{lovely bones}

Chapter one

((Author's note: Bits of commentary and thoughts while writing will be posted in double parentheses, enjoy.))

  Gwen sat in the backseat of her parent's car, her head leaning up against the window. Not very smart, since her head smacked against the window with every bump in the road. At least the cool of the glass is a nice contrast to the sweltering heat of the car. Her mother liked to combat the snowy climate outside with electric heaters and an overload of heated blankets.

       The girl's parents were dragging her up to their old friend's house. Apparently they had been old college buddies. Gwen's mom hadn't said much about what they were going to be doing, but her father had spoiled the surprise. They were to be going on a skiing trip. This confused Gwen, who had thought they were going to be visiting her mom's old college friends. It all became clear to her when her mother explained that her friends, the Rhodes, lived up in the mountains. They would spend a night with the family to catch up, before heading out the next day to drive up to the ski resort.
       Gwen had been excited to spend winter break at home. Preferably curled up in her favorite worn armchair with a volume of Stephen King. Socializing with her mom's long lost friend and her family where not high on her priority list to be honest. She has tuned out the second her mother has started blabbing about what fun they would have, and the places they would see, and she wasn't even going to get into the fact that she had no clue how to ski either.

      Her friends were home. Her books were at home. Her cat was at home. All that she's seen out here where the unceasing expanse of trees, all bowed under the weight of frozen snow and crackling wind.

      The golden haired girl ended up drifting off as she's lost in self pity, although the bouncing of the car on gravel is what jars her out of her reprieve and into semi-consciousness. She's still half asleep when the car screeches to a stop, courtesy of her mother's terrible driving. Gwen went careening forward, head smacking into the back of the passenger seat. She groans, clutching her nose, although she's used to her mom's terrible driving skills. She checks her hand quickly, no blood. Should be fine. Her father exits the car rather quickly, not even checking to make sure his family was alright after that less than graceful stop.
      Gwen attempts to wipe sleep from her eyes, yawning  loudly as her dad raps on the door, signing her to come out. She looks apprehensively at Rhodes Manor, it looks like something straight out of a horror movie-an old cabin creaky and leaning high up on a snowy hill. Oh Gee, she was going to get murdered wasn't she. She can barely make out two figures huddled on the dark cedar porch, wasn't there supposed to be three? The Rhodes couple look, well damn right ghostly. Like zombies in Gwen's opinion. The woman has stress lines adorning her eyes, and the man's shoulders are sloped gently in the oh so familiar slouch of defeat. Her mom has said they had a kid around her age. The girl wonders if she's just as sickly.

     Gwen pulls herself warily out of the car, the door slamming behind her with a bang of finality that's got the hairs on the back of her neck standing on edge.

       She's handed her duffel bag, and she starts trudging through the snow after her parents. She checks her phone, no service. Shit. Well she shouldn't be surprised, they are in the middle of nowhere. The wind picks up as they reach the porch steps. It feels like it's pushing her forward, howling through the trees and loud splintering sounds can be heard as frozen branches give in under the weight of snow, breaking under the merciless force of frigid mountain wind. So this was her welcome committee? Two ghosts and ghoulish wind? She's not impressed.

      Mrs. Rhodes smiles as they approach, surprisingly, the motherly familiarity of it is the warmest thing Gwen thinks exists in this tundra. At least there are laughter lines accompanying the stressed on the tall blonde woman's face. The woman is a walking contradiction- like Casper the friendly ghost.
     It's like her own mother changes before her very eyes as she grasps Mrs. Rhodes hand, pulling the other woman into an excited hug. "Oh Sierra! Its been too fucking long," her mom laughs, and Gwen is taken aback. Her mom never curses. What was going on? It's like they've entered a hell dimension and Gwen's the only one out of the loop. She wonders if Mrs. Rhodes is just that type of person who makes you feel at ease no matter the situation.