Burning Stars By: Simonè C.

1. OFF THE RAILS

MOM HAS NEVER BEEN PREDICTABLE. SHES NEVER BEEN THE TYPE TO TAKE CATION OR LOOK BEFORE SHE JUMPS. Witch is why I wasn't surprised when she woke me in the middle of the night.
"Andy, wake up," she repeated even though my eyes were open.
"What mom?" I asked wiping sleep away. Her blurred face reminded me of my glasses and I reached over to receive them. I could see now that I had them on.
"We've got to go,hun. Come on." She pulled me to my feet and we were out of the motel in less than a minute​.
Slowly- very slowly- my brain began to process what she said. We were leaving! Again! I mean, yeah I was happy to be leaving this roche infected stink hole, but thats the fourth time this month! Why couldn't we just stay in one place, like normal people, for once?" No!" Pulled my hand from her." Mom where are we gonna go? To another motel? You know- maybe we should live in the car! Sence where always in it! Why can't we just stay in one place for more than two weeks?!"I wasn't mad at her exactly. Maybe, it was the hot new mexico air that had me taking my anger out on her. But I had to vent someway. Sadly it was on my mother.
"Don't you dare raise your voice at me Andessia!" She replied repealed by my anger." Everything I do is to keep you safe! You! To keep you alive! I wasn't careful enough with your father, but you- I will keep you safe."
What does that mean? I was expecting her to give me the "new adventure's" speech, but this was the first I'd heard of keeping me safe.
"What do you mean? Keeping me safe from what?" My voice was finally clear and I sounded normal.
"Andy, let's just say there's far worse in the world."
"Like?"
"Like things you don't need to know about yet, okay. No more back talk. In the car." She gestured to the open door. I could see my back pack in the back. When did she pack my stuff?" Get in the car Andy." I didn't move. Slowly, deliberately she put her hand on my cheek and forced my to look at her. Her brown eyes where hypnotising and serious at the same time." Don't you want to get in the car, Andy? I think you should get in the car, Andy."
Suddenly i felt as if I just couldn't bare not being in the car any longer. I tried to fight it knowing that this wasn't me but couldn't. I sled into the seat and buckled up, sort of in a drone like stage, and watched- without thoughts- as we drove away.
I cant remember how long I stayed like this, but vaguely I remembered watching the sun rise as we pasted the border into Arizona. What time was it? More importantly, how does she do that?
"Where are we going mom?" I asked surprising a yawn.
She didn't answer. Fine if she was gonna be stubborn so was I. I didn't get my personality from dad. As the car curved around the side of the empty hill, something shiny cought my eye. A black Volvo with tented windows was rushing down the other street, towered the interception. Where we were heading! I want to say it happened in slow motion but it didn't. I witnessed multiple things in that moment.
"Mom!" I yelled my voice cracking. It was to late. The black car smashed into the passengers side, my side, and I could hear the windows popping out. I was paying more attention to the pain I'm my chest caused by the seatbelt. Then there was the sound of metal crunching as we tumbled rapidly down hill. My head hit something hard and I let out a pained gasp, then it stopped. Adrenaline pumped through my veins. My breathing heavy as we sat up side down in what once was our car. Everything was just a composer of colors. Where were my glasses?
Footsteps crunching glass snaped me out of thought, then like a brick I dropped landing awkwardly on my neck. Owww!!! That hurts. But I couldn't concentrate​ on that. Someone was draging me out of the car. Away from mom! They laid me down next to another person and I recognized moms clothing.
"Mom" I chocked in pain. She was covered in red- blood I'd guess. Suddenly she was yanked from the ground by her hair and forced into a chock hold.

"No! No!" She screamed, fouling around.
A female​ voice chuckle darkly." Oh Daniella... You don't know how long I've waited for this." Then moms screams where cut off. "I figured out that you'd been hiding at that motel and suspected that you'd be heading this way, lucky me right." She laughed. Then her hand pulled back and I realized she stabbed mom!
"No!" I yelled as she fell lifeless next to me. I tried to push myself up but failed. There where glowing white lights around her and then as if they where being transfered, floated over into the knife that stabbed her.
"Oh don't worry dear," the women said bending down to me "I won't kill you... Yet" she laughed and with out anything else walked away, leaving us there.
What the hell! Mom! Was she dead? I heard people rushing towered us along with sirens and that was the last thing I saw.