Drift

By Rachel Diener

Cassie Greenen, a sarcastic speaking, lazy working pothead who has an unexpected death in the family when her father passes away. Wanting to get away from the town, her and her mother head over to Crescent Falls, a little town where a mansion was left for them in a long-lost family member's will. New experiences and friends are followed through, along with a mysterious man who won't stop popping up in her dreams.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Jul 30, 2013
• ISBN: 9781481759915

Rachel Diener

Rachel's three weaknesses are coffee, socks, and that smell the air turns into after it rains. Currently living in Saginaw while trying to finish her Creative Writing degree. If she isn't writing than she is either working her butt off to pay the rent bills or abusing Netflixs with her roommates

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© 2013 by Rachel Diener. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 06/05/2013

ISBN: 978-1-4817-5992-2 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4817-5993-9 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4817-5991-5 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: Number 2013910137

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Contents

1. Return Address

2. Dragged Into

3. Digits

4. Chills

5. Wanda

6. The Visit

7. Sneaky

8. Small Encounter

9. Grateful Brownies

10. Splash

11. Boats Full of Ants

12. Family

13. Sleepover

14. Relief

15. Web Chat

16. Lifting Off

17. Uninfected

18. Privileged Information

19. Helping Hands

20. Crash, Crash, Burn

21. Accident

22. Acidtaint

23. Here’s Keegan

24. Reconcile

25. Drowning Out

26. Breathless

27. Back to Normal

28. Heavy In Your Arms

1. Return Address

Gasping, there was only darkness to hold on to. Water filled my lungs. Legs and arms doing nothing to help pull me to the surface. Hair washed in front of my face to leave me temporarily blind. Above glistened the moon with a shade of silver. It stood at my targeted hope.

Looking down there was nothing. Only death. Darker than the night sky with no stars to glow protection from harm. Until my anchor came into view.

It was my father.

Fingers pale as bleach held tightly on to my foot, feeling colder than the melted ice we were sinking into. Eyes of frozen fear bulged out of their sockets. A screech was belted out only to be have been filled with salty sea water.

Grabbing and tugging I tried to pry the hand off, but there was no budge. The moonlight began to fade away as we sunk to my watery grave.

I shot up in my bed. Pleading for air my fingers clawed to my neck. Relieved, shattered breaths choked out. It was only a dream.

Damp sheets from sweat sat under me. My forehead felt cold on the back of my hand with chills running down my spine. The temperature switched from hot to cold. A blanket wrapped around me but then the burn of hot flashes took over. Frustrated, I tossed the blanket.

Leaping out of bed the clock blinked 2:19 am. The window framed a full moon hanging in the twinkled sky covered with slashes of gray dust. The moonlight shined into my room, making all of my walls an airy silver, looking vacant and numb. Those chills spiked in my body again. The blanket wrapped around my shoulders.

Turning on the bedside lamp I pulled my laptop onto my lap. A double click on Start. Click on Videos. Pressed Play.

Wiping sleepy eyes I thought back to the car crash about a month ago. Fuck cows. They didn’t need to live. Who needs milk, or beef, anyways?

In the living room with Mom watching whatever was on TV the phone rang. Mom got up from the couch and answered the phone. Greeting with a strong and happy voice it suddenly turned frantic. She asked in a horse shudder what happened before tears soaked her cheeks.

Quickly, I rushed to her side. Mom, what’s going on? Her body quivered under my touch. With her hand on mine she looked at me with hazel eyes. A groggy thank you came out of her mouth before hanging up.

Walking blindly to the couch I helped her sit down. A small pool of tears soaked through the carpet.

Mom, what’s the matter? My voice was shaky. A knot formed in my stomach. The only thing that could have made her act this way was death, but my mind couldn’t bring that up. Mentally, I wasn’t prepared for this.

Your father, she answered, gulping with a dry mouth. Her eyes kept to the floor. Your father… is… Dead.

What… ? A wave of fear plus anger, and a cold sweat, swept over me in half a second.

There it was. The one thing on the top of my list of most awful things that could happen.

