Bound By Nature [ A NaNoWriMo Novel]

Chapter Two

The hallway was dark and dimly-lit. I could barely see the harlequin tile floors and checkered black and dark gray pattern on the walls as I sprinted down. If I just reached the door at the end I'd be safe- I know I would. I know it. I could hear my breathing, loud and around me, hoarse as if I had strep.

Finally!

I burst through the door at the end to see a grove with long green grass on the ground. Most interesting, though, was the giant sunflower. On either side sat a rose and a lily. I could sense the presence of two people beside me- but they were comforting, not frightening, like whatever that other thing had been.

Just as I began to relax, a shot of fire spiraled through the grove, igniting the grass as it hit the base of the sunflower. Everything went up in flames and my scream jolted me upward.

My eyes blinked open in the darkness of my room and I panted, placing one hand over my heart. Just a dream, I repeated to myself mentally as I got my breathing back under control. Once I was calmed down, I laid back on my bed and snuggled beneath the blankets- just to jump again, startled by my annoying alarm clock.

"You ruin everything," I grumbled to it as I shifted it to 'off' and turned on my lamp instead. I sighed and walked to the bathroom, brushing my teeth and washing my face before heading back to my room to get dressed. Inside, I turned on some music and began to get dressed. After shimmying into a pair of tight pale skinny jeans, I shrugged on a pink sweater and a gray cardigan before pulling on a pair of socks. I looked in the mirror and began to work on my face and hair.

I could definitely look worse. I wasn't that gorgeous-model-type, but I did like the way I looked. I had wide, unusually dark brown eyes and thick, wavy blonde hair with brown streaks here and there that fell almost to my waist- I was proud of my hair. I had a heart-shaped face with thin pink lips, and two small freckle-like spots just beneath my left eye, which I had my parting aligned with. I had a small, round nose as well. Despite my blonde hair, I looked Irish- according to Dad, who had Irish parents.

By six, I was ready, with mascara and pale eye-shadow on with a thin layer of foundation. I slid into my gray snow boots and grabbed my messenger bag, heading into the kitchen just to drop off the bag again. Coffee was brewing in the coffee maker and I smiled a little- it was almost like back in Georgia. I headed over to the fridge and grabbed a bagel and strawberry flavored cream cheese, tossing the bagel in the toaster and setting down the cream cheese container on the counter. After grabbing a cup, I poured some orange juice and headed into the dining room next to the kitchen, setting down the cup at what was now claimed as my spot.

Pop!

I jumped a little, still slightly shaky from my dream earlier, which I didn't fully understand, as the bagel popped from the toaster. I headed into the kitchen and grabbed my breakfast, smearing cream cheese on the bagel's inside with a knife before setting the container back in the fridge. I headed into the dining room with my food and sat down alone to eat.

Once I was done, it was time to head out for school, and I cleaned off my dishes before heading out alone. Thanks for the well wishes, Mom and Dad, I'm sure I'll have a great first day. I shrugged away my pessimism and walked out the front door with my head held high and shoulders squared, getting in the front seat of the small Ford truck I'd been given to make up for our moving, kind of a your-life-now-sucks-so-here's-this-gift. It had a functioning radio, though, so I couldn't complain much once I found a classic rock station.

At the school, I'm sure I looked like a complete goober- map in one hand, schedule in the other, searching desperately for room 306, Mr. Gold's chemistry class- I didn't need it to graduate, but I had nothing else to fill this block of time. I had study hall next block already. Finally, I found it after asking several administrators to make sure I was headed the right way.