Chapter One

I sat in the passenger side of my mother's all black Hyundai Sonata, listening to the rain hit the roof of the car.

“Sorry Honey, I had to grab my wallet.” My mother apologized as she climbed into the driver side and strapped in her seat belt.

“If you are going to the store for just boxes, why do I have to go too?” I complained as I leaned my head against the chilling window.

It was not yet cold outside. With it only being September and still warm out, we knew the air conditioner was still necessary, which left the car feeling like winter.

"Well, I may need your help carrying some supplies Aniyah. Besides, I like the company." She offered me a smile.

As we drove through the Philadelphia streets, I could not help but stare at the scenery I had become so familiar with. It was strange. It was disappointing knowing that this may be the last time I would see it all.

We were moving. As my mother would say, we were offered ‘better opportunities’ in another city.

My mother was recently offered a promotion; which included increased pay, better benefits, and a new advancing job title. It was a promotion that required us to pack our things and move closer to the south.

I just could not refuse she says.

We finally pulled in to the parking lot of our local shopping center and I was overjoyed to hop out the vehicle. I couldn't stand listening to my mom’s attempts to lip sing the old school music in the car.

Enter through the front doors; I could see how crowded the department store was. Of course.

“Excuse me?” I found an employee who was standing by. “Can you tell what isle the boxes and moving supplies are in?”

“Sure honey, aisle six.” She gestured toward the other end of the department store.

“Thanks.” I motioned to my mother the aisle when she had finally made it into the store.

We made it the aisle. With my mother distracted, I began to pick up the things she thought we needed. Boxes, bubble wrap, tape, and labels. All the supplies we needed so we can get out of the store quickly.

“Mom? Mom? No, it’s time to leave. We got to finish packing remember?” I pulled her from her daze.

"Oh yeah, let’s go." she said, motioning me toward the checkout lane.

As we approached the register, we were greeted by awkward smile and wide eyes.

"How are you two beautiful twins doing this evening?" He toyed.

I found the comment to be tasteless however my mother seemed flattered.

Twins?

It was a common statement we have heard so many times from men who wanted nothing more than to bubble up my mother hoping to create a conversation.

Now don’t get me wrong, my mother was absolutely stunning and her age definitely did not defy her beauty. She was in her early fifties but it seemed as though time stopped aging her around her late thirties.

She was about 5’7 in height with a curvaceous figure that always seemed to catch the eye of others no matter what she wore. She had her hair cut into a bob; the perfect style that helped shape her perfect brown complexioned face and brought out the color brown in her eyes.

It was difficult to admit however I was almost the splitting image of her. I was only seventeen however I could pass for a twenty year old at the most. We resembled in height however my figure was nothing compared to hers. My hair was curly and thick, unmanageable at times which I opted to leave tied up most times. We could compare the shape of our eyes however the color of mines was given to me by my father. Mines were hazel and the complexion of my skin was fairly lighter on account of my father’s milky tone.

To me, we were different. To others, we resembled one another a lot more than I thought…

After we had finished, we returned home to finish what her and I had already begun. Packing.

“Mom, I’m going to see Jess for minute.” I informed her.

“For?” My mother questioned me as she flipped open the trunk of the car.

“You know, go out and beat up people. We might even sell some drugs. The usual.” I teased.

Her eyebrow curved up as she stared at me with a frown. I could tell my sarcasm was something she did not find to be funny.

“Whatever.” She flagged me. “Just make it fast so we can finish this.”

“Okay, okay.” I promised as I made my way on to Jess’s porch.

“Tell her mother I said hey.”

“Got it.”

Before I could knock, the door swung open.

“Niyah.” She rushed into me, wrapping her arms around my torso before she forced me closer.

"Um yea?" Suddenly, I was confused.

"I thought you moved already. I was going to slap the hell out of you for not saying bye to me." Jess threatened with a wagging finger.

"Now why would I do that, you're my friend." I said as I nudged her.

Jess and I began our friendship in Elementary school. We were two girls who were quiet yet fearless and I guess we saw that in one another.

Even as we got older, our bond remand unbroken. Even when we saw other friends come and go, our tie remand the same. We were more than best friends. We were family.