This couldn’t have happened, though. Dead? That wasn’t possible. Dad couldn’t die. He was dad. Dads were suppose to be the strongest men that a little girl knew. They could fight through anything. They couldn’t go anywhere except work and dinner dates with Mom. That’s how it worked.

I stood there for a few seconds, trying to get everything that was reality into my brain before busting up to my bedroom.

Wait, Cassandra!

Slamming the door it echoed between my ear drums, the walls vibrating. I wept, slumming down to the ground against the door. My knees pulled in to my chest trying to constrict myself into a ball. I wanted to go away, to hide somewhere, and wait for him to come back so he could make me waffles in the morning like every Sunday.

I knew that my mom was bereft and so was I. My heart sank down into my butt where it hid in the basement. It felt weak, yet heavy, where a hole began to form. Anger, sadness, every emotion was beginning to come up all together.

Blinking, the world went back to the facts of existence. At the computer screen my dad and I were making macaroni art like any other three year old. Glue smeared all over a piece of paper. Macaroni was put in random places with glitter, beads, and other things I could stick to glue. He gave me a huge smile, along with a big hug as my macaroni art was plastered to the fridge.

The laptop slapped shut. Wiping a fictiontious tear I looked at my dry hand. I hadn’t cried ever since the night of the accident. Cliché as it sounded, I was all dried up. Nothing else was in me anymore.

My bed sat in the middle of my four wall extent with it’s crumpled sheets and stain smeared pillows. It was three o’clock in the morning. Sighing, I went over to the window sill that was full of pillows covering the piece of wood, making it just bearable. Dad wasn’t very much of a handy man when it came to lumber. A blanket wrapped around me, even though it was the start of June.

No clouds dusted the night sky. All of the stars ever made were visible. The heavy ball of pounded ground graced against the open area. Even though it was dazzling the moon still seemed cold. Crickets chirped in the grass below. An owl hooted in the big tree. The air started to feel stale. Opening the window, my lungs filled with a clean supply.

A blunt found its way to lips from my bag. The tip lit from a lighter’s magic. Smoke drizzled down my lungs like acid hovering over a land fill with just one quick inhale. My senses were easing down, slowly getting to know what it felt like to be calm and peaceful again.

A few more hits and the moon started to turn into a radiant purple. Smothered by the warm air the softness of violet burst into the sky like a blow horn. Maybe it wasn’t actually becoming purple. Dreaming was probably what I was doing. The joint just knocked me out it was so strong, or blended with some type of acid.

An alarm clock screamed at me. Startled, I lost my balance and fell off of the window seat. It was just another day of school. A grunt was let out before I dropped my head to the floor. I was not wanting to go one more day of having to face boredom. Watching the superficial, clone look-a-like, drama dragging kids that had to be at that school wasn’t entertainment. And I had to share a building with them?

A grin smeared my face.

It was the last day. Last day of being a junior in high school. Last day before running away from textbooks and into the world of freedom. Leaping off the ground like a ninja I headed towards the bathroom. Mary Jane was still between my fingers. I tossed her in the trash as the water in the shower heated.

The shower was probably a world winning record if I had timed it. A pair of jeans, a T-shirt, and some socks covered my body. A hoodie was snatched from the edge of my bed my messenger bag pulled over my head.

Light brown and covered in pins and drawings it never described anyone more than my dad. It was a birthday gift when I turned thirteen. It was love at first sight. It was old, dusty, and used. Things that came from the heart and had a history with it were always the most desirable. So many stoned, adventurous stories soaked in the fibers of my dad’s teenage years like coca cola stains.

Entering the hallway I stopped at the picture of my parents on their wedding day. He always gave a big smile when anyone walked by. In the kitchen Mom stood in her stifle lawyer position, reading over files.

Someone might wonder how a nurse and a lawyer had gotten together. How would they have the impeccable time to even do anything? Or even conceive a human being? They certainly did it because some how I am standing on this earth. But my father wasn’t like a brain surgeon. He worked with the patients in the intensive care/burn unit while Mom was just a small one town lawyer working on getting known.

Mom’s professional look was classy to say she was ready to kick ass in the court room. Her caramel colored hair set up in a business type bun. Her identical nose crinkled in annoyance.

Morning.

Her welcoming was much more cheery than mine. Good morning, Cas.

