Secrets of Dublin

The small hot air balloon was accelerating quickly into the fluffy, cumulus clouds as the dry, barren ground below me was becoming further away like there was no stopping it.  Feeling woozy, I clumsily struggled to standup like I had just learned how to walk and comprehend where I was and what was going on.  As I examined my surroundings I noticed something out of the corner or my eye.  I noticed my history teacher, Miss Lanker.  I could hear her raspy voice saying my name repeatedly.

“Miss Gulding!” she bellowed. “Miss Gulding, I told you that it is now your turn to read. You understand English, do you not?”

Suddenly, I couldn’t hear her voice any longer; instead I heard a loud, ringing bell.  My head shot up immediately; then, I realized what was going on.  I had fallen asleep in history class, again, and my obnoxious teacher decided to make me look like she was a queen and I was her jester.  It didn’t bother me because I tend to do it on my own.  I looked around the classroom as my pupils shot me loathsome looks.  In response, I rolled my eyes and gathered my belongings as calmly as I could.  I walked out of the classroom and into the stuffy, crowded hallway of my boring high school.  The walls were covered with revolting drawings from hippies, posters telling us to, “Live, laugh, and love,” and candidate posters of those running for class president- no one of which interested me.  I managed to dodge everyone walking the opposite direction of me, until I reached my locker, which was swarmed with jocks.

“You’re in the way of my locker,” I said as they all stared at me and began to disregard my words. “I said you’re in the way of my locker, now move!”

The jocks stared at me and slowly moved out of the way like snails that were taking a leisurely stroll within a beautiful garden.  I pushed the last few out of the way and barely managed to get my locker open and put away my books.  I quickly snatched my backpack and headed for the exit.  I made my way over to the crowded bus stop and was greeted by a sign that read, “Bus route #96 has been postponed.”  I groaned like a child that wouldn’t get their way whenever I realized that I would have to walk back to my abusive foster home, and it just happened to be a 3 mile walk.  Life just always manages to ruin my day. 

As soon as I reached my shabby, temporary, home I walked through the old, wooden door and sulked upstairs to my small bedroom.  I dumped my things loudly on the floor and shoved my face into a pillow like I was attempting a dive.  I screamed into the pillow hoping it would muffle the noise.  Whenever I had finished I saw a pair of eyes staring at me from inside my petit closet.  Not knowing who it was, I calmly walked over to my closet.  I quickly swung open the door and right as I was going to punch the mysterious figure in the face I recognized my little sister looking at my with her big, misty grey eyes like a little lost kitten who had missed home.  She wasn’t my foster sister, but my biological sister. She didn’t look scared or even startled; she just sauntered up to me and embraced me.  She knew what I needed.  I needed to be comforted.

“Bianca, what were you doing in there?” I asked her kindheartedly. “You know Rachael will be looking for you like a jaguar.”

Bianca looked at me and nodded like I was her drill Sargent and she was my student.  She didn’t make any noise as she marched out of my room.  She hasn’t ever spoken much.  She was just 3 months old whenever our mother and father passed away in a plane crash.  Miraculously, Bianca and I survived.  We have been going from foster home to foster home ever since like a family of ants that continued to lose their anthill. 

Right after she left I could hear the stairs squeaking like a mouse caught in a trap.  I knew it was our foster mom, Rachael, coming to get me in trouble for no reason, which she did unvaryingly.  She never liked me and I never liked her.  Bianca seemed to always obey her, so she had no reason to hate her.  Unlike Bianca, I was always rebelling and disobeying her.  I have no reason to respect or like her.  She treats us like little maids.  The only reason she is homing us is for the money from the government.  She drew nearer to my door and I could hear her rambling off about something.

“Venus!” she yelled like a dying whale. “Venus! You’re late! I told you to be home at 3:00. It’s now 5:00 on the nose.” 

“Whoa, calm down,” I responded as calmly as I could. “First of all school gets out at 3:00. Secondly, I had to walk home, okay?” So get off my back. You’re like a hippo at feeding time. You never, and I mean never, calm down.”

“You watch your tone with me, missy. Without me you would be nothing! I have taken care of you and Bianca for four months now, and every day you just push me away,” she whined to me trying to sound like a good person.

“Rachael, I don’t want to get into this right now,” I said trying to stay calm so I wouldn’t frighten Bianca who I saw eavesdropping on us like a little spy. “I want you to leave my room this instant.”

“Fine,” she said grimacing. “But you should know your fancy sports car is here to pick you up.”

She exited my room, oblivious to Bianca’s eavesdropping, and went downstairs.  I looked outside my window and saw a sports car that was as red as a perfectly ripened apple and motioned for Bianca to enter my room.  I told her to be a good girl and behave for Rachael the wicked witch.  She nodded and crossed her heart as innocently as a flower standing delicately in the sunlight.  I kissed her forehead, grabbed my sherbet orange bag, and walked downstairs letting my black combat boots clunk, which seemed as loud as a car motor in the quiet house.

Authors Note: Hello! How do you like it so far? I am going to be uploading this story in chapters. I'm not quite sure how long it will end up being, but that isn't a concern. I really hope that you enjoyed the read. Do you have any comments, questions, advice, or observations? If so, comment them below! I'll try to post at least one or more chapters a day. I'm still getting the hang of Wattpad, considering that I just joined, so bear with me. Again, I hope you liked it. Keep checking in for more chapters.

~Koko