Author's Note: Sorry if the beginning seems boring! I had to set up the story before I could get to the good stuff ;
Chapter 1: Desperate to Help
I didn't see it coming. I never thought that moving to some Indian reservations called La something would help my mom cope with dad leaving us, but I was willing to give it a shot. I was willing to do anything to get my mom to stop crying every night. It was too painful to see her cry.
My mom, Annie, and I were so close. Almost like sisters. Something you don't hear too often but it's true. Sort of like what you'd expect to see on an episode of Gilmore Girls. My dad, Mitchell, left us a year ago to run off with some woman he'd met while away in the Amazon. He was a nature photographer, so not having him around wasn't anything new to me. Once he'd left, we'd moved from small town to small town. I think it was a defense mechanism for my mom since she had spent her whole life, her whole tormented life, in the city. So far none had seemed like that perfect small town to settle in, and I didn't expect this one to be any different. Yet, I kept my bitter comments to myself and painted a smile on my face for my mom.
The rainy forest that passed by my car window in a blur seemed mystical to me. Being the offspring of a nature photographer and a Veterinarian technician, I guess I was prone to nature. I liked being outside, especially when it rained. It just feels… right, like I was supposed to be born as a woodland animal and by some accident of fate I ended up in my mom's womb. Although I was an accident, I knew that.
"Rachel sweetie?" My mom's voice cut off my train of thought and my head snapped away from the window. "We're almost there. Do you want to start getting your things together?" Her eyes moved from my face down to the mess of empty coffee cups, fast food bags, and personal affects of mine that lay by my feet.
"Sure mom," Was all I could think of. How long had I been daydreaming outside the window this time?
I had a habit of daydreaming a lot. It seemed like sometimes my mind was just too small to hold all of my thoughts and hopes, so to de-clutter my head I would let them wander free. My mom called it flakiness, I called it creativity.
Once the mess had been cleaned and all trash was in one big McDonald's bag, I twisted my body around again to curl up in my seat and resume daydream mode. Before I could get totally comfortable, something out of place caught my eye. I flicked my eyes up to the window but nothing seemed out of place. Probably just a fallen tree or something, I thought to myself.
Once the trees started to give way into larger streets, shops, and finally houses, my interest was peaked. This place didn't seem small and boring like so many others. It seemed, different. Eventually the horizon gave way to a crystal blue ocean, despite the rainy day. I straightened my body in my seat to get a better look at the water. It was beautiful, the site almost breathtaking. All around the ocean I could see beaches and a series of cliffs that dropped right into the water. My mom smiled at my sudden interest, she had known I'd like it here. And for the first time, I did believe I'd like it here.
"Welcome to La Push, Washington sweetie," My mom smiled over at me, triumphantly. My mom had never picked such a beautiful town before. By the time our street finally wound into our new, small driveway, I was itching to explore the reservations.
The engine cut off, and only a moment later I was out of the car and jumping to undo the ropes that bound our possessions to the roof of my mom's 1994 green Sudan. Green was both of our favorite colors. She chose a green car because she said it made people want to look at her car as it sped down the street.
Once our belongings were finally off the car and into our cozy new house I picked up one of the boxes labeled "Rachel" and began to trudge off to claim my new room.
"Rachie don't be silly, I can see it all over your face," My mom knew me too well, but I chose to play along. Just for laughs. I looked up from the box and gave her a clueless look, one you might find on the face of a five year old being asked by their mother where the last cookie went.
"What's all over my face?" I asked, putting in as much effort as I could to sound believable.
"Rachel I've told you time and time again, you're no actress. Now go explore the woods. Take your cell phone and be back before dark."
I put the box back down, ran up to my mom to give her a hug. She pulled my body away from hers, brushed a wisp of blonde hair away from my face and smiled. She then gave me a shove and I sprinted out the door. I heard an "I love you honey" as I closed the door, but I didn't feel like opening it again just to respond. As soon as I was outside I instantly felt a wave of relief wash over me. I sat on our front steps for a while and stared at the woods across the street. The rain had ceased and now only a faint mist hung in the cloudy air, a scent that pleased my senses. Sighing with satisfaction as I got up, I wiped off my jeans and headed across the street into my own personal dream world.