Saving Ellie

Chapter One: Georgia

Chapter One

    We got into the moving van and drove for what felt like forever. The whole time I tried to sleep, but I just couldn’t. There was so much on my mind! Where in the state of Georgia were we living? What was my new house like? Were we by the Atlantic coast? That would be great! I could go to the beach every day. And what about school? Oh, I didn’t want to even think about school. Thankfully, it was the first week of July, so I didn’t have to worry abut school right away. I guess my only advantage was that I was becoming a freshman in high school. So that meant that everyone was going to be new to their school. But, the kids will still probably know each other from middle school. Everything just made me scared as ever.   

After who knows how long of driving with my three annoying brothers, we finally crossed the borderline of Georgia.   

My, it was beautiful. Palm trees everywhere. Blue skies and bright sun.   

We just kept driving and driving as if we were just passing through this state and heading straight into the Atlantic Ocean. “Hey Mom?” my little brother Brody asked. “Where are we heading?” “You’ll see!” She and Dad kept saying. “You’ll see.”  

Finally, we crossed a bridge and were told that this city was our new home.

Except it wasn’t actually a city. It was an island.

“Welcome to Tybee Island!”   

Tybee Island. The only thing that registered in my head was the word “island.”

And you know what that meant. The ocean, beaches, dolphins, surfing, snorkeling… fun, fun, fun! I was already beginning to like my new life.

Out the window, all I could see was palm trees swaying slightly in the breeze. We passed through a small town. The shops all had open doors and merchandise lined up outside. People were going in and out, some in just their swimsuits. This was perfect! Everything I’ve ever dreamed of. A beach not to far from where I live with a small town and little shops. Maybe even a beach house. But, we were still searching for our house.

Not to far from the little town was a neighborhood full of small to large houses. Some houses even had pools. That didn’t make sense to me, as no matter where you lived was within walking distance to the beach.

Brody was really starting to get antsy as we were trying to find our way around. I guess having a seven-year-old in the car for that long can never be good. “Brody, we’re almost there,” Mom reassured him. “Nate, can you pass him a juice box?” My thirteen-year-old brother, Nathan, pulled his earphones out and reached back to the cooler. “Here you go, little buddy.” “Thanks.” My other brother, Austin, seventeen, was just staring in awe out the window at the many girls passing by. Typical. I rolled my eyes at him.

“Okay guys, we’re here!”

My dad reared the car into a circular driveway. The house wasn’t the mansion-like beach house I was hoping for, but it was beautiful. The front porch extended to the two windows on either side of the house. On the left side there was a swing, with a palm tree above it providing shade. There were two stories, and the house was a nice light blue color, almost like the sky. On the side of the house, I could see a gazebo and a garden. On the inside, a staircase swirled up to the second floor. There was a nice living room to the right, with large windows that lit up the whole room. The kitchen and hall was to the left. Again, it was a beautiful house.

“We’re living here?!” Brody asked in awe. “Yes, son,” replied Dad. “We’re living here.” “Wow, I mean, this is great!” I say. “And the town and beach is just right down the road!”