Thorn

Chapter 1: When It All Began

It all started with my last day of junior year, summer was welcomed most generously as the giant mustard colored bus pulled up to my house, the last stop. After stepping off it I trudged up to my house, and unlocked the door. No one was inside, no one would be until later in the evening. My backpack fell to the ground with a satisfied thump on the floor of my bedroom. Grabbing my Phone I made my way outside. I had decided earlier that day that I was going to go for a hike on a trail that you could vaguely be seen from our back porch. I have always wondered about it, but my mom never allowed me to go hike on it because she thought that it was too dangerous, but today no one was here to stop me.

I locked the door behind and made my way to climb over the wooden fence. The walk started on a  leaf ridden path, I paid no attention to time and listened to my music. It was almost sunset when I heard my phone ring. I turned of my music and answered the phone.

"Hello?"

"Alison Constance! Where have you been! It's almost dark out!" My mother's voice screamed into my ear.

"Mom, I'll be home in a couple of minutes. I just went over to Meredith's house after school, I'll be home in a few," I lied.

"Ok, well.... Hurry up dinner's almost ready." She concluded, and hung up.

I turned around to walk back home, but couldn't see the trail. I hadn't realized how dark it had gotten. Using my phone's light proved futile. I groaned in realization that I was indeed totally and utterly lost, in the middle of the woods, and of course in the dark. Determined, I attempt to walk in the general direction in which I came. After about ten minutes I sat down and held my head and groaned in frustration.

Then I heard something, a rustle from the bushes. I slowly made my way to a standing position, and was about to run from it incase it turned out to be something worthy of danger. Just as I was about to flee, a boy came out of the bushes. He looked about seventeen, close to my age. His hair was so dark that it blended with the surrounding night. I couldn't see what he was wearing, because his clothing blended in with the darkness around him. But the thing that stood out about him was his skin. It was as pale as moonlight and flawless. It curved around his almond colored eyes and his pale crescent shaped mouth. I stood hypnotized by his handsomeness until he spoke.

"You know, it's not right to lie" he said.

"What?" I said, surprised.

"You know, lying? The act of telling a false truth?" He replied

"What makes you think I lied to anyone?" I said turning around and trying to find my way back.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned around to see the boy. I shrugged off his hand and continued to walk.

"Look, you're lost, Right?" He asked. I turned around and gave him my best glare and said

"Are you stalking me or something?"

He shook his head, and looked offended.

"No, I overheard you while I was taking a hike myself" he said.

"At night?"

"You're one to talk"

"Fine. Ok, you know how to get me back to the neighborhood?" He nodded in response, and turned around and started walking. I hesitantly followed him, but in a matter of minutes I found myself staring at the back of my house, where I had originally begun.

"How did you know where I lived?" I asked, but the boy had disappeared into the darkness.

"Stalker" I muttered under my breath while I climbed over the fence. I quietly make my way to the front of the house attempting to not alert my mother of my whereabouts. I successfully made it to the front of the house and walked in to find myself staring at a very angry mother, next to a very annoyed and hungry dad.

"Where have you been!?" They both demanded.

"I caught up with some friends and lost track of time. I'm sorry for making you wait" I said. My father mumbled something about always being late and walked over to the dinner table. About halfway through dinner my mother announced something.

"Alison, your father and I have an announcement. You know that last week your father got a big promotion? Well he was offered to go on a two week long business trip and it just so happened that my research group are going to the same place for the next week. So your father and I are going to go to South Africa for a two week long trip." she concluded with a smile and folded her hands,

"Really?! I Can't wait this is going to be awesome! I'll go pack right now!" I said while trying to finish my dinner.

"No honey, it's just me and your father. We want to see how well you can take care of yourself." she explained while putting on a mask of fake sympathy. I put down my fork and told them exactly what they wanted to hear.

"Sure, yeah. Go ahead on your trip. I'll stay here and live by myself for two weeks. I mean I am going to college in the next year so it'll be good practice." I replied, giving her a fake smile. It wasn't like I don't practically already live by myself. My mother continued into depth on how she was going to leave some money for groceries and have a designated time in which I had to call so they knew I wasn't dead. But I wasn't really paying attention. I was sort of hurt that they wouldn't include me in their vacation. Silently I put my plate by the sink and headed upstairs to go to bed. My last thoughts were of the mysterious boy I met in the woods, then the world of dreams overtook my sight and I fell asleep.