SUPPRESSION •Complete•

WELCOME TO THE CITY OF STAFFORD

WELCOME TO THE CITY OF STAFFORD

I felt a light tapping on my shoulder. My eyes fluttered open as I stretched. The car had stopped moving, we were parked in the driveway of our new home.

Dad: "Honey we're here."

Me: "..."

Dad: "You think you could grab a box or two and bring it in?"

Me: "..."

Dad: "I know you're mad, but please, don't do this now?"

Dad turned and left, leaving me standing in front of our new house. The house needed a new paint job and serious landscaping. I cringed at the thought of all the work we'd have to do to whip this place into shape.

The lawn needed a good weed whacking and mowing. The bushes just needed to be pried from the ground, half of them were dead. Our chipped yellow house should be painted a light blue or gray, the yellow was nauseating. And the big Elm tree needed to have it's branches trimmed before it contributed to the chipping of the house's paint.

A sigh escaped me as I lifted a small box and trudged up to the creaky porch. We should just have the porch ripped out, it was an eyesore and obvious hazard.

Mom: "Stanley, I swear to God, stop stalling." She yelled at dad as I stepped into the house.

Dad: "But honey, I'm exploring the house."

Mom: "Go get the rest of those boxes, now."

Mom was always oddly calm, it scared dad and me.

Dad grumbled back to the car and began lifting more boxes out of the trunk.

I fully stepped into the house, standing on the porch was odd. The house was barren, only because the moving truck would be here tomorrow. Dad had drove through the night to get here before them so he could tell them were to put all the furniture. It was a solid idea. Let's hope the movers agree with him.

Mom: "Freya, stop dawdling and put that box down." She barks at me.

I set the box down by the others and set off to explore the house. Not like there was a lot to explore, but I needed some time to myself. Spending hours on end with your family in a confined space can only keep you so sane. Eventually your begging for the next bathroom stop or wishing you hadn't packed your headphones into a box.

There was a bathroom on the first floor and a bathroom on the second floor. The last bathroom was attached to my parents bedroom. I'm happy about this revelation, no need to share a bathroom.

Mom: "Freya, where is Peanut?" She shouted from down stairs.

Just then I heard a bark, Peanut was probably standing under her feet the whole time. Peanut, our rescue dog, had an odd habit of standing under mom's feet. Mom never noticed.

I wandered down the narrow hall until I found my room. It's an average sized room. Big enough for a bed, dresser, desk and has it's own closet. The bad thing about the room, it was pink. Hot pink to be exact. I cringed and closed the door. Maybe I'd get it redone. Who am I kidding, that would never happen.

Dad: "Here you go, kiddo." He handed me the air mattress.

I dragged it back upstairs with me and set it up in my pink, barren room.

I'd be sleeping on this old thing that was losing air by the minute until my bed got here tomorrow. I guess I could deal for a night, but I'm sure to have nightmares about all the pink.

Welcome to Stafford, my new beginning, home of the too pink room.