Chapter 1:

Name: Evey Thornton

Age: 15 years old (It's almost your 16th birthday soon…)

Hair: Dark brunette with natural highlights…

Eyes: Bright forest green, like…electric

Personality: Strong, dependent, smart, sweet, honest, and trustworthy.

THE STORY BEGINS:

I looked beyond the window pane and I saw the whole world change as I got ready for a big night. Something negative was stuck in the back of my head and I couldn't think straight. This event was…undesirable. Only of course, it was a few hours away. But to me it seemed only moments away, and I had no interest in going. I wasn't looking forward to it. I wish I had another day or two to myself.

Dinner. Dinner with my stepfather and my mother. Our first dinner in our new house. Unexpected and…decent. It's one of those things that you always like to remember when you first move into a new home, like putting a lovely picture in family album. But it's something I really don't want at the moment. It's always something that they want. Of course.

I didn't like my stepfather, but my mother is madly in love with him. Like a moth to a flame. A cat to a dog. The unnatural selection. I didn't know why she liked him so much. I didn't understand it. My stepfather…I found him eerie and I felt he wanted to get rid of me. One of those stepfathers that seem to be jealous when the mother gave her only child attention more than him. I felt he was about to sign me to go to Switzerland, or Alaska. Fantastic.

It's morning right now, and I'm standing in a new house. Our new house. A new house that I didn't like. Of course there were many things that I didn't like about this place. The windows were too clean, the floors didn't make that creaking sound wherever I walked, and the doors were too heavy to pull and push. The garden in the backyard was too perfect to look at, and the fountain placed in the rose bushes over-did it. I wanted my old house back.

The house that kept my warm when it was too hot, that kept my cold when it was too frosty. I missed my old life. I miss my only 2 friends that I had in the world, and I missed how we used to tell each other we're best friends and never leave each other (that ship has sailed) and we would plan a sleepover every weekend. I missed my school back at home, where I had adjusted to just fine. I missed my room, where I would sleep in the late afternoons in my bed and watch Jerry Springer in the late evenings along with Oprah and Punk'd. I wanted my father back, too. My father.

I wanted him back most of all.

"Dad…" I whisper, and I can tell that there was something honest about the silence around me.

I walked out of the house silently and tried my best not to make a single sound, without waking up my mother who was probably in his arms in bed. I was finally outside. I breathed. The air was thin, not like the air at home. I walked down towards the graveyard with the soft air of morning gloom over my head. I pressed my lips together. It's dawn, and the Cemetery was alone and cold, and no one else was there. But of course it would be empty at this time of day.

I had a dozen roses in my hand, along with white roses, and I always knew they were my dad's favorite. One of his favorites. I plucked them from the garden in the backyard, I'm sure my mother won't mind. I remember the funeral we had for my father, and my mother and I agreed that this was the perfect place to bury him. I closed my eyes and turned to another subject. It took me awhile to get to the Cemetery, but I made it. I felt I walked for miles.

My fingers played with the leaves on the roses, my thumb going over the thorns of the thin stems. I walked through the black spiky gateways that had vines tangled all around them in an unusual way. My feet stopped when I knew that I was in front of his beautiful marble headstone that was carved perfectly and was smooth to the touch. I placed the roses down. I forgot what was going through my mind.

I took a step back.

I almost began to cry already.

"Hey, dad….It's me, your favorite daughter," I smiled," Just wanted to come on by and say 'What's up' and I'm here to update you, again, about mom and the 'other guy' and everything else that's going on."

I had to start with the main basics of course.

"Mom's doing ok. She, uh, got a new job and this time she loves it. It's better than the one before and she's happy. And she's trying to learn how to cook, she takes classes in the late afternoon. She likes to cook waffles with fruit on top. I'm even happy for her, ya know? She's really happy..." I assured, my legs getting weak," And I always knew that it was, like, your goal to make her happy…"

I tried to breathe, and I kneeled down and sat on my knees, and I sniffed. A black wave of despair came. I leaned back and sat on the grass and I set my bag down to my side. I looked at the etching of his name. The day he was born. The day he passed. And the description: Beloved Friend, Father, and Husband. We love you.

"The other guy has been a total jerk, and I can't even think when he's around. He's…a distraction. He's been really distant from me…and he doesn't really talk to me. He doesn't even look at me. At all. I really…don't like him," I scoffed and rolled my eyes, and my throat tightened like a bow string.

"And I know that you always said that I wasn't very welcoming to strangers…well you were right," I chuckled," Not even to your friends, remember dad? I was always the silent protective type you said, that looked after all of us. You began telling me that when I was 8 years old..."

