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Jessie

True and Pure





By: Courtney Russell



Jessie
Chapter 1:
Hot summers day
It’s around 4:00 pm now and we left around 8:00am. We stopped at parks and gas station along the way. I just hated the heat and tried to ignore the sun. My friends say they’ll miss me and they’ll call every day.

I know they won’t.

After a month they’ll forget all about me, but I won’t. I won’t try to make friends that are exactly like my old ones but it’s going to be very hard not too.

Grandma Bertha died late spring and left us with her old house. Though she moved to a retirement center about two years ago. She loved her house so much she didn’t sell it. The house was built in 1950 by my grandfather. My mother and I never got to know grandpa because he died about a year after my mom was born in 1965.

Granny told stories about how he tried to build her a balcony out sided her window. He fell through it once after its rained because the thin floor boards got soft. He hurt his leg but tried to build it again the next day. It’s tipped over after he built it -to some extent- because he didn’t weight it down when strong winds came during a storm. But he never stopped trying to build it for her. He finally did finish it for her but he was never the greatest handy man when it came to perfection.

Granny said his motto was ‘If it does what it was meant to do, it’s as good as it’s going to get’. I tried to live by the motto for a week and found that for school projects that wouldn’t help with creativity points.

So I gave up on that motto but still try to use it as much as life allows me too.

I sat in the back seat of the car next to my mom’s favorite antique mirror. She feared that movers wouldn’t be as “Delicate” with it as they said and didn’t want to take any chances. And of course I had to sit in the back and hold it while were going down the hilly and rocky roads. I loved my mother but she can just get to you sometimes. But I loved this mirror too so I didn’t complain.

I look outside my window watching the trees, bushes, and the dirt and gravel road as we drove. The sun was right up in the sky above the trees. If I had my camera it would make a prefect postcard. I love to make things. I see a jeweled jewelry box when you see a block of wood. I see a puppy dog with a red-hot tennis ball while you see a cloud next to the sun. I can see improvement and all you see is imperfection.

My dad built me a fort when I was six years old. It had a floor on the ground made of red and brown bricks. It had walls on all four sides and a ladder to get on the top. It was strong enough for him and I to stand on but it had no railings. He showed me how to forces a telescope and find some planets. I was never into space but it was a pretty site at night.

I would sit on the brick bottom and draw pictures of the planets and showed my dad them after I drew every one. Till one day he wasn’t there. I held up my picture smiling while my mom read the note he left for her. We have his phone number and he calls us ever so often to let us knows what’s going on in his life. Last I heard of him he was a historian at the local museum. He still kisses my mom when they see each other. I love him but I still don’t like that he couldn’t just stay with us.

“Were almost there honey,” she pointed to the small rectangular shape, which at this point looked as small as a ring case, “It looks just like I remember it.” All I thought was how can you tell it’s a rectangle from this far away did you always live in a tiny little rectangle.

My mom will drown on and on about her childhood memories- sadly as she got older she never forgot a thing- like she had a whole movie memorized and wanted to spoil everything. I stared at the house as it got bigger and bigger. Soon I could make out a front door and windows. We finally turned onto are dirt drive way.

Thank goodness for me the house didn’t look like it was build in the sixty’s. I was more like the early nineteen hundreds. Granny to me they both wanted a house that made them feel wealthy. So they built their house based on a wealthy persons house they both admired when they were younger. The paint needed to be replaced but the house seems very large and we’re willing to make some adjustments to live here. Mom told me that this house was a fixer upper but we needed the place and it’s nice to live we’re my mom grew up.

We park the car at the end of the driveway. The dry grass swayed in the wind as little as I got out of the car and shut the door. I was miserable in the heat. I walked up to the front door with my mom and we unlocked the house. “Were home!” my mom yelled hugging me as she pushed the door open. It was a little dirty but it was still nice. I ran up stair and my mom followed at a slower pace. In the time it took her to get up stairs I had already examined all the doors along the hallway and peeked inside to see what they were.

She smiled at me as I opened the door to granny’s bedroom. She said, “go on in,” we both walked in and examined it. The sun shined in from all of its four windows with a door to the balcony to the right of the first window. The closet was empty, but her reading chair and some old pictures were all still in place in the corner. I didn’t quite love it here but I put on a happy face for mom. I put my backpack -which was holding all the things I would need in my time of boredom on the trip- down on the floor by the door.

The one thing I wanted was an outlet. I searched the walls for one as mom had finished mesmerizing the room and left. Good I see one. I was relieved to see I can have electricity in my room. I explore my room for a while looking at the old pictures and sitting in granny’s chair. I got up to opened the window and listen to the wind. I felt my eyes begin to droop and I walked over and sat back in the chair. The wind whistled every once and awhile and soon I had drifted to sleep in the soft and warm chair, as I’m sure my granny had many times.

I woke up probably an hour or so later. I looked outside the window and the sun was just about to go down. I went to my mom and to find that she is already asleep. I went back to my room and head for the bed. I take the covers off of it and to air them out. Flinging dirt and dust particles whirled in the air in a fast current of swirls. I did the same with my pillow and made sure there weren’t any bugs in it. I made the bed again and I went over to shut my window. I get in bed and slowly drift back to sleep.

I woke up I looked out my window to see where the sun was. I slowly got out of my bed and on my feet to stretch. I walked -well wobbled- over to my backpack and to grab my brush. I start to untangle my hair, when I looked at my feet. My shoes were still on. I give up after a while and put my hair in a ponytail. I knelt down by one of my windows and looked through the barley translucent glass, with dirt smudges in the top and bottom corners. I stared at the large blue sky and the two small clouds that were miles away. I could hear the moving van rolling on the gravel as it moved towards the house.

My mom brought back every-single-thing she could from our house in California. This was the second van of the day and it’s all here now. All my old memories- good or bad- thrown out the window onto the gravel road and are rolling and chipping away to nothing.

“Jessica can you come down here and help unload” my mom, “I’ll be down in a minute,” I said as I got off my knees and head for the front lawn. The floors were creaky and the wallpapers were out-dated but it’s what we could afford and I couldn’t ask for more. Although there was one thing I really cared about and that was the fact that its ninety degrees Fahrenheit outside, there is no air conditioning, and there is no chance that it will get any colder then it already is outside for another month.

I took my time savoring all the new smells, trying to find a good one. The hall and the stairs had no smells. The kitchen had no smell unless someone was cooking in it. I opened the front door and I smelt it, the nice Fresh air with a hint of sunflowers. The steps just blew dust and dirt off of them as you stepped. The fresh non-polluted air was great but I could go for a glass of lemonade right now for shore. It’s a scorcher out here.

