5. Washington
Tall trees flew pass me, rain whipped my face and my clothes were drenched. But that didn't matter. I had to get out of here or I was not going to make it through the night.
I ran through the dense forest. Sticks and twigs and thorn bushes sliced my legs as I ran faster and faster. Something was behind me. Something dark and evil, but I didn't know what it was. I was too afraid to turn around. I couldn't breathe. There wasn't enough oxygen. But I had to keep running. It was coming.
Move legs, I screamed in my head, too afraid to say it aloud because he might hear me. The forest whipped by me in a blur of sage green and muddy brown. It seemed oddly familiar, although I knew I'd never been here before. I tripped and fell over a fallen oak, cutting a large gash in my knee. The blood pooled over.
"Hmmmm. Dear, dear little one," the sound of his wretched, evil voice filled my ears. "Give up?" he asked. I trembled on a bed of moss ten feet away from him. He leaped up and was just about to crush me--
But the scene changed. I looked around to find myself alone in the middle of cemetery. Fog circled my legs like slithering snakes as I walked forward. Id never seen this place before. It was cold. I shivered and looked at what I was wearing: a black dress.
I heard a howl off in the distance. It scared me and I stumbled over something hard. I bent down to see, it was an old tombstone, had to be at least a hundred years old maybe more. I brushed my hand over the dirty letters. I read them out loud to myself, my voice cracking:
Mary Alice Brandon
1901-1920
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A cold fingered jabbed me back into reality, "Wake up sleepy head, we're landing in five minutes."
"Ughh, let me sleep," I moaned, covering my ears with a pillow, still trying to make sense of that strange dream I'd just had.
"We're almost here. Plus, the poor flight attendant has been here three times to check if you're still alive. With the way you've been screaming, all of second class probably thinks there's someone getting murdered on this plane," Alice laughed in her high soprano voice.
"Ohhh, was I really that loud? I'm sorry!" I never talked in my sleep in Mississippi, how weird. Maybe it was just because I was on a plane.
"It's fine, it was only the last couple minutes," she assured me, gesturing to look out the window. "Welcome to Washington, Grace."
I turned my head to look out the window, only to find it completely blocked by a thick sheet of rain and dark grey clouds. The pitter patters of raindrops hit the small window, leaving a network of streams. It was noon, but looked like twilight. I rubbed my eyes to get the sleepys out in order to try and see out the window. Down below was a sea of green and brown. I didn't see any form of civilization, thank goodness.
"I'm glad we decided to take the early morning flight. It leaves us a good six hours in Seattle just to shop before we get on that little plane at six to take us to Port Angeles. I know this city like the back of my hand!" she squealed in excitement.
"But I thought you just moved here…" I questioned.
"Gracelyn! A solid three months in this state and I've mastered the directions to every good fashion spot! Ooooh I just cant wait!" she gleamed.
"Just promise nothing too flashy. Remember the rules, I'm allowed to get paint on everything-"
"-but by then I'll just by you something new-"
"and I have to approve of everything first," I finished.
"That's it? I think I can manage," she stated.
I was slowly getting to warm up around Alice. It was hard since the only thing I wanted to do was cry my eyes out and sulk around doing nothing like I had for the three days after I found out. She wouldn't allow it though. She kept reminding me that we were sisters and that she couldn't possibly see me hurting any longer. It hurt her to see me cry, so I might as well stop. When she said that, not in a cold but more like a forceful way, I surprisingly listened. Crying wasn't solving anything.
Like she said, Alice took care of the funeral and all the moving stuff. It was a nice ceremony, simple with many flowers. I don't really remember much of it. I was so frozen over I blocked it out. The pain ate away at me and I told Alice I was going to walk home…She reluctantly said okay.
The day we packed wasn't all that hard. It was actually kind of fun. Alice played music and danced around as I boxed up the stuff I wanted. She had miraculously done the whole house the night before, I still have no idea how that was accomplished. I said my goodbyes to the home I'd lived in for so many years of my existence, and we were off to the airport…
I was so thankful that Alice came. As much of a mystery as she was, I couldn't help but feel that being with her was entirely the right place to be. She was so kind, lovely, and I was happy to call her my sister.
Shopping wasn't nearly all as bad as I was anticipating. I didn't care all that much about what I wore in Biloxi, mostly because I didn't have the money to pay for those kind of extravagances. But Alice seemed quite fine with dropping a thousand dollars in cash at the mall without blinking an eyelash. The second I would start to complain, she'd put her hand up and say, "This is for all the years I missed out on your birthday and Christmas."
Well, if that was her excuse she must have thought I was three hundred-years-old or something. I laughed at the impossible thought. We had a good ten plus shopping bags completely filled to the brim and of course, we weren't carrying them. Alice had a special way of sweet talking the employees into carrying them for us. With her good looks, she had all of them panting like puppy dogs willing to do anything for her. I wished I could look half as perfect as she did.
