Constellations & Cactuses

Chapter 1

The garden was overgrown now. As I pushed open the gate and strolled into the yard I realised how much the garden had really changed. The rose bushes were out of control, the grass brushing against my upper calf, and the ivy had nearly inhaled the house. I made my way to the door taking in how much work I would really have to do around here.

"Elizabeth!" My mother called, "come here and help me with the boxes!"

I turned back around and walked along the path, through the gate to the car to help my mum.

We were moving into my grandmothers house on the other side of town today, and the car was packed with quite a few boxes containing our belongings. I picked up a box with my name on it and carried it to the front door following my mother into the house.

My grandmother owns this big beautiful Victorian style house on the east side of London in the suburb of Roseville, the house sits on a fairly large estate backed into the woods. It's the most gorgeous house and  I've always loved it.

I carried my box up the grand staircase and walked through to the south wing of the house; where my room was located. I pushed the slightly ajar door open, and took in the room I had always adored.

My room hadn't changed at all; it had the same pastel purple walls, four poster bed, spacious walk-in wardrobe, large oak desk and bookcase, and lastly my favourite thing, the window seat.

I sighed in content as I placed the box on the floor next to the bookcase, this house had always had a calming affect on me.

I continued collecting my boxes from the car before I had all five of them sitting on my bedroom floor. One contained books, another clothes/shoes, one with my school stuff, another containing my dance things and the last held all my special things.

The first thing I unpacked was the books, easy enough all I had to do was put the on the shelf. Next was the school stuff, I put the things I would need tomorrow into my school bag and the rest of the things went onto my desk.

Then I started to unpack my clothes,  shoes and dance things , by far the most tedious task. I had quite a lot of clothes, but after about half an hour I had finished unpacking all of them into the walk in wardrobe. The only box left for me to unpack was the one containing my special things. Before I had even opened the box I heard the faint sound of my mother calling me to dinner. I cast one last glance at the box before leaving my room and descending the stairs to the kitchen.

"Grandmother!!" I cried as I trotted into the kitchen, "I haven't seen you in forever!"

"Hello Beth," She replied, "my how you've grown!"

"You saw me last week!" I laughed.

"Well I still think you've grown!" She chuckled while grabbing some plates and placing them on the table.

My mother and I had arrived at about four thirty this afternoon, it had taken nearly all day to pack up our belongings and move them across the city..

My mother, grandmother and I ate a hearty dinner of roast veggies, chicken and rice together with lots of conversation and laughter, before I climbed the stairs and walked back into my bedroom.

The box was sitting just as I'd left it. Alone and full of the things I hold so precious to me. I walked up to it and slowly opened the lid. Inside this precious box sat my plastic star set, my astronomy books, my star journals, old keepsakes, old letters from people and of course my precious telescope. These things meant the world to me and anyone who truly knew me would know that astronomy is something I am deeply passionate about.