While sipping the last drop of her coffee and quickly closing her folder she slashed on her brief case. I’m sorry, but I’ve got to leave early for a 7:30 meeting. See you after school, alright?

Yeah.

Have a good last day.

Thanks.

She was headed out the door into her clean silver Mercedes. For a mom that is a lawyer and a dad who was a nurse, we had pretty good money. But they never spoiled me. Working as hard as they do was always on the parenting packet.

In the cupboard a box was pop-tarts were hunted down. One was put in the toaster. I retreated over to my backpack. Grabbing out my Government book I had to study at least once for my final exams. There were only three exams left out of six. Thank God.

The pop-tart hopped out of the toaster. Bouncing the hot pastry in my hand the clock ticked to warn me I was late. My mouth was filled with pop-tart as I grabbed my bag, pulled on my shoes, and went out the door.

A 1965 cream beetle waited in the driveway. It was a bit beat up, but perfect. I bought it with my own money last year before the big one six.

The pop-tart still hung in my mouth as I backed up to head to Jen’s. She was only a few blocks away, but couldn’t drive this month. Getting caught by the ‘rents with pot usually seemed to open a free jail cell at the home. I felt guilty since it was my pot she was holding. For the next two weeks I offered to be her cab driver, free of charge.

We lived in the All American suburbs. My house was similar to hers. The only difference was the mail box number and the color of doors. Anyone could get lost in here if they turned down the wrong block. Feeling like a trapped mouse going through a maze was the usual.

I hadn’t noticed before, but the house kind of had a face to it, like it was alive or something. One of their blinds were broken in the window, making the giant face wink at me.

Honking my horn twice the radio sparked on and some rap music began yelling at me. I couldn’t really tell the difference between one rap song to the next. They all sounded the same. Turning the dial my ears found a station that I was sure was none of Jen’s taste. It made me happy.

The Swine’s front door opened. Jennifer came walking out. She’s your average-big boobed, average sized waist kind of girl. Long black hair, brown eyes, pink rosy lips, and a little nose covered her head. Her skin was an olive color and her hips were so curvy that they could make any guy swoon when she walks pass. We became friends in the third grade. She offered me a cookie on the swing set where the rest is history.

She jumped in the car, put on her seat belt, and starred straight ahead. Her lips were motionless, not puking out words. Not even her shoulders were relaxed.

I looked at her while the car was put in reverse. She still wouldn’t look in my direction with her arms paralyzed to her sides. They weren’t even crossed.

Jen?

No response. Not even a blink of her eyes.

Jennifer? Heeeyyyy… Summoning her was defeated by silence. Talk, or you won’t be able to ride with me for the summer. You’ll be fucked.

It’s my parents. she finally surrendered with a tone of annoyance.

I turned down the main street to school. And why are you mad at your parents? I asked. A minute passed with no response. Now I was getting annoyed.

Well, I got a text this morning from Tim Ryan. And he asked me out.

Cool. I complimented. Who’s Tim Ryan?

Her eyes starred at me with disbelief. She couldn’t understand how I only knew a few people. He sits five seats behind you in History.

I nodded, almost getting the picture.

And no. Not cool.

Why?

Because my parent’s won’t approve.

What? Tim is a great guy… ? In reality, I had no idea who the dude actually was.

Wait, now I remembered who he was. He was always reading Lord of the Rings and I only talked to him once last year to borrow a pencil. But I always did admire the way he put on his glasses backwards as if it was a new fashion statement.

Well, they found out I went way over their credit card I stole a few weeks ago. They even mentioned that I need a job.

I wasn’t surprised that she stole her parent’s cards, again. Oh, no. A job? What are you ever going to do? I asked sarcastically.

Oh, shut up. She smiled with a laugh.

Well, hey, a job isn’t that bad. I have one.

Yeah, but you work at a hardware store. Seems kind of stupid to me.

It’s okay. We can go job hunting after school. Alright? And my job isn’t that bad. I’m just a box boy, I guess. It isn’t even that hard.

Okay, whatever. You know, even if I do get a job, I don’t think I’m going to go out with Tim.

Why?

Well I only asked my parent’s just to see their reaction to a guy asking me out.

