Chapter 1: Home at last
I wake up and it is morning and the train driver says, "Ok! We are at Hazelburg now!" I get my stuff and walk off the train. I look at this small town and do what I haven't done in forever, smile. I remember this place so much. I run dragging my two suitcases behind me. I run to the town hall and walk in.
It's pretty small for a town hall but it feels so comfortable. I go up to the place with the sign that says "new resident". A pelican walks up and says, "Good morning." I jump back and yelp. "What? Are you ok miss? What is it? Is there a spider?" She says and panics.
"Oh no, no, no," I say catching my breath, "I just didn't know you could talk." I then straighten up and smile at her, "What's your name?" I ask.
"I'm Pelly," she says, "And let's hope you don't have the same reaction towards everyone else."
"You mean there are more talking animals?" I say surprised at how I never noticed. This town was where I was born. My parents moved when I was two. They said this place had been torn down then I looked it up and found it was still standing.
"Indeed!" Pelly says sweetly, "Anyway, do you need a house?"
"Yes!" I say, "I bought one not too long ago, my name is Alex." I watch Pelly go through many different papers. She looks frustrated and mumbles something. "What?" I say.
"Oh nothing," She says with a sigh, "It's just that my sister Phyllis, always is so disorganized and I can never find papers. Aha! Here it is!" She says, "Yes! Alex Lettner, here is a map of the town; your house is in blue! I hope you enjoy staying in Hazelburg!" Pelly says with a huge smile.
"Thank you so much!" I say and gather my things.
I was about to walk out when I heard an older voice croak, "My, my, my we have a new resident. Let me ask you sweety, which of these do you think are the best: the president, the clerk at the general store, the police, or THE MAYOR!"
"Um, the police?" I say unsure and he looks devastated. Pelly mouths to say the mayor and I say, "NO, NO, NO I mean the mayor! I was just…. Testing you! Yeah the mayor rocks!" I have a fake smile that convinces him and he smiles and walk s back to his office humming. Me and Pelly laugh, "Thanks again." I say and leave.
I walk through the town; it's so warm out today. There are so many trees, you could play hide and seek and find no one. I hear a rustle in the trees that snaps me out of my thoughts. I look around but I don't see anything, then I look up and someone is falling down from the tree. "Look out!" She yells. It's a little too late to say that. She falls right on top of me and yells, "BET YOU CAN'T FIND ME JACK! He won't find me." She then gets off of me and says, "HEY! A new person, let me help you take your things to your house!"
"You probably want to just hide in my house don't you?" I say with a smile.
She laughs and says, "You already know me and we haven't even figured out each others names!" She takes one of my suitcases and says, "Let's go! I'm Tess Blake! Who are you?"
"Alex Lettner." I say, "Nice to meet your acquaintance."
"Wow you're a fancy person." She says.
"Oh yeah sorry, it's like a habit now." I say.
"Well you're in Hazelburg now and you can have as much fun as you want and you don't have to be all fancy and all that stuff." She says. I finally have time to look at her appearance. She has blonde hair in three ponytails with pink highlights that frame her face and almost hide the blush on her cheeks. She is wearing a light blue shirt with a cherry on it and jean shorts that go above her knees. She also has a blue star clip in her hair. She has green sneakers that match her green eyes.
It doesn't take us long to find my house. On the way she told me about this town like Tom Nook's and the Able Sisters. She also told me about the museum. She didn't tell me about the people because she said it's more fun to meet them than have heard about them. We walk in my house and there is a candle, a box, and a radio. It's very small.
"Yeah Nook is a cheapskate." Tess says, "This is how my house first looked but you got to pay mortgage if you want it bigger."
"How do I make money?" I ask.
"Well first I must say in Hazelburg we don't have money, we have bells. Bells is just our term for coins." She says, "But you make bells by selling things at Tom Nook's, shaking trees but be careful there might be bees that will chase you, also by selling clothing at the Able Sisters'. Also if you get enough money you can plant a money tree."
"Ok," I say, "Do you want to help me unpack though?" I ask hoping she will help.
"Okee dokee!" She says, "First I have to give you a present!"
She takes a leaf out of her pocket and puts it on the ground. Right as it hits the ground it turns into a wardrobe shaped like a pear. I am dumbfounded. "That is how we get our supplies." She says and takes my clothes and puts them in the wardrobe.
"It's going to take a while to get used to this." I say.
We finish unpacking and my room has a fireplace, a blue table, a kiddie couch, and instead of the candle I got a desk lamp that sits on my desk. We move a frog chair in from of the desk. My room looks so colorful except the walls that Tess and I are going wallpaper and carpet shopping for tomorrow. "Where do I sleep?" I ask.
"In the attic," Tess says, "Follow me." I follow her up to the small attic where there is a basic red bed and a telephone. She sees my expression and asks, "Do you not like it Alex?"
"It's not much," I say, "But it's home." And I smile.
"Come on, let's go meet everyone!" Tess says and we go downstairs.
"Let me change first," I say.
"Ok I'll be outside!" Tess says and walks out the door.
Without mom to make me wear stupid clothes I can wear whatever I want! I put on a blue plaid shirt and put a short sleeved grey jacket over. I also put on my jean shorts. I then take my black sneakers and slip them on. I then put my hair in a ponytail and put on one heart earring and one star. I walk outside and Tess asks, "Ready to go?"
"You betcha!" I say excitedly.
"LETS GO THEN!" Tess yells and we run off to find everyone.