Trees, evergreen, surround you. Each caked in a frosting of snow, some with icicles. The air is ice, yet so different, as you breath it in. Nothing is touched by man, only your footprints give away the fact that this was once an amusement park. Not a sound can be heard, not a single chirp. Everything is absolutely still, as if holding its breath.
Suddenly, you hear a roar. Louder than anything you've heard, you try to turn around and run, but the snow seems to encase your boots, and you are starting to sink. All around you, things are shaking, all the once-hidden animals scampering away.
And suddenly, everything stops. Snow is falling now, but you struggle out of your prison and look around to see if anything has changed. Nothing has, until you hear an intake of breath from a few feet away. Turning sharply around, you see a teenage girl curled up in a fetal position. She's barely conscious, and her head is badly wounded, but her eyes are electric green when she opens them.
Sometimes, I wish I just had one big happy family. Walking home with friends, all like family to me, I suddenly feel alone. Digging my short, stubby nails into my palm, I manage to control myself. It always happens like this. Even before I was diagnosed with Anxiety and depression when I was 10, my family treated me differently. The sharp, cold autumn wind bites my cheeks, my chapped nose burning. Around me, everyone has decorated for the season, the golden-orange leaves scattered throughout. Another wave of panic hits me, this one deeper. I want to run, hide, but that will do me no good. My head starts to hurt, whether that be from lack of water or a migraine I don't know. I struggle to find warmth, even in the close safety I call friends, just shivering harder. No one will ever understand me. I have anxiety and depression, and insomnia. My family, my brother, my sister and father all hate me. As the middle child, I get no attention whatsoever. When my mom died last year, from an "accident" I really started to rebel. I sometimes wish I was dead, sometimes wish I wasn't part of this world. And yet, that wouldn't do anyone any good, wouldn't make the world any better of a place.
I pull my wool hat further down over my head, the shimmery purple Pom Pom standing out against all the muted colors in my outfit. I can hear talking, someone talking to me, far away, and I try to push upwards, push out of my gloom.
"Ava! So, what do you think about the plan? You gonna make it?" Mila calls, snapping me out of whatever dark space I was previously in.
"Um... I think that works. Meet you all there?" I fib, cringing at my stupid lie.
Once at my apartment building, it's only Tess and me left. We live on the same floor, and I trust her the most. "What did I agree to?" I say, referring to the plans I had made previously.
"Geez, Ava. You gotta pay attention, I'm not telling you! I'll pick you up tomorrow, meet me in the lobby at 5pm." Before I can argue, she races down the hall to her family's apartment.
I blink my green eyes looking after Tessa's trail. Really?
But, as Tessa commands, the next day I head down to the lobby after school.
She's there, making small talk with our doorman. He likes her, she's friendly and nice. He hates me, though. I'm the shy, quiet person who only talks when she's annoying people or being a smartass. Jim, that's his name, notices me first and scowls. Tess turns around, to see what Jim's looking at, and smiles. I grin at her, ignoring Jim completely and following Tess out.
"Avery, sit by me!" I hear a little voice call from the back of the car. I smile at the owner of said voice, giving little Amy a hug. Amy is 4, and she adores me. I never know why, she just does.
"What's up, Amy?!" I ask, feigning excitement and smiling as she giggles.
"My birthday's tomorrow! I'm turning 5!" She says, holding up 4 stubby fingers. Mrs. Millers laughs from the front seat, looking back at the two of us, and gently shows Amy that she needs to hold up one more finger.
