The Stray Girl

A New Begining

1... 2... 3... 4.
The elevator stopped with a slightly disorienting bump, and I almost drop one of the boxes in my arms.

"Woah, are you alright?" Brie, my best friend since childhood stood next to me with a questionable amount of boxes herself.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm all good! Just a bit unexpected." I laugh.

This was the first time I'd ever moved, and I was honestly quite excited to escape my mother's occasional wrath. I was starting university in September, studying to be an EMT. Although I still need to work on containing my excitement when answering a call. It's usually the last thing you want to be treated by a jumpy, hyper medic who what's to know every biological trait you have when you've only broken your toe. I cringe at the memory of my training sessions.

We walked out of the elevator into the narrow hallway of the flat block, it was well lit by the huge window at the end of the hall, and the unusually sunny weather, but still smelt of mildew from the heavy rain of the previous week.

I marched down the hall, looking for our flat, and turned as I saw the familiar '09' accompanied by a small penis doodle. After all, this building was mostly student occupied.

Brie giggled as she caught sight of the vandalism, "I hope this isn't bad luck or something."

I put on a sarcastic face and hummed. "Ah yes, this must mean that a gang of 13 year olds are haunting our flat!

"Seriously?" I sighed in response, Brie didn't like my constant sarcasm. It 'ruined her vibe'.

"Anyway, you have the key right?"
"Yeah, it's here," I carefully balanced my boxes to reach into my pocket, a small black key in retrieved.

The smell of mildew rushed out even stronger once the door was open, but it was still a really good deal for how close it was to the school. I plopped down my boxes and had a look around, cheating that the furniture was still in place (the landlord warned us of robbery).

I walked into what would become my room, testing the mattress and how much I would be able to fit in the tiny wardrobe. My reflection distracted me as I came across my desk, my olive skin almost gold in the early morning light. I'd left my hair down for once, the ashy curls just reaching my shoulders. I wore a band shirt that my dad got from a concert in the 80s, although I'd never actually heard of the group, I liked how the worn fabric brushed against my skin.

"Hey, Dan! Come here a second!" I headed back out to see what was wrong when just as I passed the door frame, I swore I caught a flash of white hair right by the window. I stood still in my tracks, the memory confusing me. It almost felt like déjà vu.
"Danny!" Brie's voice shook me out of whatever state I'd fallen into, bringing me back to my senses.

"Yeah! I'm coming!!"
I padded down the hall the find Brie in the kitchen.

"What's up?" I ask as I crouch down next to her, peering into the cupboards. As I lowered myself to the ground, I smelled something rotten. About a dozen dead mice sat in the corner underneath the sink, stacked on top of each other like someone had organised them.

"I-it's probably just some lazy tenant before us, the landlord said they had a mouse problem a little while ago right?" Brie nodded.

"Let's hope so." I handed her a plastic trash bag and got out the dish gloves my mum had insisted I bring.

"Here, hold this and I then I can throw them in the dumpster out back before we go shopping for dinner."

I placed the bag by the window outside our flat door, meaning to return to it later that night.

But for now, I'd make my bed and take a nap.
~
Woah ok I hope you enjoyed that. I have no clue where this is going yet but stay tuned!