"And this one over here," said the owner of the trailer park. "This is yours."
I had never lived in a trailer park before. I had never lived anywhere but my house before. The place where my parents raised me and were my family grew. This to me was very unfamiliar territory.
"It hasn't been rented in years so we took the initiative to clean the place up a bit so you wouldn't have any trouble with insects or any other animals in the place, human and the like," the owner laughed to himself and he walked me to my new place of residence.
"Thank you so much Danny, especially so last minute," I thanked him very grateful he was able to get me into this park so quickly and without many questions.
"We try to do our best to help people as long as you follow the rules of the park, which I'm sure will not be a problem for you," he smiled widely at me as I smiled back.
"I do have to warn you there is quite a lot of gang activity in the area, mostly territorial business but if you leave them alone they don't bother," Danny added colloquially as if this was an everyday issue.
"Gang activity?" I clarified.
"Why do you think rent is so cheap?" he said looking at me. "There's always something like this that lowers the cost of everything."
I had never lived in the dangerous part of an city, much less in a trailer park, but gang activity was not something I was a foreigner to. It had been one of the many reasons I left.
"So this is it. Rent is due the first weekend of every month, and we prefer loud music to be off after 12 as to not disturb anyone. If you need anything please don't hesitate to call my cell," Danny finished as he patted my shoulder and walked back to the main entrance.
I did not wait for him to disappear as I looked up at the small light blue colored mobile home I had to chosen to be my home. It wasn't nearly big as I was used to, but the two rooms would do. I walked up the porch steps which had recently been painted white. There was a small porch to my right armed with a table and three deck chairs. As I opened the door with my shiny new key, I noticed that the lock was new as well. The inside was simple, the kitchen directly in front of me with a small living room to my right. To the left of the kitchen was a hallway that led to the master bedroom and a smaller one. Both had small closets and a singular bathroom. I noticed however there was no laundry machine and I would not have the money to purchase one yet.
I stood in my kitchen, wow I love that word. This was mine. This whole house was mine and no one else's. This is the house for my new beginning and where I can show my little sister what it is like to be safe and grow up where there is only love.
I heard a knock on my front door, and there stood a man leaning against the door frame. Tattoos racing up and down his body, from his hands to his neck.
"So you're the person who finally bought this old place," he smirked at me from the door and I noticed a small gift basket in his hands. "Welcome to the shithole."
"Who are you?" I asked, not waiting for him to make an introduction.
"Ignacio," he answered still in my doorway as if deciding whether he should come in or not.
"Fire," I said back to him as he gave me a puzzled look. "Your name, it means fire."
"What does yours mean?," he asked leaning back into my door frame.
"Can you please decide whether you want to come in or stay out because you're going to break the frame," I snapped at him.
"Feisty," he whispered as he entered my house. "I still didn't catch a name."
YOU ARE READING
Unfamiliar Territory
Teen Fiction"And this one over here," said the owner of the trailer park. "This is yours." I had never lived in a trailer park before. I had never lived anywhere but my house before. The place where my parents raised me and were my family grew. This to me was v...
