I awoke with a start. My breath labored trying to recall the nightmare. Beads of sweat fell from my forehead. I could feel Sasha, my three year-old Rottweiler, jump up onto my queen size bed and look at me. I reached out to her and she came closer and lay next to me, comforting me. Grabbing my glasses, I look over at the red illuminating light of the alarm clock. It read 2:27 in the morning. I then looked out the bedroom window to see a light rain falling onto the street and neighboring houses.
Thinking I will not get anymore sleep, I get out of bed and walk downstairs to the living room and plop down on the couch, Sasha not far behind. I sit there for a few minutes petting her, then decide to see what is on TV. Flipping through channels seemed like hours, but it had only been a few minutes.
Curling up on the couch and pulling the blanket off the back of the couch over me with Sasha at my shins, my eyes begin to feel heavy again. Before I realize it I have fallen back to sleep.
A few hours later I awake to the sound of sirens and Sasha howling. My glasses on the floor, I pick them up and put them on. It shouldn't be a surprise to hear them in this neighborhood of Trenton, New Jersey. Living in a neighborhood like this seems like the worst place for a 26 year old living by herself with only a dog and a .22 pistol and no shooting experience whatsoever.
I really should learn to protect myself in case of an emergency. Only knowing how to use a bow isn't really going to help me. I thought while walking into the kitchen to make breakfast. The walls of the kitchen are plain white and somewhat tattered looking. The kitchen is located in the back of the first floor of my two bed-one bath two story house.
I check the time; it's 5:43. "I better hurry if I'm gonna be on time for work today," I said while I walked up the stairs and into my bedroom. I grab a clean bra and underwear and head to the bathroom. I close the door and stand in front of the sink. Looking at myself in the mirror I notice my brown shoulder length hair, hazel brown eyes and glasses and the slightest hint of freckles. I glance at my slender and toned body and notice the military tags hanging just below my clavicle. I reach for them and look at the name embedded on them: Arthur Kay Valentine.
Arthur is my 19 year old half brother. When I was 6, my mother, Heather O'Brien, met Ron Valentine. After my mother married him a few months later we moved here to Trenton. He got me almost everything I asked for. Not long after I turned 8 I had a half brother. As we were both growing up together I would help take care of him and protect him.
You could never separate us as kids. We had a very strong bond between us. After he graduated high school at 18 he joined the Army. After all his training he was accepted to a special and very classified branch of the Army.
Arthur was not in the army for very long. They never told us how he died or really anything about it. It was, I guess, too classified to even tell us. He died February 20th at the age of 19. It has only been about 3 months since then. About a week after I found out, I designed a tattoo with our Zodiac signs.
Since my birth sign is Cancer and his the sign of Leo, I combined the two and got it tattooed on the inner side of my right wrist, a place I will always see it. It symbolizes the tight bond we shared.
I snapped out of my thoughts before I could start crying. I removed my clothes and turned on the water. I left my glasses on as I slipped into the shower. I applied shampoo then removed it under the steaming hot water.
I walked down the stairs and into the kitchen wearing a purple casual knee length dress, a black belt around my waist and black flats. Sasha walked into the kitchen and sat by the back door to be let out. I open the door for her to do her business. Walking to the pantry, I grab the dog food and pour some into Sasha's bowl and place it next to the breakfast bar that separates the kitchen from the dinning room.
I hear the scratch of her nails on the door to come back in. She sees that I placed food down and walks to it, making a clicking noise as her nails touched the wood floor. I walk back to the pantry and scavenge for something to grab and go. In the back, I find an unopened box of breakfast pastries and take out one of the packages.
Walking out the door and locking it behind me, I grab my purse and dig out my keys to unlock my black 1994 Honda Accord. Putting the key in the ignition, I pray it will start.
I turn the key and...
Silence.
"Damn it!" I yell, as I hit the steering wheel. "Okay, one more time," I said. I tried once more, it took some time but it started. "Thank God! I can't afford another car."
Putting it in gear I rush off to work. I am an 8th grade Computer Arts teacher. It's not the best paying job but I love to teach what I know about computers. Ever since I was a little kid I've always loved computers. I could take one apart, clean it and put it back together and get it to work.
I arrive at the school at 7:38. We are suppose to be at the school at least 20 minutes prior to the start of the school day at 8. School lets out at 3 but I normally leave around 4 or 4:30 in case one of the students needs to stay after to work on their assignments.
"Good morning Natasha," said Tiffany Smith, the principle.
"Good morning Tiffany," I reply. I close the car door and head inside. "How is everything going?"
"Great actually." She lifts her hand up. "I'm engaged!" I see the ring on her finger; a diamond surrounded by small rubies, the band 24K gold.
