With Love, Silvia. [✔️]

Chapter 3 Welcome to Hollow Springs

The police staff were kind enough to buy me a plane ticket out to Pennsylvania to begin my new life with Erica. I had run by my former home (a two bedroom apartment) and grabbed the basic necessities I would need. On the way over I made a checklist of everything I would be needing.

Toothbrush...... check

Deodorant......... check

Glasses/contact lenses......... double check

All 11 journals......... CHECK!

Trusty tote bag......... check

And the list went on. I stuffed everything into the biggest suitcase I could find, and took one last look around the apartment.

I slowly ran my hand over the bright yellow couch we found at a thrift shop when we first moved here. Yellow is a pretty ugly color, but me and Mom seemed to think it just fit. We had a glass coffee table a few feet away from the couch, that still had our favorite books and magazines sprawled across it. In the front of our tiny living room we had a very small T.V. It was kind of retro, it wasn't a flat screen or anything. We didn't even have cable, but it didn't matter because we only wanted it to watch the news on.

I strolled into our super small kitchen. It had a counter in it and our fruit bowl sat on top of it. Most of the fruit had rotted so I dumped it into the trash can.

I finally took a final look at my room. It consisted of a twin bed, a desk, and that was pretty much it. But I was still happy because I didn't need a big room anyway. I went down the hallway to Mom's room and looked at it. It was pretty small too, but she was a neat freak so everything was kept in place. I saw her favorite jacket hanging on her bedpost. I started to have to fight the urge to cry. I ran over and picked it up. It still smelled like her, and I could almost feel her brushing over my hair telling me everything was going to be alright. I took the jacket in my arms and put it on.

I was definitely taking it with me.

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Joe was standing outside with his patrol car.

"You ready?" He asked.

I weakly nodded and climbed into his patrol car. We sped off toward the airport and I should have been nervous, but I was just numb. I had no feelings whatsoever. I stared blankly out the window until we reached the bustling airport. We found a parking space  and I climbed out dragging my suitcase behind me.

Joe followed me through the airport making sure I wouldn't escape or anything. I went through dozens of security checks and finally made it to my terminal. I waited in line as they started checking off everyone's ticket. After mine was checked, Joe patted me on the back and said,

"Best of luck to ya." And off he went.

I shakily took a step up the ramp leading to the airplane. My ticket said I was seat 3 near the back of the plane. I'd never been on an airplane until this point, and I was beginning to be scared out of my mind. I walked past a bunch of snotty rich people in first class until I finally found my seat. Luckily I was able to snag a window seat. I was soon accompanied by a mother and her son who sat in the two seats next to me.

The little boy plopped down beside me and said to his mom,

"Mommy... I want to watch the fishy movie!" He said.

So his mom dug around in her carry-on bag and took out a cheap movie player and put his movie in. The little boy put some headphones on and happily enjoyed the movie. His mother whipped out a laptop and began to type on it furiously.

The flight attendants began to demonstrate the process of putting on a breathing mask if the plane ever crashed. I silently prayed that we wouldn't have to do that.

The plane soon took off, and it felt so strange! At first we were tipping back, and we were straight again. I turned to look out the window and saw New York growing smaller and smaller by the second. It was beautiful.

By the time the flight was over, everyone grabbed their bags and got off of the plane. There was quite a hold up so I stayed seated and wrote a little in my journal.

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November 17 2015 

I just rode on an airplane for the first time!! It was so incredible! I can't wait to travel more so I can do it again!!
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I planned to write more, But I noticed that the line was clearing up so I grabbed my suitcase and exited the plane. Erica made plans with us to meet me at the terminal I was getting off at.

I went through the ramp again and entered the airport. Lots of people were waiting in chairs searching frantically for whoever they were there for. I looked around and spotted a lady holding up a sign that read,

SILVIA TRACK, WELCOME TO HOLLOW SPRINGS!

A small smile spread across my face and I went over to Erica. Maybe things were going to be better than I thought.