Across the Railroad Tracks

Chapter 6

“You three ready yet!?” I yelled up the stairs. Jane went home to get her things and I was stuck waiting for Riley and his brothers.

“Finally!” I heard Riley say and I sighed.

“My god you three are slow! I’ll meet you at your car Riley!’ I yelled up the stairs. I whipped around and walk out of the house. I leaned against the car as I watched Riley and his brothers squeezing out the door. They got unstuck after a few minutes, Riley unlocked his car and I got in as they put there stuff in the front.

“Hey why does she get to ride in the front!?” Mason yelled.

“Girls get shotgun dude.” Noah said as he got in the back. Mason got in the back and I saw him cross his arms and pout through the rear view mirror. I smirked and crossed my legs as Riley drove off.

“So…how is the room situation going to work?” Noah asked and I looked at him through the rear view mirror.

“That will be decided when we get there. Also why don’t you tell me about yourself.” I saw Riley’s eye twitch slightly but I ignored it.

“Well I’m nineteen, I graduated valedictorian of my graduating class, I was captain of the diving team and I’m saving up for college. I’m trying to pay for it myself plus I’m waiting for a letter from the college I’m hoping to get into.” Noah answered and I smiled.

“Well…I would like to talk about that more later. Mason how about you tell me about yourself?”

“No!” He yelled and I sighed.

“I’ll try that again later.” I said as we pulled into the driveway. I got out and waited for the three of  them at the door. I saw Jane pull into the drive as Riley and his brothers got to me. After Jane got to the door I unlocked it and we walked in with Lulu greeting us by hissing at us.

“Lulu it’s just Lilly and her friends.” My grandma said with an annoyed tone as she walked into the room.

“Wait…Riley wasn’t joking when he said that your grandma was Clara summers?” Noah said as my grandma picked up Lulu.

“He wasn’t now dinner will be ready in a few minutes. I’m making Spaghetti.” She said as Lulu jumped out of her arms and ran off. After dinner I told Noah and Mason that I had something to show them. We went out back, jumped over the fence and walked down the tracks.

“I’m tired! Are we there yet!?” Mason complained. I sighed and we got to the tree house a few minutes later.

“A tree house? But there is already a tree house in my backyard!” Mason yelled as I climbed up the ladder.

“Mason stop acting like a spoiled brat.” I heard Noah say. I looked over at the window sill and saw an owl. I reached into the backpack and pulled out a few oil lamps and a can of oil. I filled them up, lit them and set them up as they climbed up. I looked at the owl and tilted my head slightly. It mimicked me and I grabbed some bird seed out of the backpack.

“Eww an owl! Kill it or something!” Mason yelled and I just stared at the creature. I held out my hand with birdseed in hand. it flew in and landed in front of my hand. I started eating and I looked back at the others.

“Why are you being nice to that…thing.” Mason said and I sighed.

“Mason…Lilly loves nature. she practically knows all the animals in the forest. Stop being so rude.” Riley said and I looked back at the owl. It then flew up and perched on the lone rafter on the ceiling.

“See that…it just needed somewhere to perch.” I said as I stared at it,”I was also hungry.” I then walked over to the cooler, grabbed five soda’s and passed them out. I sat down near the windowsill and looked out into the night.

“Something wrong?” I heard Riley ask and the dream of him and Jane abandoning me came to mind. I shook my head.

“Just thinking…” I heard a train whistle in the distance. Perfect timing. I felt something on my head and I froze.

“The owl’s on my head…isn’t it.” I said and I remained still.

“It is…what do we do?” i heard Jane whisper. The train went by and the owl flew away. i let out a breath in relief.

“We should head back. That was the eleven o’clock.” I said as I put out the lamps and slide down the ladder. I waited for the others and we headed back to the house with Mason over Noah’s shoulder. When we got over the fence after a few minutes of getting Mason over we went inside.

“Ok the boys will stay in this room.” I said when I led Riley and his brothers to where they were going to stay.

“Jane will sleep in my room.” Jane and I then walked down the hall and when I opened the door Jane ran in, jumped and landed with her face in a pillow. I chuckled and shook my head. I heard her snoring so I walked over, took her shoes off along with mine and I laid down in the bed next to her.

*****

I stretched and opened my eyes. I saw the sun rising through the window. Lately I seem to wake up at sunrise but I don’t really mind. I walked over to my closet and picked out my cloths. After a shower and feeding Lulu I went out the back door and laid down in the grass. I heard the slight whistle of a train and I just stared at the sky. The train went by silently and I stood up slowly. I watched as the last few cars went by and I hopped the fence when the train was out of sight.

“Let’s see…should I go to the tree house or go to were the trains come from…I’ll go with the latter.” I thought out loud and started walking down the tracks away from the tree house. I walked for what seemed like an hour when the woods started to fade. I froze. I saw the shack that my parents live in. I managed to walk from my grandmas to this place? I just ignored it and continued walking.

I walked for a couple more hours and wound up at the rail yard. I stopped and looked around. I saw the twelve o’clock train getting ready for departure.

“It couldn’t hurt to get a ride back.” I thought out loud and ran up, hopped up and grabbed onto the Train. I left the rail yard after I had gotten on and I smiled as the crisp winter air hit my face. After what seemed like thirty minutes I saw my grandma’s backyard and everyone outside. I waved at them and smiled and they looked at me with looks of complete confusion. I laughed as the train flew by. I had enough of it after a few minutes so I got ready to jump I aimed for a small clearing, jumped and tucked and rolled. I stood up, brushed off the dust and I whipped around.

“Well that was fun. Better head back.”