"What are you doing now?" I questioned.

"Nothing really, watching some TV." She said as she tossed the remote from one hand to the other.

"Cool, then your lazy ass can come help me pack some of this stuff."

"NOOOOO!!" She playfully squealed; pulling away as I ripped her from her doorway and other to my house…

Morning had come.

A new day that not only brought on change, but a little uncertainty as well.

I rolled over in bed; my eyes shut tightly as I listened to my mother bang against my bedroom door.

“Niyah, wake up. It’s almost time to hit the road.” She rushed.

“Okay, okay, I’m up.” I lied.

This is happening.

I was leaving. I was leaving behind the schools I had walked the halls. I was leaving the malls and recreational centers that I had played and hung out in. I was leaving the big city area. I was leaving behind a second family that I had known almost all of my life.

“Get up.” I heard my mother yelled again as she made her way down the stairs. “You can sleep in the car.”

“Okay.”

I stood up; exhaustion and nervous jitters roamed through me as I kicked at the squeaky toy that was settled in the middle of my floor.

I opened my bedroom door.

"DREA!!" I yelled down the hall.

Her collar rattled. Her paws danced across the hard wood flooring before she roamed into my bedroom.

"Get your toy!!" I ordered; gesturing toward the mangled toy that was left in my room.

She grabbed it. Tossing it around, she left my room and trotted down the stairs.

She dog drove me insane with her toys. However I would miss them if they were not around.

I love her.

She was the pretties black lab with smooth fur and round eyes that would beg you for the food right off your plate. She was given to us by my father years ago before he passed away and I always felt as though she was last piece I had of him.

“I will be in the car.” I heard my mom yell to me from the first floor…

I slipped on something simple. Leggings, a pair of old converses, and a Marvel tee shirt. Unwilling to tamper with my hair, I forced it up into a messy bun before I picked up the last of my last things and ran downstairs.

The house was empty.

Besides the little bit of things we opted not to take, this was now an empty home. An empty home my mother, my father, my brother and I once lived many years ago in together.

My mother in a rush to beat traffic, honked at her car horn to rush me.

Leaving behind a piece of me, I closed the door to my childhood home before I got into the car to head toward a new place…

**

I felt the car begin to slow. I felt the motion of the car stop and the ignition cut off. I heard the car ding when the driver door opened then closed. I stopped hearing the shuffling; my dogs continuous huffing had stopped and now all things were quiet.

Finally, I opened my eyes.

Personally, I dreaded the idea of seeing where we were. I dreaded the idea of seeing the home that would now replace my last. The home I was not familiar with.

“Where the fuck are we?” I looked around.

There was single gas station. A small ran down old stop with a few pumps that looked as if they did not work. For miles, there were endless trees. Trees that made me feel as though we were in the middle of nowhere.

Where was she taking me?

My mom was standing at the rear of the car as she pumped the gas. She was careless that were seemed to be the only ones.

Creepy.

I thought this was how all horror pictures began. A few people in the middle of nowhere surrounded by nothing but thick brush and high trees. Somehow in a world few of people, they were all alone.

Shoving the gas cap closed, she whistled out a quick toot before Drea came running from the back of the small station.

"Good you're awake. We are right outside of town."

"Good, because my butt is starting to get numb." I whined…

***

"Wake up, we are here Niyah." My mother offered me a light nudge.

I failed to notice I had fallen asleep once again.

We passed a few homes. Homes that I did not expect to look so beautiful. Homes I strangely wanted to see a flaw in.

We stopped eased up until we stopped in front a home that held a sign in front of it.

William’s realtor.

It was hard to ignore the big red stamp that read Sold on the front of it or the moving van that was waiting in the driveway. This was our house.

“Not as bad as I thought it would be.” I exited the car.

It was simple family home. A two story brownish colored home with a white door and white boarders that circled around the windows. It had a porch that was large enough to hold furniture and lawn that held the thickest most greenest grass I had ever seen.

I opened the back door of the car to grab my bag. Anxious, Drea leaped out of the car and ran toward the rear of the house.

