The Awakening

I didn't want to go back there. I hated the place. Nothing good happened in Creek Ville, especially for me. I wish I hadn't picked up the phone. I don't know how Jaxon found my number but that was the least of my problems right now. Lena Del Rey, my mother, was dead. Had I heard him correctly? She died! My heart raced, sweat ran down my face, my hands trembled, my vision blurred. I haven't felt like this in years. I almost forgot what it was like. My panic attack subsided after what seemed like hours but was really only a couple of minutes. I heard a muffled sound and realized I had dropped the phone. Jaxon was still on the other end of the call. 

Jaxon was from my hometown, Creek Villa. He was the cutest boy in school and he lived next door to me. He was tall and muscular with a head of lush brown hair and the greenest eyes I ever saw. His perfect mouth always pulled into a smile whenever I passed him in the hallway. He was always nice to me. I think he felt sorry for me because I had no friends. I ate lunch in the library. My only friends were characters in the books I read. 

Reminiscing made me sad and jerked me back to reality. I sat across from Dr Charlton as I did every Wednesday for the past five years, but nothing was similar about today and my previous sessions. I had just finished recounting the proceedings of my day and she looked worried. We were making progress with dealing with my past and I could see that the events of my day troubled her. I knew because they troubled me too. I didn't want to take ten steps back after only taking two forward, and that's exactly what it felt like I was doing by choosing to go back to Creek Ville. I didn't have much of a choice. I am an only child. 

All I ever wanted in life was to have a family. A mother and father who loved me, maybe a sibling or two and a dog. Was that too much to ask for? Thinking about it now just cemented how far- fetched it was. That just wasn't in the cards for me and I just had to accept that, as depressing and heart-wrenching as it was.

I bought a bus ticket to Creek Ville after I left Dr Charlton's office. It was scheduled to leave at seven the next morning. Dr Charlton suggested that I not go back there but something kept telling me I had to. I followed my gut. I was at the station at six- thirty. Not many passengers were there but that was expected. Creek Ville only had a population of about six hundred people and didn't get much visitors. 

People started boarding the bus at a quarter to seven. The bus driver collected our tickets as we boarded. He was an old scruffy white guy who looked like he drank one too many beers by the looks of his belly which hung over his belt and rested on his thigh. I gave him a weak smile, he nodded and grunted at me and took my ticket. I hurried to the rear of the bus, slightly frightened. I clutched my backpack in front of me as I sat. I was travelling very light. I only brought two changes of clothes, four underwear, a toothbrush and some cash. I didn't plan on being there for more than two days. I also took a book that I had to do a critique on for my novella course, this trip wasn't a  vacation so I had to get some school work done. This was my last semester and nothing, not even my mother's death was going to stand in the way of accomplishing that. I started daydreaming about how my graduation day would play out.

I was dragged back to reality when I felt the bus move off. My breath caught in my throat as I realized that I was really doing this. I did my breathing exercise to calm myself down. There was no going back now. I gazed out the window as we pulled out of the station and started our six-hour journey. 

I must've fallen asleep for a long time because when I woke up we were in Jackson Town which was one town over from Creek Ville. I checked my watch. It was already twelve fifteen. We were right on schedule. I attempted to read my book for the rest of the journey. A few minutes later, the bus came to an abrupt stop, causing me to lose my balance and hit my face into the seat in front of me. I stood up to see what the reason for such a stop was while the other passengers complained loudly. The driver announced that the road was closed for construction and we had to detour. I screamed no! 

Everyone on the bus stared in dismay. I was surprised by my outburst but I knew exactly why I did it. The detour would take us over the Creek Ville Bridge. The most dreaded place in Creek Ville. There were so many stories, and I believed every one. People were said to have disappeared in the fog that hung over the bridge. The persons who told these stories were labelled as eccentric or called crazy. I sat down for fear of being categorized with them.

I sat quietly as the bus driver made his way toward the bridge. Fear swelled in my stomach as we got closer. I was sweating profusely but not from heat, my hands were cold and clammy and my breathing was out of control. My breathing techniques didn't work and I began feeling sick. I feared that something terrible awaited us on that bridge. Something worse than death itself. I started praying. I don't know to whom or what, but I prayed. 

Soon the bridge became visible. I could now see the entrance. It was a covered timber-truss bridge and it had been many years since the last time I saw it. Its wooden structure looked like an old barn, painted red. It exuded a certain eeriness. The bridge was about fifty metres long and it creaked as the bus entered. Darkness engulfed us.

 The air became stiff and acrid and a mist filled the bus from every angle. There was no sound now and I felt as if I wasn't in my body anymore. I neither saw, felt nor smelled anything. What was happening to me? I was terrified and I screamed. Nothing. Something cold and wet touched me and I tossed and turned but I saw nothing. The coldness became warm and I heard a voice, it sounded distant. My senses slowly came back, all but my sight. 

A warm hand rubbed my arm and whispered my name. I opened my eyes and waited for them to adjust to the light. Where was I? Who were all these people? 

Author's Note

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