I lifted the left side of are tan leather couch and one of the movers lifted the other. He seemed to be around my age and he kept staring at me with a very creepy grin on his face. With the acne, the shaggy hair, and the unmistakable giant square glasses I could tell he was a nerd. Not that I have anything against nerds. Nor do I like to call them that but their carefree way of life and the fact that their only worry is about getting bullied. That to me is just plain weak. To be my friend you have to know when to stand up for yourself. He also had braces, yellow teeth, and what looked like a piece of meat wedged between his front teeth and his braces. Although his smile was creepy I gave him a quick half smile and tried to ignore him the rest of the trip to the living room.

Once we put down the couch he held out his hand and said, “Hi, the name is Jared” I grabbed his hand and shook it once. The grin disappeared from his as I whip my hand against my jeans.

“I washed my hands after I ate” I continued to whip my hands on my pants as I said “It’s okay I like the smell of fried chicken. My name is Jessie” he looked over at my mom and said, “I over heard your mom say your name was Jessica” then turned back to me.

“It is but I like Jessie more” I said with a dissatisfied look on my face. “Well, I like the name Jessie, I think I had a turtle named Jessie once, Then It got hit by that car.” a second later I said “Thanks” with the most sarcastic voice I could find in me. “Im sorry it’s just that I have never talked to a girl before and¾”

I cut him off with a “zip” I said making a sipper movement to my mouth. “I had I cat name jerry” I gave him another half smile as I walked away from him and out to the front lawn.

I grabbed I box with my name on it and went straight up to my room. So far my room has six boxes of my stuff not including my bed, bookshelf, desk, and my fifth generation antique dresser in it. I love having my new space but I miss old friends. Like all parents my mom told me ‘you will make new friends and don’t worry they’ll love you Just as much as I do’.

Luckily I don’t have to worry about school for another three months. Maybe if I make friends soon I won’t have to worry as much when school starts.

I noticed the floor of my bedroom has the smell of wheat and lavender but it looks like driftwood it has a few holes in it that are making nerves just thinking about it. I ran through my door and turned right into Jared.

I fell on my back and hit my elbow against the doorframe. He dropped the box he was holding and all of its continence came pouring out. “Sorry” I said as he bent over to help me up. He said “take it slow on the corner next time” he smiled. “Okay” I bent over to pickup the stuff and put it back the box. “It’s hot!” I noted as we both continued filling the box back up. “Arizona has it down sides but where this town is we aren’t that far away from the nicer and cooler mountains” we both stood up and I followed him to my room. “I know, but it’s so hot….” I was trying to make him annoyed and I think it worked. “You’ll get used to it, plus in the winter you will wish you had a heater. Which good for you I saw you have one”

“I know but it is so hot” he smiled at me and shook his head in annoyances as he walked down stairs to bring some more things in. I looked for my box of shirts and fond I yellow tank top. I took off the tee shirt I was wearing and quickly put the tank top on. My mom let me chose any room in the house to be mine. I chose the big one with the small balcony out side the window. Which is on the back of the house so I get a view of the near by lake. I don’t remember the name, maybe I will ask Jared.

I grabbed the box that had my bedding in it and dumped it all on the floor I made my bed as neat as possible but I debated on weather or not I should put the thick comforter on top because I didn’t know if it was going to be cold or not. So I put the thick comforter half folded on the foot of my bed, so I could push it off if it got to hot. I run towards the door. And began to slow down right when I got to the door. But turned to quickly and ran right into Jared, again. This time I fell forward on top of the Jared and the box of my winter clothes he was holding.

“Sorry, again” I said as I got up. He pushed the box off him and I held out my hand to help him up. He grabbed it and I pulled back to try to pull him up. Wasn’t the strongest one in the bunch so I had to put more effort into helping him so I wouldn’t be pulled back down on top of him.

“Okay stick your head out the door to see if someone is coming, then go through the door next time” I looked at him with curiosity as he picked up the box full of my jackets. So now I was annoying him and hurting him at the same time.

I smiled “okay.” He walked into my room and I walked down the hall and the stairs to go outside. I grabbed a box that read KITCHEN. I walked up the porch stairs and walk through the open door. The house is relatively a big house four thousand square feet. Okay so it is big but it is old and out dated and I don’t want to live here. I walk down the wide hallway, which also lead to the living room, a closet, the bathroom, and the basement door, and the stairs.

At the end of the hallway I finally reached the kitchen. I put the box on the table and open it. I saw that most of the dishes and silverware were there and my moms antique china tea set. I saw that the teapot has the handle broken off.

Can the story to past tense and make it sound good
I said “Oh no” and then I heard someone,

“What?” I turn around real fast and I was relived it wasn’t my mom.

I exhale and closed my eye. “It’s moms china pot, it broke.”

Jared said “Let me see it” I hand it to him and he said “close your eyes”, so I did. It only took a second before he said, “open” and so I did. The handle was back on. Not even a line from where it broke off.

I said “how’d¾?” my mom walked through the door and smiled at me. Jared walked behind my mom and took a super glue tube out of his pocket and raised it in the air. Then gave me a quick grin and walked outside.

“How’s it going?” my mom asked keeping her smile.

“Okay, I guess” I said as I put the china pot back in the box.

“I’m really sorry honey, but it will get better” I nodded twice and handed my mom the box of china and I walked away.

I hate how even when I say I’m fine she brings it up anyway. The one thing I really wanted to do was to go to the nearest dock and just lay down. In this heat even if you didn’t like water you would just try to cool off with some nice fresh water. But I can’t swim so sticking my feet in the water is just as good.

I walked into the living room and sat down on the couch. I picked up the newspaper and made a fan. I looked at the headline on the newspapers outdoors section. Swimming at lake Taro, knee boarding, tubing and more all the things I cant do. I balled up the paper and through it in the trashcan by the Television.

Jared walked in with another box and put it on the ground. He looked at me then turned around to go out again. I said “Jared”

He turned and asked “what?”

I continued to fan myself as I said, “What do you do around here to cool off?”

“Go swimming.”

“Is there any thing else?”

“Nope not really” I breathed loudly a sigh of deep dissatisfaction. “What’s wrong with swimming?” he asked smiling.

“Nothing, but if you can’t swim¾” he cut me off.

“You can’t swim?” his eyebrows shot up, and then squished together.

“Nope. So is there anything else,”

He looked at the wall and thought for a while. “Well, you could grab and ice cream cone from the gas station I guess, I can take you there if you want,”

I smiled at him and said, “sure.”

