Chapter 1

Samantha returns to her hometown, as was her parents' final wish.

“You were a child who was made of glass.

You carried a heart passed down from your dad.

If somebody loved you, they’d tell you by now.

We all turn away when you’re down.

 

And when you're gone, will they say your name?
And when you're gone, will they love you the same?
Oh, when you're gone, we won't say a word
But you know that's okay.”

-The Hush Sound

            Samantha watched the driving rain patter onto the car’s dirt-streaked windshield, trailing down in streaks. Her heavy and battered leather suitcase took up most of her leg space in the small two-door car.

            Mrs. Wiles would occasionally turn to her and give her a small, encouraging smile, as if to say, ‘Not to worry, little girl. I am sure that everything will be okay.’

            But it wasn’t okay. Nothing was. Samantha had grown to see that smile countless times, and its meaning irritated her. She knew the pain behind it, the uncertainty. Adults were much too easy to read. They always wanted to shield children from the world, take them under their wing. But if the children didn’t know what the world was like, how could they ever function?

            “When are we going to get there?” she asked in her quiet, clear voice. Her eyes were wide as she scanned the passing scenery, which moved by much too slow for her taste. She was filling with more anxiety as each minute passed.

“Only about ten more minutes.” Mrs. Wiles answered patiently. Samantha envied her patience, her easy nonchalance. It was all a façade, after all. Melinda knew people. Life was always the same, no matter where she was or who she was with. There was truth and there were lies. A thin line easily crossed. Why did adults think that lying could be okay?! Were they more special than others, granted with a special lying privilege? And why did they have the right to lie to children. Children were merely young people who knew no better than what they were told. Samantha sighed, and shook her head to clear it. When had her thoughts become so pessimistic? Probably they had always been this way- she just had never paid enough attention to herself.

She instead turned her head out the window, boring her eyes into the barren landscape. Sand dust drifted across the level ground, circling in gusts through the sky. A warning bell rang in Samantha’s mind when a spotted snake eyed her, but they drove right past it. Not a stick of green was in sight across the yellow dunes, not for miles around them. A few seconds later, Samantha spotted jagged rocks sticking out of the ground in spikes, reaching for the dust-filled sky. They approached them slowly, Samantha’s curiosity and interest steadily growing.

“What are those?” she asked.

“Ruins,” Mrs. Wiles answered, keeping her eyes in front of her, “The ruins of Calroanon.”

Samantha’s mouth fell open as she was able to make out battered door frames and what once were foundations of houses. “But…..isn’t that where we’re going?”

“No!” Mrs. Wiles laughed, “Good God, no. These are the Calronian ruins. We’re going to Calroanon, but the rebuilt one, of course! This one was destroyed about fifteen years ago.”

Samantha sighed in relief. She had actually thought she was going to live in those ruins. Nothing would have surprised her at this point.

Mrs. Wiles continued to drive forward, the dust under them slowly becoming a trail. Not exactly a paved road, but a road of rocks and bits of gravel.

“This is a place as old as time,” she said as they drove past a faded sign that seemed to read ‘ Wel ome to Ca ro non.’ “And part of your heritage. I’m glad to see you return to your home.” Mrs. Wiles gave her a wide smile. Samantha pressed her sharp, uncut nails into her palm and attempted to mimic the smile. It came out as more of a grimace.

They drove up right through the entrance of Calroanon. The scratched-up white car screeched to a halt, and Samantha and Mrs. Wiles stepped out.

“Here you are,” Mrs. Wiles said, “Samantha, welcome home.”

Author's Note

I wrote this a while ago. Tell me what you think!