Mary Hull
Young adult
Eyes from Heaven
Chapter
1: Neighbor
1: Neighbor
The
waves crashed against the shore relentlessly. The salt water burned against the
tears glistening on my face as I stood in between mom and dad, their arms
around my shoulders. The sun’s sizzling beams cast shadows over the figures
swarmed on the beach, their faces etched with panic.
waves crashed against the shore relentlessly. The salt water burned against the
tears glistening on my face as I stood in between mom and dad, their arms
around my shoulders. The sun’s sizzling beams cast shadows over the figures
swarmed on the beach, their faces etched with panic.
“Hey,
you guys swim out that way, we’ll go from here!”
you guys swim out that way, we’ll go from here!”
“Ok,
stabilize the head and neck!”
stabilize the head and neck!”
“Quick,
grab the paddles!”
grab the paddles!”
“All right,
we’re all clear, you guys, and you’re clear right?”
we’re all clear, you guys, and you’re clear right?”
“There’s no
pulse! How many minutes have passed?”
pulse! How many minutes have passed?”
“Thirty.”
They
turned off the machine and sat back on their heels, tiny beads of sweat
dripping from the sides of their faces, the realization of failure etched
across their faces, synonymous with the shock in their eyes, as they sat on the
warm sand, rigid, unmoving as the body was being taken away.
turned off the machine and sat back on their heels, tiny beads of sweat
dripping from the sides of their faces, the realization of failure etched
across their faces, synonymous with the shock in their eyes, as they sat on the
warm sand, rigid, unmoving as the body was being taken away.
That
was the last time I saw Ben.
was the last time I saw Ben.
Then he was
gone.
gone.
I must have been standing under the
hot water for a while because my skin felt like rubber. After drying off, I
wore khaki pants and a pink blouse. Mom always made it a point to remind me
that I was too beautiful to ever choose to dress like a tomboy and growing up I
had come to enjoy feeling comfortable in nice clothing.
hot water for a while because my skin felt like rubber. After drying off, I
wore khaki pants and a pink blouse. Mom always made it a point to remind me
that I was too beautiful to ever choose to dress like a tomboy and growing up I
had come to enjoy feeling comfortable in nice clothing.
The small black
box was perched on the dresser. I must have forgotten to put it back, I thought
as my fingers traced the box. I opened it and stared at the mirror image of
myself. The same fair skin, green eyes and honey colored hair. We were standing
in front of our house, now my old house, in Viewbridge. It was the day of the
beach trip. That was the last picture I’d take with Ben. I recalled the
incessant arguing that started shortly after my parents and I came home from
the hospital that night. I felt like an intruder in my own home as I watched my
mom and dad go through the motions of work and home duties as if the other
didn’t exist. Whenever my dad or I would bring up Ben’s name my mom would get
mad and accuse us of not caring about her loss. Mom never talked about Ben
after the funeral. She didn’t take down his pictures from the walls or anything
like that. She woke up every day, cooked breakfast and went to work as if
nothing had happened. She stopped wearing black, which I had heard was done out
of respect, the day after the funeral.
box was perched on the dresser. I must have forgotten to put it back, I thought
as my fingers traced the box. I opened it and stared at the mirror image of
myself. The same fair skin, green eyes and honey colored hair. We were standing
in front of our house, now my old house, in Viewbridge. It was the day of the
beach trip. That was the last picture I’d take with Ben. I recalled the
incessant arguing that started shortly after my parents and I came home from
the hospital that night. I felt like an intruder in my own home as I watched my
mom and dad go through the motions of work and home duties as if the other
didn’t exist. Whenever my dad or I would bring up Ben’s name my mom would get
mad and accuse us of not caring about her loss. Mom never talked about Ben
after the funeral. She didn’t take down his pictures from the walls or anything
like that. She woke up every day, cooked breakfast and went to work as if
nothing had happened. She stopped wearing black, which I had heard was done out
of respect, the day after the funeral.
