Chapter 1: A New Home

Tick-tock. The clock ticked off the seconds as the smell of terror rose around me. It didn't matter if the judge--or anybody--believed me.

   I know what happened: I heard a horrendous noise from outside,  almost louder than thunder. I quickly slipped on my pair of sky blue slippers. I ran outside to check what the noise was. I noticed a sleek figure in Midnight 's (A horse I rented from Owen Gray) pasture. I flew down to Midnight's pasture to check on her. As soon as I got to the fence I looked around and found Midnight lying lifeless on the blades of grass. I looked for the figure again and soon found it. I studied it for a small amount of time and figured out who it was. Owen Gray.  At first I didn't understand, but I was taken downtown for  "destroying Owen Gray's property". So this was so Owen could cash in on his horse's insurance. So he could earn some "bucks" off an innocent horse.

   Nobody believes my story though. Just because I'm only fourteen. Even my Aunt Patricia I lived with didn't believe me, and she definately wasn't going to take me back in her home. 

   "Miss Lawrence, you've been found guilty to killing a nine-thousand Thouroughbred belonging to Mr. Gray. Since you don't have any relatitaves to take you in you will be taken to a foster home later today to stay there for 75 days. Everyone may dismiss." The judge reported. I had lost, again. I let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding. Were will I go this time? I wandered as I left the court room.

   The next day Igot my grocery bag and packed my 7 outfits. I would have to get the rest of my clothes from Aunt Patricia sometime. I walked to the lobby and sat down on the flower-patterened couch. Just a matter of minutes later my social worker, Ava walked in and waved to me. I got up and followed her to her silver car.

   I got into the back of her car and put my seat belt on. Ava got in and said to me, "You know Cass your going to a pretty good home in Georgia. There's a boy around 14, and Brianna your foster mom owns a dog and horse adoption. That should be fun." I nodded slightly, to tell her I was listening, or at least I was acting like it.

  A few hours later we passed a sign that said in big bold green letters that said, "Welcome to Brooks, Georgia." Ava drove down a gravel driveway a few seconds after we passed the sign. She parked in front of a brick house and I immedietly noticed the barn. Ava said, "I live a few miles down the road if you need me just call." She handed me an index card with her name, Ava Green and her address and phone number.

  I got out with my grocery bag and walked up to the porch, the dogs barking all around me. I knocked softly and a woman around five-foot-two, with blue eyes and blonde hair answered the door. She smiled and said, "I'm Brianna and you must be Cass! Come on in." She said and stepped out of the way. I walked in and she said, "Come this way." She started up a staircase and I followed her two stairs behind. She pointed to a room when we got to the top of the staircase. "This is your room and the bathroom is right across the hall. Do you want to meet the animals?" She asked. I smiled out of politeness and said, "Thanks, but is it ok if I take a shower?" Brianna nodded and started back down the carpeted staircase. "I'll be outside with the dogs if you need me." She said and dissapeared down the stairs.

  I walked into the bathroom and shut and locked the door. I took out a dark pink and white polo shirt, denim jean shorts and underwear from my bag and set them on the bathroom counter.  I searched for a towel after that and after finally finding one I set it on the counter with my clothes.  I hopped into the shower after I had taken off my clothes I was wearing.

   After I took my shower I dryed off slid on my underwear, shorts and shirt and then draped the towel over a stainless steel rack.

 

I walked out of the bathroom just as the boy Ava was talking about came up the staircase. He had jet black hair, green eyes, a nvay blue shirt on and khaki pants. I smiled slightly and as I started back to my temporary room he asked, "Brianna wanted me to show you the dogs.....Do you want to?" I walked into my room put the bag of clothes in one of the drawers of my walnut dresser. I came back out, closed my door. "My name is Cass." I said and he smiled. "I'm Levi." He replied and started down the carpeted staircase. I followed shortly after him. When they both got down the stairs Levi opened the front door and they both exited the house. 

Levi walked around to the back of the house. A third of their giant backyard was bordered with a metal fence. A Yorkshire Terrier with a neon pink collar around her neck jumped on to the fence and let out a high yap. I smiled, knelt down and stuck a finger through one of the diamonds on the fence. The Yorkie immediatly walked to my finger and started licking it rapidly.

