Seven

Chapter 1

I roll out of bed. Like something out of a zombie movie. Half dead with my eyes still shut. I can't seem to manage a footstep without having to sit back down. I'm too tired for this. And it is way too early. As I make my way towards my bedroom door, my eyes are open and I'm stumbling around the dirty clothes piled upon my floor, I see someone standing in the doorway. I can't quite make out who it is, I'm still half incoherent from being awake this early. 5 am right, hah. It's a black figure.

"Dad?" I say. I rub my eyes. There's no one there.

"You say something Gem?" dad yells out from the kitchen. I'm a little confused. "Yeah, what's for breakfast!?"

I manage to put some socks on and walk out of my bedroom.

It's in the middle of winter, great. Freezing cold temperatures and no sun. I don't know why on earth dad moved here in the first place. It's just dad and I, the father and daughter gang. Busting crime and cooking the best waffles anyone's ever tasted. Maybe he moved to get away. From the house. From the memories. From.., mum. We never really knew what has happened to her. Dad was at work and I was at school, that morning was the last time we ever saw her. She just, vanished. Into thin air. As if someone picked her up and moved her into a different universe. Dad never really gave up. He's still trying to search for her. He put thousands of posters up. Told everyone he knew.

The police are the pigs of the bunch. One cop, Captain Smith, was a right tool. He didn't even seem interested in her case until he heard our last name, Verns. When he heard that, he seemed interested all of a sudden. Anyways, that's why we... that's why dad moved here. He couldn't take being in that house, that town anymore. So we moved to somewhere isolated which I've never even heard of. New school, new place, new house, new friends, new life.

A fresh start.

And this will be a good thing, I hope.

"Here's your Gem special honey" dad hands me a pile of waffles covered in syrup and blueberries. Dad's always been such a great cook. "Thanks dad."

I hear an aggravated grunt coming from the kitchen, it's dad, and he's looking out the window. "What's wrong?" "It's raining, and I have to drive to work this morning for a big meeting. I don't like the rain." "Then why'd you move to the coldest place on earth?" Dad chuckles. "Now look Gem, I'm not going to be home until late tonight. I should be back around 7. Is that okay with you? I can come and get your Aunty Becca to come and wait with you?" He has a worrying voice in his tone, he doesn't like to leave me alone since mum. "No dad, I will be fine. That's okay" "Okay, good, great.." He's looking anxious. More than usual. He sits down and eats with me.

I laugh, "Ok dad" he laughs too. It's almost 6. We've been talking longer than usual. "Okay honey, I have to go now, I've left some cash for pizza, or Chinese, be good, behave. Don't burn the house down. Don't forget your key. Be safe and lock the door.." He's grabbing his suitcase and packing everything up. "Oh, and don't forget to feed Ginger. Okay?" "Yes dad, I've got it under control. It's me, I'm cool calm and collected." Dad smiles. Gives me a big hug and a kiss on the forehead and says goodbye.

I lock the door. I don't know why our door has four locks, but I lock them all. I didn't even think why. I look down at my bracelet that mum made for me, it has some type of odd embellishment I never noticed before. It's like, if you cut a flower down the middle, then attached a bunch of squiggly lines. Never occurred to me it could be something meaningful. I run up the stairs and look out the window. It's pouring. "Raincoat it is then." I speak out loud. I have a local job at the supermarket. Dad thought it would be good to keep occupied until my first day of school.

It's almost 7:30. I don't know why I was up at 5. Don't have to be at work until 9. I have to walk though, that will be good.. I sigh. I start to pick out my shoes. Thing about me is, I have an obsession with shoes, all types. I get my uniform out and tie my hair up. I get dressed, put my make up on, put my shoes on, grab my bag and my key and head out the door.