Dark Souls

4. The Hamiltons(chapter4)

It was Saturday morning when I opened my eyes. I knew yesterday was going to be an awful school experience but not in this way. "How can I forget these eyes". They were piercing my soul. I wish I could have heard their conversation. From the little I saw there was a tension between them.
I spend the rest of the day lying down to my bed, thinking as always.

"Time for launch" It was a reason to get me out of my bed.
Spaghetti, with tomato sauce. Thank God.
"Hey Mom, I was thinking that it would be a good idea to go and walk around the area to check the place."
"Good idea. Aidan you should go too" said mom although she knew that Aidan wouldn't leave the TV screen so easily.
"There's a match on screen, no way!" he was decisive.
"There's no problem, I'll go alone" That was my first plan anyway.
"Just be careful "dad said.
" Yes Dad. I'm thinking of visiting the woods"
"No. It's not safe. Sheriff said that some incidents have been caused lately to the woods. You'd better go to the lake."
" But Dad..." He knew how much I loved trees and keeping me away from them would be a disaster.
"There's nothing else to talk about" his tone was strict enough. I didn't speak for the rest of our meal. And I didn't really care about danger. Such things always attracted me.
I headed back to my bedroom again. The only home ground to me. The hour was passing torturously and the only thing I could do was to spend my time on internet.
"Okay let's find out some things about this place"

As I searched I found some very beautiful pictures of the lake and the woods. Also something I didn't know was that this house used to be owned to the Olympic National Park where many tourists used to visit every year. Something that caught my attention and wasn't so boring was the Marymere falls, not far from here. A loud sound made me look out of the window. My parents were leaving.
"Oh right, shopping time" I never followed them that's why they left without me.
That time I automatically grabbed my keys and my mp3.Before I even realized it I was in the back yard. The time was 6: 50 p.m.
"They won't be back before nine" I set my alarm clock just to be sure and I followed the first path I saw. The only thing that was on my mind was the serenity that I would find after all these days. I put my favourite playlist on, loud enough and headed to the deepest part of the forest. After a few meters I saw a label showing the way to the Marymere falls. I took that trail and I started walking faster. I was excited. The landscape was magical. Why dad said that I could be in danger? Everything here was so calm and quiet. No danger at all. Suddenly a fresh air touched my face, and the sweet sound of water flowing to the creeks came to my ears. A huge waterfall was standing there in front of me. About 32 feet tall with huge rocks and a variety of vegetation. All those images and sounds that had overwhelmed me, the fresh air, the sense that I was alone in the place where I love. I couldn't imagine something else, something that could make me jump for joy. Yes I was more than happy!
I took a deep breath to fill my lungs with the perfect smell of the flowers and I continued walking. Minutes later I had come away from the falls, I was totally into the woods. The place there was darker, due to the trees covering up the sky, but I could still detect two figures staring at me. I tried not to look and I distanced myself from that place and the same time my alarm clock rang. It was late, I had to go back.

"Hey there!" a voice passed through my headphones and made me turn around. "Are you Angelia?" The same figures, closer to me, like they were trying to approach me. It was a girl who seemed to be the same age with me but taller. She had blond long hair in a pony tail. She wore weird clothes and colors that did not match. Anyone could say that she had her personal dress code, her personal style. Next to her there was a boy standing, taller than the girl. He had modern tawny curtain hair. He had a baby face with many freckles that were giving him a unique beauty. He was wearing a checked shirt with just half of the buttons done up and a modern pair of jeans.

"Yes" I timidly said.
" I'm Lenora and this is my brother David! We're your neighbors" more neighbors, perfect!
"Oh, hi!" I said trying to avoid the talk.
"So how did you come here?"
" My Dad found a good-paid job and..."
"Nice, it should be a big change for you." Lenora said before I could finish my sentence.
I shyly, half-smiled. "Quiet enough." I started walking.
David wasn't talking at the whole time. He just watched the conversation. He wasn't paying enough attention to me. Exactly what I was wanted.
"It was nice meeting you Angelia see you soon!"
"Bye!"

They were still looking at me until I left of their sight. Did we have neighbors? I was too absorbed of my thoughts since we moved in.
Next morning Aidan and I were trying to clean the garden.
"Good morning"
"Hey! Lenora right?"
"Right"
"Aidan this is Lenora and her brother David"
"Hey guys!" Aidan said in a very cheerful way.
"David do you want to come in? I just bought a new video game that rocks!"
" I'm right behind you. Lenora tell Dad I'll meet you later."
They both went inside leaving us to clean the garden.
" So I think that you may need some help here"
" Sure!" I handed her the rake to help me gather together the leaves that had fallen from the trees in our garden. The only problem was that her cheerfulness was a live reminder of Talia. I didn't like people who laugh all the time. I couldn't be like them. I used to find interest in more complicated things. I never liked the summer or the parties, the little talks or the shopping. I was closed to myself and I liked it!

"How was your first day at school?" she asked full of excitement.
"Well, I didn't notice much. It's bigger than my previous one and more crowded." I emphasized the word crowded.
"You don't like people much, do you?", she said without even looking at me. It was like a normal question to her. Zero curiosity.
"You noticed that. I don't think that I like being around others. It makes me nervous. I feel like I don't fit in with them." I didn't know why I said those things but it seemed like, like she could understand me.
"Yes sometimes people can be annoying." We both smiled.
"Hey, I didn't see you at school yesterday"
"Yes we..." she hesitated "we were out of town for a couple of days. Did anything, uhm you know, interesting happen?
"No, nothing at all, it was just those kids" Suddenly her light face went dark.
"What kids?" She said with a strict, unusual, for her tone.
"Nothing special, just a group of kids from my class. They mostly scared me. They were looking at me like I was their natural enemy. One more reason to dislike people" I said, but she didn't laugh this time. "Is there something wrong with these guys? Do you know them?
"No, not really, but you know, every school has its thugs" Her tone wasn't encouraging at all. She definitely wanted to avoid the talk. I thought they had teased her or her brother but it wasn't my job to worry about those things.

We continued cleaning when someone with a big, red car came.
"Lenora, do you know what time is it?"
"Oh, Dad I'm sorry I was just helping Angelia with the cleaning."
"Angelia, Victor's Daughter?"
"You know my father?"
"I know everyone. I'm Chief Braxton Hamilton." His tone was strict. A tall muscular man with dark hair and thin beard.
"Angelia, I have to go."
"Yes, ok. Thanks for helping." She winked and left.