Deadly Alive

CHAPTER ONE

In exactly a week from today I will be in my new house. Well, apparently its not actually a house. Its an attached house. In other words, a condo. Really? Apparently its all we can afford at the moment. I get that. But what I don't get is why we keep on moving if we are running low on money.  Beats me. Plus travelling is annoying. You get comfy, do your room all nice, and bam. The next thing you know your dad is finding another strange city you've never even heard of. I mean, all of that's not too bad, but what really gets on my nerves is making new friends, and then loosing them after two years. All of my real friends are back in Minnesota. I haven't been there in four years, other than for holidays. We usually go for a week or two at a time. 

Anyhow, whenever I make new friends I warn them about my dads job right away. My whole family has a duel citizenship between Canada and the states. So you never know where we could end up next, maybe in a whole different country! My ten year old brother, Riley, has really been taking this whole friend thing pretty hard. Who knew ten year olds can get really close to each other like that?Like, they are too young to be in relationships and all they do is play video games. Can't you just do that with anyone?

My dad had this great idea that we should get a new vehicle when we get to California. Right now we have a dodge minivan, the older one from like 2010. We are going to drive down there with it, since its nice and big, and then buy a new one in California. My mom is voting for an SUV but I think my dad is a bit nervous about the price. I don't even know why we have a van in the first place, because there are only two kids in the family. We have a tank of fish in the living room... but its not like a dog that can just easily come in the car with us. 

Today is Friday, and I just got home from school. My last Friday at that school. My mom said we should start packing a few things from out of our rooms over the weekend in case we don't have time to throughout the week. I am still going to school all of next week, but not on Friday. I need to help pack all of my things, and the moving van is coming, and everything else like that. Been there, done that, like a million times. It's not like it really matters that I am leaving this school, because its just a dumb public school where dumb people come in and out all the time. Back at home I went to a private school. Same with Riley. He had to wear a tux which was hilarious, but I had to wear a navy skirt with a white blouse. We went to the same school, that is. 

Our parents are both trying to convince us that this will be the last big move for a while. First, they could be lying. Second, that may sound like a good thing but really its not. If its our last move for a while that means I'm going to be stuck in Death Valley for a while. That is definitely not Minnesota. Apparently Death Valley has a population of like 20, and its really hot. A place I would want to stay away from. Believe it or not, it just draws in my dads attention more. My brother is scared of moving there just because of the name. My dad is planning on getting a mansion built after a little while, so we can move in and be the first people to live there and everything will be fine. I don't know how long thats going to be, plus I don't know how long I am going to be able to last in some weird condo. Here, where I am now, in Manitoba, attached houses are nice and I would totally live in one no problem. But once you see your options down in Death Valley, you are going to be changing your mind on that  right away. 

I actually haven't told you where I am living now. Right now, and for the past few years I have been living in this place called Manitoba. It is a province in Canada, and its not too far away from Minnesota so I already knew about it before we moved here. The place I didn't know about though was Churchill. Churchill is in Manitoba obviously, but its way way up North. The population is only 817. Its going to be 813 soon. I guess 817 isn't as bad as 20.  Churchill is right by this big bay of water, called Hudson's Bay. Its in the shape of a rubber duck. This is going to be hard going from a place that is super cold to a place that is super hot. Although, I would chose the hot one hands down. That's why Minnesota is the best. It's just right. Hot summers, yet we still get snow in the winter. Perfect. 

Now that I've told you all about that, I need to tell you who I am. My name is Ashley Lane and I am sixteen. I have a ten year old brother, Riley of course. My mom is a stay at home mom with a part time job as a licensed optician although she barely ever goes in to work. Her name is Kelsey Lane. My dad, Brian Lane, is a geologist, like I said. My best friend is back in Minnesota, Payton Atherton. 

Since I am sixteen I have been taking driver's ed, and I have my test next week on Thursday. Driving comes pretty easy to me, even with the minivan. When I was younger my dad used to take me driving on a road where there weren't very many people. At first he made me sit on his lap just in case anything were to happen, but once I got too tall for that he just gave up and let me drive while he was in the passenger seat. I was like thirteen at the time. He started letting me do it when I was ten, so of course now Riley is doing it. He thinks he's all big and grown up until I remind him I am the one who's actually getting my license and can be seen by the police when I am driving. 

It's almost June, and I think I am only missing a few weeks of school. Great. Moving to the hottest place in America right when summer is starting. 

I really enjoy running. Tonight I have track, and I have it every Friday and Wednesday.My mom is making me skip the one next Wednesday so today is my last day. I am making my parents sign me up again as soon as we move. Riley's thing is Hockey. I think he might have a problem with that once we move. Maybe he should look into taking up a new hobby. My whole family enjoys skiing and snowboarding, but I'm not as serious about it as I am about track. We are trying to sell our skis and snowboards, which makes me sad. My dad said not to worry because when we move back home to Minnesota we can buy all new ones. I guess that makes sense because us kids would have grown by then so we would have some that actually fit. If I kept mine they would be way to small by then. Plus, I'm sure one of the 813 people living here would be more than happy to have them. 

Riley is sure more upset about getting rid of his hockey sticks and skates though. My dad told him the same thing he told me about the snowboard and skis. To buy new ones when we get back to Minnesota so they fit. I'm not holding my breath, though, because my parents have been telling us a lot lately and I don't know what to believe anymore. I mean my dad has only said this is our last big trip for a while. He didn't say how long we would be living there. When he says that I can tell it cheers Riley up. I'm too smart to fall for that. My dad is even planning on building a mansion after he rakes up some more cash. Doesn't that give Riley a hint we are going to be stuck in Death Valley for a while? Not just a while, like a long time. It may take a few years for us to move into this 'mansion.' Great. I don't even know if the mansion is just another lie or not. I'm sure once we arrive to Death Valley the whole truth will come out.