Wolves

Chapter 1

Juniper 👆🏻

  As dad pulled the car through downtown I couldn't help the eerie feeling that consumed me. It was as though I shouldn't be here, like this was a bad place. I don't see how it could be, it didn't look creepy at all. It was quite beautiful actually, sunny and warm, families out and children playing, some would call it homey. Though there was a dark cloud that seemed to loom over, as though there were some hidden secrets that no one knew of.

We passed many similar houses; greens, yellows, blues, and whites. Summer flowers were planted in flower beds along walkways, apples ripe on trees ready for picking. Passing a park I spot a group of teenagers hanging out near the woods, they seemed to be in a deep discussion. A tall, muscular, dark haired man was the center of attention; he paced back and forth flinging his arms around angrily.

I wonder what's going on.

I must have zoned out because when I looked back out my window we had pulled into our driveway and in seconds after exiting the car we were greeted by our neighbors, Pauline and Richmond Green, who mentioned they had a daughter my age, I believe they said her name was Allison... Autumn maybe? I'm not sure, I tried to avoid conversation and quickly sneaked off to explore the house.

The exterior was simple, a light blue color, something that a young family would dream of moving into. Flowers frame the walkway, signifying that the person that lived here before us had somewhat of a greenthumb. The windows stood out at their floor length and white paneling. The front door was a heavy dark wood... Hickory maybe? Upon entering the house the kitchen was to my left, black and white linoleum was lane over the wooden planks of the floor that were original to the house, no doubt. Marble countertops where a nice match to the wooden cabinets that had been sadly painted white.

I wonder if the original floor and cabinets would match?

I exit the kitchen and go to have a gander at the living room which, as I suspected, had the original hand crafted wooden flooring. A large brick fireplace was the center of attention in this room, it was simply gorgeous, but nothing else really stood out. I turn to go down the hallway and notice a bathroom to my left as I ascend the stairs. At the top there are four doors, three bedrooms and a bathroom. I pick the room in the middle because I know the window will be facing the woods.

"Juni, have you picked a room?" Dad shouts up the stairs, followed by the thump of him climbing them.

"Yeah, I'm in here dad." I reply with a slightly raises voice.

Man, I haven't talked in a good three hours.

Dad walks through the door and over to me as I look out the large bay window, "This will be a great spot for you to write some of that Juniper famous poetry you love to do!" He says excitedly.

"At least he's trying." I think to myself and force a smile.

I'm doing this for dad, he needed a new start.

"That's why I picked it, the view will hopefully inspire me." I lean my head on his shoulder as he pats my back.

"Why don't you get settled in and after you're done we'll go and find a diner to have dinner at. You, you're brother, and me. What do you say, hmm?" He grins big, and nudges me.

"Ugh, do we have to bring Finn?" I groan and playfully roll my eyes.

"I heard that Juniper Lucille!" My older brother Finnley, Finn for short, shouts from an unknown location of our new house.

Dad chuckles, placing a soft kiss to the top of my head, "He's so nosy, only hears what he's not supposed to."

"Heard that too, pops." Finn laughs, popping his head through the threshold of my open door, sending dad a fake glare.