Alive Inside (Book one)

Day One Part One

Ch. 1

'Day One Part one'

Opening her eyes, the auburn-haired teenager looked around her; her surroundings were unfamiliar, to say the least; a thick mist rolled along the ground, obscuring her feet.

Continuing her search, this all seemed otherworldly; a fantastical, bright light shone through the mist.

A man was donning a dazzlingly white suit, complimenting his gray hair and goatee, trimmed and styled to perfection.

Watching the man move closer, he moved with elegant grace; while this man seemed perfect, he also felt approachable.

"Hello, Summer," the man said with a beaming smile, filled with a love that she couldn't place; it seemed to be almost fatherly.

"Uh, hi," Summer said awkwardly as she shuffled her feet nervously.

"Today's a big day; I hope you're ready," the man spoke in a calm voice, soothing, Summer figured he should be a narrator with such a voice.

"I... Definitely am," the teen said, playing along with whatever this conversation was.

With a loving smile, the man sighed at the thought of what was to come. "I have a question I wanted to ask," the older man said.

Summer shrugged her shoulders and pursed her lips, awaiting the question; she didn't seem to know him, so what could he possibly ask for.

"How far?" The deep-skin-toned man asked in a warm, inviting voice.

"How far what?" The newly eighteen-year-old asked, clearly confused.

The man walked by her towards a brilliant light. "All will be clear in time," The man said with a smile continuing towards the light; the man stopped walking abruptly and turned to face her with a look of sadness now gracing his features.

"I don't understand... What do you mean... How far?" The girl asked again.

"I am sorry for what will come." The man said with all honesty. "Now, wake up." The man said with a small smile before turning and walking into the light.

'Idaho Falls, ID 2012'

'BZZT BZZT BZZT' a digital clock alarm sounded off.

Groaning and pulling the blanket over her head. "Why..." the girl whined quietly before turning to the alarm clock that read eight o'clock. The girl swung her feet down to the carpeted floor, she looked at her calendar and sure enough, today was the day, Graduation day; she stood quickly, now fully awake at the prospect; she walked to her dresser, which held up a mirror with many pictures taped along the edges she kissed two fingers and placed them on a particular photo showing a young man and herself at a rodeo.

"Today's the big day, man..." The girl said to the picture. "Wish I knew where you were... Wish I'd get to see you today," The girl said before she started brushing her; naturally red-colored hair; once done, she got up and stepped away from the dresser towards her closet, grabbing out a white button-up shirt with short sleeves and a pair of black jeans, slipping into the clothes, she stepped out the door, immediately a flash of light dazed the girl.

"That one's a keeper," a middle-aged man said with a chuckle, looking at the picture on his phone; his daughter was growing up.