Silence.

"I wish I could talk to you…like, in person. But of course…that's impossible. Isn't it…?"

I smiled, but I could wrap my mind around the fact that I was actually here. I needed advice, badly.

"Dad…if you can hear me…or something," I stared at his engraved name and I shut my eyes tightly and breathed," I don't know where to go. I'm lost….I don't know what to do anymore…I need you here with me, dad."

I sobbed. I hated my mother's husband! I hated him and I knew that he was about to send me to an orphanage or military school or something! He was going to get rid of me, somehow. I sobbed and my shoulders shook, and this was not a the peaceful morning I had in mind.

"Dad…if you were here…I would make you proud. I really would. Somehow. I know I would. I would try my best…and if I had to, dad…I'd pick you every time…" I bit my lip.

Breathe. Breathe. Breathe. I reminded myself.

"And I really miss you. Miss you so much, dad," I sobbed and let my hair fall over my face.

My bones grew tight and I had absolutely no regret of coming to the Cemetery, and of course that made sense. I wish I could see him again. And the sad thing was that I can't really remember what I said to him last. And that it the torment of it. I really hoped it was something like: I love you. I'm happy for you. Love you always. Or even… You're the best dad, ever.

That was the torment of it all. I wanted to see him again and ask him questions like: What was it like when I was born. What was his first thoughts when he held me as his baby girl? His baby sunshine.

"And that's all I have to say, dad, and I…gotta go. Mom's gonna start wondering where I am."

I got up and I left the roses in it's place, and the warm morning air grew stronger and I got more comfortable. I'm not even sure what happened back there, but I must've released my anger that I kept in for so long. Even if dad wasn't here, I was able t. I sniffed and wiped my nose. I pushed back my hair, and I rolled down my sleeves. I looked back at his headstone again from the entrance of the Cemetery.

"Love you..."

I walked up the road that was entwined with yellow weeds and with unknown vines that hugged the trees as if they wanted to suffocate them and I had to watch my step for rocks that were scattered everywhere like wild confetti. The trees overlapped each other, and the branches were entwined like crossed fingers. It was like walking through a dark cave of branches and screaming birds. My bag seemed to have gotten heavier and I had to rest for awhile. There was a dark hush, suddenly. A soft thin mist suddenly came at my feet rolling in and swirling around, like it was alive and breathing.

Odd.

I sat down and on a small rock and I set my bag down. I didn't really want to go back home anytime soon, and I didn't want to see my mother with 'him' again. God, he was always a stuck-up pig. I wonder if mom even noticed that I'm around anymore. I hope she still remembered I still existed. Bet all she notices is his stupid grinning face looking at her every morning in bed. He always played desperate Romeo whenever he knew that she bought new lingerie. Total slob.

I mean, Romeo had to die sometime!

"Eww…."

I shook that horrid though out of my head. So I wanted to take my time on this one. I sighed and felt lazy. The wind blew softly and there was a chill. Even though the sun was coming up, this scenery of trees and bushes seemed to have gotten darker and more dim. That didn't make any sense.

So, I was innocently sitting on the small rock minding my own business when…I fell suddenly backwards somehow by a strong force! Like gravity had gotten more strict, and I felt like a boulder falling off a cliff!

"What the…!" I gasped and my eyes went wide!

I expected to land on the dirt behind me, but I found myself…flying! I gasped to realize what was happening, and I tried my best to wrap my mind around the fact that this was happening! My body reacted with a frenzied panic! My arms waved around desperately to grab onto what I could, all I caught was my bag! My fingers suddenly clawed at the ground, but the ground seemed to have disappeared! I could feel dirt in my fingernails! Like I had fallen through a hole, there was nothing but air!

I screamed of course. My vision became terribly blurry, like water was splashed into my face.

"Help me!" I screamed out loud and prayed that I wouldn't die! I closed my eyes. Strong winds grabbed my body in all directions and it was tightly suffocating me, like a starving anaconda on a lamb. I fell and fell and I expected to be killed by gravity itself! I opened my eyes to find myself in some sort of vortex! The world of trees and the road which I saw and knew a moment ago was smeared away, like wind licking at sand on pavement.

There was nothing but colors and a white light. Where was I going! How the hell was this possible! I screamed louder. I was twirling and twirling, like I was diving through air towards Earth like an angry meteor…!

If I were to break free from these savage winds, it would take all of my will power to do so.