He looked at his watch. “I get off work in an hour. Could you wait?”

I put my hands on a box, “I have enough stuff to unpack to last me the rest of the week.” I said smiling.

“Okay!” the corner of his mouth turned up in a smirk. He walked out the door as I ran up to my room. I grabbed my box of clothes and dumped them on the floor. I took out the four drawers from my dresser and put then side by side on the floor. I decided the first drawer would be for casual shirts. The second drawer for nice shirts and the third would be for underwear, socks, and bras. Then last but not least the fourth drawer would be pants, shorts, and skirts. There is one more drawer but I have better things to put in there.

I sat down with the pile of clothes and started folding and putting things in their correct drawer. I call myself organized but that’s only when I think things needed to be. Like, if I woke up in the morning I don’t care weather or not my bookshelf is or isn’t alphabetized. But I would care if I couldn’t find a shirt to wear or the correct pants for the weather. So I am ¾better then anything¾ organized.

I had put everything in their correct draw and now all I had left were dresses and jackets. I got up and opened the box of extra stuff that I had that didn’t go in any category. I searched in the box of awhile, moving things around, till I found the hangers. I put the dresses and jackets up on hangers one at a time and hung them up in my closet.

My new closet is a walk-in closet and has one door. It has two six-foot poles that go from side to side on the back wall of the closet to hang things on. On the left wall I came in, I noticed a two by two foot square door with a handle on. I was about to go and open it but I decided it’d have to wait.

So I walked out of the closet and picked up one of the dresser drawers and began to put them back. I had just finished putting them all away when Jared walked in. I said, “Come here,” as I lead him to the closest I pointed to the small door and asked “What is that?” he walked over to it and bent down.

“I don’t know but we’ll find out” he said as he pulled down the handle and pushed it open. Light came shining in and defined the very neatly done spider web that was in the corner of the entryway. I bent down by him as he used one of my extra hangers to ball up the spider web. I ducked my head through it and saw that a dust covered white curtain was hanging over the window. The wallpaper looked like sand and the floors never been touched by anything except dust. The corners of the room had cobweb and spiders but other then that it was beautiful. After I turned my head side to side a few times I began to feel a sneeze coming.

“Ah, ah, ah-choo” and all the dust came swirling around my face. I pulled my head out and could tell by how Jared was laughing that I had dust all over me. I blinked little blinks till I didn’t have dust on my eyelashes. Then sneezed again and this time blowing most of the dust on me onto Jared.

“Who’s laughing now?” I said smiling as we both got up and shake off the dust. “So do you know what this room is for?”

He lifted his hand up to grab some webs out of my hair and said, “Nope, I have no idea.”

We both walked out of the closet “don’t tell anyone about that room” my voice almost sounded evil. He nodded and left the room again. I walked down after him to look for my mom.

She was putting the cups in the cabinets, which had already been cleared of the cobwebs. I asked “Mom do you know where the duster is?”

“Its in the pantry” I ran over and opened the door. There were lots of boxes stacked on top of one another. The cleaning supplies were in the box on the bottom. I made a new stack of the boxes till got to the cleaning supplies. I figured I would use more then just the duster so I took the whole box and went straight up to my room.

I got the duster, the bug spray, the vacuum cleaner, and a trash bag. I moved every thing off of my floor and onto my bed. I vacuumed the floor. I dusted the closet, windows, and crawled through the small door in my closet to clean in there. The room had years and years of webs in it and enough dust to fill a bathtub. No one had been up here in years and I thought that was so cool.

There were not as many bugs as I thought there were going to be but I saw a few spiders and killed them. I threw the window blinds in trash bag and could see that the small room was about half of my room once the light showed through. I decided it would be my secret room and that my mom would never know about it. I felt the wallpaper. I loved its sandy color it reminded me of the sand back in California. The floor has an offbeat color with it being part bamboo and part pine. I love the combination but I’d never seen it put together that way. It has crown molding on the corners and a fancy curtain rode above the window.

I had finished cleaning my room and putting all of the cleaning stuff back in its box to be put away. So I walked outside to look for any more of my stuff. It was all gone so I turned around and to head for my room. I thought about making the secret room a storage area but the space was just too nice. I decided it will be my sanctuary and it will be perfect.

I looked for the curtains which were in my box of bedding I got out earlier. I tried to decide from the sea-foam green with gold hints or the sea blue with single white threads going down it. I picked the green with gold because I liked the sea blue with the drift wood flooring I had in my room. I opened a box of my stuff and found my CD player. I didn’t have many CDs because I liked the radio more. I found a small shelf I made in my seventh grade wood shop class and put it in the secret room. It stands a foot off the ground and looks like a coffee table. Which is what it will be used for. I stuck my CDs under it and put my CD player on top.

I closed my eyes and smiled, imaging what this room could look like. Pillows and blankets all over the floor. One of the walls covered with corkboard. Filled with drawings and pictures of my favorite things. Flowers, of all colors out on the balcony. The sunlight flowing in, leaving nothing but rainbow colors on the wall.

I have a lot of work to do if Im going to make it happen before the summers over. But for now I could live with just knowing there’s a secret room. I crawled back into my room and stood up. I pulled out the blue curtains and put them up on the windows in my room. I put the boxes on the ground and off my bed.

Other then my books, shoes, and extras stuff I am basically unpacked. I take my box of shoes and dump it in my closet. I take one end of my book shelf and begin to pull it backwards it makes a loud noise as I pull it across the floor but I get it were I want it to go. I put my books in it. Standing up and end up filling it half way. I was full but we had a small sale before we left and I soled the ones I didn’t like as much. I put the box of my stuff on my desk and just put it there.

I check my watch it says five minutes till two. I walk to the bathroom across from my room and check my hair and teeth. My wavy brown hair looked okay but I brushed it a bit anyway. My teeth weren’t yellow but my breath smelled. We were going to be eating anyway, so I just said, “Good enough”.

I walk down stairs and look for Jared and my mom. I run over to my mom and ask, “Can I go out?”

She smiled “Sure, honey you do what ever you want just don’t go killing anybody, okay,” I rolled my eyes at her smile.

“Thanks mom” I gave her a quick hug and kiss before saying, “bye!”

I walked out the door and looked around. He was looking at his watch when I found him. He walked over to one of the other movers and they talked. I couldn’t make out what they were saying but after a minute the other mover nodded his head in approval.

He ran over to me and I asked, “Who was that?”

“That’s my uncle or you could say foster parent” I looked at him with worried eyes. I wondered if I should ask what happened to his parents. I guess he read my face and saw my question. “My mom died when I was born and my dad left.”

