Chasing Amelia Grace (on hold)

The News

Chapter 1: The News

Picture is Amelia.

Song(s) for the chapter

The Climb- Miley Cyrus

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Amelia

"I can almost see it. That dream I am dreaming, But there's a voice inside my head saying, 'You'll never reach it.' Every step I'm taking. Every move I make feels lost with no direction. My faith is shaking."

I began to play softly on my guitar.

"But I gotta keep trying, gotta keep my head held high."

"There's always gonna be another mountain. I'm always gonna wanna make it move. Always gonna be an uphill battle. Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose. Ain't about how fast I get there...ain't about what's waiting on the other side! It's the climb."

Granddaddy always told me that it isn't about the view. It's about the climb.

"The struggles I'm facing, the chances I'm taking sometimes might knock me down

but no, I'm not breaking. I may not know it

but these are the moments that I'm gonna remember most, yeah. Just gotta keep going. And I, I got to be strong. Just keep pushing on, yeah."

"'Cause there's always gonna be another mountain. I'm always gonna wanna make it move. Always gonna be a uphill battle, sometimes, I'm gonna have to lose. Ain't about how fast I get there. Ain't about what's waiting on the other side. It's the climb, yeah!"

A tear rolled down my cheek but I continued singing.

"There's always gonna be another mountain. I'm always gonna wanna make it move. Always gonna be an uphill battle, sometimes, I'm gonna have to lose. Ain't about how fast I get there. Ain't about what's waiting on the other side. It's the climb, yeah!"

"Keep on moving, keep climbing, keep the faith, baby. It's all about, it's all about the climb. Keep the faith, keep your faith, oh oh oh whoa."

Finally, after weeks of countless drafts, my song was finished at last. My eyes were closed and I could only hear the trickle of the small creek beside me. My back was against a tall peach tree. It's my favorite tree.

All around me birds were chirping and the wind was whispering to me a small melody of its own. The leaves of the trees around me were rustling, falling peach blossoms floating around in the air. I felt a stray blossom stroke my cheek and opened my eyes to see it land on my glossed guitar.

Tennessee is a beautiful place, honestly. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else in the world. With my family and the ranch, I couldn't ask for anything else.

Sighing, I brush my blonde bangs behind my ears and lean back against the peach tree. Sunlight wafts through the small gaps between the tall oaks and maples, illuminating the rest of the forest. It's perfection.

Today is Sunday, April 16. My sixteenth birthday is in two days. I plan to spend it with my best friend, Emily.

Pretty soon, a voice calls out across the meadow, traveling through the forest where it reaches my ears.

"Amelia!" it says. That's me, Amelia Grace. With ease I stand up, wiping any visible leaves and dirt from my floral sundress; we went to service today. I sling my guitar over my shoulder and walk the worn path, through the woods, back to my small house at the edge of town. At the clearing, I find my boots and slip them on over my current bare feet.