The Rose of Flames: Rising Tides

Chapter 11

August 15th, 2047

5:45 A.M.

Portage, Michigan, U.S.A.

Streetlamps emitted a gleaming yellow glow into the semi-darkened streets of a little secluded subdivision. The windows of the various two-story homes were dark. All but one, anyway. In the light that seeped through the glass, the would-be indistinguishable home could be seen. Cream-colored walls, brown-shingled, sloped roof, and a little porch just outside the front door. To the right of the door was a two-and-a-half car garage, but that couldn't be made out in the darkness. Just to the left of the porch were the windows looking into the living room. A soft white carpet, relatively clean walls, a white mantle with a gas fireplace, and a large flatscreen TV hanging above it were the first things to be observed if one peered into the home through those windows.

The next thing one would notice would be the large hickory-brown one-and-a-half chair, as well as the couch. They were certainly old but usable. Glass coffee tables, two of them littered with empty soda bottles and a laptop on two of them, were beside them. And, sitting in the chair while tapping away at her laptop, was a heavyset woman. Short brown hair extending just past her chin hung from her caucasian head, small brown eyes reflecting blue from the screen. Purple glasses with thin rims adorned her face. The woman sighed, pulling out a new phone from her pocket. On the home screen was the picture of a teen in a Halloween costume, a yellow-skinned minion. The girl's hair was a short, brilliant blonde, her eyes a pretty lapis color. Her skin was ghost-white, glinting in the light of the room in the picture.

Now, that same girl was crouching in front of the living room windows, gazing in at the woman. Her torn gray hood obscured her now-cobalt eyes, her skin still ghostly white but not as vivid. Her blonde hair was a bit longer than in the picture and had grown darker from her getting older. She sighed, sliding her fingerless-gloved hands into her pockets. It had taken her two days to get there from Rialto, and she was exhausted. She moved away from the windows and limped toward the door, her footsteps uneven yet silent. She stepped onto the porch, jumping over some not-extremely-healthy plants in the process, before walking up to the brown door with stained glass in it.

I'm home again. Man, it feels like it's been years since I left home, but in reality, it's only been a few weeks, the girl thought, raising her hand to knock. She hesitated a little bit, forcing down another flashback, then knocked loudly. The barking of two dogs, small and large, reached the girl's ears, and she smiled at the familiar sound. After a few moments of the loud yapping, the door opened, the woman standing in the doorway. It took a few moments before her eyes widened in shock.

The light flooding from the opening illuminated the girl's features more. Catherine smiled at her mother. "Hey, Mom. I'm back."

Before her mother could even respond, Catherine had stepped through into the house. She smiled and knelt beside the two dogs, a male Welsh corgi, and a female golden retriever and English springer spaniel mix. "Hey there, puppers. Miss me?" she asked them, petting the pair's heads rapidly. The dogs let out a happy bark in unison. Catherine grinned again before standing up, looking at her mother once more. Her mother's brown eyes were still wide in shock, and she hadn't yet shut the door. Rolling her eyes, Catherine hobbled past her and shut the door.

After a few moments, her mother finally broke the silence. "You're home."

"Yes, Mom, I am. You're staring at me," Catherine responded with a slightly-impatient roll of her obscured eyes. "Dad still asleep?"

"He is."

"Not surprised. It's technically still summer, after all."

"But your freshman year of college isn't far away, don't forget," her mom reminded her.