"Oh my God, that's great!"
"I know! I thought it was going to happen sooner or later but I didn't think it was going to be this quick! I mean it's been three years but still." She brushed her auburn mid back length hair behind her ear. Her blue almond shaped eyes gleaming with happiness. For the past 3 years, Tiffany has been dating John, one of her best friends' step brother.
Tiffany and I walked into the Teacher's Lounge. While there, Tiffany told more people about her engagement. I look at the time and start heading to my classroom.
I unlock the door and walk over to my desk. Students walk in and head to their seats. Minutes later the bell rings for class to start and I look at the students' tired faces. I look around to see who is absent. "Good morning class, it's getting closer to the end of the school year and I know how exciting that can be. I want all of you to work hard and make good use of your time. If you have any questions, ask your peers, if they don't know then you can ask me. Okay, so let's get to it!"
I walk back to my desk and check my e-mail: nothing new or exciting. The rest of the day goes by slow. Only a few times I had to help some of the students with their project.
The bell rings and I decide to go home early today. I wait for the rest of the students to leave. I grab my things and head to my car, grabbing my keys I unlock the door. My cell phone rings and I dig in my purse to find it. Taking it out I look at the caller ID: it's my mom.
"Hey mom, what's up?"
"Hi sweetheart, sorry to bother you but can I ask a favor of you?" asked my mother.
"Yeah, sure what do you need?" I say without thinking.
"Ron and I have some business in Colorado and I don't think Lucy would want to sit in boring meetings all day. Do you think she can stay with you this weekend? Sorry it's such short notice." Her and Ron have their own company and every year they have to attend meetings.
"Yeah that's fine. When do you want me to come get her?" Lucy Jane Valentine is my 13 year old half sister. I would do anything for her.
"Is right now okay?"
"Sure, I'll be there soon. See you in a few." Hanging up, I get in the car and start toward my mother's house.
In 20 minutes I arrive to pick up Lucy. I pull into the driveway, looking at the 4 bedroom 2 story house. The rose bushes flourishing with pink roses. I walk up the steps and go inside. I notice my mom sitting on the couch watching TV.
"Hey mom," I said walking over to her. She stands up and I give her a hug.
"Natasha dear, how are you?" I look at her, noticing she has a purple dress shirt, a black knee length skirt and black heels. Her brown eyes and strawberry blonde hair complementing her Irish skin.
"I'm great, and you?"
"Never been better. Lucy, sweetheart, are you ready? Your dad and I have to leave for the airport soon." She said. I walk towards Lucy's bedroom to try and find her. Her bedroom is a rose pink and has a full size bed with pink and green bedspreads, a desk, and a bookcase.
"Hey Lucy, ready to go?" I ask looking around her room. She was in her closet grabbing a few articles of clothing.
"Yeah just let me put these in my bag." She looks at me and I see her beaming with happiness. When she was born her eyes were a different color. Her left eye is blue and her right eye is brown. Lucy's strawberry colored hair came down to her lower back, her hair up to keep it out of her face. Her red t-shirt brightening her face, her jeans showing the slight hint of early curves at her age. She finished packing and slung her bag over her shoulder.
"Alright let's go. I can carry that for you." I reach out to grab her bag. "Damn what do you got in here, bricks?" Her bag seemed heavier than it looked.
"No just my math book. I have some homework to do." She said.
"Alright, well by mom, I'll see you when you get back." I give her another hug and head out to my car.
"Bye sweethearts, I love you," my mom said.
I walk to my car and open the back door and place Lucy's bag on the seat. I then look out at the street and see a black GMC Topkick parked a few houses down. Nice truck. Too bad I could never even get near one. I have always liked big trucks. We get in the car and drive off towards my place.
"So how has school been going?" I ask.
"Pretty good, school is almost out at least. I can't wait for summer! How is work and all that?"
"The same as usual. Summer is almost here and the kids are pretty much not paying as much attention. You know, when I was your age, I loved being in school. I loved learning new things especially about computers."
"Yeah that's why you are my nerd sister." She said with a big smile.
I lightly hit her on the arm. "Hey there's nothing wrong with knowing things." I look in the rear view mirror and notice the Topkick from earlier. "Hey you don't mind if we stop at the store for a few things do you? You can help pick things out for dinner this weekend."
"Alright yeah sure," She said. "We can get a bunch of chips and soda too." Her grin reaching from ear to ear.
"Yeah but not too much. You know that stuff isn't good for you." I pull into the parking lot of a grocery store. I look in the rear view mirror again and the same black GMC Topkick following right behind me. I look to see who might be driving it but the windows are too dark to see. Pulling into a parking spot, we get out and walk into the store.