f l i c k e r s [ m+l ]

Prologue

The move is always the worst part. The never ending boxes of stuff I'll be repacking in a matter of months, Dad arguing with the moving company, and the Chinese takeout we will be eating for breakfast, lunch and dinner until we finish unpacking, which usually takes weeks.
It's five o'clock, so I head into my new room and get dressed into the first pair of workout clothes I can find and tie my hair up.
I grab a bottle of water and my phone off the kitchen counter and attach it to the holder on my arm and slide in my headphones ,even though I never actually play any music , before yelling at Dad that I'm going for my run.
"Wait! Malia are you sure you should--" I shut the door before he can ramble on about me getting hurt or lost. Ever since the incident at the old house, he's been this overprotective all the time.. I know he means well but I'm almost 18 now, soon I'll be on my own anyway.
Our house is in the middle of the woods in a town called Beacon Hills. It's almost fall, and the leaves are finally changing to my favorite shades of red and orange, crushing underneath my feet as I run.
I've been running for as long as I can remember and not just recreationally.. But Dad always makes sure we move into a place near the woods or a park, he thinks having at least one factor stay the same between moves will make it easier. It helps I guess .
  I'm such an over thinker, keeping my body moving is the only way I can focus on things other than my thoughts.
Sometimes I miss running on the track teams at my schools. When I did ,the coaches would always say "She's got real potential! Always a mile ahead of everyone else, but she's a bit-- sassy.." You'd think they'd value a runner who might actually win them some trophies but I was wrong apparently..
Running was so freeing. With nothing but the wind keeping up with me, I feel infinite. That's what my mother used to say as she ran- that she felt infinite. I finally understand what she meant.
The memories of my mother creep into my mind and I run faster, so fast that I'm gasping for air with each stride.
I hear footsteps coming and turn to look behind me, nobody is there. I turn around and run into something. My nose is bleeding, and my forehead is stinging. I look up and see my nose blood splattered across a tree . Nice one, Malia .
I manage to get up into my feet, barely. I'm dizzy and lightheaded. I feel like I'm about to faint. Oh god please, not again.
  I fall back onto the ground and see black and blue spots where trees should be. I start to black out when someone comes running towards me and I can barely make out their words. " Oh ... Lydia ... Bleeding ...Isaac... HELP!" it's a girl and a guy I think, all I can see is their faces as multi-colored spots and now triangles.
I try to pull my lips into a smile and tell them it's okay as I reach for the blue triangle's face but it comes out a a mumble/groan combo with spit.
"Welcome to Beacon Hills" the black spot says.
And then I'm out like a light.