Chapter 20

3 1 0
                                    

My heart pounded against my chest like a caged beast desperate to escape. Every mouthful of air was strained as I drowned in the overwhelming sea of people gathered around Dad and Cody. I fought my way through the crowd, rushing to the exit as soon as I was free. The air outside Nova World was so invigorating, my lungs couldn't get enough. I paced around the entrance gasping for air until my breathing was steady.

I turned to go back inside, and my heart raced. Going home wasn't an option either.

I took one last look at the massive entrance of Nova World before walking away. I strolled away from the park without any destination in mind.

I aimlessly walked, meandering through the busy streets of the city. My legs hurt, but I kept walking. I wandered down streets I'd never been before, lost and tired, but I didn't care. I roamed the streets for hours, resting on public benches until I came across a missing poster of Asher at a bus stop. There hadn't been any word about him since his disappearance. Where was he? Did something terrible happen? No, I thought, catching my negativity. It was so easy to assume the worst. Perhaps Asher was happy and safe wherever he was?

I wished I could run away — just leave everything behind and start over in a different place. A place I didn't have to deal with the red tape hierarchical labelling of school. Somewhere abilities didn't matter. Somewhere I wasn't constantly reminded how abnormal I was.

The roar of the bus pulling up brought me back to reality. People got off and the door remained open, inviting me in.

'You getting in?' the driver asked, staring at me.

I shook my head.

The door closed, and the vehicle pulled away.

I studied the route on the side of the bus stop and hopped on the next one that came along.

After two long connecting buses, I jumped off in a quiet neighbourhood. I walked down the familiar street to a beautiful white house accentuated by a green lawn and multiple shades of alluring flowers in the front yard. I walked up the steps, knocking on the door. No one answered. I knocked again and the door opened.

Grandma Sophie stood on the other side. 'Hope,' she gasped. 'What a surprise!'

'Hi, Grandma,' I greeted.

She peeked over my shoulder. 'Are you alone?'

'Yeah.'

She stepped aside, motioning to the interior. 'Come in.'

Except for a few new ornaments and pictures, Grandma's living room looked exactly as I remembered it. The smell of baked goods filled the air. A wealth of souvenirs from around the world decorated a full wall. An assortment of framed pictures hung on the wall leading upstairs. They ranged from Mum as a little girl, Grandma Sophie, Grandpa, a few of me, Mum, Dad and Cody including a version of the family photo with Cody holding a turtle. One picture, in particular, caught my eye. A portrait of me wearing the brightest most authentic smile. I can't remember what I was laughing at — probably something funny Dad would say before taking a photo.

'Pretty picture, isn't it?' Grandma asked.

'Yeah,' I agreed.

'It was taken on your first day of school.'

The child in the picture seemed so happy and carefree. So unaffected by the world. How did such optimism turn to realism? How did such joy and silliness turn to seriousness?

Was she still there, buried underneath it all?

'Is everything all right?' Grandma Sophie asked, snapping me out of my thoughts.

SpecialWhere stories live. Discover now