Alexandria Laughlin Marshall (TO)

Trip to Mystic Falls

I then wake back up in the train station bench, and my butt hurts from falling asleep sitting up on the hard bench. I can feel a tear go down the side of my face from my dream. I then hear a voice to my left, and I turn my head towards it. I see a middle aged women, and she is leaning down towards me. She then asks, "Honey, are you okay? Who are you here with?"

   I quickly make a lie and say, "I'm traveling by myself, I'm 13." This was a total lie, I'm only 11. The women looks at my worried, so I change the subject. "What is the fastest train to Mystic Falls?"

   She keeps a smile on her face, but I can tell she is still worried and confused. She then says, "There is a bus leaving in 15 minutes you can take directly there. You can buy your tickets over there," she says pointing to the ticket booth across the small lobby. I thank her, and walk across the dim awfully decorated lobby. I then fish out $15 from my bag, and buy a bus ticket. I walk outside, and the warmth of the air seems calming, like it is on the Otherside. After taking a deep breath, I walk over to the bus that is letting people on. I quickly board, and take an empty row of bus seats. I put my earbuds in, and listen to music on my old crappy iPod, tuning out the rest of the world. I watched as the cramped together houses start to become bigger and more spread out, until it's mostly forest.

   After an hour bus ride, the bus driver finally announces, "We have now arrived in Mystic Falls, this is the one and only stop for this bus."

   I grab my bags, and make my way off the bus. As I step out of the bus I take in my surroundings, and I'm almost instantly lost. I start to wonder down the sidewalk, before a women walked up to me. She had brown hair and eyes, and a sweet face. She asks, "Are you lost?"

   I nod my head and say with my best grown up voice, "I'm looking for the Salvatore School."

   The young women's eyebrows come together, and she says, "My name is Elena Gilbert. I can show you where the school is." I nod my head, as we walk across the square, "Are you alone? Where are your parents?"

   "My parents are dead," I say with little emotion, which I think creeps her out a bit. So I explain, "They died when I was little, I don't have many memories of them."

   Elena nods her head, and asks, "What did you say your name is."

   I smile, "Alex. Well, Alexandria Laughlin Marshall is we are being technical."

   I see her face drop and she asks, "Laughlin?"

   I nod my head, and say, "Did you know my aunt, she used to live here. Her name is Josette Laughlin."

   "Yes, I did. I was friends with her. She mentioned you, and showed me pictures. But you were a lot smaller then," Elena says with a slight chuckle. I smile along with her.

   As we walk through the town, Elena tells me stories about my aunt. We finally make it to a large house, more like a mansion, and Elena says, "This is the school." I smile, and I can see other kids walking through the front yard. Once we reach the font door, Elena asks another adult where Alaric is; I am then lead to an office. Elena says goodbye to me, and I tell her goodbye.