Chestnut

Chapter 1: Her Smile

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2017 All Rights Reserved
10 Years Ago
A gust of wind gently caressed my skin and filled my nose with the scent of fish. My yellow dress flapped from the force it provided, the water forever rocked back and forth, yet I stood unmoving: a rock. I breathed in deeply letting the wind surround every part of me. With each passing breath, the bitter taste of salt became stronger, embedding into my tastebuds like rust would onto an old iron rod.

I forced my eyes open and pulled my arm above my head to block the sun from beating down on me. I gazed out into the endless ocean confused as to why I was here: the middle of an ocean in nothing but a small sailboat.

"Chestnut, aren't you hungry?" A deep voice startled me out of my confusion.

I jerked my head back to see who was behind me and found a man. He was old- maybe 23- and had dark features. He was crouched down at the other end of the boat searching through a basket.

"Who- who are you?" I said just barely under my breath, not trusting my voice. He evoked a strange feeling out of my heart.

"Chesna?" He said his voice cracking when he scanned over my horrified expression. Knocking over the basket he held, he noisily stood up and rocked his way around the boat to get to my side. I screamed in shock stepping backward- only to be met with nothing to hold my weight from behind me. I felt myself falling for what felt like forever...

I woke up drenched in sweat

Ann, one of my older sisters, was still sleeping beside me so I tiptoed out of the room and into the bathroom. The small baby pink room was sweet but desperately needed organized. I picked up Jamie's makeup and Ann's brush and put them into their drawers even though I knew in an hour they would be taken out, used, and left in the exact same spot.

Steaming water sprinkled from the spout at the top of the shower and I swiftly dodged getting burned by crouching under the wet area. After I turned down the heat I lathered my hair in shampoo then conditioner and washed in honey scented body wash.

"Chestnut?" I heard dad knocking on the bathroom door.

"Yea?" I said instinctively jumping out of the shower and covering myself with a towel.

"Hurry up, I'm taking you to the creek."

I squeal in excitement at his words and shut the water off. I listen closely to make sure he walks away before I rush out of the bathroom and into my room to find my bathing suit. Ann was still fast asleep so I dropped the towel and changed into my yellow banana bathing suit.

"Dad?" I whisper once we reach the car, "what about Ann and Jamie?"

"Don't worry about them Chestnut." He said taking a sip of something called Svedka.

I sent him a curious glance at him but brushed it off. My dad never takes me to the creek anymore. I'm not sure why he decided to only take me, but I figured that he would take the other two later.

This trip was technically illegal, but as a nine-year-old, I hardly knew that. All I knew was this was the first- and probably only time- I would go on a car ride let alone to a creek. Girls aren't allowed to do stuff like that. The wolfmen fear that we will all die because girls have stopped being born. I am the youngest everyone I know has ever met so now it is illegal for us to risk our lives by playing in creeks or driving in cars. Today everything is the opposite of how it should be.

The morning light is still faint, and the shadows subtly highlight the bags under dad's eyes. I observe him closely to gauge his mood. He looks restless, tired.... worried.

That can't be good.

Why is he taking me here?

...

When we pulled up, Dad told me to go enjoy my self with his vodka stained breathe. I crinkled my nose and ran to go look at the cold, running water.

I dug my toes into the mush of algae beneath me, smelling the fishy, dewy, scent of the river instead. The bitter taste of rain invaded my taste buds while the breeze vigorously harassed my hair, but I focused on the sound of the heavy flow of water pushing past my feet

"GET OUT OF THE WATER, CHESNA!" I hear Dad yelling at me but I can't move. 

I was struck by lightening.