I looked at him with even worrier eyes. I said, “I’m sorry,” hoping that I didn’t make him upset.

“My dad didn’t know what to do with me, much less like me.” He kept a straight face. I was glad he had put that part of his life behind him.

“Well you turned out all right,” I said smiling.

“My mom told my dad that once I was born they would move back to mom’s hometown in Arizona, which happens to be right here. So dad moved me out here and he left, never planed to come back. He came back once though to tell me why he left and that I shouldn’t look for him. They said I shouldn’t have been able to survive up there but somehow I did,” still keeping his straight face he continued. “Well it’s good to be alive.” he turned around and began to walk he stopped and pointed his fingers out in different directions. After a second I caught on.

“We can take my car.” I said walking in front of him. I tossed him the keys and we both got in.












































































Chapter 2
The problem


His face isn’t perfect but tried to think otherwise. He had to stare at the road every second even on a never-ending straight road. So I could stare at him the whole trip and he wouldn’t notice. His eyes are dirt brown and his eyebrows needed plucking. His lips were chapped and he had an over bite. His hair was a dark shade of brown, almost black. His hair cut was uneven and a little curly and tangled. But his jawbone would be perfect if it went covered in acne and he’s not very pudgy but what’s there doesn’t look like muscle.

I lend over to get my camera out of the back seat. I turned it on and adjusted the lens to focus on his face. Snap, I took a non-flash picture of him. I wonder if he noticed.

I looked out the window and saw that it was flat and dry dessert. Lucky him and me, my car has air-conditioning. After a while we came to a place were it looked like forest. “That’s were lake Taro is,” he pointed to the forest.

When we were there we got out to go stand in line. It was a small shack with picnic tables in front. They had lots of chooses but I wanted chocolate. Jared order a strawberry sundae and I ordered the brownie cup.

“Let me pay for you”

“No, Jared I have money,”

“Please, it’s the least I can do for making my job the least bit more enjoyable,”

I rolled my eyes and said “okay.” He had already gotten out his money before I could even say it. Once he paid for it we both sat down at a table and began to eat away the heat. I sat to the right of him staring at him between bites. I asked, “Who do you hang out with around here”

“No one”

“Why?”

“Because, look at me,” he moved his hand that wasn’t holding his ice cream from his head and in a quick movement brought it down. “I’m a nerd”

“You don’t look that bad” I said with a smirk on my face. He used his shoulder to push me and I pushed him back. I sat close to him he was oddly cold in this warm weather and that was a plus seeing that it’s burning out here. “Do you want some?” I asked holding up a spoon full.

“No thanks”

I put my back on his on side I bent my head back on his shoulder and looked at the sky. I put the spoon in my mouth and savored the taste. The brownies were still warm and the homemade ice cream, still cold. When I swallowed I put the spoon back in the cup. I pointed in the sky and asked, “What do you see?”

He looked up his chin on my hair. “ Cotton candy, what do you see?”

“I see a garden of flowers and a gate, leading to nowhere, in the middle.” We both looked around for a while taking bites and sips in-between. I finished first I guess it’s because I toke two bites for every one he toke. I got up to go throw mine away. I turned around to see that some people were talking to Jared. I couldn’t make out what there were say so I toke a few steps closer. “Look at the, LOSER!” one guy yelled. “I wonder if he eats bugs?” one girl whispered loudly to her friend. “I bet his mom gave him those butter fly net braces to go to the Amazon in” Jared just put his head down and tried to ignore them.

I walked over and yelled “Back off!”

“Oh… the king of the jungle has a queen, now”

I stud in front of him and said “and you don’t?”

I shook my head with attitude and with both hands gave him a push back.

“My sorry, the king has a security guard” the guy said and they turned to walk away laughing and I sat back down across from Jared.

He asked, “Why’d you do that?” with an almost angry but mostly surprised voice.

“Because you don’t disserve that and you’re my only friend right now the least I can do is look out for you”

“But there cool. You could have just let it happen,”

“Being friends with someone whose goal in life is to pick on other people and only except perfect people. Is like picking the most perfect apple and having it good bad the next day. I like them when they’re not quite perfect yet” I smiled. “Plus you’re nicer”

“Thanks.” he rolled his eyes and stud up. I got up with him. I walk over to the car and he went to throw his trash away. He ran to the car and opened my door for me. Once I was in he shut the door and ran around to the driver’s side. He opened the door to find that I had slid over to drive.

“Now you can show me how to get home” I smiled and he rolled his eyes and closed the door and ran around to sit in the passengers seat. We went through the town and he pointed out some fun things to do when I’m bored. Like the market had a few video games. About a mile north you could play mini golf. There was a small market town about 5 miles over in Bu Mirage County that sells lots of things at cheap prices.

He said, ‘when I was in grade school I would walk there and back with a fifteen cent lollop from a little old ladies market. She made them from scratch. They are ten times better then any prepackage lollipop. You told her which flavor and she would make it right there for you’. Jared is a talker and somewhat a listener and I am equally both. But what I really want was no voice no noise only movement.

After we were out of the market part of town he told me to go on the never-ending road. I said, “No.”

“Do you want to walk home?”

“No, I want I better way”

“There IS no other way”

“What about the forest and the desert hills. I want it to take all night.”

“Fine, do what you want but if we get lost don’t blame me.”

“Fine.” We drove throw the forest. I turned back and forth to go around the trees. Keeping my beat, from the song on the radio. During the soft songs I went at a slow speed and the loud songs fast. Then we drove onto flat land. There weren’t as many trees but there were rocks and dead tree stumps. On a slow song I went slow and speed up when it got slow turned fast.

After about fifty minutes Jared fell asleep, His head on the window. He looks so sweet and innocent. His breathing was not a snore or a roar but a song. Sweet like the wind but steady like a heart beat.

I was not lost but I was getting tired. It was getting dark outside and I could feel it getting cold. I turned the cool air off and continued to flow on my rhythm. On loud songs I switched stations. I found country to be very mellow. Thirty minutes passed and I finally found my sign. A giant billboard saying ‘Welcome to Dirt Gate, your home of the hawks’. I found that after you pass that sign you stay straight and turn right about 2 miles down to get to the new house.

The house is on Dirt Court Rd. about a half mile down is someone’s house, so I guess that’s some what are only neighbor. You follow that road till it ends and then you’re at the house. There is a hill between are neighbors and our land so we have total privacy. Since I was on the right side of the road I needed to be on any way I took a forty-five degree turn, skipping the driveway and taking a short cut. I turned off the radio and just kept my mind on the road. When I drove up in the driveway I saw my mom running down it. She came around to my side of the car. I slowed down and rolled the window down.