You’re an instigator.

Are not! Jen looked at the stereo and pointed to it with an ugly look. What the hell are we listening to, anyways?

I shrugged. A radio station.

This stuff is crap! The station turned.

You always think my taste is crap.

She reached out from her pouting crouch as if she had an idea that could blow anyone’s mind. Also, she slunk back down in the seat just a second later. They found the pot that was hidden in my room, too. Another reason why I am grounded.

Yeah, I know. I answered. You told me last week. That’s why I am giving you a ride to school.

Right. Good stuff by the way. He sells some nice green.

At least you got to have some before your parents stole it from you. I was really disappointed that I hadn’t gotten any. And for that, Jennifer now has to pay me gas money.

I heard he was a good dealer. I’ve never seen that guy around our school though. Is he new?

Naw, he just stays in the dark corners and cracks of the building. Only pops out to sell his mind soothing pot.

I bet he sells kid’s organs on the side.

Mmmm, organs…

We both laughed.

Jen’s laughter went down. Oh, by the way, I am really sorry and I will pay you back. She had her eyes down. Something was hidden deep under her apology.

What?

And I promise, promise to pay you back. She pleaded again as she held up her hands in defeat.

Jen, what did you do?!

It wasn’t me, it was my parents.

My face fell flat. What…

I waited for her to continue with the apology.

When they found the pot they flushed it down the toilet. Jen instantly cringed as if I was going to punch her in the face.

Jennifer! Her name blew up like a bomb from my lips.

I’m sorry!

Jesus! Pounding the wheel I turned the corner, entering to a stop light.

I’ll pay you back. she pleaded for the fourth time.

Bet’r. I growled back. I was disgusted that I thought that Jen could keep my things secret in her house when her mother always snoops around like a detective trying to solve a crime. Thanks to Jennifer, and her parents, for making me waste 75 bucks. Now it was making fish have their own whacked hallucinations.

I turned into the parking lot of school. There weren’t really that many kids, maybe about 600 in the whole building, so there was definitely parking spots to choose from each morning.

Getting out with my bag flipped over my shoulder there was Aaron Hysman standing right in front of me, almost breathing my air. Products glazed over his hair that made him look like he was trying to hard. He and I had a short thing at a party once. Sure, I took his virginity with the help of him being drunk and me being baked, but he took it more than just a one night stand. The word ‘dating’ sometimes came into awkward conversations between us and for some reason Aaron didn’t catch on what the word ‘no’ meant. He was just there when my needs needed to be met. Even though he didn’t fulfill it with such satisfaction.

Hey, Cassie. How’s it going? his voice almost nasally. Smiling like a Prozac druggie he bounced on his heels. Caring for him was on the bottom of my list.

Hey Aaron. I crept away to the front entrance. Nothing much going on here. What about you? We headed up to the main entrance. Jen was right next to me, grinning huge. I knew she liked him. But I was never going to say anything about it. I really tried to make sure that Aaron looked her way. People looking at me for a long period of time wasn’t something I called enjoyable.

Well, nothing really. You glad that it’s finally the last day of school? I am. He blabbered on like a nervous wreck. Aaron hesitated for a moment. Hey, I was just wondering, do you maybe wanna-

The bell rang.

Aaron looked up at the school wondering why on earth the bell would ring at such a bad time for him. I on the other hand was overly glad.

Aaron, listen I’ve got to go. How about we talk later, okay?

His tone was dour. Oh, yeah, um, sure.

A sigh of relief let go under my breath. I loved the guy for his determination, but once he talked constantly about the most obscene topics, it gets a little irritating. I shook my head at the question that I knew he was going to ask.

He is so hot! Jen squealed with her head pulled back and fists to her chest. She jumped a little, grabbing onto my arm to make sure I was paying attention. It was hard to ignore when her too-long fingers nails dug into my skin.

Yeah, dreamy alright. I unhinged her claws from my arm, checking for marks.

Walking to my locker. Jen waved bye as she went to Geometry. Stocked for war, I went over to Mr. Gibb’s.

The last few weeks of school every teenager from the grades of 9th to 12th have to cram everything that was taught to them from the starting of the year to the end. It made everyone cringe, the fear of failure scaring them shitless.

