Chapter 1: Leaving Home
Dear Diary,
Last week, they found my brother. Do you think I should be happy? Well, I'm not. Ray is dead. They found him in Harlow or some place around there. So yeah…He's gone.
I sobbed deeply at his funeral, so much I couldn't even say a few great things about my brother. I had thought and written amazing things about him. And when I finished the lengthy list I raced into his room to show him but…
My list of Ray:
He was kind to everyone. Even people who were different.
Ray had a level head unlike some boys his age.
He'd help me if I was crying, mad, or even just with homework.
His heart was pure. I believe it still is.
Ray was going to change the world.
He wanted to be a Math teacher.
I do not wish to write down the rest.
Yesterday, my parents decided we have to move. It hurts us too much to stay here. There's too much of the past. Too many memories. Too much of Ray.
So were moving to this shoe-box town named Castle Rock. There's a wooded area near there so I can take our dog, Halo, on walks. It is going to be weird. I mean I'm going to a new school only within the second week.
My mom went looking for a house without my dad and found this blue one with white trimming and a black roof. The room I picked out is pretty big. I'll have space for my bookshelf. Oh it's just horrible!! I do not want to leave Chamberlain! My brother, oh my own DNA is buried here!! I can't leave!
I'll runaway! I'll throw a tantrum! I…am being ridiculous.
Shirley is gunna go into middle school and she'll get beat up by Beverly and she'll blame me and hate me and…I hate this!!
I bet that when I get to the new school there'll be a bright teacher who'll suggest I say a few things about myself so the class can 'Get to know me'. The kind of teacher active verbs and modifiers were made for.
Seventh grade in a new town. That's gunna be rough. I hope we move next to a family with some kids and not some old person who is questionably still alive. My mom says look for a silver lining. What are we in some kind sentimental 'LifeTime' movie? Well, she just wants me to be happy. If Ray was here I'd be happy and smiling as if I'd just won the lottery. That's how much my brother meant to me. That boy who would rock me to sleep if I had nightmares. The boy who was going to teach me to drive in four years. Gone…
His pure, pure soul will always walk this earth with me. And some day we'll both go up to heaven and walk through the pearly gates. But until then, I'll try my best to be happy. For Ray.
Love,
Stephanie Brower