Everlasting Dawn

Chapter 1

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Run. That's all I know. I just need to run. There's something after me, something dangerous, evil. Nothing bothers me. Not the stabbing pain in my side, not the sharp rocks that cut through the soft flesh of my feet, not even the eerie forest in the darkness of the night bother me. There is only one problem: I tripped. I scramble to get up and run again, but the slippery mud runs through my fingers and I fall again. I feel the evil presence upon me. I turn around swiftly, but nothing appears to be behind me. I permit myself to a small sigh, then turn around only to find a pair of demented, red eyes starring straight into mine. I open my mouth to scream, but the darkness has taken over me.

I am jolted awake to the chorus of Going Under by Evanescence. My neck is stiff, and I feel slightly sick. I wipe the sleep from my tired eyes and look at my surroundings. Let's see here, we have a small crowded space, limited foot room, country music blaring ahead of me, a slightly annoying sister sitting oddly close to me. I am in a cramped, snug-fitting, leather-smelling truck! We must still be on our way to Molly's house.

Yes, I have fallen victim to one of my mother's cruel plans to get us out of our house for the summer, and go somewhere. This year, we are going to one of my mothers many friends' house that she had met over the course of her collage days. This one's name is Molly. Though I haven't met Molly and her "delight, and cheery" family, I am sure I will hate it anyways.

I had worked up the courage to ask my mother why she feels the need to drag us all the way into Michigan for a God forsaken summer. The answer I got was "Shut up and be grateful that you will have someone close to your age to talk to!" Yes, that’s right; I am not allowed to use their house phone, or computer to talk to any of my few friends back in Indiana. My cell phone is supposed to be back at the house in one of my mother's "secret spots" that I always find. But she doesn't need to know that I brought it with me.

"Oh, Honey, you’re finally up. We'll be arriving soon. Are you having fun yet?"

I am so glad that my mom was sitting in the front seat of the truck, and I was in the back so she couldn't see me roll my eyes.

"Oh, loads and loads of fun. It should be illegal to have this much fun." My voice was dripping with sarcasm. Probably too much. I didn't want to damper my mom's spirits too much. But enough to give her the message that I never wanted to do this again.

"Just be grateful that you have someone close to your age to talk to." She had been saying that since I found out we were going on this trip. I had grown tired of it. And when I asked who this person was, she always gave my little bits at a time about this person. And every time she said something, it was always different. So this is what I gathered: seventeen year old, male, dark hair, gray eyes, and "mysterious". Oh boy was I going to have a terrific summer.

I suppressed a sigh and gave up. It was no use trying to get through to that woman. I could see out of the corner of my eye that my sister, JoAnn, continued to rapidly push the buttons on her Nintendo DSLite while her hazel eyes lit up every time she beat a level on her game. Her golden hair fell over her face and she blew it away with a huff. My mother and father seemed to be deeply engaged in a conversation that pertained to our house being put up for sale and taking down our pool in the backyard. And of course, there was my dad's country music turned up too loud in the stereo. He was going to blow out these speakers before the summer was over, I know he will.

I, however, continued to glare out the window, as if it was the window's fault that I would be stuck somewhere in Michigan that would most likely not have running water. I watched as the trees flew by the window faster than they should be. I always loved it when my dad drove. We made a few turns to the left, then one to the right, and another to the left. I tried to remember them, but it was almost impossible when there were no landmarks to tell me where in the world I was. So there would be no late-night get always when I was tired of this family.

It seemed an eternity later when we finally pulled up into a long, gravel driveway that curved this way and that. The grass on either side was a luscious green, with a few maple and pine trees dotting the lawn. But one tree in particular caught my eye. It was all the way in the way back of the yard, probably bordering their property line. It was a weeping willow tree. I don't know why I liked that tree more than another trees in the yard. Maybe it was that way that its graceful branches tilted toward the ground, as if offering it it's leaves. Or maybe it was the little purple and pink flowers that were entwined within its drooping leaves. But whatever it was, I knew that I would be likely to spend time under that tree with my music and a sketchbook.

The truck had stopped in front of a large house, behind a slightly bigger, red pick-up truck. I'm guess that was their way of transportation; that or the various sizes and colors of four-wheelers off in the distance sitting by a shed. JoAnn instantly shot out of the truck like the little ball of energy that she was.

"We’re here! We’re here!" JoAnn couldn’t get those words out of her mouth faster.

I was lucky I could still stand up. I got out and stretched my legs and arms from the stiffening ride here, though it was most uncomfortable due to the fact that my jeans were feeling snug around my thighs. I am going to have to lay off the fast food for a while.

All four of us walked up to the house. Me and my dad exchanged a look that said "I'm not gonna ring the doorbell, you do it." My sister stood behind me, as if she was shy. My mother rolled her eyes and wrapped her knuckles on the door. And what was waiting for us on the other side was not what I expected.