I now believed that this wasn't a dream and I screamed and screamed and screamed. I looked for a reason why my world was set into rapid motion. So, there I flew through this vortex of stars and space. It was beautiful and terrifying. Black and gold colors swished here and there. And then I wondered if I was dead, but nothing hurt me. So I wasn't dead. Or I might be soon. I began to have a major headache. It made my head spin and I was dizzy.

"Help me!" I screamed, and I lost all control.

There was stars, space and colors. Suddenly darkness came and burned it all. It all disappeared and was smothered away, like paint attacked by water. I closed my eyes and waited to be killed or…wake up from a crazy the least. The colors and the wind, there was nothing more to be added to this vortex!

I felt myself land on a soft patch of softness and the winds released my body and I was able to move. My body was sore and weak, but I was able to breathe, finally! I gasped for breathe like a fish out of water! But I was scared to move, but everything felt ok now. My stomach was doing flips, and my body ached and shook from the excitement and danger. I wasn't sure though and I relaxed a little bit.

Through my eyelids there was a bright light over my head, and it was terribly warm. My hands felt soft warm sand and my ears could hear a strange bird shriek. There was the smell of salt water on my tongue. I sat up carefully because I might've broken some bones.

I opened my eyes to find myself on…a beach? My eyes widened and my whole body was under attacked by goosebumps!

"Whoa…" I breathed and I began to crawl, because at the moment I was unable to stand.

My body ached and there was little crabs that walked sideways on the sand, and tried their best to avoid the seagulls that circled overhead. Large pelicans were walking along the beach, minding their own business. Long strings of seaweed were piled up against the rocks and along the beach. That rushing noise of the beach filled my head and my senses that this place was real.

This wasn't a hallucination, a trick, and I wasn't going crazy. My fingernails scraped nervously against my palm. I looked at my hand with caution and pinched myself hard. I could feel pain in this place, dream or not. I rubbed my head. My legs tried to gain balance, but was terribly failing. This place was real.

"This is…impossible…!" I breathed and my face stretched to the point of disbelief and shock.

But there was something different about this place. Something in my mind banged against my skull, like a hammer knocking on a door. It was painful. My eyes focused more clearly to what I was looking at. The ocean looked more blue, the trees looked more green and healthy, and the air smelled more fresh and clear. The sky was more blue and the sun was much more warm. This place was too beautiful for any professional artist to draw. This possibly wasn't the Earth I knew.

"Where am I? How did-How the hell did…" I was left utterly breathless and speechless.

I stood up carefully and gazed around and took in my surroundings. My legs still shook and my hands were shaking from shock. My body was slowly adjusting to this place, and my ears were plugged up from the different atmosphere and elevation. The sun seemed to be in a different place in the sky. This was…impossible. I've never been to a beach before and this was very exciting.

"Hello? Hello? Hello!" I called out and my mind was in such a daze that I could barely stand up.

I wasn't sure if it was smart to wander around but curiosity always got the better of me. With my bag in hand, I felt it was safe enough to get up. I walked around. I breathed in the salty air and I had to cover my nose, since I wasn't use to this…beach air. The sun felt good…and so warm! I loved it. Maybe this was heaven on earth. Or was I in heaven? Both? I wasn't sure. But both could've worked for me.

"Hello? Can someone help me! Anyone! Can someone help me! Please!" I yelled out, and I was heartbroken when no one answered back.

I was lost, and that's what sorta scared me. No one could help me. But I tried my best not to worry too much. There was a bright side to this. I didn't have to go back home to see him again, and there was a comfort in that thought.

The beauty and the land overthrew me and I began to feel jealous that I didn't live here! Of course everyone would feel jealous if they didn't live here. That would've been so sweet. So I began to walk more. It seemed that the time of the day was different from where I once was.

First I began to walk through the forest that was so unlike our forests back home. The trees and the air was so different and had that otherworldly thing about it. I'm not really sure what it was.

"This….is…i-incredible…!" I gasped with a huge smile plastered onto my face.

Maybe this want a dream. I'm not sure.

I wasn't sure about…anything…anymore, but this place seemed to be real. But that wasn't enough to convince anyone that they weren't dead. I wasn't sure if I was dead or dreaming. I wasn't sure what happened. Did I want to know? Maybe. But the day seem to grow longer, and I was getting tired and hungry. The unknown territory infatuated me even more. But my awe was dying. There was a point where I began to starve, and I didn't have breakfast this morning. Then the fear came in to the thought that I might be lost. No one was here to help me. I didn't know anything about this alien place. More and more I called out for help, but no one had answered.

I wasn't sure if I was suppose to be here in the first place. I wasn't sure what time it was. I wasn't sure where I was. But the sad truth hit me.

I had to get home.