Forever (Original)

Forever [Prologue]

Forever: Prologue

Six-year-old Maria sat Indian-style under a tree at the park, her back leaned up against the tree trunk and her eyes closed. She suddenly became aware of a tingling on the back of her neck, indicating that someone was watching her, and her eyes opened. She quickly glanced around, and caught sight of a boy about her age, looking right back at her, not two hundred yards away. She closed her eyes once more and slowly counted to ten. When she opened them again, he was gone.

 ~x~

Maria sat in the old church that was practically falling apart; playing the piano that had been left there. A few of the keys were out of tune, but she still liked to play. No more than a few days left until her twelfth birthday, but yet, she still wasn’t the slightest bit excited, as a merry tween like herself should have been.

After a few moments of playing, her finger struck the wrong key and she cursed loudly in annoyance. She grabbed her maroon backpack that read Auburn Middle School on it in white letters and marched out of the church, slinging the bag over her shoulder. As she checked to make sure no one saw her, she noticed a boy sitting outside the gate about her age, watching her inamusement.

As Maria passed in front of the boy, she glared and sneered at him, and she was aware of him watching as she walking in the direction of the home.

 ~x~

Maria stood at the crosswalk not far from the city library. Her fourteen-year-old face was scrunched into a hateful scowl, which sadly actually happened to be her “thinking face,” as she waited impatiently for the many cars to come to a stop. After several moments of cars passing by without any sign of the traffic light changing, she gave up and turned to the direction of the library.

Almost as soon as she started walking, she slammed straight into someone, the force of them knocking her to the ground.

“Ow,” she said stupidly as she felt the skin break on her elbows.

There was a soft, boyish chuckle and she looked up to see a (of course) boy about her age, peering down at her with amused face.

“Hey there, you all right?” he asked, grinning widely at her, holding out a hand to help her up.

She took it and pulled herself up.

“I’m fine,” she muttered, mostly to herself. “Wasn’t paying attention. Like usual.”

The boy laughed. “Okay, well, I’m Nigel,” he said, shaking her hand, which he still had in his.

“I’m Maria,” she said, feeling a bit stupid for that being all she said. She brushed herself off and looked back at the boy.

Instead of seeing him, there was nothing but space where he’d been only a moment before. Maria frowned as she looked around for him, but didn’t see him anywhere. She sighed and adjusted her backpack on her shoulder before she continued her journey to the library.

© 2011 Sean Thornton