We Live In The Mountains

Home Sweet Home

They entered the house. The door opened into a room lit with warm orange light. There was a wooden table with two freshly finished plates. Cirrianne's dad and Link, her brother, were both doing the dishes.

"We're home!" Symphony said while she was walking over to give her husband a kiss.

"We missed you guys!" Cirrianne's dad said and looked at Cirrianne.

"Yeah, I totally missed you guys so much!" Link spontaneously shouted.

"I missed you guys too!" Cirrianne replied with a chuckle.

"As did I. I always miss you guys. Every single one of you." Symphony spoke and looked every one of her family members in the eye.

"Cirrianne and I had a long day so we will be dozing off soon," Symphony told her husband.

"Yeah, I'm going to bed. I've got school tomorrow." Cirrianne said walking towards the stairs.

Cirriane walked up the creaky wooden spiral staircase. She went to the bathroom and then brushed her hair and her teeth. She went into her room and checked her school schedule for tomorrow. Biology, History, Math. She had 3 classes tomorrow. She clicked off her tableside lamp and rolled over to sleep.

"Goodnight sister!" Link gave Cirrianne a sloppy kiss.

"Sorry, he wanted to say goodnight." Cirrianne's dad told her and kissed her on the forehead.

"It's okay, tell mom I said goodnight," Cirrianne replied.

"I will love you."

"Love you too, dad," Cirriane replied. She was already half asleep. By the time he closed the door, she was out like a light.

*BLRANNG* BLRANNG*

Cirriane's alarm jolted her awake.

She turned off her alarm and hobbled downstairs where her mom and dad were already making coffee. They all communicated through whispers and pointing because Link, Cirrianne's 3-year-old little brother, was still asleep.

With her coffee in hand, Cirrianne went up the stairs to get ready for school. She picked out some blue jeans and a white t-shirt. She brushed her hair and washed her face before putting her contacts in. She slipped on her boots and then tip-toed downstairs. She grabbed a chocolate chip muffin from the pantry and then went outside to wait for her parents. She sat on the swinging porch chair and looked at the fake sky the mountain government insisted on.

She liked it before the fake sky was implemented. She could look at all of the rocks forming on the top of the mountain. She could see the little rays of light from where someone had dug a hole in the mountain.

She got into the car, her dad was driving her to school. He always did. He'd drop her off on the way to work and then pick her up afterward. She always had an hour or two after school before he came, to hang out with her friends. It was the highlight of her life. She felt like a normal person for those few hours after school. Cirrianne couldn't imagine spending most of her life in the cave. Even if it was the safest place on earth.

Surely, if something was to happen she would be able to get to the cave quickly. Why did they all have to live there? It just didn't make sense.

She had almost arrived at school when she decided it'd probably be better to enjoy being outside this morning, rather than spend her time in her head. Thinking, thinking, thinking. It was all Cirrianne did. Sometimes she'd forget to talk because she was thinking. She looked outside and saw all the neighborhoods and grocery stores and gas stations. She'd been to one of those before.

We'll she'd been in the car at the pump because her dad ran out of gas. But none the less it was exciting. Moments later, she arrived at school.

"Bye dad, have a good day!" Cirrianne waved bye to her dad and smiled. She always made sure her family felt loved and important.

"I love you too sweetheart!" Her dad blew her a kiss and drove off to work.

Cirrianne was a little early so she headed to the cafeteria. She had a blueberry muffin and chocolate milk. She was sitting alone at first but her friend came to sit with her. She was going on and on about some boy when Cirrianne finished her breakfast and got up to go to class. Her friend had the same class so they started to walk towards it together.

"Why don't you ever talk about any boys? I know you're not allowed to date, but come on girl! Nobody's cute to you?" Her friend Sydney asked.

"I'm not allowed to date, so I don't even look. Plus, I've got things to learn, not boys to talk to." Cirrianne giggled.

The bell rang.

"Okay, girl. More for me I guess," Sydney chuckled.

They walked to class together. Sydney was trying to tell Cirrianne about what boys she'd look good with. Even though Cirrianne just said she was here to learn not to look or talk to boys. When they got to class, the girls split up. Cirrianne went and sat in her assigned seat. She pulled her notebook and her pen out and she listened.

She listened with every piece of willpower she had. She wanted to learn. She wanted to teach her people and make a better life. Not just for her family, but for everyone in her city.

Her friend Sydney tried to whisper at her from across the class but Cirrianne wasn't bothered with the normal teenage gossiping. She'd have time for that after school. In school, she had to focus. After all, her parents are going to see her report card. Cirrianne left her first class and went to her second and then her third. She had first lunch so she was waiting for the third-period bell to ring. She was hungry. Plus, the friends she hangs out with after school have the same lunch as her. So she was always excited to go to lunch.