The Cave (Rough Draft)

Lost Part I

Julia balled up yet another piece of quality sketching paper. Every time she tried to draw something – anything – it was never quite as good as it was in her head. As the ball of paper hit the waste basket, she stood up from her chair at her desk, and flopped onto her bed. She was aware of the fact that she was totally messing up her purple covers, but she was too upset to care. She had been trying to draw her friend, Luke. His best friend, Oliver, and her best friend, Leah, were grinning at Julia from her bulletin board.

Leah was holding her thirteenth birthday party at an out of the way playground by the woods. Julia had to leave ten minutes ago, and was already ready to go. The only thing that was stopping her from leaving: her little brother. The kid was six years old, and couldn't even tie his own shoes. She was worried he would spend his entire life in her mom and dad's basement, playing Minecraft on a steady diet of McDonald's cheeseburgers, and milkshakes, wiping the grease off onto his stained white undershirt.

"Julia, time to go!" Her mom's voice yelled.

"I'm coming!" Julia screamed back. She risked a quick glance in the mirror as she seized Leah's present. Her curly raven black hair was pulled back away from her light brown face in a pony-tail. She was wearing her usual yellow sweatshirt. The one that made her leaf green eyes seem brighter. She wasn't going for a stylish look, just a pair of baggy jeans, and an old pair of grey chucks.

She thundered down the stairs, and swung her purse over her shoulder. Her brother, Felix, was already waiting there and was whining to his mom.

"Why can't I go to the party?"

"Because you weren't invited." Julia's mom explained tartly as she unhooked her keys off the key rack.

"But I want to go to the party!"

"Well you weren't invited."

"But-"

"-How about this, buddy?" Julia interrupted. "Have you been saving up your quarters?"

"No." Felix guesstimated.

"Well... how about I take you to the arcade when I come back as a special treat?"

Felix tapped his chin, as if considering it, but Julia knew he was sold. They didn't go to the arcade that often, but when they did, Julia always made sure Felix enjoyed himself. "Okay, but only if I get pizza."

"Or," Julia said. "You can just go with pizza, or stay without anything."

"Okay, sorry!"

"It's fine, now let's go." Julia's mom said. She ushered Felix outside, and into the car. It was only five minutes away, but since they were twelve minutes late, she figured they should get there as quickly as possible. As soon as they parked, Julia threw open the car door. Leah and Luke were sitting on the swings, laughing at a corny joke he just made. Julia gently set Leah's bagged gift on the table, then ran to the swings.

"Happy birthday!" Julia grinned,

Leah stood up, and pulled Julia into a hug. "Thanks!" Leah responded. Leah usually kept her cool, her eyes betrayed her. Today, Leah's hazel eyes sparkled with excitement.

"Hey, 'Lia." Luke said, squeezing Julia. Many people would consider this strange, but since they had known each other since kinder garden, it all seemed like the most natural thing on the planet. Leah sat back nonchalantly on the swing, grabbing a stick, and drawing random lines in the dirt. She had her blonde streaked red hair in a unique Leah – esque hairstyle, with the top half of her hair tied into a messy knot at the back of her head, with all the rest of it waving down loose, pardon several thin braids tied with green string. She wore a tie dye summer camp T – shirt that was scrawled with names scrawled on it that Julia didn't know in different colors of Sharpie, and a pair or ripped up jeans with a cupid pink ribbon laced through her belt loops and tied in a bow, and a pair of dirty blue high tops.