I went back to
school the week after the funeral. I didn’t want to but my mom stressed the
importance of trying to make life normal again. I couldn’t understand how
anything could be normal again, ever. It was strange being in school without
Ben. Those who had been at the beach that day made it a point to sit by me at
lunchtime for the first few weeks but that didn’t last long. Maybe it was the
fact that most of them were Ben’s friends. The few close friends I had somehow
sensed that my usual quiet nature had turned into a loner state and completely
shut me out.
school the week after the funeral. I didn’t want to but my mom stressed the
importance of trying to make life normal again. I couldn’t understand how
anything could be normal again, ever. It was strange being in school without
Ben. Those who had been at the beach that day made it a point to sit by me at
lunchtime for the first few weeks but that didn’t last long. Maybe it was the
fact that most of them were Ben’s friends. The few close friends I had somehow
sensed that my usual quiet nature had turned into a loner state and completely
shut me out.
My mom
didn’t allow anyone to go into Ben’s room but I made it a point to go in there
once a night when I was sure my mom was asleep. Being careful to leave
everything the way Ben had left it, I’d lie on the floor and close my eyes to
remember the fun things we did. All I saw was that last vision of him
struggling in the water.
didn’t allow anyone to go into Ben’s room but I made it a point to go in there
once a night when I was sure my mom was asleep. Being careful to leave
everything the way Ben had left it, I’d lie on the floor and close my eyes to
remember the fun things we did. All I saw was that last vision of him
struggling in the water.
One month before
I finished tenth grade my dad moved out. He rented a two-bedroom apartment near
the office where he was president of a news firm. The reality of my dad living
somewhere other than our home hit hard the day he left with a u-haul truck. But
when my mom came into my room the night dad left with the announcement that she
and I would be moving to the town of Meadowcreek, the life I’d come to know in
Viewbridge seemed to suddenly vanish. When I told my mom that I wanted to live
with dad I’d hope she would understand my reason to be closer to the memories
of Ben. Mom, on the other hand, warned me that she would be all alone in a new
town and we needed each other to move forward. My dad, always being the non-confrontational
one, supported mom’s request for us to move, promising to call and visit.
I finished tenth grade my dad moved out. He rented a two-bedroom apartment near
the office where he was president of a news firm. The reality of my dad living
somewhere other than our home hit hard the day he left with a u-haul truck. But
when my mom came into my room the night dad left with the announcement that she
and I would be moving to the town of Meadowcreek, the life I’d come to know in
Viewbridge seemed to suddenly vanish. When I told my mom that I wanted to live
with dad I’d hope she would understand my reason to be closer to the memories
of Ben. Mom, on the other hand, warned me that she would be all alone in a new
town and we needed each other to move forward. My dad, always being the non-confrontational
one, supported mom’s request for us to move, promising to call and visit.
We
moved to Meadowcreek in May and my mom transitioned rather smoothly to her new
TV journalist office. I, on the other hand, only left our new house when mom
had to run an errand and asked me to come along. Whenever I’d ask to go to
Viewbridge to visit dad, mom would make up an excuse of having planned an
outing for us. Dad hadn’t visited since the move and whenever I questioned him
why, he’d simply say, ‘I will when your mom feels she is ready.’ Three months
passed with no mention of Ben; no phone calls from my old friends.
moved to Meadowcreek in May and my mom transitioned rather smoothly to her new
TV journalist office. I, on the other hand, only left our new house when mom
had to run an errand and asked me to come along. Whenever I’d ask to go to
Viewbridge to visit dad, mom would make up an excuse of having planned an
outing for us. Dad hadn’t visited since the move and whenever I questioned him
why, he’d simply say, ‘I will when your mom feels she is ready.’ Three months
passed with no mention of Ben; no phone calls from my old friends.
I jumped
at the hard knock on my bedroom door.
at the hard knock on my bedroom door.
“Lily! Are you
up yet?”
up yet?”
My mom walked
into the room, her eggplant color pantsuit complimenting her shoulder length
brown hair and light makeup. I tried shoving the box back into the drawer and
in my hurry my fingers got caught in the hinge. I pursed my lips, trying to
conceal the throbbing sensation.
into the room, her eggplant color pantsuit complimenting her shoulder length
brown hair and light makeup. I tried shoving the box back into the drawer and
in my hurry my fingers got caught in the hinge. I pursed my lips, trying to
conceal the throbbing sensation.
