The Photographs

Chapter 1

I lose track of time and before I know it, it's 10:30. "Crap", I say, and I sit up from laying on my blanket. I run to my bag and start stuffing everything inside, leaving my camera still in my pocket. I zip the bag and start walking back to the hole in the gate, looking back to catch a last glimpse of the city before stepping through. I crouch down beneath the topiary and peek around the leaves to check for anyone, and then step around it to meet the path by the restroom. As I'm walking, I run my fingers along the brick wall. The rigid sensation calms me down a little, and my heart starts to slow. "Mom's not going to kill me, it's ok", I tell myself. I'm always scared she will think I'm running away or dead if I don't come back at the time I tell her I'll be home. I reach the end of the wall and turn left, then start sprinting towards the gate to the entrance of the park. Suddenly I trip on something, and I feel my feet come out from beneath me. My hands come out in front of me to break my fall, and my face hits the ground last. The pain comes after, and I sit up and check the damage. My hands are a little scraped up but no blood at least, which is good. No damage to my clothes except for a tiny rip in my sweater sleeve, which hopefully my mom doesn't freak out about. I push myself up to my feet and quickly walk the rest of the way to the park gate. I grab the cold, metal handle and yank it open, causing a small scream from the rusted hinges. After I close it, I start heading towards home, walking along the cracking sidewalk to the street sign that says Roster Dr. I turn right, and look to the house. I can see my mother frantically sipping her tea, in her green robe and matching slippers. As I'm walking up the stairs to the front door, my mom sits up from her chair, spilling her tea, and looks up at me. I've been taller than my mom ever since I was 15, and sometimes I feel bad for her (with her age starting to affect her joints, causing her neck to hurt and her ankles to swell). "Where have you been! Do you know what time it is?", she says to me as I take her hand into mine and say, "I know I'm late but I'm ok, I promise". My mother exhales and starts to relax, looking me in the eyes still with a little bit of worry. She steps away and looks toward the door, taking her hand along with her as she steps inside and closes the door behind her. I take a few seconds and then grab the silver door handle, opening the red door and stepping through the threshold to greet a familiar warmth from inside the house. I pass my mom, who is sitting on the living room couch, still sipping her tea. I walk to the stairs and slip off my sneakers before going up, the familiar screech of the creaking floorboard signalling my location, now at the top of the stairs. I make my way down the hallway, the blue wallpaper making me smile a little from how much my parents fought over it. My mom wanting to keep it but my dad calling it childish and silly, since it had a strip of teddy bears along the center. We bought the house like this, the old furnishings and everything in between. My guess is it used to be an in-home daycare, since the whole upstairs is covered with this teddy bear wallpaper. I painted over it years ago in my room, since I'm not a child anymore. I reach my bedroom door and open it, the apple scent of my candle pouring out of the now open white door. I step inside, turn on the light and blow out the candle. My mom would kill me if it had started any fires while I was out. I go to the dresser, pull out some pj's, and go to the bathroom to get ready for bed. Once inside, I lock the door and turn towards the mirror. My reflection is always the same, but somehow I don't believe that to be me. I look down to see the scars of my past present on my skin. I grab my shirt and pants, put them on, and open the door. I get into bed and pull my black and white blanket up to my chin, grab my headphones off of my side table and plug them into my phone. I turn on my night time playlist and look towards the window, glancing out to see the stars in the dark blue and black night. That's the last thing I remember, before drifting off to sleep, the remaining scents of my apple candle still in the air.