“No digging Drea!” My mother yelled.

I walked up the walkway and up to the porch before I turned around to check neighborhood. Simple homes. All spaced out to allow some privacy yet close enough to walk to.

"You like it? It’s a nice size for just me and you right?" Reaching into her purse, she scrambled around for her keys.

"It will do." I teased. It was a beautiful house. But could I call it home?

Fidgeting with the new locks and handles, she finally got the door to open.

Walking in, I was quite surprised. The outside was pretty, but the inside was breathtaking. The carpet was a darkish gray color, which matched the wall-to-wall stretched love seats which faced a brick fire place.

"I have to do more decorating." My mother explained. “I tried to have at least something delivered here before we got here.”

She followed me into kitchen.

She seemed to be watching my every move as she offered me detail and reviews on everything I touched or looked at.

Even though she was my mother, it seemed as though she still wanted my approval.

It’s not just me; it’s us she would say.

We did not choose to move.

After I explored the kitchen; its green earthy comfort satisfying me more than I thought, I turned to her.

“Well picked.”

I refused to admit that I sort of loved it.

I slid the doors open and stepped on to the back patio. The patio was small but large enough to put some comfortable furniture unto, which I knew my mom was going to do.

Overlooking the patio was beautiful green grass that led straight into the tallest trees; trees that seemed to have no end.

Strange.

With being brought up in the city, I wasn’t too accustom to wooded areas. Growing up around row homes, highways, subways, and bus stops, the dense tree areas were a few parks.

Now I was introduced to homes that were yards apart. A place that did not have city public transportation or corner stores that you could walk to when you needed a snack.

I had to get used to this.

Drea pranced out of the tree area; her tail wagging anxiously as she seemed to enjoy this place more than any of this.

I ran back into the house, passing my mother as she spoke into the phone.

“Yes, I will see you Monday.” Ignoring her conversation, I made my way to the staircase.

There was one more place I had to check.

The door was open. The poorly packed boxes informed of who room it was. Mine.

Wow.

Larger then I was used to, I was left in bliss. The walls were all white with black and white trim around the boarders. The floor was covered with a black wall-to-wall carpet. My curtains were black with a white pattern from top to bottom. In the center of the room was a queen sized bed with a large white head board. To my left, were two double doors.

I opened them to reveal a large closet.

"Finally." I exhaled in a long breath.

"Niyah? You have to come get your clothes and other crap you left down here."

"Okay."

I don’t know.

Maybe I can get used to this…

****

The weekend had come and gone, I had wondered where my time I had disappeared to. I satisfied most of my Saturday organizing my new room and watching television after the cable and Internet was set up.

By Sunday evening, I was officially bored out of my mind. Television had become a bore.

"What the fuck do we have all these channels for if it isn’t anything to watch?" I whined to myself.

"Dinner is done." My mom called from the kitchen.

"Great.”

I was completely getting tired of junk food and microwavable dishes. A home cook meal was definitely on my mind.

Walking into the new kitchen, I was hit with a blissful smell of my mother's creation. Baked chicken, baked mac and cheese, crescent rolls, and vegetables.

After fixing my plate, I joined my mother at the dining table to sit.

"Soooo you liking the house so far?" She questioned.

"Except for the creepy looking forest in the back, it’s actually cozy." I shifted my eyes away from the darkness that blanketed the woods.

I hope she got some blinds for that sliding door.

"You'll get used to it." She chuckled. "So what are you wearing for school tomorrow?"

"School?" I questioned her word as if it was something foreign.

"Yeah school, you know the place you go to learn." She explained.

"Nooooo, can’t I wait a week? You know, to get myself settled here." I begged even though I knew the answer to my proposal.  

"Nooooo you can’t. If I have to start my new job Monday, you're going to school Monday.”  

Honestly, school had slipped my mind. Maybe because I was now starting my senior year away from people I had grown with. I was starting the most wanted, the most anticipated year in a place I knew nothing about.

"Fine." 

As my mother glanced down at her phone, I continued to shove vegetables off of my plate and on to the floor. Humming loudly as my dog licked up the carrots and peas from the tile flooring..