Note: Credit to MergingEmperor7 for the ideas in this chapter
Chapter Two
Carrying Rocks In My Soul
Not far away in the small town of Spencer, a young woman with shoulder length sandy brown hair walked through the street clutching her coat around her shoulders and looked down at her feet.
It was dark, and she was keen to get home as soon as possible after finishing a late shift at the local Subway.
As she walked, her eyes darted around the area, even though she knew this town, as it was her home territory and had grown up here, she was still wary of her surroundings.
Before long she made it to her house, and she sighed with relief as she was looking forward to getting to bed soon.
The lights were still switched on, and she could see through one of the windows that the television was blaring.
Opening the door, she could hear the TV, and she guessed that her parents were watching their usual late night soap opera.
"Angela?" a female voice called from the living room "Angie? Is that you?"
The young woman took off her coat and hung it up as well as kicked off her shoes.
"Yeah! I'm home!" she called back.
Walking into the hallway, she was about to walk to the living room when she stopped by a large photo that hung on the wall.
It was a large A4 professional photo of a young man in an American Air Force uniform looking tall and proud in front on an American Fighter Jet, sitting in a carved polished wooden frame.
Angela sighed and she looked at an urn that stood underneath it along with some candles that had burnt out as well as some flowers in a couple of small vases along with several bereavement messages and quotes, as well as a long poem within a silver frame, one that had been composed by her and her parents.
'To our beloved Nigel
You always aimed high,
So, you could touch the sky,
Soared above the highest of clouds
Making us ever so proud
But one day, when you soared to the sky
You flew to heaven above,
And that made us cry,
For we lost a dear friend and true love
But you made us proud
You worked hard to go far
You made your country proud
And now you have become a star
Son, brother, friend.
Soared through the clouds
But now soars through the stars and through heaven
Gone but never forgotten.'
Angela felt tears sting her eyes, her brother had always had dreams of being a pilot, and after working hard to achieve his dream, he became a pilot with the American Air Force, and she couldn't be prouder of him.
He had trained hard in the Air Force and worked his way up and soon had earned the nickname 'Light Falcon' by his comrades and fellow pilots.
Since then, the name had stuck and he had even had a fabric badge made which he had pinned to his uniform with pride and even had it painted to his Jet when he flew it.
He had served his country with great pride and was always excited to do his duty for his country.
Angela had always worried about him, but she always had faith that he would stay safe, but sadly in 2013, that wasn't to be, as Nigel had died in action when his plane was shot down in Afghanistan.
He had crashed and even though his plane hadn't exploded, the crash had still killed him, he had been recovered by his comrades before the enemy could get to him and had managed to bring him home.
It had been over five years, but Angela still missed him like crazy.
"Hey big brother…" she whispered as she stroked the picture then went into the living room.
Her father was sitting on the armchair sipping some hot chocolate as he watched the TV and her mother was stretched out on the sofa, resting her head on a pillow.
"Hey mom, hey dad!" she called into the living room.
"Hey sweetie!" her father said without turning away from the TV.
"How was work?" her mother asked.
"The usual." Angela sighed "Just the same old routine, lots of hungry customers, some whinging about the wrong fillings and such."
"That's shame." Said her father.
"Yeah! Sure sucked!" Angela said "Anyway, I'm going to get ready for bed, got another shift tomorrow."
"Angie?" her mother called over suddenly.
"Yeah mum?" Angela called over.
"Have you thought anymore about college yet?" she asked.
Angela rolled her eyes.
For weeks her mother had been going on about what she was going to do at college since she graduated, but Angie hadn't been interested in college after she graduated high school, as what she really wanted to do was earn enough money so she could move away, where she wasn't sure, but that's why she had taken a job at Subway so she could save some money under the pretence she was taking a gap year.
"No mom." She replied.
"But honey!" her mum called over "Surely you must have thought about it by now! It's been like six weeks since you graduated!"
"I know that!" Angela retorted "But I'm still not sure! And anyway, I'm tired, can we talk about it another day?"
Her mother sighed.
"Okay!" she shrugged.
"Janet." Angela heard her father say, "Leave her be, she says she tired, and she'll come to us about it when she's ready alright?"
Angela felt a sigh of relief.
Unlike her mother who was always impatient to know what she wanted to do with her life, her father was a little more laid back and seemed more supportive about the fact she had taken a gap year to work before deciding what she wanted to do.
Walking into the living room, Angela kissed both her parents then retired to her room.
Once in her room, Angela began to chance out of her Subway uniform and get into her leggings and jogging suit top.
She sighed with relief as she got out of her stuffy uniform and lay down on her bed.
It had been a busy day at the Subway, standing up behind the counter and taking orders as well as filling sandwiches and her back ached, and her feet hurt.
Yet it wasn't just the standing up and filling sandwiches that was hard, but sometimes customers got difficult when it came to what they wanted, whether it was added salad or gluten free bread, or even complaining their coffee wasn't made the way they liked it, it drove her crazy, but she had to be polite even if she did want to tear her hair out.
Rolling onto her side, she looked at a photo that sat on her bedside table next to her bed.
It was a silver frame, and the photo was of her and of Nigel, she was thirteen and he was Twenty-Five, taken about a month before he had to return to service in the Air Force and that was the time we went to Afghanistan and never came home.
It was taken at one of their most favourite places near their home, Fall Creek Falls and they had often gone there to have picnics and talk together.
Once, he had said to her that if he died in service, that he wanted his ashes to be scattered at the Falls because he regarded it as one of his favourite places closest to home.
After his body had been brought back to the USA, Angela and her parents had honoured his wishes and after his funeral had scattered some of his ashes after he had been cremated and the rest of his ashes were kept in an urn under his portrait along with the fabric 'Light Falcon' badge along with his medals just so he was still close to them.
As she lay there staring at the photo, Angela thought that maybe if the weather was nice enough this coming weekend as she had gotten the Sunday off that she would go there just for some quiet reflection for the day and maybe feel close to her brother.
Just for one day she didn't have to deal with difficult customers in the Subway, or standing up for ages behind the counter, as well as spend some time away from her mother's nagging about deciding what she wanted to do at college as well as what to do as a future career rather than working at Subway.
Sighing and rolling onto her back to stare at the ceiling, Angela thought more about her mother's constant hen pecking about college.
She knew her parents wanted the best for her, but she couldn't help but wonder if they were trying to push her to be successful, just like Nigel had, since he had always dreamed of being a pilot and had as soon as he graduated had gone straight into flying school and finally into the Air Force.
Angela herself, hadn't been sure about what path she wanted, even though she had done well in high school and earnt good grades, she had never thought about what career to pursue as she could never settle one what was the best one.
It had frustrated her, as many of her friends had decided their careers, one had decided to be a doctor, another a lawyer, and another a vet.
She had even told Nigel this, on how she had felt unsure, and if she was letting everyone down, or disappointing their parents.
But Nigel had never thought that.
In fact, he was very supportive and had told her words she would never forget.
"It doesn't matter what path or road you choose, little sis!" he had said "You can be anything you wish to be! One day you will find your destiny, maybe when you least expect it! Keeping soaring high kid! Heaven's the Limit!"
Just remembering Nigel's words brought a small smile to Angela's face and she settled into her bed making sure she set her alarm for the following morning.
It was a short-lived moment before sleep started to take over and before long Angela was fast asleep.
So! We've met a new character! And who is she? and Why is she here? What's her purpose in this story? Well you'll just have to keep checking in to find out!