Who even am I?

New Start

Just recently we moved here. My Dad Theo, my little Sister Elizabeth and me, Summer. The last 12 Months have been really tough for all of us since Mom has passed away. Dad did not cope well at all, he literally buried himself in work. He had been offered time off work to look after us but instead took more and more work on, to the point we did not get to see him at all. He came back late and went early in the morning out again. I felt, it is up to me to look after Lizzie. Do not get me wrong, I love Lizzie loads but at 17 I am myself not grown enough to tell a 12-year-old what she can and cannot do. Lizzie is my best friend, but times are rough as it is.

This new town is supposed to be a new start for us, a new beginning, since everything in our old home reminded us of Mom and the pain, we been through. Dad promised us everything would now change as this is a much smaller town, a bit more rural and quieter than Kansas. For the past week, I have started to jog. Behind our house is a path leading up to the Forest that is surrounding our little town, so I thought, it might be a good idea to do something for me and gather my thoughts. Really, it is becoming my favourite time of the day.

We have been here for just over a week and have not really met anyone yet but tomorrow is our first day back in School. Lizzie will catch the school bus and I managed to convince Dad to get me a small car so Liz and I can get around, considering we are in the middle of nowhere.

The car is only old and seen better days, but it is a start.

I am just getting ready to go out for a jog as Dad comes back from work. I pop my headphones in and shout “Dinner is waiting for you in the Oven, see you later!” Before anyone can say anything in return, I run out the back door. Just me, my music, and my thoughts. I am not a fast runner, it is not about the pace for me, it’s about me claiming back some time for me.

Suddenly I see a shadow moving in the bushes next to me completely caught me off my guard and I trip over a root sticking out of the ground. Of course, it causes me to fall over but I jump back up. I take my headphones out, because you know shadows make a lot of noises, doh! Nothing, not even the chirping of Birds, the only thing you can hear is the music coming out of my headphones. Very slowly I turn looking all around me, but no … nothing. Must have imagined it – I think to myself.

I let out a quiet sigh as I pop my headphones back in. Just as I am about to carry on, I notice that my knee is bleeding. I decide that it might be better to cut my run a bit shorter than usual as I still feel a bit uneasy but cannot put my finger on what is making me feel this way.  There is this feeling in me, like I am not alone. So, I start to head back home. I hear a noise, like a voice asking me for my name. My heart is now pounding out of my chest as I run faster and faster. I can see our House… nearly home I think to myself. I turn my music off and look around, again nothing, everything remains silent.

There I stand, looking around for a voice talking to me? Honestly, this is the stuff Nightmares are made off. I hear a rustling in the bush, so brave as I am … I try to take a closer look. In a flash something jumps past me and disappears in the bushes. I stumble backwards and hit my head on a tree, there is this smell, and this might sound crazy, but it smells like Home. The scent instantly calms me down even though something huge just knocked me over, I do not feel scared. I hear the voice again “friend”. This is getting really creepy now. There is no one around me but I could still hear someone. Enough is enough, I get up, pat myself down and start walking Home.