“Where have you been?”

“I went out for ice cream”

“And that took you 6 hours?” I drove home leaving my mother in the dust. I smiled and rolled up the window. I drove down the road and stopped behind the house.

I sat there with my keys in hand and watched him. He began to mumble something. He repeated it I still couldn’t hear him. He said it again, “Stop it don’t do that,” he said in a whiny and whispery tone. I heard him that time. He said it again and I leaned over to push his shoulder to wake him up. When he repeated it. I stopped.

My hand out, my eyes open and my heart stopped moving. The only things moving were my senses I could see but I couldn’t move my eyes. After a minute, I could hear my mom yelling at me from a distance. The window was not completely rolled up. It got loader and louder, Till it was for sure a yell. Jared woke up. My hand fell, my eyes closed and I fainted. Because my eyes were hurting and I was out breath.

When I woke up I was in my bed. My mom sat over on a chair by my desk. She was half asleep. Jared was standing over on the foot of my bed watching me. Correction my mom was asleep and Jared was half asleep, I noticed once my eyes adjusted. When I moved, only Jared’s eyes popped open. I gasped and looked at him.

“What did you do to me?”

“I didn’t mean too”

“I know that. You were asleep, but you said ‘stop it don’t do that’ and I stopped everything no breathing, no blinking, and no moving. What did you do to me?”

“I don’t know this has never happened before”

“What were you dreaming about?”

“I don’t remeber”

“Okay, um, what time is it?”

“It’s 2:20a.m.” I looked at the clock he was right.

“You can leave if you want” I motioned my hand to the door.

“No, I don’t mind staying… if you don’t…I can go…”

he started to back up towards the door and I yelled in a whisper “Don’t go, I want you to stay.” I smiled. He smiled to I tossed him a blanket and one of my two pillows which were under my head.

“Im sorry,” he said still feeling guilty for me fainting I guess.

“Its okay.”

I turned on my side to face him on the ground. He was putting his glasses on my bedside table. His eyes were the perfect teardrops shape. I cloud have imaged on any one. Today wasn’t very interesting but its still more tiring then nothing. I closed my eyes with the image of Jared’s face still in my mind and I fell asleep.





My dream was different from any dream I have had before. I wasn’t the center of attention and it almost felt like I was invisible. I was in the mall no one looked at me. I was as pale as a ghost and wore a peach colored dress. The dress was long and puffy at the bottom and suffocating me in the middle. Like one of those fancy dresses they wore a hundred years ago. Yet, no one looked at me.

I walked all around to every place in the mall. I didn’t know what I was looking for but I just kept running. I ran myself out to the street through the town and into the woods. I ran faster and faster till every breath I toke was like breathing in fire. I closed my eyes for two seconds and opened them. I stopped I was in an old ballroom. I blinked twice and toke in three deep breathes. One…Wait I can breathe. I felt no need to take deep breaths. It was like I wasn’t even running just a second ago.

Everyone wore the same old-fashioned clothing. Dresses too tight for their bodies and suites with ruffles at the collar and pants that looked skintight. The guys wore wigs no madder who much hair they still had. All the women had big hats on or feathers in there hair. I stood by the back wall and watched as they dance to the Victorian style music. I moved my feet from side to side. I count there paces and admire how well they all dance.

Every one stopped dancing I looked around. It looked liked they were paused. My eyes stared to get blurry like when you television loses it picture and comes back and then you lose it again and then it comes back. It was like my dream had bad reception only the people in my dream flickered through. The walls and the floor stayed solid. I looked around and soon the music began to sound like two different songs were playing at the same time the song that was playing before with a violin. Was now overpowered by the one being played with an electric guitar. The dream flickered again and the people in old clothes were now teenagers dressed in teen clothes. Soon they were all dancing to a rock song and all moving at different beats. Then the room turned into a club. Only I was left wearing the old clothes. I was an outsider and I didn’t like it. Every one laughed and pointed at me. There knees bending up and down to the beat of the music. It looked so real I reacted like it was. I fell to my knees and cried.

‘I am such a baby’ I thought. I needed my mom to be with me all the time. I’m a strange kid or at least that’s what my mother always tells me. I never like being in big crowds of people. I get really claustrophobic in windowless rooms. I faint at even the sight of real blood. The most embarrassing thing is that since I was four years old I’ve been afraid of the dark. ‘How are any of theses things strange?’ you may ask. I love horror movies, I smile when others cringed at the sight of Jason cutting someone’s head off with a chain saw. My dad told me “all the stuff in these movies are fake and made up. Unless they state that they are based on true stories”.

If they were based on true scary stories, then I just don’t watch them. You could shove me in a 6-foot by 2-foot glass coffin and I wouldn’t be afraid as long as it had an air hole. I found that as long as my bed is by my window the moon is a good enough night-light for me.

There’s nothing that I found that cures the fear of crowds though. Which is why I was on the floor of my dreams, crying. I was the center of attention and I was crying. I am who I am and I am crying. I feel Jared’s pain now feeling the mean and cruel sounds of those people who make fun of imperfect people. I think I’m nice. I shook his hand and didn’t just ignore him. I went to get ice cream with him and I stood up for him. But where is my saver?

“Look at her she looks like a clown!” one of the teens yelled. They all laughed at me. “I bet she has wooden teeth too,” a boy said through his teeth.

Crack some of the roof began to crumble and fall in some places.

Smash the whole room shook.

Crack the there was a loud stream of wind.

Boom! something hit the roof and pulled it off. There a giant nerd stood with his now extremely giant glasses, his acne-full face, and shaggy hair. It’s my super man. Giant Jared picked up the laughing teens one by one as they all screamed in terror. I gave him a huge smile. He didn’t eat them but he threw them in a giant bowl of cereal and they all tried to get out. He smiled his braces at me and he said, “They should learn to pick on someone their own size,” I laughed and blinked.

Everyone was gone, even Jared. I was alone in my room. The moon was shining through my window like a flashlight and I counted the stars. I saw a snake and a rabbit in the twinkling stars and followed the dots too see what would happen. The picture wasn’t pretty. I was bored in a dream where I can do whatever I wanted but nothing beats the real thing when you don’t just forget it later. A real life, that doesn’t have giant people in it. Where people are normally mean to people and sometimes not, but most of the time get punished for it. With rooms that are always the same with every blink and don’t have their roofs ripped off. Thump, thump, boom, thump! I woke up.

