Amelia and the miles between

O N E

I check my watch, 5 more minutes.

My school wasn't that great, it wasn't that clean and organized. The actual building was dusty and un-finished.

Somebody approaches me, it was my friend Claudia. I didn't have many friends, well I didn't really want friends. But she was my, somewhat friend. She stands in front of me wearing a tie-die dress. "So first day of school after the summer, weird to be back here." She said and moves her long hair out of her face. I shake my head. "Cant believe its been twelve years." I say as a tear dribbles down my face.

We only had two hours of school today, because it's a special day. There were celebrations and parties,but for me, it's not a very special day. I remember like it was yesterday, the grey chemicals everywhere, the smell that I would never forget, the sirens, the panic. It was unforgettable.

"Its okay." She whispers so nobody would hear her.

I sat down at my desk still crying a bit. There was no happiness in this classroom, walls were painted gray, and it was dark. The class was history, it was taught by John Smith, who had brown hair droopy skin and a sour look. He began talking. I didn't listen until it got interesting. "The city that has the and the best metropolitan area in general is Chicago, we are doing fine but its kind of depressing here." He says and looks down. The bell rings loud. After I get up they're still ringing in my ears.

I was walking to the bus stop an hour later. It was cloudy and raining. I step in a puddle, drenching my sneakers in water.I glance up seeing a a festival celebrating something that I feared so much. A reflection catches my eye, its me. I had brown hair, green eyes, fair skin, scarred with fear from the past. The bus comes driving towards me, the doors open and I stumble on. "Hi Amelia, how are you?" Max was a bus driver that rode frequently, I saw him often because I took the bus home everyday. "Hey, i'm fine." I murmur and walk to the closest seat. The bus ride is un balanced and confusing. Why was I put in New York, why New York.

I stumble inside our musty home. My mother isn't home. She never is. Its always some sort of work meetings she's at. "Hi." I look behind be. Its my brother Jason, people think were twins, because we look alike and they think were the same age. But Jason is 19 months older than me. I walk past the green glass sculpture in the middle of the room. "Amelia I remember when mom used to yell at us when we were younger for almost tipping over the sculpture.

I laugh. Which I do rarely these days.

That night I have odd dreams. It wasn't the usual of gas killing me, it was a guy, I don't remember his name. We were friends. I heard a voice in the back of my mind repeating the same thing over and over again "Perfect, they are perfect." I don't know what that meant, it was just odd.

I got ready for soccer practice the next morning making oatmeal. My team was enjoyable. It was 18 girls and we played easy games and had practice three times a week. One of my best friends was on that team her name was Anna and she was really sweet and always came with me to movie premiers, concerts and everything fun. I loves soccer. I pull on my red jersey and white shorts over my turf burns and scars. I walk out the door.

Practice went by slowly because I was in a bad mood. "Amelia!" A frantic voice runs up to me. "Whats wrong?" I say as I look up at Lily, face red, out of breath. As the team leader of our soccer Lily was fast. She was blue-eyed brunette who had an innocent face. "I just got a warning.." She pants and continues. "That a guard went to CR to patrol the area and he got snatched, someone took him hostage. A black clothed coward took him." Lily said sobbing. I didn't know why she was crying because CR (which meant Centre Road) was a dangerous place and CR cops disappeared all the time. CR was were all the 3 cities connected thats what I was told. Then I figured out why she was sobbing. Her Brother works for CR Patrolling. "Is Hugo okay Lil.." I got cut off. "Hugo was snatched by them." Lily sobs. I hug her, it was hard for her.