The first three classes went by fast and all of a sudden it was chow time. It was the last time I had to walk through those doors and see those teachers before summer started. I had three months of carelessness to look forward to. But I had to get through three more hours of torturous essays and scan-tron sheets.

Thank got third period ended when it did. Mrs. Johnston gave us a few hints on what to do and what not to do during the summer. As we all accelerated into the hallway she hollered, Ask yourself, what would Mrs. Johnston do? A condom held up in one hand and a breathalyzer in the other. How she got the breathalyzer was beyond me.

Heading for the lunch room there was Jen over by the snack machines. This meant that she forgot her lunch. She was going to eat something gross and immoral for 45 minutes. I went on over to our original table and sat down with my brown bag. The table seemed particularly empty. A minute later Jen sat across from me. I had planned for her misfortune as she thanked me with a huge smile for my extra sandwich.

Um, where is the rest of the group? I unwrapped my peanut butter and jelly. The four empty spots were unenjoyable.

Sal had already done all of his exams, which are only mornings. Remember that he has college classes after school? Jennifer mentioned as she took the cap off of her water.

Sal was a roundish guy with heavy pepper-colored hair with the biggest fixation over Pokemon. Any topic that he talked about was usually about Charmander or how epic it would be to have Professor Oak as a father. If anyone ever went to his house they would see everything from pillows to figurines to posters all of Pokemon.

Maddie?

Maddie was the one of the group that constantly drew pictures of us in cartoon form. I swear that girl is going to make her own comic or cartoon show of us with all of the drawings that she has done over the years. Disney seemed to be in her future. She always had her blonde hair in two Rapunzel long pig tails. I don’t think I have ever seen her without those things dangling by her ears.

Her mom took her to Hawaii early for the summer. She is apparently taking her exams after she gets back.

Harold?

Harold was our care free ginger that could grow a full beard in less than a week. We started to call him Harry during Sophomore year when he finally started to go through puberty and couldn’t stop growing hair under his chin. The name kind of stuck. He finally caught on after a month.

He had a dentist appointment after lunch. But he left early on account of having his car back from the shop. He said he wanted to feel the wind through his hair again? I don’t know.

Which hair? The set on his head or his chin? I joked.

Jen laughed. Smushed up bread in her mouth was visible.

And Dwayne?

Dwayne had been mine and Jennifer’s friend way before we discovered guys. And yeah, he’s gay. Our black and purple loving gay friend. He’s the best though. If any of us had any girl problems, we went to him. He also makes the best home-made cinnamon rolls. Every Saturday of our Freshman year we would go over to his house to have some freshly made. His mom of course didn’t mind. She loved having him as a daughter.

Oh, well, he had some type of break down before second hour. He said he had to leave immediately.

Shit. We have last hour together. Who’s going to help me get the answers for the Physics exam?

Jennifer decided to change the subject. So, what’s up with you and Aaron?

Looking up from my pear I gave her a displeased look. Nothing is going on between me and him. I don’t even like the dude. Besides, I know you have a thing for him, and don’t you dare deny it.

Okay, I do. So what? He likes you, not me. Remember?

Well maybe I can get a word in for you. He talks to me all of the time during fourth and sixth period. I use to like Government and Physics, but not anymore. All he does is gab about his drama scholarship he is going to get next year.

Well, at least he knows what he wants to do in his future career. Jen replied with one of her eyebrows up, rubbing it in my face.

Whatever. Not everyone knows what they want to do. I stuffed a carrot into my mouth.

Cas, you have never known what you wanted to do. You could work on cars since you are always working on that dang thing of your dad’s. I mean, anytime you are free you are in your garage.

I gave Jen a smug look.

You could work at the hardware store all of your life. Jen offered, being a smartass.

Ever since I was little my dad and I always worked on his 1957 club convertible that was his dad’s. It stopped working for a few years before I was born and once my grandfather died he gave it to my dad. We always worked on it on weekends. Well, we tried to. He always had to work, but he did stop and give time to my mom and I. Ever since my dad passed away I keep working on what we left off, even though we didn’t get anywhere.

