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Jesse Aarons laid on his back in the field between his house and Terabithia, gazing up at the sky. All seemed to be calm as if nothing bad could happen. He couldn't remember ever being this happy in a long time. Not at home for sure, all his sisters hated him except Maybelle, he was pretty sure his mother loved him, but was just to busy to show it. Jess found out a long time ago that his father hated his guts.
School wasn't much better either. First there was his father screaming at him about grades, then there was his sisters constantly spreading rumors about him, then there was the teachers bitching whenever they caught him scribbling in class. And, of course Scott Hoagar and Gary Fulcher, two bullies who in Jess's personal opinion should go stick a knife in an electrical outlet and see what happens.
But, there was her.
Leslie Burke. Even, her name sounded beautiful, Leslie was probably the only person besides jesses mother and little sisters he loved and he wasn't sure if it was family love best friend love or that other kind of love.
Jess looked at her, laying beside him she was smiling with her eyes closed. One could assume she was sleeping, but Jess knew she was probably thinking of something clever and wity.
She opened her eyes looked over at him and grinned. "what are you looking at"? she asked with a sly grin "I don't know but whatever it is its beautiful". Jess said the words before he even knew his mouth was moving, and when he did his face went as red as a tomato. Leslies eyes widened in shock and she blushed furiously, she wasn't expecting that.
Jess's breath soon became short there was an uncomfortable silence in which Leslie began to twist her hair nervously. Jess and Leslie first became friends around one year ago when she moved in.
The time Jess spent with her was the best times of his life, she was not only his best friend but his only friend, everyone else thought of him as that crazy little kid who draws the burke girl. It was true partially, his favorite thing to draw was Leslie, but he could never get her form quite right even during the summer between their fifth and sixth grade years.
"Hey" she suddenly piped up "lets go to Terabithia". she didn't even have to ask suddenly they were running Jess loved to run it was his 4th favorite thing in the world; first was Leslie, then there was Terabithia, then there was drawing and fifth? He didn't have a fifth.
The wind blowing through their hair like an ocean breeze, they reached the gateway of their secret world; Terabithia. Terabithia, there secret place no matter what problem they had they could solve it in Terabithia. If there was a problem involving Scott Hoagar or Gary Fulcher they would go to Terabithia and beat up some squogers and hairy vultures. If Jess had a problem with his dad which he frequently did they would go after the dark master which Leslie knew what Jesse perceived his father to be though he would never admit it.
They approached the rope the enchanted entrance to Terabithia. they took turns swinging a crossed it as they often did Leslie would hang her head back and watch the clouds, Jesse often would too but not as much.
"I love that feeling" Leslie said as she touched back down and handed the rope to Jesse. "what feeling" he asked curiously, secretly already knowing, "when you hang your head back, I love it try it" she said eagerly.
"ok" he grinned he took the rope from her and swung. It did feel great he didn't have a care in the world suddenly jess heard a loud THWAP! And everything went black.
Jess heard the steady beeping of a heart monitor as he woke up. He couldn't really see anything it was like he had his eyes closed and was staring at the sun he could see several black figures that he guessed were people.
Someone was sobbing he couldn't tell who he said the first thing that came to mind "Leslie"? There was a ringing silence in which someone placed a gentle warm and on is shoulder "im here jess". Jess heaved a sigh of relief Leslie was ok and that's all that mattered but he would like to know why he couldn't see her.
"Where are you" he asked curiously someone let out a great sob that he recognized as his mother. "Mom" he said slightly nervous why couldn't he see anything? Someone sat on his hospital bed and whoever did began to speak Jess didn't recognize this voice.
"Jesse can you see me" mysterious-owner-of-the-voice asked "no, kinda its like, wait a minute what going on? Why cant I see". Jess didn't understand what was going on? He was starting to get nervous what was happening?
"Jess" mysterious-owner-of-the-voice said gently "im afraid that you had an accident your head received massive trauma and unafraid its rendered you blind" the doctor explained but jess could no longer hear. Blind? No it couldn't be he couldn't be blind he could tell where the doctor was where Leslie was. Leslie. Oh Leslie was she blind too? He wanted to ask these things but his throat seemed to be constricted cancer of the throat he thought absentmindedly.
"Blind"? Jesse gasped "no I cant be, I can still see, IM NOT BLIND!" Jess started to yell. "your suffering from a type of blindness known as Limited-Light-Perception. You can tell light from dark and most likely where people are most of the time if your in a well lit room but. Yes jess you are blind, im sorry". Jess felt a hand grip is it was Leslies.
He was shaking his head he just realized it had bandages on it. Jess felt them, he felt like he was using strangers hands. "No your lying to me, right?" Jess tried to look around the room, he tried to see he waited for someone to say it was all a big joke.
Only nobody spoke up.
(AN: how was that for my firs chapter i tried not too rush it and for the record yes they are in the 6th grade and they've know each other for a year. please read and review as the great god of fan fiction IHateSnakes says it makes us better writers.)
