Lost Paradise

Chapter 3

The summer days passed by like a blur of monotonous days. After the day Ella returned from the hospital, no one uttered any recalls or words on that matter. It had been approximately two months, and she had finally adjusted to her new eyesight and way of seeing things. One late evening, which was one of those rare, cool summer nights, Ella had gotten a

phone call while she was in the middle of preparing for school that started tomorrow.

"Hello?" she inquired, as she slid in her clear-plastic folder into her bag.

"Is this Elladine?" shrieked a high voice. Aunt Stacey.

"Yes, Aunt. What is it?"

"Are you doing well? When does school begin? I just want to say-"

"How did you know?" cut in Ella, dropping all her books and files onto the floor.

"Know what?"

"What was going to happen at 'the time of age'."

"Elladine, please pay attention to what I am saying. You hold the future's secret. You are the solution to the problem. Do not ever mention what power you hold. Take care, be safe, and remember, I love you Ella Chandler." The phone beeped and the call was cut. The girl stood there rigid, as she blinked awkwardly at the screen. The words lingered in her ears, like the sound of rustling leaves in autumn; I love you. A shiver creeped up her spine, as she wondered, why had my aunt called me by her last name; I'm Ella Lowell, not Ella Chandler. The name Aunt Stella had called her by didn't seem to fit, and it felt foreign to her tongue. She knew that today would be a sleepless night, just like the previous weeks. Ella felt like a small insecure dot in a large, vast universe, alone, frightened, and puzzled.

After placing her school supplies neatly in her bag, she crawled under the bed covers, and mumbled, "Tomorrow's going to be a long, tiring day."

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The aroma of buttered toast and sizzling bacons aroused Ella from her light sleep. Rubbing her eyes, she flinched at the sound of clashing metal from the kitchen. Glancing at her phone, it read 6:30 AM- the indication of the start of a new semester and school year. She sighed and headed over to the bathroom to scrub her face, brush her teeth, and pull her hair into a loose bun. Her stomach started to grumble in impatience, and her rubbery legs carried her to the dining table where she was greeted by her mother who was reading the freshly delivered newspaper The New York Times.

"G' Morning, Ella," she mumbled, sipping her daily dose of strongly caffeinated coffee.

"Hi, mom," Ella replied, as she stuffed crispy golden bacons two at a time into her mouth. She peered out of the window to see the air filled with soot and particles; it's a very polluted day, she thought, as she washed down her food with some refrigerated milk. Ella had found that using her 'power' to see particles, she could tell whether it was the right time to go out and if the air that day was very contaminated. After chewing on her final piece of bread, she stood up and wiped her hands and mouth with a napkin. Her bag was waiting for her on the couch.

She swung it onto her back and gave a pursed smile to her mom, who then said quietly, "Remember your manners, be careful while riding your bike, and enjoy your first day." Nodding, Ella gave her a quick peck on the cheek and departed the house, as she grabbed onto the metal bars of her bicycle. She pedaled past waving neighbor and curved around alleys and streets, and after around fifteen minutes, Ella finally screeched to a halt in front of a grey looming building where a queue of bright yellow school buses parked beside it. She walked towards Bus 3 and waited; after a few seconds, the door opened and a tide of students flooded out of the door entrance followed by a blonde fair-haired girl who slung her green leather bag from her seat onto her shoulder and smiled at Ella.

"Long time no see, Ell. I missed you so much! Let's go inside- the heat's killing me," Ella's best friend greeted enthusiastically.

"Sure, Natalee." The two entered the school building, as they joined the congregation of pupils sitting down in the atrium, waiting for their year dean to announce each and everyone's form teachers. After the long tedious welcoming speech from the school principle, it was finally time to listen to which class they were put into. Names were called, cheers were made, looks were exchanged, until finally they called out Ella's name. "Elladine Lowell, Ms. Glasgow's class. Natalee Scheller, Mr. Hill's class." Her eyes faltered as she bit her lip, disheartened.

"Hey, Ellla, don't worry. I'll promise to meet you in front of the brick wall okay? Have a good first period!" Natalee clutched her books tenaciously to her chest as she hurried to join a garrulous group of girls who seemed to wait in front of Mr. Hill's form classroom. The clock struck 8:00 AM and Ella couldn't help thinking about that time, the time of age. With a sigh, she entered a chilly classroom where a lady with frizzy hair welcomed everyone with a warm, comforting smile as they sat on a seat, which seemed to be new as there were no scratch marks or bubble gum on the metal surface. Ella took a seat next to a girl who she vaguely remembered from last year. Was it Lauren? No, Katelyn? "Hi Ella! I'm Karen. We were in the same math class previous term I think," she said brightly, extending her arm out to her. They shook hands and shared a pursed smile. After a brief introduction from the teacher then the students, she dismissed them to their next class, which for Ella was geography. Already, she had a desire to return home and decipher the hidden message behind Aunt Stacey's given birthday card. So consumed in her own thoughts, when her teacher asked her a question she didn't quite hear, she blurted out, "My aunt!", resulting in laughter and for her, a crimson red face.

At last, break time arrived and Ella sprinted towards the brick wall, inhaling the fresh air she needed after humiliating herself. Natalee was approaching her, but she wasn't alone; she was laughing amongst the same group of girls she was with earlier. "Her expression was just priceless!" she exclaimed, as the rest giggled unanimously.

"I'll see you later, bye!" Natalee waved back to them as they walked away.

"I need to tell you something Nat," Ella mumbled, kicking the floor; she had been debating about it since it happened to her and now she felt was the right time to say it.

"Yes?" she answered, crossing her arms.

"I have a type of power."

"What?"

"I can see with my naked eye particles, Nat! It's so surreal and I know it's hard to believe but there are tiny dots in the air that I can see before me."

There was a look a surprise on Natalee's face. Then bewilderment. And then disbelief, before she burst into fits of laughter. After she ceased to a stop, she grabbed Ella's wrist and said, "I believe you, and this will be such good news for my father."

Ella tugged free from her grip and ran to the bathroom, wiping her tear-stained face. Why did I trust her? she thought to herself, letting the faucet drip down water like her tears from her dark eyes. At that moment, she realized she made the biggest mistake of her life.

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Thank you so much for reading (sorry I haven't been so active) and please leave a vote or comment; that would make my day :)