Mom walked in with a tray of breakfast. “I didn’t want too wake up earlier but its time to get up, it’s late” she put the tray across my lap as I pulled myself upwards to a seated position. A paper plate with scramble eggs, pancakes with maple syrup, and a glass of milk on it. “Where did you get the food?”

She smiled “Oh, that boy he brought it over, I forget his name….” She tapped her foot and rubbed her chin “Jared, right that’s it, Jared!”

“Did he leave?”

“Yeah, he said he was sorry he couldn’t wait till you woke up but his uncle needed him at home”

“Is he in trouble for staying out so late?”

“No, his uncle was thrilled actually. I wonder if Jared has many friends?” She smiled and began to take steps backwards.

“Right mom,” I said raising my eyebrows. “Thanks for bringing me this.” I toke a bite of the eggs. Last time I ate we were at are local dairy queen. I think that was, hmm… I got up at 8:00 am we had breakfast and lunch, and at 4:00 pm we went to DQ. We stopped at a gas station on the way and I got beef jerky there too. The eggs and pancakes were good I ate them in a minute. I eat so fast I forgot to drink between bites. I chugged the whole thing in a couple long of gulps. I put my hand over my forehead. Brain freeze, I put the glass on the tray and put both hands over my forehead.

I didn’t feel bad any more I just felt bad that Jared had to spend the whole night with me. That made me think of what he said and he made me do. Stop it! My held breath only made me faint for a while. I was fine but Jared told me he didn’t mean to do it. So I am not scared of what he might do. He’s nice and has no reason to be mad at me.

I flatten my pillow behind me and set the tray on it. I pull the covers off me and saw I was still wearing my clothes from yesterday. “Mom, I can have a shower right?” for all I new I would turn on the water and spiders would crawl out.

“Yes sweetie the towels are in the closet up there” I grab the tray and ran down stairs. I put the tray on the counter and threw away the paper plate and utensils. The glass I had my milk in I didn’t know what to do with so I just left it on the tray. I ran back upstairs and opened the closet door.

I grabbed my favorite orange and green striped towel and closed the door. I went back to my room I had my shampoo in a grocery bag so if it leaked it wouldn’t get anywhere so I grabbed that. I grabbed my hairbrush and a set of clothes and put them all on my bed. I needed my radio. I went into my closet and got on my knees to open the small door. I crawled in and grabbed my radio. I crawled back out and grabbed the rest of my stuff off my bed and walked out my door.

Two steps out of the door and I was in the bathroom. I love the bathroom. When we bought it, it came with a little cart and table thing. It has a place for magazines. With a flat top for things like my radio which I set on it when I came in. a toilet paper roll dispenser which had nothing in it a the moment. Best of all it had eight mini drawers, which I had all to myself. I knew what a few were going to be for. The bottom ones for holding my nail polish, one for holding cotton balls and foam make up appliers. I guess I will use the rest for miscellaneous make up and medicine.

I turn o n the battery-operated radio and turn it to my favorite station. Rock and pop by the latest musicians. I turn it up pretty load but not load enough so my mom could her it downstairs. I crack the door open a little to let some heat out. I would turn the fan on but there isn’t one in here like back home. I place my clothes and towel by the tub. I take the shampoo out of the grocery bag and put I it in a shower caddy that we brought back with us. I turn on the water a little bit paced the center and turned on the shower. The steaming water came down I n ten clumps strained but that would be enough at least it was coming out at all. I take my clothes off and put them in the hamper we brought with us as well. I step in to the shower the hot water beating my skin. I get my hair completely wet and fill my palm with shampoo. I love the dove cucumber and green tea scented shampoo. I ran the shampoo for root to tip and massaged it into my hair.

I grabbed my brush and began to brush my hair. I start at the root and work my way up. As I go white foam and bubbles flow down my back, to my toes, and down the drain. My hair is now knot-less and I have no more shampoo left in my hair. I turn the water cold and stood there for a minute. I love the flow of heat that escapes my body as I stand in the clod shower. I turn off the water and get some of my heat returned to me like I was standing in a sauna. I rang my hair out while standing in the shower. I bent over and let my hair flow down I shook my hair a few times and just stated there in my bent over position and let the water flow to the tips of my hair. After about a minute I gave my hair one last ring. I flipped my hair and stood up straight again I grabbed the towel and wrapped it around my body. I brushed my hair with my brush and listened to the radio.

I got dressed and hung up my towel. My hair is still slightly damp but it’s not dripping. I brushed my teeth and washed my face. I had my mindset on going to town today and that lake Jared mentioned. I walked into my mom’s room but she wasn’t there. So I ran downstairs and there she was doing her yoga on her mat in the living room. “Hey, mom can I go to town today, you know to try to make friends!”

“Maybe, but we still have to discuss what happened to you yesterday I was worried sick”

“I know and I’m sorry. Long story short I didn’t like the road so I went on an adventure and got lost. Jared fell asleep and I made it back eventually. Which happened to be late”

“Okay, grab that fifty dollar bill out of my purse. Buy me a sweater that looks good and you can have the rest” I smiled and replied, “okay, thanks mom”

I grabbed the fifty out of my mom’s purse. I ran up to my room and grabbed my bag. It held my wallet, which had a twenty-dollar bill in it, my chap stick, a few hair ties, a small container of hand sanitizer, and my car keys in it. I ran down stairs and out the back door. I used the automatic unlock button on my little key chain car control thing and got inside.

I drive a silver Saturn ASTRA. I got it as a split sixteenth birthday present. I pay half if she pays half. Were still paying it off. I have my own car and my mom drives her silver Cadillac. I need to find a job.

I drive the long boring road to town. I loved my adventure but now madder how boring straight is it’s faster. I drove in and looked around for a clothing shop. They have a small mall so I park my car in that parking lot. I get out and began to look in the stores. There are only a few stores but there was one that had cute looking clothes in it. I walked in and went to a rack that had sweaters on it. My mom likes the sweater jackets .she hates how the once that don’t sip up or button down she says ‘what happens when I get warm, and that’s not what you kids think its all about fashion these days, right’ my mom hates fashion but she hates normal sweaters more. I find the perfect one stopped right below the waist, a gray and white color, it has big buttons on it, and it’s in her size. I looked around a little more. I didn’t find anything I needed or wanted. I walked over to the check out line. There was no line.