After lunch the last three classes of the day went by as quickly as the morning ones. I never had a chance to talk to Aaron about Jennifer, but on second thought I was kind of happy because I never really liked talking to him. So arrogant with his dumb over acting, over dramatic, fake crying talent.

After the last bell had rung I got my stuff and went out to my car. A purple beany found its place on my head. It was 85 degrees in the summer, but no matter what the weather was my head was cold. I knew that Jennifer had gym last period so I waited for her on the hood of my car. She took the longest showers.

Writing was sort of a pass time of mine. Anything that sparked my attention. Mostly comments and descriptions of people’s laughs and snooty smirks. There was hardly any room in my notebook for anything new. The stop sign that day had graffiti written on it said PISS OFF. I had the desire to write out the irony.

Someone’s throat was cleared with a fake cough. Aaron stood cheeky in front of me.

Heeeyyy Aaron… I said cautiously, shading my eyes from the sun behind him. He looked as if he was glowing, making me laugh a little.

Aaron started to fumbled his feet around. Hey, um, so you know it’s summer and I was just wondering if you had anything planned coming soon and maybe we could do- Aaron started to say with his fingers gnawing at his hair and eyes looking down at the ground.

Yeah, um, I’m going to be away for the summer. I interrupted.

He looked up in surprise. Oh. Really?

Yeah…

Where are you going?

I had to think of a lie, and quick. I’m going… to my cousin’s. She lives a few hours away from here. Going to be gone the whole summer, so…

Oh.

But hey, I know that Jen would really enjoy hanging out with you. She really likes you, you know?

Really? She does? All of a sudden his frowned lips perked up. It was amazing how a guy could flash from one girl to the next. I guess he wasn’t into me that much. Obviously, someone really wanted to get laid.

Right on cue Jennifer was coming towards us. My head nodded toward her.

As I slipped into my car, Aaron went up to Jen. There was a big smile and a nod from both of them. Aaron nodded a good-bye before Jen ran to the car in excitement, pretty much skipping.

So, what was that all about? I asked like I didn’t know what was going on.

Aaron Hysmen asked me out! Jen was so thrilled that she couldn’t put on her seatbelt.

See, told you nothing was between him and me.

She was jumpy and giddy the whole ride home. Thank God it was a short drive. I knew she liked him, but I didn’t know that she liked him that much. Jen jammed to some perky pop music the whole way home that was too high for her to sing.

I turned onto the street that went to my house and headed into my drive. I parked the car as we both got out and went into the house. Our backpacks plopped on the couch. She headed straight to the fridge. Opening up the front door again I went to the mailbox.

Opening the steel door there was something blocking the way. It was a small package about the size of a 700 page book. It had brown wrapping on it and a thin, white string tied around like a Christmas gift. But there was no return address. In shiny silver pen it read ‘Greenen’. I got the rest of the mail out and looked at the package in wondering thoughts heading for the front door.

Jen lazed on the couch with an apple in her mouth, flipping through the channels. She finally picked a station where a girl was dressed up as a rock star, keeping her regular life private, and sang like she had a moose lodged in her throat. With fake southern accents and glitter, it was the most miserable cheesy thing I had ever seen. Jen was glued to the screen.

What the fuck are you watching?

What? she whined.

What is that piece of crap doing on my TV?

But her brother on here is so… hot! Jen squealed.

Aw, dude, gross. I grabbed the remote, shutting the thing off. You know he’s over the age of 30, right?

Jen saw the box, asking me what it was as I sat next to her.

Hmmm, I don’t know, a dragon?

Jen gave me a nudge, wanting to see what was inside. I looked under the package and all around but there was still no return address. I started to tear the wrapping.

What are you doing?! Jen’s voice sounded as if I was going to strike her mom with a knife, making me jump.

What?!

What if it’s not yours?

Hey, it says Greenen. That’s my last name too, you know. I traced a finger under the word on the box.

She was defeated as I started to tug at the string, agreeing that I was right. The brown grocery bag wrapping folded away to reveal a note and a white wooden jewelry box underneath. Jen made an ooh sound in wondering on who it was from and if there was anything in it. She grabbed the box from me while I read the note.

