The storm hung in the air, dense and uncomfortable. A girl stood in her backyard, still as a statue. A white dress danced like a ghost with the wind, as well as her curly blonde, brown at the roots, locks. Her toes curled into the grass, and she turned and went inside again.
"You look upset," A woman with dark hair commented. She lingered at the kitchen counter, a deck of tarot cards laid out in front of her.
The blonde shrugged. "I'm nervous. It's a new school."
She smiled. "Winning the lottery has solved most of our problems, but not your nerves, eh? Listen, San Diego's gorgeous, Jaden. Go to the beach and relax."
Jaden nodded, muttering a quiet 'thanks mom' before leaving the house. The walk to the beach was a fast one, but the feel of the earth against her bare feet was already making her feel a little better. Since she'd moved to the sunny state just a week ago she'd ditched her shoes quite a bit. The earth seemed to talk to her through her skin.
The sand was surprisingly cool, and refreshing. She didn't see a single soul on the beach. The ocean called to her, and so she came, running into the waves. Warm, salty water sloshed at her legs, grazing the tip of her dress. "Is it tiring?" She asked the open expanse of water, lifting her head to look out over the horizon, where the sun was beginning to dip. "You bring life to so many creatures. You hold up all the ships. All the continents. Each individual person bobbing in your waves. And yet you take the lives of so many, and you have to bear the weight of their lifeless corpses until they're found."
She paused, letting the scent of the salt relax her. "It must be hard. Thank you." And she counted the wave that playfully licked at her dress as a response.
She didn't hear the rustling behind her at first, but the second time it caught her attention and she turned her head. She had noticed the forest at the end of the beach, but hadn't paid much attention to it. Now she was curious. She moved closer to the forest, peering inside. She itched to explore it, but wanted to wait until daylight.
Getting closer to the forest had been a mistake, though her scream was muffled.