Chapter 1:
My life was hurt badly. I had scars. These scars were not visible. It was as if I was under a contract that didn鈥檛 allow me to live life the way I wanted.
Sunday Afternoon I sat on the only rock, spilling my only deepest memories. Some of those memories were from when I was 5. That was my darkest year and I wanted to block that out my mind for years to come. Others were from when I went to the funeral. In my whole life I never felt the way I did, until I came to the rock at the Salty Brine Beach.
The rock I always came to was surrounded by, what seemed like, millions of rocks. Salty Brine Beach, located at the end of the town of Grobuckle, was often quiet. A few people often came, hauling there big bags full of beach toys and chairs. This one rock seemed to know me, because every time I approached it, it shined. As I looked up, the sun shone clearly on the rock. This rock was the only thing I knew of, where I could go and spill through thoughts, memories, and dreams.
The sun reflected off of the sapphire water, making the water more beautiful than ever.
The sea, in Galilee, the next town over from Grobuckle, was a destination for all fishermen. I looked out into the sea and saw the fishing boats in the distance. Every now and then a big fishing would ride by with commercial fishermen boasting about all the fish they had caught.
As I walked down the dark, desolate streets of Grobuckle, It was suddenly not sunny anymore. The sun hid itself behind the grayest of clouds. I suspected it was due to rain any second.
I trotted to my house and greeted my grandma likes usual. My grandma has been my caretaker since I was 5; that鈥檚 when my mother and father passed away in a hurricane over in Cancun. Now it鈥檚 just me and my grandma and 50 dollars a week. We get by, but sometimes it鈥檚 tough. Some weeks we don鈥檛 have enough food. Other weeks we do. I cry. It hurts me when mother鈥檚 day and father鈥檚 day come around. In school we have to make cards for father鈥檚 day and mother鈥檚 day.
鈥淢y father and mother pass some years ago,鈥?I鈥檇 tell them.
I and my grandma talked over some cookies and hot brewed tea. She was a blast to be around. All the glorious stories she told me about growing up in this town of Grobuckle were amazing. Her childhood was spent mostly by taking long walks on the beach and taking adventures in Andromeda, the neighboring town, 9 miles from Grobuckle. I sat and listened in awe as her stories contorted my mind in to thinking I could do anything.
鈥淓lijah, not so fast,鈥?she said while I plowed through those chocolate chip cookies, 鈥測ou want to get a pain right in your tum, tum?鈥?She said while laughing one of her famous, rich laughs. Then she took the cookies away from me and saying that dinner was almost ready.
Monday morning crept in on me so fast that I looked in the mirror and said, 鈥淲ow!鈥?I got ready for school that day and walked like a turtle to the bus stop, where my best friend Bryan and Alec were standing. Just then I remembered I forgot to eat breakfast.
鈥淗i guys,鈥?I said while yawning. Boy was I tired. I hadn鈥檛 gone to bed since midnight the previous night. So that had something to do with it, plus I didn鈥檛 eat breakfast.
鈥淓lijah, why so tired? Did you forget about the big test in Science?鈥?Bryan said to me. I had forgotten completely about the test and was dreading the day ahead.
鈥淏ryan,鈥?Alec said while swinging on the stop sign, 鈥淚鈥檓 going to ask Alicia out today.鈥?I and Bryan steered at him wondering what brought this on. I, on the other hand, had other things on my mind, so I didn鈥檛 say anything and the subject were dropped.
At school that day, some of the kids made fun of me. They said that I was a **** face and was messed up because I didn鈥檛 have a father figure to teach me from right or wrong.
The rest of the day I paid no attention to anything. My life drastically changed when I was 5 and nothing鈥檚 been the same ever since. The teachers blabbed on about the same old, same old. They sounded like the parents from Charlie Brown.
I walked home slowly that day. My mind affected the way I lived life. I caught myself smelling roses and thinking about life in a different way. Before, life was just something I took for granted, but now more Than ever I took life to be something I cherished.
At home I sat down with my grandma who knew something was up.
鈥淓lijah, I鈥檝e noticed you鈥檙e not yourself lately. Is there something you want to tell me?鈥?She said trying as best she could to comfort me. I stared at her, choking my way to words I was trying to say.
鈥淵ou know鈥? I miss鈥?I miss mama.鈥?Grandma looked at me as my mom did the time my goldfish Goldie died. Grandma stood by me comforting me.
鈥淓lijah, I know it must be hard on you. I felt the same way when grandpa died in that fatal fire at the oil refinery. I鈥檇 just think of all the good times and try to relieve them in my mind. Tell you what, let鈥檚 make some brownies. I鈥檒l let you lick the spoon.鈥?Suddenly I smiled. It was the first smile since the time I learned to ride my bike. I guess I smiled because of the way she used her words, so delicate and fine, and so full of life. And not one word lost its meaning while she said them.
The rest of the day was spent making brownies. I even licked the spoon. The brownie making was so fun. It got my mind away from the day and into having fun for once. After the death of my parents, I felt so helpless. The memories controlled me like a robot. I was the one who was going to have to be strong.
My grandmother stroked my hair and leaned over to kiss the top of my head. 鈥淵our hair is like your grandpa鈥檚 when he was young, the color of ripe chestnuts in autumn.鈥?She then smiled one of her famous smiles that warmed up your insides and gave me a huge hug.
On Saturday I repressed all my thoughts till today. The rock that I every so often sat on spilling out my thoughts was placed at Potters beach in Galilee. Nothing really bothered me or, for that matter, disturbed me as I sat on that rock. It comforted me on those Saturdays and Sundays I needed to be alone. Sometimes I鈥檇 stay there for half the day and come home as red as a lobster. Grandma would comfort me and pour milk in the tub. She鈥檇 said that the milk would help soothe the skin. It was expensive and a waste of 10 gallons of milk and I did need to put on sunscreen every hour.
Once I returned to my house, grandma stood by the door, ready to tell me something.
鈥淓lijah, your friend Bryan called, he asked if you wanted to go to the movies next Saturday
Evening,鈥?She then motioned me inside; I nodded and then called Bryan to set up the movie night.
As usual on most Saturdays, I stayed up late watching television. Nothing good was on as usual, so I just sat in bed thinking. I always thought. It gave me a chance to get my thoughts straight and my mind well organized. Grandma always said that an organized mind is a happy mind. She did always say poetic stuff that she got from her calendar. I knew in fact that she was a mighty good grandma full of love and care. I pulled the comforter over me and closed my eyes slowly. Tomorrow was a new day and in my life, it was chore day. It was the most boring day of the week besides Monday. No offense, but I'd really appreciate if you stopped posting this.. Join a writer's group or something, because posting here could make plagirism.. it doesnt really capture my attention:( |