Dear Greenen Family,

Miss Petunia Lynn Greenen has just recently passed away. In her will, she has left you a wondrous gift for her great, great nephew, Jonathan George Greenen. It was her prized possession. Since Jonathan is the last of her great, great nieces and nephews, Jonathan is presented with her Grand Mansion in Crescent Falls.

Miss Petunia has also presented another gift. And I am sure that you have already seen it. This jewelry box is presented to Miss Cassandra Evelyn Greenen. She hopes that you like and enjoy the gift. Miss Petunia would like you to keep whatever is inside. Cherish it and keep it safe.

Sincerely,

Bradley

I read over the letter again, just making sure that this was true. Wrapped in between the note was the deed to the house.

Next to me Jen began shaking the box. It must have been locked because of how hard she was banging her fist on the lock.

Dude, stop! I halted her hand and looked all around for a key. In the corner of my eye, I saw a shine. The key lay on the floor.

With a silver coating that had a particular twine shape at the top it was beautiful, old fashioned and delicate. I grabbed the box out of Jen’s hands, looking at its graceful craftsmanship for a moment. It was painted a cloud white, feeling polished and smooth while having a pregnant top and dizzying carvings on the sides.

There was a click once the key was put in the lock. Slowly, the top lifted up, letting a sweet melody flood out. Inside of the box was a mirror under the lid, like one of those old jewelry boxes that some little girl would get and had a ballerina at the top, spinning to the tune that came with the square. But in this box it did not have a ballerina. But there was something inside.

A clock.

I picked it up, noticing it was a pocket watch. With it’s golden gleamed calligraphic swirls coated around the top. Snapping open the locket, out ticked the clock with small hands beating like a heart. The watch hung on a golden chain.

Wow, Cas. Who is it from? Jen belted out.

It’s apparently from my great Aunt Petunia. I handed Jen the note. Correction, my great, great Aunt Petunia.

You have an Aunt Petunia? she asked, reading the note. And a Mansion?! Whoa, Cas, this is unfuckling believable! Well, about the house, not your aunt dying.

Yeah, I answered while I fiddled with the watch. I didn’t really know her. I didn’t even know that I had a great, great Aunt Petunia. If she was my great, great then she must have been around a hundred years old or something.

Mom walked into the house as the door opened. She looked tired after a full day of ordering people around and asking them loads of questions in the court room.

Hi girls. High heels flipped off her feet.

Hey Mom.

Hi Andrea. Jen greeted.

So, what are you ladies up to? Mom asked while she sat in the chair across from us.

Look Andrea what you and Cassie got. From a Petunia Greenen. Jen said to my mom.

Mom looked puzzled on to what Jen was saying while she handed her the letter. Mom read, her eyebrows pushed together. A mansion? What? Are you sure? Her face lit up, surprised. I handed her the deed. All the way in Crescent Falls, huh? Well. Maybe we could check it out on a weekend or something. Mom went on and finished reading the note. A jewelry box? What is in it that is so special?

The watch was tossed over.

Wow. How beautiful, Cas. She fiddled with it between her fingers. Mom went over to the kitchen with the deed and grabbed some water. She looked in the fridge while Jen and I talked about the mansion.

How would you girls like to have Chinese take-out for dinner? Mom asked while taking a sip of water. Apparently she couldn’t find anything in the fridge or didn’t want to cook. I would have cooked, but Chinese sounded good. And I was just as bad as a cook as she was. Except I could make eggs. But not one wanted breakfast as this time.

"Jennifer, dinner? I asked.

She nodded while Mom grabbed the phone and dialed the number for Wong’s Chinese Palace.

After I dropped Jen off at her place after dinner, I went on up to my room. Mom was already in her room by 8:00 to do some business in front of her computer. She was always like that at night, every night, ever since Dad died. I hated seeing my mom like this. Always hiding her emotions in her work. She had never worked this much before.

Her door was ajar as her typing swam into the hallway. I sighed, thinking that things have never been the same and never will be. The computer screen’s light shined on her concentrating face.

I went into my room and fell onto my bed. But then I had forgotten the jewelry box down stairs.

