Part 8

As the bus approached my stop, squeaking to a raging end, I climbed down the steps and crossed the empty, lonely street, to my latest home, the suburban home.


At first I had always pictured it like this:


Atwo story home with green grass and breathtaking flowers.
Inside there would be the stay at home Mom and go to work Dad.
Around the house there would be a little girl with pigtails and a little pink dress.
Along with the little boy who looks just like the little girl, only with shorter hair and corderoy pants.
Outside you would find the family's little yapping dog inside the the white picket fence.

This is what I saw after we arrived:

A two story home with slightly green, sort of dead grass.
Dead Mom and a work-o-holic Dad, and me... Sadly.
No pets in the yard, but an old tin mailbox with the name of the people that lived here before us painted in faded red letters.
.Do you see the differences? It'll take a while to fix this place up.

As I did my homework my mind burned with curiosity.
Who was she?
Her face was stained in my mind.
She looked horrified, as if she'd done something wrong.
I could feel her pain.
It was like she was there, in my room, with me.

"Hey."
"Hi Dad," I gasped for air, as I came back to Earth.
"What's up?" he asked cautiously.
"Just," I paused as I brushed the hair above my neck, "homework."
"Have fun," he joked as he poured himself a glass of milk and left without a word.
"I'll try."

I soon realized he'd left. That's when I started to feel like a total idiot. Then again, I'd felt that way all day.
Compared to her I must've looked hideous.
Her image was all I thought about that day.
Even when I closed my eyes at night her face was on the inside of my eyelids.
She haunted me in my dreams.
And yet, she took away my breath and gave me a sense of comfort every time.
I struggled to sleep, like every night.
Only this night was different, I felt like I was being... watched.