“Hello, did you find what you needed?” the black hair and blue hair girl asked, “yes, thank you” she scanned the price and began to fold the sweater. “Are you from around here I never noticed you before?” “I just moved here yester day actually” I smiled at her and handed her my twenty dollar bill. “Have you done anything yet?” “No, I just hung out with one of the movers who’s lives here” “my names, Anna” she handed my receipt and my bag. “My names Jessie” I held out my hand and she shook it. “See you around sometime” she said I wonder if she really meant it. “Sure good-bye” I walked out the door and headed back to the car. I put the bag under the back seat and turned around to head for another store.

I think about what I need as I sit on a near by bench. I don’t need clothes, food, or any kind of shoes. I already have snowshoes. Well I know its hot and that I have nothing to do when I m bored. Okay maybe a fan a thermometer, and a book or CD. Ready set shop. I walk into a small home appliance store. I walk in and go to the front desk. I average height man with gray hair smiles at me. I smile back and ask, “do you have any fans?” he pointed over to the sign that says Fans and lights. “Thank you” he bobbed his head a few time in response to my thank you. He bent over and picked up his newspaper to read.

I walked over to the aisle. They had five different types for floor fans and seven different types of ceiling fans. I looked at how fast the fan could go. The faster it is the more wind we get. How much energy it would use and how much it would cost us. I picked the most expensive one, which was only thirty dollars. It seemed to be the best out of all of them even though they’re all cheap. I grab a box that doesn’t look to ruff around the edges and bring it up to the check out counter. I set the fan box price scan up and walked around a little more to find a thermometer. I found an out door one for three dollars and put it on top of the fan box. “Hello” I say to the man as he begins to put his paper down. He nods and begins to scan my purchases. “That will be $33.50 miss” I hand him my fifty and dig around in my small pocket for the fifty cents. Ah ha! Two quarters I hand it to him and as I sip up my small sipper he hands me back my change.

I grabbed my small bag that had the thermometer in it and the box. I guessed the box weighted about ten pounds. I walked up to the door. I used my foot to push the door open and I ran through it before it closed. Again I went to go put my fan and thermometer in the car. I started to walk the streets of the stores for a place to find books. The Giant Paper Cut a weird name for a store but it looked like a big bookstore, so I went in. a smiling old lady was behind the check out counter. “Can I help you find anything, dear?”

“No but maybe later” I smiled and then directed my eyes to the signs above the shelves. I love fairy tales, fantasy, and fiction. I love books about super powers and love. Like superman he has super strength, heat vision, and can out run a bolt. He loves Lois Lane but he saves her every day and doesn’t tell her. To bad there aren’t many books about that kind of stuff.

Fiction that’s were I will start. I read the backs of every one on the shelf that I haven’t already read. All they are ever about now is Aliens, people who save the world, and the basic unbelievable story. After about thirty minutes I finish the shelf and move on to Fantasy. My fifth book I read the back and turned it back over Old Magic by Marianne Curley. I take the book under my arm and take out my wallet. $16.50 that’s enough to by a book. I go up to he counter and hand her my book. “Good read, okay…” the cling of the cash register was loud “your total is $6.30” I handed her the money and got back my receipt and change.

I looked at my watch as I walked away slowly. It had only been an hour since I left. I sped up my walking as I looked away from my watch. The bookstore had a small seating are, with a total of ten chairs. I took a seat and began to read.

I read at a pace of a page per minute. When I read I speed up on parts that put me of the edge and slow down for the romantic and boring parts. I was almost on the thirtieth page into my book, when a group of teenager walked in. I ignored them and continued to read. Once I finished the chapter I was on. I pecked trough the corner of my eye. I could see two girls and two guys. The girls were at the section I was at earlier and the two boys were at the comic’s section. One girl takes a peck at me and I turn my head back down into my book.

From what I saw the girl who looked at me had brown hair and blue eyes, with a smile that almost looked friendly. She grabbed her book and sat down next to me. I looked up at her real fast and continued to read. She stared at me and I soon found it hard to concentrate. “Hi, my name’s Margaret. You can call me Maggie” I put my bookmark in place and put my book in my bag. “I’m Jessie, short for Jessica but never call me that please” “okay Jessie it is” I look at her deep blue eyes. “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure what do you want to know?”

“What group would you put your self in at your school?”

“Well, my best friend Lilly…” she pointed over to her. “And I was never in a clique. We had a few friends from preschool and grade school that are popular. Only a couple we still talk to. I guess you could call us the average group. We don’t do very bad things, or vandalized stuff. We don’t make fun of people; we just try to ignore them. We go to the movies and each other’s houses and gang out with are boyfriends”

“Nice clique”

“Do you want to gang out with us today? Were going over to the Lilly’s house and make a camp fire”

“Sure, I guess. So are those two guys your boyfriends?”

“Yes, and we don’t like boy friend stealers” she said in a kind of hoarse tone.

“Don’t worry I’m a nice person; or at least I won’t steal your boy friend.

“Let me call my mom and I have nothing better to do” I smiled as I got up. She nodded her head and went to go talk to Lilly. I stepped out side of the store and got my phone from my bag. I dialed my moms phone number. I left a message because she didn’t pick up. I said whom I was with, where I was going, and said “ see you when I comeback, bye!” then I put the phone away, walked back into the store, and sat in my chair again.

Maggie and Lilly came and sat next to me. “So can you come?”

“I got the answering machine, but I told her where I would be.”

“So are you ready to go?”

“Sure”
















































Chapter three
Friends and fun




I followed Lilly and the two girls boyfriends, whose names I don’t know. “Maggie, what are your boyfriends names?” “Freddy is my boyfriend. You can remember his name because he has brown hair and eyes like a teddy bear. Get it teddy and Freddy. “Ha! Ha!” my laugh was so boring you could tell I wasn’t at all amused “your one funny joker” I gave her a small smile. “Stop it” she hit my shoulder a bit and laughed. “I don’t suck that much, do I?” “No, but you might want to buy a book on one hundred and one ways to make people laugh” she smiled and continued to answer my question. “Aaron is Lilly’s boyfriend he is sweet, but he can get bossy. I wonder if he’ll lighten up for you?”

“He better do that. I can get a little bossy myself” I smiled and looked at the car in front of me. Freddy, Lilly, and Aaron are in the car two ahead of us. It’s a very good thing I can still see them.

She turned on the radio. “Can I turn this up, you can let me know if it’s too loud,”

“Sure” she turned the knob till the volume was at thirty. I could barley hear her, but we didn’t say much thankfully. On the way to the car Maggie told me we were going on some plot of land that belongs to Freddy’s dad. I could think of a lot of questions to ask Maggie but she probably wouldn’t hear me.

I listened to the music and stared out a window. I didn’t know what to think about so I pulled out my book and began to read. Maggie to a few glances at me but said nothing. I could drown out the noise the radio made but that included the noise Maggie would make if she tried to talk to me. I figure she is to preoccupied to talk to me so I just continue to block out all the noise.