I went back down to the living room and then ran back up with the box, straight to my room. There was so much stuff cluttering together on my dresser. Taking my arm I swiped the stuff onto the floor. There was my brush, papers, and loads of other random junk I didn’t even know why I had them and purposely thought that some should just be thrown away. But I didn’t care at the moment. I just let the stuff lay on the ground.

I placed the box right in the middle of the dresser and traced the carvings that were on the side with my finger. The wood was smooth, like it had been glazed. Was it my aunt’s? How old was it? There was just something, I don’t know, distinguishing about the box.

I took out the watch and put it into the box. It seemed to belong there. The box was kept open, listening to the melody that was being played.

It reminded me of a girl dancing under the moonlight and not giving a care about anything. Her hair swooshing in the air as she twirled and her feet going left and right in a pattern of dance. Her dress following the movement of her body.

I laid on my bed and just stared at the ceiling, enjoying my peace and calm place, thinking of the girl dancing to the music.

2. Dragged Into

Waking up that morning was restorative.

Looking at myself in the mirror my mom’s smile was glistening and my dad’s hair flew as the knots shook out.

The shower made me warm up right away after feeling cold of thinking of that horrible nightmare. The dream that I had last night was nothing. All blackness. Everything gone, cold, and distant. A fear of something for no reason.

Going over to my dresser I opened the jewelry box. I had taken the key last night and put a chain through it. The melody came out in a sweet and soothing tumble. Tucking the watch in my pocket I grabbed my shoes, heading downstairs.

When I got into the kitchen Mom was sitting at the table, looking at the newspaper. She never read the newspaper

Hey, Mom. I said cautiously. What you doing?

She wiped the tears that were forming in the corner of her eyes that were not noticed before. A sniff shot up her nose. Oh. Nothing Cas. Just reading the paper.

Well, then why are you crying? I took a seat across from her.

Oh, nothing. Just allergies. I’m not crying. Allergies, that’s all.

Heading into the fridge I took a bunch of grapes from a bowl. Alright…

I shook off what Mom really was crying about. She didn’t have allergies. She wasn’t allergic to anything that I knew of. I started to head for the stairs when she started to say something.

Cassie?

Yeah, Mom?

A small smile came across her face. How would you like to go somewhere for your summer vacation this year?

I peered back around to the kitchen. A vacation? Where?

Over to the Mansion. We could stay there for a few weeks or so, and go a little early. I know your planning on doing stuff with your friends, but I’m sure they won’t mind missing you for a few weeks. I mean, I bet they will be fine if you were only gone for a little bit. Nothing you won’t miss, I’m sure.

Sounds awesome. But what about work? I’ve got a job too, remember?

Oh, don’t worry. I’ll call your boss and tell him everything. I’m sure Mr. Simmons won’t mind you being gone for a short time. They’ve got more than one person for staff, right?

Alright, sounds fine to me. Having not to work for a couple of weeks sounded lazily brilliant.

Great. How about we get ready to leave today? Around noon?

Sure.

Mom got up from the table. It was odd that she was still in her pajamas. Even in her fuzzy blue slippers. She went on up to her bathroom while I went over to the living room to call Jen. But before, I went on over to the newspaper that she was reading.

The newspaper looked old, a little dated maybe? It wasn’t the date of today, but the date that my dad had his funeral. Mom was looking at the newspaper that said how Jonathan Greenen died during a car crash. The date faded as it crumpled in my hands, getting thrown in the trash. I grabbed the phone and dialed Jen’s number.

Back in my room I got my duffel bag out of the closet. First I couldn’t find it, with all of the clothes piled up. That was how I cleaned my room—put all of my junk into the closet.

I grabbed the bag, putting clothes and all of my bathroom junk in.

Crescent Falls didn’t sound like a terrible place. It made me the place was going to be cold and damp. Maybe because of the shape of a crescent was related to the moon.

All of a sudden it was already noon and I was ready to go. Mom was getting her stuff finished for work on the phone. She told them that she was going to leave for a short vacation. I didn’t know what else she said, but probably saying that we need a break because of the crazy court hearings she was getting. I bet that was not the only reason why she wants to get away from this town. Now that we have a place to go, Mom took the chance and went on ahead with it.

We loaded our bags into the Mercedes and headed off to Crescent Falls. I put my Ipod buds