"Run away! Emily, you know you should, your life is horrible. Run away from your worries. From your terrible class mates, from your aunt. Running away will solve your problems".
The man spoke slowly, so I could hear every word. I couldn’t see him, but I knew he was somewhere, hiding. “I’m not leaving! You can’t make me! I’ll-I’ll starve!” I screamed. He chuckled mysteriously.
“Fine! I won’t be the one that will live a life, that isn’t fit for living. Ignore me, if you like. But I will always be here, to remind you, TIME IS RUNNING OUT!” he yelled. The walls had paint pealing off from his yell.
“If your so big and great, why don’t you come out and show yourself!” I asked. I couldn’t believe I had just said that. What if he was so great, and big and came out of his dark shadow, to destroy me.
“As you wish”. Minutes went by being silent. I waited, and waited, until I knew he was gone. He had left the empty room. I wanted to get out, go home, but I couldn’t find a door, or a window, nothing.
And then, I saw it. The bright green light. Right in front of me was a sparking light. I couldn’t figure out what the shape was. It almost blinded me, being so bright. I stepped closer. I had become interested, and in seconds, I had came so close to the light, I could’ve touched it if I wanted.
“Let me out! Let me out!” I begged. Tears came pouring down my eyes. I didn’t know what to do. I had no idea what was going on. “Listen to me. Follow my orders and your life will be well. Everyone is happy when I give them advice. Everyone” the light spoke exactly like the man, or creature, or light, that had spoken before.
“I love my life. I love myself. And you can not do anything about it!” I screamed. Instantly, I felt a sort of creature going through my body. It looked like I had been turned into the green color. And then into a bright light. A few seconds went by when I found myself in bed, wrapped with the usual orange blanket, grandma had sewed for me. And wearing the same jeans, and sweater I had been in my dream.
But this was weird and not right. I clearly remember waking up that morning, and going to school with the same people, and then getting lost walking home, and getting to that empty room. I even remember the day before that, and the day before that.
How could I just pop in bed, when some light is about to destroy me? Had it been magic? Had it been really just a dream, all along? I didn’t know the answer to that, and I still don’t now. But I do know what my Aunt said next.
“WAKE UP, YOU PIG! WHO SLEEPS THIS LATE!? GET UP AND TAKE OUT THE TRASH!” My mom died of a heart attack when I was seven years old. My dad had lived with me for three years, and when I was ten, he decided to hand me over to my aunt and uncle.
My dad didn’t have enough money to pay for my clothes, and food, and everything else. My dad was caring, and loving. I can’t believe he left. But when he did, my dad gave me something. He said “If I could choose the person I love most in the world, it’d be you, Emily. I’m giving you this- this thing. When you’ll be ready, you’ll learn how to work it. And remember, I’ll be back for you. I’ll have all the money in the world, and welcome you back to my life. Good bye”.
The words had sunk into my brain. I remembered every word, and still had the thing he gave me. I’m still not sure what it is. It’s a small ball that lights up with cherry red color in the inside.
The outside is transparent, and squishy. “I’M WAITING YOU DOG!” my aunt screamed. I was used to her being rude and nasty. She hates me for one reason: my mom. My mom always was better then my aunt.
And since I’m her daughter, my aunt hates me. My uncle isn’t as bad, but still is terrible. When I had both my parents, I used to live in a normal house, in the suburbs of New York. We were perfectly fine, a family of three. Until my mom died, and my dad and I had to move into a tiny condo.
My aunt stomped all the way into my room. “NOW!” she roared. “Ok. Fine. I’m going” I answered. She pulled my ear, hard. “You will call me ma’am or Mrs. Fisher when you talk to me”.
I don’t know how much I hate my aunt, but I know it’s a lot. I took the four trash bags from the kitchen, and walked all the way to the dump. The dump is five blocks or so from the trailer I live in. So, with the heat of the summer, the heaviness of the trash bags, and the distance of the dump, I always end up doing it.
When I got back, my uncle looked at me, like I was an animal. And according to my aunt, I am. “What are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to bed in school?” he asked. He was eating a cold biscuit and milk.
I grabbed for one, but he snatched it away from me. “You haven’t answered my question!” he said impatiently. “It’s Saturday. We don’t have school on Saturday” I answered. “Well, I don’t care. Get out of the house now!” he ordered.
I didn’t even care to say “what?”. I just went to my room, grabbed the thing, and went outside the trailer.
The trailer park I live in is really big. There's 128 trailers in all. My neighbor, Tom, is one of the many people that make my life miserable. He calls me a loser, stupid, and really weird. He steals my soggy cheese sandwich at lunch, laughs at me, and makes everyone hate me. Oh, and there's more. Tom lies to the teacher about me all the time.
I tell the teacher and the students, I didn't say that, or I didn't do that, and no one believes me. Not even the teacher. Kate and Anna are one of those people too. They pull pranks on me. Like once, they put a giant spider in my backpack. Everyone knows I hate spiders. Another time they replaced the icing of my Oreo, to glue.
And that time, the only time, Tom didn't steal it. They've done a bunch others. Put ketchup on my seat. Take my homework and cut it to shreds. I walked all the way up to the entrance of the trailer park.
I sat down on the bench, and stared at the thing. I had to figure out what it was. This was the perfect time. I needed it to concentrate. Maybe it was a word I had to say? I looked at the little bad, and said what it reminded me of.
"Happiness. Peace. Joy" Nothing happened. The red swirled around in circles, then the ball started hopping a little bit on my hand. "Perfect. Kind. Dad" The ball jumped four, five inches on my hand.
Something was happening! I was doing it! I had to do it with the last word. I looked at it for a long time, and realized the perfect word. "Love! Love! Love!" I repeated several times.
The ball opened. I had done it! The red went through my body. I could feel it. The hope, the peace, the love. Soon, all the red was finished. I looked at the remaining of the ball. I tucked it away in my pocket and went to sleep on the bench.
I woke up in a different place. It looked like my old bedroom. No… this couldn’t be… it must be a dream. My mom and dad entered the room “I told you I’d be back” my dad said.
TO BE CONTINUED