Once she finished talking to the manager about overnight shipping them to her house, now our house, we walked out of the doors heading to our rental car, a BMW none the less. I had to face that fact that her adoptive family was entirely loaded. I wondered what the house would look like. I pictured a enormous log cabin with a crystal chandelier over my head as I walked through the front doors and into the great room. I honestly couldn't wait to get to Elwha.
As we stepped outside, I shivered uncontrollably realizing my zip up hoodie didn't do much for the bone chilling wind. For November 27, it was absolutely freezing. Alice glanced over at me at me and laughed.
"How are you not cold?!" I asked looking at her minimally covering blazer.
"I guess I'm just used to it," she shrugged as we got into the car, "you be will too. The weather doesn't change here much."
"Yeah no kidding..rain, rain, and oh yeah I forgot more rain!" I laughed as a soft mist was falling from the sky. I guessed it took us half the time getting back to the airport. In the easiest way to put it, Alice drove like a complete idiot. With complete accuracy, yes, but entirely too fast and definitely not legal. I guess her billionaire parents got her one hell of a driving instructor.
The flight to Port Angeles was a nerve wracking one. We hit a section of turbulence and I seriously thought I was going to die. My hands were permanently glued to the hand rests. Alice just about fell on the ground laughing. After an hour we touched base in the tiny town. A yellow Porsche was waiting for our arrival.
"That was your car across the street from my house!" I finally put the clues together.
"Yeah, I…uhm...got it for all my straight A's." she said opening the door for me.
"Wow, that's amazing,," I said, staring at the interior. I was almost afraid to touch it.
"Yeah I know, its my baby," she said, petting the fur covered steering wheel. "Aren't you starving? Where do you want to eat? We have about a ten minute drive until we get home."
"I'm not really that hungry, I think I'll just wait," I lied. Truthfully, I was starving, but I couldn't wait to see the house.
That ten minute drive that Alice said it would be only took about four minutes of doing 130 mph. I don't think I was ever going to get used to her driving. Hopefully, I'd find some job and have my car shipped up here soon.
We turned off the highway and onto a dimly lit street, only passing a few spaced out houses in between. We drove a half a mile in darkness, anticipation building up inside of me.
"Here we are, Cullen residence," she stated, jumping swiftly out of the car.
The house took my breath away even in the crappiest of rain showers. It was just how I imagined it, a four story log cabin lit with subtle golden light. It had big glass windows in the front, a large wrap around porch, and a big swing facing out over the beautifully manicured flower garden and pond. The chocolate siding fit perfectly in with the scenery. I walked across the concrete driveway onto black stepping stones that carried me to curved steps and up onto the porch. The grand double doors greeted an astonished me, as Alice led me inside.
I looked up and just as I imagined, there was a spectacular crystal chandelier hanging from the twenty foot ceilings. The inside was even more magnificent than the outside if that was even possible. And the smell. It was better than anything I had ever smelled before, but I just couldn't put my finger on it. Something like a mix of honey, lilac, and vanilla all rolled into one; even that didn't give it justice.
"Well, will this do?" Alice chimed in,
"Will it do?! Yes! Oh my, it's unbelievable!" I was speechless. Will it do? Will it do! Of course it will! The only time I had only seen a house as gorgeous as was in a magazines and those didn't look as lovely as this one.
The walls were pale greens and blues, accenting with the landscape outside. The foyer gave way to an enormous great room, with hard wood floors and big brown leather couches. The kitchen looked like it belonged more in Tuscany than it did in Washington, the table alone sat at least twelve people. Curving stairs to the right led up to the second floor.
My mind was trying to grip the concept that I actually lived here now, there must be some mistake. We couldn't be related. A part of me knew that the just kidding was coming, and I'd soon be shipped back to Biloxi. Just then Alice grabbed my hand, "You look like you're about to pass out. I'll give you the grand tour tomorrow. For now, I suggest you go to bed."
I followed her upstairs. The staircase split the hall into two sections. Alice dragged me to the left. "Here's your room, I hope you can manage."
"Alice, this is unbelievable. Thank you so much. I don't even know how to repay you and your family-" I stuttered.
She raised her hand in protest, "You are family. Goodnight Grace." And with that she blew a kiss, and shut my door with a faint click.
I yawned, and looked around; it was almost as though she knew exactly what my dream room was. It had simple white walls, a blank canvas ready to come alive. My furniture was black, a big dresser and a wardrobe. There in the middle was the best of all: a giant princess bed. A big black comforter with deep red silk sheets, and a black canopy. I couldn't help myself from kicking off my shoes and jumping on top of it. I landed with a quite bounce on the poofy bed, not even bothering to turn off the light, I was asleep before I even touched the covers.
A/N: hmmmmm, what could that dream be about! R&R, I want to hear your hypotheses!