Mom wasn’t gaining enough money to pay for our house so we were moving into a comfy apartment for the three of us. Maybe it was even better than our old house; the echoes would stop roaming around me and the thought of always being alone in that place made me feel like an ant. It wasn’t nearly as big as the houses we have had before, when dad was still alive, but it was still slightly too big for us three. The apartment would do a whole lot better for Marco, mom and I. Also, I’d be starting at a new school, with new people and I’d be closer to Leo, but still not in the same town.
I woke up bright and early the next morning to find half the house was already in the moving truck. I quickly grabbed my suitcase and grabbed the small amount of clothes I owned and stuffed them in. I took handfuls of my makeup and dished them on top of my unfolded clothes. The rest of what I wanted I tossed in a box and my painting gear was wrapped in newspaper and brought downstairs by the movers. They were wearing weird uniforms. They had all white, almost baggy pants and short sleeves shirts on. I shrugged probably guessing they had no choice.
“Ami! We are leaving now! We need to get out of here, I haven’t paid the bill in a few months and if we aren’t out of here by noon, we will get fined. We don’t need that.” She had Marco in her arms, propped up on her hip. He was cooing and not giving a care in the world about anything. I wish life was that easy.
I looked up at my window, where I could still see the drapes moving in the wind, they looked like ghosts dancing there, calling me. I reached for my note pad in my back pocket and drew them but instead they were black cloaks with faces, whispering to each other. I smiled at my idea and put the pad back in my pocket.
“Can I see what you got there?” I jumped, startled, not realizing a moving man had been watching me from behind draw.
“Oh..uh…sure. It’s nothing really just ideas and thoughts.” He skimmed through my note pad eyeing each of them carefully.
“Well you sure do have quite the imagination, and a talent.” I thanked him with a curious nod and he walked away. “Carol, I have to talk to you.” I heard him call to my mom. I turned back around to look up at my room but the curtains were gone. Had someone stolen them? Maybe the movers just took them down for me. I decided that was it.
I got in the passenger side of my mom’s station wagon, and we were off to our new apartment. I hadn’t seen it yet, but it was supposed to be decent. It was not too far away from this house, maybe a half an hour to a forty five minute drive.
When we pulled in, the place was a brick building and it was tall and narrow. We were on level 10, room 761. As I walked in I took a look around the place. Not too shabby, but I’d need to brighten up the walls with my artistic ability. I went to my room and sat down in the twin size, springy bed that was there. I signed and looked around. I hated change, but I could get used to it. I needed a new start over. I needed new friends. After all we packed was in the apartment, mom went off to her job. I made dinner as always and set up Marco’s bed in mom’s room. Just for the first night. Maybe after he slept I could start getting some things unpacked.
I got some done until I came across this box of my mom’s old things. I rummaged through it and found an old looking ring box. I questioned it and opened it to find a silver, sharp razor in it. The white cushion around it was spotted with rusty red-ish brown dots of all sizes. I pulled it out and looked at the blade. Something in my mind whispered, “Try it, once Ami. What are you afraid? You were never good enough.” I stood up dizzy, almost falling over. I shook my head clear of the voices and put the razor back in the jewelry case and tossed it back in the box and plopped it over by mom’s door; which woke up Marco.
He cried and cried and cried, begging for attention and for me to pick him up. I gave in, not being able to take the noise much longer. I held him rocking him switching the body weight from toes to my heels. I sang to him. “Rock-a-bye Marco, on the tree top; when the wind blows, the cradle will rock. When the bow breaks the cradle will fall, and down will go Marco, cradle and all.”
I sang to him three more times until his eyes started to shut gently. Fighting to stay open, he gave up and his breathing became heavy and quiet. I rest him on his bed and quietly tip toed out of the room and shut the door behind me. I glanced up to see a white figure moving. Not being able to see what it fully was.
“H-h-he-hello?” I stuttered. No answer. I peeked from behind the corner. Nothing was there. I guessed I was just tired and decided to take a shower and go to bed. I grabbed my pajamas which were red short shorts and a navy blue tank top. I went into the bathroom, which did not look like it was in good shape. The sinks drain was covered in this crusty green substance and there was toothpaste stains all over the counter. I grabbed a wash cloth and whipped it down and threw it away. The shower looked okay, nothing that couldn’t be washed out while showering so I turned it on. It spat green goop out and a brown hairy spider crept out of one of the holes before the water got through. It looked cool so I dashed for my notebook and pencil to sketch it.
I drew the shower head first then added the green droplets but instead, I made it red blood, and instead of a brown hair spider, I put the black widow with the hourglass shape on its back. I smiled, pleased with what I had sketched and placed it gently on the counter and took my clothes off to jump in the shower. The water smelt a little off but I didn’t care, wanted the warmth around me. Like a huge hug that drowns me in heat. Steam poured from the shower lifting it up and above the shower curtain and into the room. I washed myself and stood there debating what the white figure had been. I gave up, it probably was just my imagination.
I got out and wrapped myself in a towel. I wrapped another around my head to dry my hair, and two minutes after I got dressed. I searched for my journal, but it wasn’t on the counter.
“I thought I left it in here, huh. Maybe I brought it back to my room.” I hadn’t been paying attention when I placed it down, so I walked to my room to look for it. I found it placed on my bed neatly right by my pillow. I grabbed it and put it on top of my suitcase which I only unpacked half of. I climbed into my springy bed, which whined when I sat on it. I tugged the light switch down and was off to sleep. Goodnight Ami.
