Never Go Back

Chapter 2

I am shook awake by the bus driver and he says, “Ma’am, we have arrived at Crystal Bay.”

I quickly grab my things and head towards the front of the bus. Before I go to step off the bus, I take a deep breath in. Trying to calm my nerves. I never wanted to come back here. I never wanted to see him or my mother again. I step off the bus and look around. I am one of only five people that rode this bus. I look back and the bus has already taken off to wherever it is headed next. I thought about renting a room from a hotel that is right down the road but decide against it and to save my money I start heading towards my mother’s old house.

It is about a thirty-minute walk. My mother’s house looks sad and forgotten. Over the last five years, the house seems to have lost it is once charming and comforting look. I grew up in this house. It is hard seeing it look like this. I slowly make my way to the front door. I still have my keys to the house. I find them in my bag and unlock the door. I take a step in and I notice that it smells like stale air. I began wondering how long my mother had been sick in the hospital. It had to have been a while for it to smell like this. The house looks dusty confirming my thoughts.

I know I never got along with my mother, but she never even called me to let me know she was sick. Maybe she did not want to bother me or maybe she had never gotten over me leaving town. It is sad knowing that I was not there with my Mother in her last moments but there is nothing I can do now.

I go to my old room and see it has not been changed since before I moved out with Daniel. I go to the hallway closet and find some fresh sheets and change the bed. I go to the adjoining bathroom and take a quick shower. Traveling always makes me feel gross and I know I will not be able to sleep till I have had a shower. I dry myself off with a towel and grab an oversized t-shirt to put on. I finish my business in the bathroom and go to hop in bed. It does not take long for me to fall asleep.

I wake up to the sound of thunder. I get up to look out the window so I could see how bad the storm may be. I see the rain pouring down and I touch the window and it is freezing. The storm has made it feel freezing. I go to grab an extra blanket from the wooden bench at the end of my bed. I grab the fuzziest and warmest blanket I can find and wrap it around myself. I go to look out the window one last time before I lay down again. I see lightning. I have always like lightening. The way it glows and somehow it is natural. It has always intrigued me. I look into the front yard and I see a dark figure standing by the big oak tree. I try to see who it is and if I recognize them. I cannot see their face, so I run down to the living room and try to peak out by the window near the front door. I look all over the yard, but I do not see anybody. I must have dreamed it. I guess I am worrying about things so much that I am starting to see things. Just to be sure I go around making sure that all the windows and doors are locked. I head back to bed and make a mental checklist of what I will have to do tomorrow. I have many things to do and only a week to prepare everything. I take a few deep breaths and settle down and it takes a while, but I eventually fall back asleep.