She eyed me with her brows lifted. “Do I have to remind you that this is your
first day at a new school?”
Why
did she feel the need to question everything?
did she feel the need to question everything?
“Nothing,
I was just…”
I was just…”
“My dear,” she said, her tone firm.
“Surely you’re not trying to skip your first day of school are you?”
I looked her
straight in the eyes but I’d never been good at keeping things from her. “No,
mom,” I said looking away, “I was just putting something away and my finger got
caught.”
straight in the eyes but I’d never been good at keeping things from her. “No,
mom,” I said looking away, “I was just putting something away and my finger got
caught.”
Her voice softened. “Are you all right?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
She placed her hand on my shoulder. “We must carry ourselves with confidence so
those around us will want to get to know who we are.”
“Ok.”
She reached over and hugged me. “Don’t
forget to wear some mascara. Our eyes are the windows to our soul.”
forget to wear some mascara. Our eyes are the windows to our soul.”
I remained
quiet, waiting for her to leave the room.
quiet, waiting for her to leave the room.
Most of the
girls my age I had come across in town were highly fashionable in their taste
of clothing and surely I didn’t want to look like an outsider. Even though I
totally feel like one, I thought staring at my appearance in the mirror.
girls my age I had come across in town were highly fashionable in their taste
of clothing and surely I didn’t want to look like an outsider. Even though I
totally feel like one, I thought staring at my appearance in the mirror.
I
went downstairs into the kitchen.
went downstairs into the kitchen.
“There’s orange juice and bagels on
the table,” mom said, rinsing her coffee muff. I watched her eyeing my outfit.
The smile on her face meant she approved.
the table,” mom said, rinsing her coffee muff. I watched her eyeing my outfit.
The smile on her face meant she approved.
She
kissed my forehead before heading out the door. “Oh, and for the sake of both
of our reputation in town please try to be a bit outgoing and make new
friends,” she added with a smile.
kissed my forehead before heading out the door. “Oh, and for the sake of both
of our reputation in town please try to be a bit outgoing and make new
friends,” she added with a smile.
I didn’t reply, relieved that this one-sided conversation had come to an end.
For now.
My parents would call me their
timid child. There was someone, though, who was uninhibited; eager to challenge
everything. My brother, Ben.
timid child. There was someone, though, who was uninhibited; eager to challenge
everything. My brother, Ben.
I
opened the front door. The sun’s bright rays welcomed me to my first day of
eleventh grade at Meadowcreek High.
opened the front door. The sun’s bright rays welcomed me to my first day of
eleventh grade at Meadowcreek High.
I stepped off the porch and looked to my left at the house next door. It was
almost twice the size as our house, although I’d never actually seen the
inside. The house had been empty for about a month since the previous owner,
Mr. Culling, a widower in his eighties, had passed away. I watched two men,
wearing blue uniforms, carrying boxes from a large u-haul truck parked in the
driveway up the front porch into the house. It seemed strange to have neighbors
again even though no other car was parked in the driveway.
“You can put the rest of the boxes in the garage!Yeah, right there, thanks!”
It
was a boy’s voice and it was coming from the upstairs window directly across
from my bedroom.
was a boy’s voice and it was coming from the upstairs window directly across
from my bedroom.
The boy suddenly turned and looked
at me. Embarrassed, I quickly started walking down the sidewalk.
at me. Embarrassed, I quickly started walking down the sidewalk.
I crossed the intersection in front of the school. Meadowcreek High appeared
ready to engulf me. I had no choice but to endure what the next two years held
for me.
“May
I help you?” a soft voice
asked.
I help you?” a soft voice
asked.
“I
have a meeting with Mrs. Cash.”
have a meeting with Mrs. Cash.”
“This way please.” She smiled and began to walk down the hall. “I’m the
librarian, Mrs. Sanders.”
“Hello.” I felt like a stone wall that had been carved through, my past
divulged to all. After all, I was the new girl and knew the other students
would seize upon the interest of discovering the reason of my move to
Meadowcreek.
We walked down a
long hallway. Mrs. Sanders stopped in front of a door labeled Counseling
Office.
long hallway. Mrs. Sanders stopped in front of a door labeled Counseling
Office.
