How to Save a Life | Joshifer

Chapter 1: Without Words

"Everyone please rise. Everyone should bow their heads in remembrance ."

I stand up and bow my head. Everything felt unreal. Everything had happened too fast. I just wanted to go back home and be in my mother's arms and my father's caring words.

My name is Jennifer Porter. I'm 17 years old. I'm an only child. I live in Phenix, Arizona. My life has been falling underneath me. Last year, my mother died from cancer they found. But it was too late. It had spread to her heart, there was no saving her. I felt like I was being punished for something I couldn't control. And now I stand at the funeral of my father. The only family had left. He died of a fatal heart-attack. It was caused by stress and depression.

Now I stand with my head down with no words to say.

"We'd like to hear some words from Jennifer, the loving daughter of Gary Porter." says the priest.

My heart races as I walk up. I get to the podium. I open my mouth, but nothing comes out. I stand alone looking out to friends and family and the filled casket in front of me. A warm hand strokes my back.

"Jennifer is a loving daughter. She was Gary's prize possession. He was stunned he could make a daughter as special as her. Whenever he'd call me, he'd tell me all these wonderful things these that his beautiful girl had done. She was Gary's number one motivator. He was so proud of having her apart of his life." says my Uncle Woody. He guides me away from the podium.

After the ceremony, we all went to my house for the reception. My old house. Everyone was very solemn.

"You know you could cry if you want?" says Woody.

"You don't know how hard I've tried." I reply.

"So I heard you have no place to stay?" He says to me. Woody is right, my father sold the house to the bank, leaving the house in their custody. I have 3 days to evacuate. I just turned eighteen, so I don't have government help. I'm alone in this cruel world. "That's right." I say hollow, looking out into the backyard from the porch.

"Well, you could stay with me in Kentucky? If you want?" He asks me.

"I have nowhere else to go." I say. I didn't want to show how content I was with this idea.

"Go start packing, I want to leave this place as soon as possible." He tells me.

"So do I." I walk up the stairs and start opening empty boxes. I fill box after box. Family friends start to leave the house by 5 pm. I label the boxes and finish by 11:30 pm. Everything in my room is empty.

I walk down stairs. Woody is asleep on the couch.

"Hey! Wake up. I'm done. I need some help." I shake him a bit.

"FINALLY!" He says. He helps me put every single box in his big pickup truck.

"Ready?" He asks me as he opens the door to the truck.

"Yup." I look back to the house. I know I will miss the house. It's where I took my first steps and rode my first bike. But it was better to leave behind the bad energy.

We take off to my "new" home Union, Kentucky.

Here's some few things that are crucial to know about Woody Porter. First, I've only met him once when I was 7 years old. He was the worst uncle ever. One Christmas, he brought me a pen from the hotel he was staying at. My mother never let Uncle Woody stay at our house ever. She thought he'd be a bad influence on me. Second, I never call him Uncle Woody out loud. I don't think he cares for the formal title anyways. Third, he has no wife or children. He has a dog, named Furman. The closest thing to human contact around he's ever had. Finally, he is the only sibling of my father. My mother had five other siblings. Meaning, I have a butt load of cousins that I hate from her side.

Yup, I get to live with an uncle I met once, in a new state I've never been to. No friends, no other family, and only me, Woody, and a dog. Something I look forward to, but better than the original fate.

"You know some good things you get out of this?" He says to me. What is he trying to say? My parents dying is a good thing. Is he that heartless?

"What?" I answered annoyed, looking out the foggy window at 1:00 am.

"You get to experience a new area. You become independent, you learn life values. And my favorite of all time, you inherit a shit load of money." He laughs to himself keeping his eyes on the road. I have to admit,  I smiled. It's so disturbing but it's the first time I've smiled in a week.

"Oh don't forget, having to live with you." I smile and say sarcastically.

"You've got that right." He replies. I start to drift off into an unknown sleep. I hope life will get easier. I wish.