The darkness within

Chapter 1

Today was the day. The day I would move from the city I loved and grew up in, to another that I couldn't help but hate. What kind of town was named Shadow Wood, anyhow? I remember the very day my dad told me we would be moving. It was about two months ago, right after I got home from school. My day was already hard enough with it being toward the end of the school year. Teachers were really piling all of the end of year projects and homework they wanted us to do before exams.

I was already frustrated enough trying to finish two book reports and about a hundred math problems this week when I got scheduled a history project and a chemistry lab write up. By the end of the day, I just want to curl up in my bed and forget about homework. Color me surprised when I came home to find my dad's beat-up old SUV seating in the driveway.

Since as long as I could remember it had just been me and my dad. Mom ran off a long time ago with some golf pro and we never heard from her again. Truth be told I didn't really care. She was never really there to begin with. Dad, though, had always been there. He worked hard at his job leaving early in the morning and not even getting back until 8 or 9.

Dad worked as a security officer for some big company here in the city. He worked there for 15 years and seem to like the job well enough but I knew he was growing tired from the long hours. Some nights he didn't even make it home until well past midnight. So I grew worried seeing his car sitting in the driveway at barely four in the afternoon.

I crept inside and looked around shocked to find my dad sitting there on the couch with a smile on his face. He looked happy. Happier than I had ever seen him.

"Dad, what's going on?" I asked watching him stand from the couch. My dad was a big guy standing over 6 feet 4 with a crew cut and massive arms. He towered over me smiling as big as I have ever seen him smile. His nose was crooked from being broken once before and even though he looked like he could kill someone with his bare hands he was just a giant teddy bear.

"I have some amazing news, Adds." My dad said using his personal nickname he had for me. My name was Addison Montgomery and he'd been calling my Adds since way before I could even walk. "My boss called me into his office today. I've got a promotion."

"Dad, that's awesome. I am so proud of you." I said wrapping my arms around his neck feeling him lift me up with barely any difficulty. I was barely 5 feet 7 and 132 pounds so it really wasn't surprising. I laughed at how happy he was. He set me down and I looked up into his dark green-blue eyes. The same green-blue eyes that I had myself. I got my looks from my mom. Same black hair curved nose but the one thing you could say that me and my dad shared were our eyes. I watched as his eyes crinkled and instantly the smile was removed from his face. I frowned wondering what changed.

"You might want to sit down for this." He said and I quickly did what he asked. "The promotion is one I've been working towards for years. It a position at their head office one that means fewer hours and more pay. I will be making close to a hundred thousand dollars a year."

"Wow dad, that's great. You'll be making over triple what you're making now." I said but I felt confused about why he looked so scared.

"The thing is Add, the job is not here. For it to work we will have to move."

"What!" I scream shooting up and standing before my dad feeling myself shake. "Move? Dad, what about school? My friends? Our home? Dad, I grew up here." I screamed feeling shaken by the revelation.

"I know Adds but I can't pass up on this opportunity." He said looking away as if I was the one breaking his heart.

"Where are we even supposed to move to?" I asked wanting so desperately for him to say this was all a joke.