Another dog came up to the fence that looked more like a mix. He had a bright red collar on. His ears looked like black silk and he had a white stripe down his face. He looked like he was wearing short white socks on all of his feet. 

I hadn't noticed Levi was staring at me until I looked up. He blushed lightly and looked at the house, as if he was looking at it the whole time. He looked back at me shortly after that and asked, "Do you want to go in the fence?" I nodded and got up from the ground.  

He opened the gate, careful not to let the dogs out. I walked in behind him and Levi closed the gate as soon as I walked through. "Thanks." I said, knowing I couldn't have closed it because of my clumsiness. "No problem." He replied and pointed to the Yorkshire Terrier that was wearing the neon pink collar, "That Zoey." As Levi said the Yorkshire's name her ear's pricked up, adorably. 

Levi pointed to the black dog with the red collar, "He's a Labrador mix. His name is Ryan. There's more dogs to the side of the barn, but we keep these over here because were keeping them." I nodded and replied with a simple, "Hmm." 

I looked down at Zoey, who was at my feet chewing on a lime green chew toy. I then looked at Ryan who was retreating to his dog house with a stuffed animal lion in his mouth.

"Ready to see the horses?" Levi asked. I was in the middle of a nod when Brianna came from the house. "Dinner's ready." She said and walked back to the house. I was almost shocked, Brianna actually made dinner. Aunt Patricia normally got food from fast food restaurants like Wendy's and Dairy Queen.   

Author's Note

Click icon for the house. and its supposed to be old.

Reviews

[A. Rose]

I really like this, I did find one mistake though. You switched the way you were writing from I, me, we, ect. in one sentence. Instead of saying we you wrote "When they both got down the stairs Levi opened the front door and they both exited the house." SO where you wrote "they" you should have wrote "we" Other than that little slip up I really enjoyed reading this and you did an exellent job, I am waiting for more. When you get another chapter done please send me a read request.

[Jemma]

:D good start. I like where it is going. i thought she would be more upset or annoyed about leaving her Aunts. But by now maybe she is used to it. You had me hooked from the first sentance and I will sure be reading more :D

[Adeline]

this is a really good start and makes me want to read more...so I'm going to! on to the next chapter I go.....nice work, keep it up!

[RNMURRAY]

Awesome start, but I sometimes find myself asking why? I think you might want to explain a little more as well. But all in all a wondeful start

[allonsy_doctor]

Interesting, but a bit troubling... like maybe you want to explain a little bit more? Otherwise, great beginning, awesome story idea, and terrific first piece. Congradulations!

[DaGirlNxtDoor]

great chapter! awesome idea for a story! cant wait to see what happens

[~Shadow Kissed~]

I agree a little with Dusty but it was really good and I will deffinatly read more :)

[Dusty]

I like where this story is going, however it feels like there are too many minor details and not enough major details. Doesn't Cass feel awkward in the new house, taking a shower in an unfamiliar bathroom? What does Brianna look like? Is her manner polite and awkward or open and motherly? How does Cass feel about being shipped off to a foster home hours away from her house? Does she feel loss over the death of Midnight? Was she heart-broken when she realized not even her own aunt, who it seems has practically raised her, refuses to believe her story and allow her to come home? How is the social worker's manner? Is she oversickeningly sweet or is she blunt, to the point, and detatched? What does Cass look like, maybe you should describe what she sees when she looks in a mirror.. Maybe her face has lost its life due to the stress, and she is shocked by the dullness of her eyes. Remember, the reader is not in your head, you have to describe everything you see, even the important things we should already know, but don't spend half a page describing how a towel or something looks. Make this world real, like one of those detailed dreams you can't escape. Make the crushing reality Cass feels real, like the reader just had her world shatter apart cause some idiot with a gun shot his old horse for insurance money. Make your characters human, with thoughts and actions and ideas. This is especially easy to do in the first-person format you are telling the story in. Overall, I love the idea of this story. It sounds like the book Shadow Horse, maybe you should try reading it for some ideas on a voice for Cass. Best of luck, I look forward to reading more! =)

[Dominic Rosales]

Great opening, very descriptive, and pursuase the reader to not stop reading.
Can't wait to read the next chapter
keep it up

[SamBug]

Very good!