Elements - A Night by the Creek

Chapter 1

SONG: War of Hearts - Ruelle

7 years later...

     The methodic pattern of falling rainwater dripping through the moldy ceiling awakes me. With the slight turn of my head, I sharply flick my hand through the air; like one would flick away a pesky fly. The irritating noise ends, it always does. 

     'No time to rest, Amaya. Time to start another dreadful day, in this dreadful house, dragging along my dreadful life.' 

     I lug my frail, skinny legs up the rickety wooden stairs, one step at a time. The normal sound of muffled bickering through the walls makes me cringe. 

     'Why does this have to be my life? Why do I have to suffer? '  

     My self-centered thoughts are interrupted by Tori hesitantly opening the door I was clawing my way to moments before. I look up at her face and realize she is shuddering with fear. I upturn my eyebrows in a confused look and she states in an unusual voice:

     "Come up now Amaya, you have many tasks to start." 

She stares into my eyes forcefully. Her lip quivers. 

     "Now!" 

     A voice from behind Tori's body ushers me. My father. My sister nods in agreement, 'Yes now. Come now, please Amaya.'

"Yes, sir."

     As I make my way through the doorway, I look up and see the same thing as every other normal day in this place: Our severely malnourished father, wasting away on the brown stained couch; cups and plates and trash littering the floor, and a single broken window framed by our front door, into the outside world. I take a slight step toward it and the wooden floor creaks. 

     "Shut up while you're at it!" He says with a harsh beer-soaked voice.

     Even this early in the day, he manages to drunken himself. Impressive, really. I step lively this time, placing the little weight I have in accordance with how aged the wooden floor panels seem to be.  I open the door. A rush of fresh air and the wonderful feeling of the sun's rays hitting my skin and the scent of dewdrops clinging to the grass from the night overwhelm my senses with a joyous feeling. I feel like a new person; like I was reborn. I am daring and free and rid of all my troubles. I am who I was meant to be, my destiny calls. My bare, callused feet feel the grass and crave to wiggle my toes in the soaked dirt. I yearn to reach out to the skies and ever-so-slightly- brush the clouds with my fingertips. I can almost reach, I just know it. 

     But I can't. I must fetch the firewood. I spot the pile. This is the reason I ever really see any other human being on this planet; when they come for our prized wood. They sell it, make a fortune, I hear. Of course, you don't hear much gossip when you live in the middle of nowhere. But, that's how we survive, out here.

     I settle back into reality and my senses are overwhelmed yet again. The birds chirp harmonies all around, they mock me. 'Oh, look at her, the pathetic girl who stayed.'  Yeah, I stayed. I won't leave. Maybe I'm too cowardly, not brave enough to face the chances life presents me if I take that leap. Yet, everything always leads back to my sister. How could I do that to her? Leave her, or, take her with me?  But then again...

     What if?

     I can't keep my mind from wandering, but eventually, I do manage to bring the wood back to the house. I go to the kitchen area where I drop it off, I groan and continue to finish my daily chores. But I can't focus! My mind repeatedly returning to the daring idea. It exhilarates me. The thought of controlling my world. I make my own choices, I am... free? The more I think, the less I get done. Then, slowly, a plan begins to conjure in my brain.

     A fool-proof plan.