The Clearing

New Beginnings

"Madison, be very careful with that box!" 

"I know, mom.." Madison said, clearly annoyed. It says "FRAGILE!" all over the sides, obviously I'm going to be careful, she thought. 

They were moving back in with Madison's dad. Her mom had decided six months ago to pack up everything they own into trash bags and move into an apartment on the other side of town. Madison and her brother had to help bring all of their things bag by bag into a strange and empty apartment that wasn't home. It was the night of her play. It was a night she tries to never think about.

"Ok, that one goes here!" her mother, Patricia, said cheerfully. Now that she had a change of heart and decided to move back into their family home, Patricia was completely different. It's as if nothing happened at all. As if the last six months didn't exist, and they were some perfect family. Madison put the heavy box on the counter with a sign, and her mother didn't notice. She immediately began ripping the tape off the box to uncover whatever was inside. Madison thought she looked like someone who had just found treasure. Madison didn't wait to see her mother's reaction and instead turned around quickly and stormed off outside. She didn't see her mother's beaming face as she lifted a vase out of the box. Patricia smiled widely and held the vase in her arms before placing it next to the sink. Running down the side of the vase was a large, glaring crack.

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The boxes finally made their way into the house by 8:00 that night. Madison walked into her room and fell onto her bed, completed exhausted. Her room was large and crowded with stacks of boxes, creating a maze throughout her new space. The only thing unpacked was her mattress and pillows, which she was perfectly content with. She closed her eyes and pictured the apartment they had been living in previously. Even though she did not want to leave six months ago, the apartment was bright and cozy. That's where she and her brother, Max, started to bond for the first time. He was ten and Madison was twelve. They had never gotten along, but the move had caused them to become closer. 

She felt a gust of air rush past her face.

Her eyes shot open and she sat up on her bed. Nothing. She looked around at her new space. It seemed dark somehow, even though the walls were stark white. The silence of the room was becoming stronger and she had a quick shiver go down her spine. She decided to get off the bed and start unpacking. The first box had her speakers, so she quickly turned on some music to stop the silence that was starting to get to her. By eleven o'clock, every box was unpacked, and Madison had fallen asleep. 

When she woke up the next morning, she wondered when she had gotten up to turn off the lights.