Orange Skies

Prologue

It's a warm evening in June, the first day of my summer holidays. The bright sun is slowly setting, colouring the sky all different types of orange. My window is fully opened and every now and then a soft breeze enters my room, making my dark brown hair blow into my face.

These kind of evenings are my favourite. The sky will soon go from a bright orange to a darker orange, then to a dark red and after that the sun will be gone, leaving nothing but darkness. The warm breeze will slowly turn into a chilly one. People will go inside, leaving the streets all empty and silent. That's my favourite time of the day.

I close the book I was reading and decide to make a little road trip because it's the perfect evening. I grab the keys of my car, which I'd just bought a few weeks ago. I had to work in the cafe at the edge of town every single day in my weekends and holidays to earn the money, but it was totally worth it. I have so much freedom now that I own a car. Sure, it is an old secondhand one with some issues but that is okay.

I drive through town while the sun is slowly disappearing behind the trees. The small part of the sun which is still visible is bright and I have to squeeze my eyes to fully see the road. I drive through the town centre. Apart from the two restaurants and a pub in the main street, everything is closed. A few people are walking down the street, either going home or going out for a drink.

I decide to drive to the edge of town. I come across Riverside, which is the cafe I work at. It's located near the river, just between town and the forest. I drive down the deep forest, which is divided by a little road. The forest always makes me feel happy and sad at the same time. Happy because I feel so small and lonely, sad because I feel so small and lonely. The forest is so big. If I disappeared in there, no one would ever find me.
It's silent except for the sound of myself breathing, and my seat creaking with every little bump or turn. The radio in the car doesn't work, which I actually don't really mind. Sometimes it's nice to hear nothing but silence. I turn down my window and the car fills with the scent of a typical summer evening. It smells like trees and bonfires and grass. I can even smell the rain which for sure will pour down very soon. I take a deep breath and let my lungs fill with the scent of summer. I close my eyes for a bit, keeping my hands tight around the wheel.

It's when I open my eyes again, when I see her. Long red hair, a white dress which is covered in mud, and a pale face. She is walking in the middle of the road and I can stop the car just in time. I recognise her now. Autumn Addington. One of the most popular girls in school: she is gorgeous, kind and her family owns a lot of money. I have four classes with her, but I never really talk to her. She is part of the popular gang. The girls and boys who think they are the most important people in school and never talk to anyone below them, like me. Although she seems different than the other rich kids. She actually once helped me when I was in my first year and couldn't find my classroom. And today will be the day I have to help her.

'Autumn?', I step out of the car. She stops and looks up. Her face is pale, her mascara streaming down her face and her red lipstick smudged around her lips.

I walk towards her. Her green eyes are full of fear and she seems very, very lost.

'Autumn, are you okay?'

She opens her mouth, wanting to say something, but nothing comes out.

'Step in my car, I'll bring you back to town', I walk back to my car but she doesn't follow. She just stands there and stares at the road.

And then it happens. I don't know where the truck came from but it is there all of a sudden. It comes towards us at full speed. The look in Autumn's face when she sees the truck tells me exactly what she is about to do. Everything goes in slow-motion. I run towards her and try to grab her arm. But it's too late. She takes one small step. And she's gone.