Chapter one: New House
I ran through the woods, finally free of everything. Letting the tears fall freely on my face and running of in various patterns behind me. I stopped by an oak tree, placed my hand loosely on the bark and let my head hang as I sobbed and panted for my breath. My vision was blurry enough as I peered forwards, running from cilvilatization. In front all I could see was tree after tree, mending together into one huge green blur in my field of vision. I cursed under my breath quietly and started forwards again.
The sound of owls hooting, crickets chirping and the unending stars that fixed over me made this night a bit more liveable. I smiled to myself as I heard the crunching of leaves that I had trampled on, the sound of the wind whispering solemly through the holes in trees made me stop and stare at the beauty of it, maybe just maybe this place wasn't as bad as it seemed.
It started 3 days ago, when my father announced my mother's newfound pregnancy which left all of us baffled yet proud. We already had 2 kids, including me, which left mom very happy that a third was on the way.
" Third times the charm" She'd say to us while pridefully rubbing her bloating stomach.
That was just the start of me adjusting to life in this town called Whoville, I must admit growing up in the country of Whatville and having to move as soon as you hit puberty, being pulled out of a school that over the years became a second home, and speaking of which, being placed in a new home, wasn't the best thing I had to over come.
I remember clearing out my room with my younger sister Rosa looking at me and asking those tediaious questions,
" Hey Sis, why are we moving?" She would ask while perching herself on my bed.
" Because our house is too small, Hon" I replied while stuffing in one of my pairs of jeans. Rosa would cock her head and flash her brown eyes in question at me. She started to kick her feet and hum quietly while I ran wild around my room, throwing everything into a parched suitcase. I recall looking up and seeing my father standing in the doorway.
" Hey Max, I was looking up and saw that Whoville High school is a pretty good school, better then ours apparently and well I know your upset about leaving your friends and stuff, but i'm positive you'll meet someone else" Even in his words, I could feel myself tear up. I closed them solemly and swallowed hardly.
" I know Dad, but it'll be hard to adjust too, all of it actually" I paused rolling my eyes looking for my words, " I mean moving away and just learning your having another kid...it's gonna be different on all of us" Dad abruply smiled and placed his hand atop of my shoulder and smiled.
" I know honey, anyways Jake is at the door he wants to see you" I swallowed hardly again, shook my head and stood up.
Jake and I had walked towards our old hangout, an old weathertorn barn that had been abandoned for years. The door was boarded up with nails but failed to keep a small little crack hiden. When we found this, Jake and I were kids and fitting into the barn was easy, inside was the best place to be in my eyes. The old tractor that was rusting away, the pickforks all polished and primmed still looked the best in shape, plastered firmly onto their racks on the wall. The holes that let rays of sunshine blemish through and give life to the place, I sighed when I started growing up and was no longer able to bask in my childhood.
Jake was silent the walk up to the barn, hands in his pocket and his blonde hair falling loosely over his eyes, reveailing a bit of his ear which had the silver stud lodged into it. I could hear him sigh a couple of times but never turn to look or talk to me. I nodded to myself pretending I could hear him talk, as I entertained myself I peered up and found the barn in front of us.
He walked up towards the door, turned around and placed his hand on his face. Sighing loudly he pulled his hand off and stared at me with his beautiful, lustfull blue eyes.
" Max" He started, I found at this point I was walking slowly towards him.
I nodded and smiled allowing him to contune.
" I heard your leaving...to Whoville" He lost eye contact and moved his eyes down towards my feet and his, never returned gazes.
" Ya" I replied, barely a whisper.
" Well, just remember us here back in the hick" A chuckle erupted, " I will, er we'll miss you" He said, blushing a bit at his mistake. I smiled kindly and thought of Jake and his gang.
" I know, and I promise I'll visit" I announced, letting my hands touch his face briskly,before shuttering at my his and my touch. He smirked a bit and slowly let his hand cup my face.
" Before you go, however...Max..." His face leaning closer to mine, breaths just minutes apart from each others. My heart bursting and my cheeks warming up. His face passing mine, touching my cheek with his as I could feel his warm, intoxicating breath find it's way to my ear.
" I love you" I shudder at his touch and words.
" What?" I screamed but was interuptted by his lips hitting mine. His lips moved with mine until his need was gone, he pulled back and wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me close to him.
" I love you Max, I always have and always will" I could hear his heart beat and feel him shaking visibly, as I peered up I saw tears streaming down his face, running until they hit my head. Involuntarly I felt my hand clutch his sweater and in my own sadness, shake and break down too.
He didn't walk me home either, I remember walking down the dirt road, eyes red as blood, fingers still lingering and ached from his touch, a throat red raw from sobbing and crying too much. It really was the icing on the cake when I saw everyone outside my house, in the car and waving to me. In a last bit of strength I ran to the car, jumped in, slammed the door and passed out.
The house was a fine, well built house. Though it did swerve in some spots giving it a fun house effect. My room was a big, spaced room with a nice window that gave me a nice view of the town. I sighed as I thought of the old view from my window back home. I walked over and placed a blanket on the floor and took a seat on it.
