I'm an insomniac.

--- 4:03 PM ---

I walked down the steps, keeping one headphone in, the other dangling down the front of my slipknot hoodie. My necklaces, bracelets, and my jean chain thingy all made noise as I made my way down the stairs. My footsteps were heavy against the stairs, probably because of my boots. They were my moms military boots.

I made it to the third floor, we lived on the fourth, and saw the janitor lady. I gave a small wave, she waved back, then paused seeing my mask. I quickly looked away and continued down the stairs to the second floor, then the first. 

I made it to the first floor and looked around, then saw the exit. I nodded once, marking it down on my mental map.

"Yknow, you're the only person in this building that takes the stairs." I jumped, whirling around and seeing the janitor lady.

"Oh- Shit- Sorry- Uh.. Wait really?" I furrowed my brows 

She nodded once, leaning on the railing of the stairs.

"Hm. I actually didn't expect that." I said, I could hear the surprise in my voice.

"So, what's with the mask? I get we had a pandemic but jeez, thats just excessive." The janitor lady, Elenore {I read it on her nametag}, snorted softly. She had a soft British accent, which was comforting for some reason.

"Oh- Its- Well I'd rather not say." I fiddled with my fingers and looked down at the floor, I had trouble making eye contact my entire life. Well, not so much making eye contact, I was fine with that, just keeping eye contact was a struggle. It always felt like they were staring into my soul, so I just always looked away. It was rude and stupid, but I couldn't help it.

"Alright, kiddo. You're the people who just moved into 402, right?" Elenore said to me, furrowing her brows curiously.

"Uh- Yeah. Why do you ask?" I tilted my head to the side.

She shrugged. "Just curious." 

I nodded once and saluted her with two fingers, this was just how I said bye. I walked out the front door of the apartments and took a heavy sigh of fresh air. Much different change of pace from Orlando. Yeah, Orlando was nice and it rained a lot, like legit all the time, but It was so busy.. It made my anxiety sky rocket, along with.. Other reasons. 

I shook my head, we were not gonna be thinking about that today.

I opened my eyes- well, eye, and looked around outside. There was a small parking lot and a dirt road that lead to the front door of the apartments. The rest of the area was just hills and grass with a forest surrounding it. I grinned, walking off of the dirt path and into the grass. I sighed softly as I took out my headphones, making my way into the forest. Frogs croaked and Birds sung. Forests have always been relaxing for me.

I walked deeper into the forest, not needing music, just enjoying the sights and sounds. I was careful not to step on any creatures of the land. I had a special love for all animals and bugs, anything that wasnt human. Humans had done nothing but take and give nothing back. Animals only gave. Gave themselves to the land and sea, to the air and rain, to whatever needed them. Animals were also just kinder than most humans in general. 

I unbuckled my prosthetic and clipped it to my jeans, letting it dangle. 

The animals also didn't judge me for how I looked. 

The scars across my face bore memories I didn't want to have, but I did. Most of my facial features were disfigured, and they still are. I felt bad for the people who gave me most of my facial piercings, because they had to see my face. 

I continued to walk through the forest with no cares in the world. This forest didn't seem to be touched by the corrupted hand of mankind, and that made me happy in some sorts, and sad in others. 

I came across a long abandoned bus, it was covered in moss and was rusted all over. I furrowed my brows and walked around to the side of the bus, dusting the dirt and mud off of the side of it. 

"Starlight middle.. Hm. Wonder why a middle schooler bus is all the way out here? " I mumbled to myself, taking a soft inhale. I shrugged and looked at the bus doors, they were shut. I rolled up my sleeves and walked over to the bus doors, putting my fingers between the small slit in the door, slowly prying it open.

I got it open after a second of prying, huffing softly and stepping inside the bus. Other than the frogs and moss inside the bus, it was actually fine. I looked around at all the backpacks in the bus and furrowed my brows. I'd have to get rid of those, but I wanted to find out what happened first. I'd look into that later, because all I wanted to do was sit and chill.

--- 8:49 PM ---

I went home some time later, marking that bus on my maps. That was definetly gonna be my new hangout spot. 

I walked in the apartments and back up the stairs to the fourth floor. I grabbed my keys out and unlocked apartment 402, my new home, I guess. 

I looked around at all the boxes, seeing my dad passed out on the couch, my sister asleep next to him. I smiled and closed the door behind me, locking it as well. 

I walked to my new room, the biggest one in the house, and flopped down on the mattress, taking off my prosthetic and setting it to the side. My cat came over from the hall and climbed on my bed next to me, purring loudly and nudging her head against my hip. I laughed softly, and tiredly, petting her with my free hand. 

Maybe this place wasn't gonna be so bad.


- End - 

A/N
Hope yall liked it and I also hope it wasnt ass! PFT- Okay no but fr it would be greatly appriciated if yall spread this lil story around and voted, you dont gotta ofc but itd be nice!!! If I messed up at all comment on where I messed up! Thanks yall! Love ya! Oh yeah, drink food and eat water today!! :DD - Night

~ Word count : 1452 ~