Children of Midnight

:01

The night Ezra sat in the car, allowing its rocking motion to take his mind off into the land of dreams and nightmares, he couldn't help but be panicking on the inside.

First: his mother was let out of the hospital just a week ago. Yes, the doctor said she should be doing alright if she will go easy on herself, but there was still a gloomy shadow hovering over Ezra, whispering that nothing will be alright ever again.

Second: he was moving. Yeah, sure. It wasn't into some strange new place like these cliché-romantic-movies protagonists apparently had to move to. But the fact he had left everything he knew behind terrified him from some reason. Yes, Ezra could understand why they would live with his grandmother, but this knowledge didn't make it any less worrisome. The doctor explained to him how living with someone who could help his mother, when Ezra himself wouldn't be around, could be beneficial. Of course, he didn't need voice out loud that there would be someone to control his mother's drinking and that Ezra was just a teenager who shouldn't play the adult in the household. And before Ezra could feel offended, a nurse forced him to take some sleep pills.

Third: moving to a different school was anxious as it was. The fact that Ezra would transfer in middle of November didn't make it any better. Alex said that he was an idiot for worrying about such things. This town is too small for its own good. Either me, Thalia or Cody will share at least one class with you. Stop stressing yourself out. This is not some fancy school and most folks never even graduated from it.

Ezra opened his eyes, forcing himself to swallow a yawn that wanted to escape his throat.

"When will we get there?" through the front window he could see a small dot ahead of them. It was still pretty far away though and if he recalled well, there was still a gas stations they would make a stop at. Nostalgia tickled his senses.

"Soon enough. You should get some sleep, it's long time past midnight."

"You sound tired," Ezra marked, but his mother only chuckled softly.

"I've been driving for four hours, sweetheart. Of course, I do..." a pause. Ezra took out the earbuds from his ears. "You know you don't have to go see the principal tomorrow, well more like today. She said that she understands the situation and that you can come by next week so you get adjusted to the new... life style. I can go there for you, if you want."

Ezra shook his head. It wasn't that he was ashamed for his mother like most kids his age seemed to be. He didn't want to make her worry. She should go easy on herself and Ezra felt responsible for making sure she would do so. Alcohol poisoning wasn't that kind of a big deal like cancer was, but it really depended on how much you drank. Ezra found five boxed wines, if there was more somewhere in the trash, he didn't know. And he didn't feel anyhow curious to figure it out. Even though that, few hours before they left, Ezra checked the bags if there was no alcohol in them—he even sipped from water bottles his mother filled for the trip. Just to be sure.

"No. It's fine. I won't start school right away, but I want to get this paperwork done and have some time to get my textbooks. I'll be fine, mom."

"You've always been independent," she sighed, before she returned her attention back to driving, even though there wasn't another car at the road. This place was just as deserted as graveyard during working days. No one visited and those who did didn't stay for long.

They pulled to a small gas station, what was tucked at the very edge of the forest that lined the empty road. Ezra had to blink several times for his eyes to adjust to the sudden, bright light. There was a neon-sign on the door, proudly announcing to passers-by that: WE ARE OPEN 24/7.  If Ezra would look up, he could see wounded night sky, bleeding stars and galaxies. It was kinda strange, to be able to see the sky so well. In the city, there was too much light pollution. There were no stars, only neon-lights and always busy streets, with souls wandering around. Some had a destination, a purpose at last. Others were lost, in vein searching for a place to feel alive at. Ezra wasn't sure into which category he belonged to.