After a while I could see trees out the corner of my eye. I marked my page with my receipt and put it away. I listened to the music and began to sing along with it. Maggie smiled at me and soon joined in. five songs later we were still singing. I saw the forest turn to a dirt field. We were about half way through a song when Maggie turned it off and pulled over to the side of the other car. She parked it and got out of the car. I unbuckled my seat belt and got out to join the others.

“So, when will the others get here?” Freddy asked. “Who else is coming?” I asked slightly confused. Maggie looked at both of us and said “were about fifteen minutes early they should be here soon” Freddy started walking to the back to the wood. Soon Lilly and Aaron were walking together into the woods them selves. Maggie smiled at me and started walking to the woods. She turned around in her walk and waved her hand signaling me to come. I ran up to her and began to walk with her. She turned herself so she was walking straight again and began to talk. “ Well this it sort of a party, a get together if you will” she smiled. “Exactly how many people will be at this get together?” her smile grew and her as stared straight ahead.

I saw her eyebrows fuse together as she whispered “fifty maybe.”

She turned her head to look at me. My eyes were practically bulging out of my head and my mouth flew open. “And you just decided to tell me know,” I fell my hand up into the air and quickly brought them back down. “ Trust me you’ll have fun” her smile seemed convincing, but she’s never seen me in crowds. She bent over to grab a piece of wood.

I suddenly realized we were collecting firewood after I relayed a few events in my childhood that had crowds. At my ants wedding I was the flower girl. I threw up half way down the aisle. My birthday party at my uncle’s house, all relatives invited. I tripped about a hundred time and fell face first on my cake.

Thump, Maggie was laughing and I realized in my daydream I walked into a tree and fell on my back. She pushed all of her firewood into her right arm and helped me up with the other. We started walking again and now I am gathering wood too. I know I should just run away now but I don’t know where I am.

I bend over to pick up a stick. I straighten out again and put my stick into the pile of them in my arms. The field is still visible from the area I’m in. I let Maggie join Freddy so I could stay close to the field. I see another large stick and I pick it up. I can hardly see over the sticks in my arms and start to head for the field again.

I feel my foot catch a root and with a load crunch. I drop my sticks and land hands out on them. I broke almost every branch and stick I collected and am now I feel a little silly. I bend over to grab the sticks laughing at myself, when suddenly another pair of hands appeared helping my pick up the wood. I look up to an unfamiliar face. He looked at me and smiled. “Why were you laughing? You fell” my laughing slowed down and then I replied “because this always happens when I hear the words crowd” “ you should be glad my crowd is me, myself, and I, and we’re very connected” I laughed and continued to pick up the wood. We both walled back to the field and put are sticks down in the pile the others had started to make.

“I’ve never met you before have I?” I shook my head slowly “no I just moved here” “oh, well, nice to meet you” he smiled. He began to walk to his car and I followed. “I’m Jessie”

“I’m Chad and this is me” he slide his hand over his car. “And this is myself” he pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. “And I is not available right now” I laughed and turned my head as I suddenly heard a lot of car rolling towards us. “Oh, no” he smiled. “What?” I looked at him “there’s a crowd on the way”

“Come with me” he grabbed my hand and lead me back to the forest. “I’ve been to more then one party here.” He led me to a flat rock behind a large trucked tree about fifty feet away from the party’s grounds.

“Thanks” I said as I sat down on the rock and paired around the tree to see the people arriving.

“You don’t like parties?” I looked at his face and it wasn’t curiosity or freakiness in his expression.” No, I love parties but I don’t do crowds” I smiled in embarrassment as he looked around the tree to see the crowds of people coming. He looked like he was looking for something or someone.

“Are you looking for someone?”

“Yes, my girlfriend she said she’d be here and I hope she didn’t get lost,” just then his eyes beamed and he smiled. “Can I go... and… get” he pointed his fingers around the tree.

“Oh by all means you saved me any way” I smiled and he was off. I grabbed my cell phone out of my bag. It said it’s a quarter past two.

What to do? What to do? All I have is my bag and my free will. I didn’t even think about looking around the tree. I knew if I saw all those people my mind would fell disoriented. I decided the best past time besides television would be to read.

I finished a chapter and was about to move on to the next when Chad came back with his girl friend. I slipped my bookmark in to place and put my book back in my bag. He was smiling at me and then turned his face to… “This is Gloria” he motioned his hands over to Gloria. “And this is Jessie” he motioned is hands to me.

She held out her hand “so your new here right?” I smiled and shook her hand lightly.

I nodded afraid if I spoke that nothing would come out.

“We haven’t had new people in years,” she smiled a wide and open-mouthed grin. “This will be fun!” her voice wasn’t sarcastic nor was it annoyed. Maybe small town friendly wasn’t a myth after all.

“So do you guys want to do?” I asked hoping they’d tell me what they wanted to do and decide to go and do it.

“What do you mean?” Gloria’s cheerful voce replied.

“Well there’s a party over there and I bet you guys don’t really want to stand in silence with me the whole night,”

Gloria smiled and looked at me “I don’t really enjoy parties like this either”

Just then a group of people began to walk over. I didn’t look but they made so much noise it was very hard to ignore the fact that there were getting closer. I put my head down facing my bag and let my hair block most of my view so I could only see Chad and Gloria. Chad with a sudden realization of what I was doing began to walk over to the crowd and Gloria followed she whispered, “Bye Jessie!” as she waved and help Chad divert the crowd back to the party grounds. I waved my hand to late for her to see and lifted my head back up till I almost hit the tree.

I read most of the time. Occasionally being introduced to new people or interrupted by someone who thought the area was clear I soon grew tired enough that I closed my eye for a rest and found that I just never opened them when I thought I would.

It was the tickling sensation going up my arm that woke me. Judging by the sun and the still energetic partygoers, I hadn’t been asleep for long. As I looked over at my arm to investigate I saw a daddy long leg crawling up my arm. I giggled as it moved more over my arm. I grabbed it with my hand by one of its long legs and set it on the Earth’s floor.

It was finally dark enough outside and they were about to light the fire. I have never seen a campfire let alone a bonfire. I knew I would regret it but I wanted to see what it would look like. I grabbed my bag and flung it over my shoulder. I pulled my self up and used the tree as I guide. I could smell the smoke from the fire from my spot. It was smoky but the smell was enjoyable if you like the smell of tree bark.

I slid my hand over the dry tree as my feet followed in a circular. I kept my head down making