Chapter 1
Date January 1, 2009
HAPPY NEWYEAR! The phrase seemed to be uttered up to seconds after the ball dropped in Time Square and for up to days after.
How childish. Aiden thought to herself as she sat in the only place in this world that gave her comfort. Her room. Her room held everything she needed to survive: a bed, a computer, and a small journal in which she wrote her thoughts out; and her dreams. Though to Aiden they weren't dreams at all. The images and journeys she experienced were as real as the skin on her body.
Aiden often sat in silence in her room. It was a way to get away and still remain in this realm. The only time she ever was aloud to roam Lorraine was when the entire world seemed to be asleep. Every night of the year she visited the foreign land. Every night that was except for New Years Eve. On this night all of America held a competition to see who would be able to see the ball drop, and who would be deprived of this privilege. All of America was up to party. She couldn't afford to escape. Not with her mother downstairs… awake.
Privilege
Tap tap.
The sound broke her concentration. There was only one person it could be. The only person in the house, besides herself, that seemed to be minutely coherent.
"Yes, mother" Aiden answered to the still closed door.
"May I come in?" Aiden could actually hear the alcohol affecting her voice. "I want to talk to you. Check on you. I just want to make sure you're alright."
"Ya, one second." Aiden got up from her bed and leisurely walked over to her door. When she opened it she found her mother leaned up against the door frame attempting to hold herself up.
"Hey sweetie, how are you?" her mom asked, stumbling over her words and into Aiden's room.
"Um, I'm fine mom. How is the party going? Is Stephanie still able to walk strait, or walk period for that matter?" Aiden asked with a hint of distain in her voice.
"Oh it's great! I really wish you would go down there and at least have something to drink." Aiden's mom, Kate, offered her the drink she had in her hands. Aiden openly refused it.
"That's great, mom. The only parent in the entire world that will let her daughter drink and her daughter doesn't like the smell, taste, or experience of alcohol."
"Hey, it was only an offer; no one is going to force you to do anything. There is no need for your attitude, missy."
"You're right mom. I'm sorry. I'm just not in a partying mood." She offered with a crooked smile.
"It's fine, I just wish you would try to talk to people instead of staying cooped up in this musky room of yours. It's not healthy." Her mom commented as she stumbled back out the door and down the stairs.
Truth be told, Aiden never wanted to do anything that involved inhibiting her ability to get into Lorraine. Some time after her mother fell asleep she had every intention of going to Lorraine and spending every second she could in her own separate world.