A New Beginning
The wind, swept up a pile of leaves as I walked through the crunchy underbrush. A sudden gust of cool fall air sent a shiver down my spine. I tucked my chestnut hair in my hood and pulled my coat tight around me. A small smile graced my lips a large gray, stone house appeared through the gently swaying leaves of an oak tree. Home.
I glanced at the shiny glass of the window and saw my chocolate eyes staring back. Roughly, I yanked the heavy, crimson door open, savoring the feeling of the toasty air brushing my wind-stung cheeks. I leaned against the door frame and kicked off my shoes before entering the kitchen to get myself one of my mom's famous homemade chocolate chip cookies.
After settling down on the couch with my cookie I heard a sharp rapping at the door. Sliding out of my spot on the couch grudgingly, I went to answer the door. I pulled the door open swiftly to find a tall man with tan skin and an angular face waiting on the other side.
"Hello, are you Maximum Ride?"
"Yes, I am. May I ask who you are?" I replied impatiently.
He took a deep breath and stepped forward. "I'm from the New York Police Department, may I come in?"
"Max, your parents are dead" I froze. Only catching bits of what he was saying, like, "car crash", "this afternoon", "died on impact", "didn't suffer for long", " and worst " your mother was pregnant". I couldn't believe it, it couldn't be true. These things don't happen. It was surreal, I couldn't wrap my head around the fact that this wasn't another article in the news, or a tragedy on a cop show .It wasn't happening to someone else while I was safe in my home with a loving family. It was real and everyone I loved was gone, and they weren't coming back.
Suddenly I was overcome with emotions. I stood up abruptly and excused myself to the bathroom practically running there. Once I arrived I slammed the door shut and sunk down to my knees weeping. I cried for all the times I wouldn't wake up to the smell of my mom's homemade pancakes. I cried for all the times dad and I wouldn't stay up late watching movies on week nights on our cozy brown couch. And I cried for never getting the chance to meet my unborn sibling that I just found out about. I cried and cried until I had no tears left to shed. I don't see how I can possibly go on.
Rain drops slid down the window making water tracks and blurring my vision of the grassy patches of land on the other side of the window. I leaned my forehead on the cold glass and looked to the driver's seat. A woman with chestnut hair much like my own leaned back in her seat readjusting her hands on the steering wheel. The police had found my aunt and she suggested that I come live with her immediately. So here I am in her car on the way to her house in the French countryside where I would be living until I was old enough to leave.
When we arrived at my Aunt Anne's house I realized that she was pretty wealthy. The house-I should say mansion was built out of a sort of gray-tan stone. It had four towering levels and was stretched out wide in each direction. It had a grand French-country style and a surprisingly homey feel.
I walked into the "house" and ended up in a grand foyer that had a large round table in the middle stacked with old books and strong smelling flowers in tall vases.
"So Max, would you like a tour of your new home?" she said with a cheery smile. I felt an ache in my chest when I remembered why I was here and not at home with my family. I nodded my head yes.
"And this is your room". My aunt said with one of her overly happy smiles. I gasped, it was HUGE! There were two large couches facing each other opposite of the king sized, four poster bed. On the wall facing me there was an ornately carved, dark wooden desk. All of this sat on a huge muted Persian carpet. The room- my room had 20 foot ceilings and rich crown molding and details. Normally I would have been ecstatic, barely containing my excitement, but I simply gave her a weak smile and quietly thanked her as she left. I walked over to the bed and sat down just as the door opened again. My aunt walked over and sat down next to me.
"Max, do you want to talk about what you're going through?" My aunt asked looking sympathetic. A sudden surge of anger came over me.
"I'm not just "going through" something! My parents just died! And she wasn't just my mom, she was your sister! How can you pretend like you aren't part of this?". Without a word my aunt's face became unreadable and she swiftly left my room.
I woke to the smell of pancakes, and for a second I thought that I was back home safe in my bed with my parents, but then I heard a knock on the door and realized that I was still in my aunts "house". With a sigh I sat up and stretched, then I walked over to the door still half asleep. The door opened with a clunk and on the other side stood my aunt. I was surprised that she came back after that little… incident last night. I took a deep breath.
"Yes?" I asked trying not to sound irritated.
"Oh, I came to see if you would come have breakfast with me" she paused, "I think we need to talk"
"You look so much like your mother" she stated. I felt a painful jab in my chest when she mentioned my mom. She took a hint from my pained expression and tried again.
"I thought that I should tell you what happened between your mom and me" she said quietly gauging my reaction.
"Ok…" I responded. Unsure of how this would go.
She took a deep breath, "When we were little your mom and I almost always got along. We were like best friends, but as we grew up your mom became less interested in doing things with me. A few days after my 15th birthday a boy about our age moved in next door. I was in love with him and so was she. When they started dating I got so furious, we had a fight and we stopped talking. Five years later she was happily married and pregnant with you. I couldn't take it so I left. And I've regretted it ever since."
She finished with a sad smile and I gave her one in return. I think I might be happy here.