Warehouse 7

Chapter 1

Hi! Tis is my first story so be nice. If you have any suggestions on how I can improve it or you see any grammar error please leave a comment. I really appreciate you reading this. Thank you!

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There wasn't a cloud in the sky. The wind roared against our backs and the ice on the lake had just finished melting. Skylar was right beside me.

We raced to the lake with towels in our hands. Skylar got there first, like usually, looked back and said, "Come on, Abbey! Hurry up."

I picked up the pace, huffing and puffing as chubby ten year old girls often do when they attempt any sort of physical activity. I worked on the farm with the rest of my family, but still I could never lose the jiggly baby fat that surrounded my waste and gave me a double chin. I was never concerned with looks anyway.The fashion magazines and makeup that my sisters were so fond of just never seemed very appealing to me. I would rather go swimming and play outside with Skylar than spend valuable day time in front of a mirror spreading goo all over my face.

"Finally!" Said Skylar as I joined him on the edge of the deck. We set down our towels and jumped into the freezing cold water. This was a kind of a tradition of ours. When all the ice on the pond finished melting we were always the first ones to jump in. We could only stay in the water for a few minutes before we got too cold, but we made the most of that time.

We raced to the other end of the lake, Skylar won, like he always did. "Let's race back, Abby," he said.

Still pouting from the defeat, I said, "Why? Your just going to win again."

"Fine, how about I give you a 30 second head start?" He replied.

I thought it over for a second, then my ten year old self grinned and agreed. The thirty second head start brought me to the middle of the lake, but I knew that Skylar would easily catch up with me. So I swam harder, kicking my feet as fast as I could. I stopped for a second and looked behind me. Skylar was almost ten feet away and closing the distance fast. I turned back and swam as fast as my chubby little legs would let me. We were almost at the dock when he finally caught up to me. I was sure he would win, but at the last second he seemed to be falling behind. I touch the deck two seconds before he did.

I was so excited that I won. I put on a huge goofy grin and started bragging right away. It was one of the few times that I had ever beaten him at something. And he took the loss well, better than I would have. He smiled and congratulated me. He was almost as happy for me as I was.

We had to get out of the freezing water right after that. I was still beaming from the win as we walked the half mile back to my house. I think I must have gloated for a week. And every time I did Skylar just smiled. It took me years for me to realize he let me win.

It was just like him. He was just that kind of person. A person who would do anything his friends and family. It made him happy to see us happy.

Skylar and I were best friends. Honestly I can't even remember when we met. It always just been Skylar and Abby. We never really questioned it.

I guess when you really think about it we were forced together. His family's farm was the closest to ours and it was a good two and a half miles away. It's hard to meet new people when you're so isolated. I never really thought about it that much though. When Skylar wasn't around, I would hang around my sisters or make the fifteen mile bike ride to the library.

My sisters, Stacy and Emily, weren't very much fun. When we weren't on the farm working, they would just sit around trying to get cell service. Occasionally I would convince them to play a gam with me but they usually thought my games were childish. To be fair they are six years older than I am. If the takeover never happened they might be in college right know learning about philosophy and getting hit on by drunk guys at a frat party.

At least at the library I cold read about kids having fun. And plus the old lady at the desk loved me and gave me lollipops. To a ten year old the lollipops were enough of a reason to make the bike ride.

As for my parents, I loved them, but the farm was their life. If they weren't out in the field making sure every last row of wheat was perfect, they would be inside tallying up our earnings and finding new buyers. My mom would take a break to cook a family dinner and homeschool us but that was pretty much the only time she wasn't on the farm. Occasionally when in the winter months when it was too cold to work in the field they would spend time with me and my sisters. Those days usually ended in some sort of fight, whether it was between my older sisters or between my parent. I can't remember those days very well, I just remember that they happened.

I can't remember the time I spent with my family like I can remember every second I spent with Skylar. I know I should feel a little guilty about this, but I don't think I would have done anything different.