The sound of the tires hitting gravel is the first thing Evelyn has heard in the past 7 hours. Her mother hasn't said a word since they got into the car, not even the radio played during that time. Silence, that's all there was that whole trip. Evelyn would sit up straight from her slumped and crooked position in the passenger seat. She'd rub her eyes, having woken up from a long nap. Her neck would feel stiff due to the awkward sleeping position the car has caused her to endure.
"Are we any closer?" Evelyn would ask, not looking at her mother but instead the long line of trees alongside the car.
"I'm sure we are!" Her mother, Erin would say. "I can feel it."
Evelyn would look over at her mother, Erin's fingers tapping against the steering wheel. She was nervous...They both were. Today was the day the two would be moving into their new house, in a new town, in a new state. Erin thought it was time the two had a 'change in scenery' . They had been living in the same old house since Evelyn's birth, though after Evelyn's parents had divorced it had been hard for her mother to be in that place. Evelyn was to start at a new school, with new friends while her mother began her new job.
"Do you even know where we're going?" She'd ask, looking up at her mothers face.
"Of course!" Erin would say, readjusting herself in the drivers seat.
Evelyn would look out her window again, her eyes following a fence that borders a large colorful field. She'd smile to herself as she watched the flowers, they'd sway in the breeze, dancing in the sun almost. As she looked across the field, Evelyn would see a figure standing on top of a flowery hill.
"I didn't think there'd be other people in the area..." She'd mumble to herself, causing her mother to look at her daughter then the window.
"What are you talking about?" Erin would ask, trying to look over Evelyn.
Evelyn would look back out the window, the figure now gone.
"There was just some-" She'd began to say but stopped as the radio suddenly turned on, the weather station blaring out the speakers of the car. Evelyn would quickly reach over, turning it down. Neither of them had touched the radio.
"That's odd." Erin would say, looking at the radio then the road.
The two would sit quietly, listening to the radio.
"Be warned those in the in the Dillan Bay area, heavy rainfall is expected tonigh-"
Evelyn would change stations, some quiet music now playing.
"Any closer?" Evelyn would ask as she began to wonder. Why is a road so long made of gravel?...
"Just few more minutes" Erin said as the car pulled onto another road. Whitson Lane.
The road would still be gravel, dust picking up outside the car. Evelyn remembered driving down roads like these when their family would go camping. It seemed like a good time then, they seemed...happy. It was almost like her whole life everyone seemed to pretend how great things were, her parents did a hell of a good job when it came to pretending. Erin and her father had only divorced a year ago, though for the past few years previously it felt like they'd already stopped. Evelyn's father had started drinking when he had lost his job four years ago, he was a police officer . Evelyn still didn't know why her dad lost his job, her parents never spoke about it. During those four years her father, Phil went from job to job but couldn't keep a steady one. Without a steady job, Phil gained an unsteady attitude. Phil came home late in the worst moods. Eventually Erin had enough and divorced Phil, taking Evelyn and leaving after a few months. Phil had crashed at his friends place the whole time. Evelyn's house was no longer a home, it was time to leave.
Evelyn looked at the clock on the radio. 4:45.
She turned her head over to her mother, leaning forward to look past Erin. The tree line to the left of them had disappeared , revealing a small cove. Evelyn watched as small waves rolled in onto the beach. Erin looked over at her daughter with a grin.
"See that cove, right there?" She asked.
Evelyn nodded, continuing to look past her mother.
"We co-own that." Erin whispered.
"Are you serious?" Evelyn asked, in awe.
"There's another house down the road from us , long story " She sighed with a smile.
Evelyn watched as they began to drive up a steep hill , the hill acting as a cliff along the cove.
Their journey ended momentarily as they came to a stop.
Erin open the drivers side door and quickly hopped out of her seat. Her arms raising above her head as she stretched. Evelyn did the same as she stepped out of the car, walking around towards her mother.
Evelyn's hand was quickly over her eyes, her mother stretching her leg up high against the car.
"Oh god, mom." She whined.
Erin chuckled lowering her long leg from the car.
Erin looked nothing like her daughter, she was tall, nearly 6 feet. Erin was built like a stereotypical model. She had a tall, slim figure and a tan complexion. Her dark brown hair was straight like pins, only reaching her shoulders.
Evelyn was only 5'3", she was petite and more softer looking. Her skin was fair and her hair ash blonde, its waves reaching down her back. The only thing the two had in common was their piercing green eyes.
Evelyn looked around there area where the Camry was parked. They had stopped in front of a gated driveway, the road continued past them its sides lined with trees again. Evelyn looked up past the gate, trees blocked her view past the long drive way.
Erin pulled a black key from her pocket, unlocking the wide gate.
"Here we go..." She said pushing the metal gate open, a loud creak sounding through the area.