" Umm Max?" I jumped and turned around and saw my dad standing behind me, holding Rosa in his hands.
" Sorry to scare you but would you mind doing us a favor? Your mom needs some vitamins and the store is a couple minutes away, would you mind running there for us?" I cocked an eyebrow at him and crossed my arms.
" Why can't you go?" my tone sounded hastly and full of hate.
Dad looked at me surprised, shook his head and returned to answering me.
" I can't Max, your mom needs someone to watch her incase she goes into labour, and Rosa won't let me out of her sight" I rolled my eyes.
" Sure, sure Dad" I started to walk out of my room, leaving a bewildered dad standing near the window.
" Max what has gotten into you? This isn't you at all" I turned around abruptly and found myself fighting back tears once again.
" This is the new Maxine, I never wanted to leave, the barn, the school, the house and what's worse is Jake just declared his love for me!" I screamed at him. While he stood there, I turned around and stomped down the stairs, leaving no time for a responce from dad.
I had my hands in my pockets as I contuned walking through the woods, it had been hours since I left the house. Still upset about leaving Jake and Whatville, and having to walk around mindless in this new place. I let my body cruise on no mind movements and let my body guide me towards what I could decipher as the end of the woods, from the distance I could see rocks forming into a jagged point. I narrowed my eyes and ran towards it curious.
The trees whizzed past me and the wind took my hair as I dashed and found myself in a grassy narrow surrounded by millions of various size rocks. As I walked around and peering I found that it was a cliff, however it wasn't the end of it. As I turned around I saw that there were stairs winding up towards a mountain that atop had a building built on top of it, curiousity took over as I walked up the rocky staircase.
As I neared the building I could finally see it not shadowed. It was an old observertory and by the looks of it wasn't used in years. The door was boarded up leaving the entrance closed off, I cursed a bit as I felt the urge to get inside of it. As I decided to take a rest before going back down the stairs, I pressed my back against the door and leaned down to sit for a minute. As my back squeezed against the door I felt a breeze and a wider space. Puzzled, I turned around and found that my back had opened a secret door. My heart beated in excitement as I crawled through the door.
It was pitch dark as I contuned crawling along the floor. In my search I felt random objects prod at my arms and scrap across the floor along with me. Narrowing my eyes did no good in this lighting, or did it? As I did I noticed a light, a candle light I thought to myself. I still crawled slowly towards it, perhaps it was someone lost like myself, or just a light from a window flickering near by.
Your in the woods you idiot, where would there be a house?
I laughed at myself as I thought of that. As soon as the light was in view, I noticed a desk with blueprints on it as well as a figure sitting in a red chair. In shimmed over towards a pillar that was half covered in darkness, not wanting to reveail myself I watched as the figure scribbled some words on the paper, stop look up for a minute before returning to his writings. I quickly placed a hand on the pillar knocking over something in the process, making a loug glass dropping noise.
The figure looked up, startled of coarse and started to walk over towards me. I had a heart in my mouth as I watched the person walk over with the candle in hand and stand beside me in complete amazement.
My eyes scimmed the Who briskly. Grey and black fur with pale skin, shaggy black hair with brown eyes. As my eyes locked with his I smiled a bit and stood up, hoping to shake off some embarrassement.
" Oh hey, sorry about that Kid" I apoligized as I started at the now noticeable glass shards splayed on the floor. He whinced at the word kid and glared at me.
" No need to get defensive" I said, nealing down so I was eye to eye with him, God was he ever short. He rolled his eyes and grabbed a piece of stray looseleaf.
I'm fifteen years old. Was the message written on the sheet, I gasped as I stared at the shorty.
" No way, your way too short to be attending high school" I said while pointing a finger at him, he glared and frowned as he grabbed the piece of paper I dropped and scribbled down another message.
Size doesn't matter, anyways who are you and why are you here?
" I'm Maxine Leatherford, and I ran away from home a bit" His eyes widened at my words and he seemed to come closer to me. He once again grabbed the paper and threw the new message at me.
Here, take a seat, what happened? Why did you run away?
I stiftled a laugh at how he crossed the prevous messages out, looking up I added.
" Guess you don't talk much do you?"
He smiled a bit too and shook his head.
I sat down with him and started to tell him my story. I watched him nod and write back messages to me to reply and ask more questions about previous statements, before I realised it, it was closet to 4 in the morning and I was actually laughing and smiling.
I stood up after watching the candle start to shake and quiver from a new coming breeze.
" I better get going" I announced while I stretched and yawned, the Who smiled in responce and stood up with me, blew out his candle and started to walk towards the door with me.
" See ya later Shorty" I teased while watching him frown again. As I started to push the door I felt him grab my arm and give me the finger motion for a minute. I watched as he ran into the darkness and return with a message.
Jojo, that is my name, and it was really nice meeting you. Do you wanna come back tonight? I could really use some company.
I smiled as I held onto the letter and stuffed it in my pocket. I turned to him and laughed.
" Sure what ever you say, Jojo" I watched him blush as I emphisized his name.
I walked down the staircase and threw the woods, as I did I smiled as I watched the sunrise start.