Opposite

Chapter 2

I startled awake when the train made a subtle stop.  The doors opened and someone stepped inside.  He was my age.  

     I blinked sleep from my eyes.  "Hello?" I said curiously.  

     "I'm Miller," he said and sat down next to me.  The seats were next to each other.  

     "I'm Anastasia.  Are you the other one who is coming that they keep talking about?" I asked, nervous.  

     "Well, I must be, because there aren't any other people coming," he replied and smiled.  I fidgeted nervously before relaxing again.  

     "It will be quite a while before we make it to where ever we're going, don't you think?" I said.  He looked at me curiously.  

     "Only a few more hours," he replied.  I nodded my head.  A few hours.  I relaxed and rested my head on the window, which had no color.  Just darkness.  

     I felt my eyelids feel heavy as I fell back asleep.  

My eyes flicker back open as the train stops.  It was clear we had made it.  I got up and stretched.  I had to feel at least a little excited.  

     They let us out.  My heels didn't hurt.  I had taken off my shoes on the ride, for comfort.  It had been nice, not wearing shoes.  Though I don't know why.  

     I had my shoes back on when we stopped.  It was morning, the sun just rising.  The sky was orange and red and just a hint of violet.  

     "I will show you to your new home," said the guard.  I looked at the town, and at the center was a massive structure, mostly made up of shiny windows, though they looked more like mirrors from the light.  It was tall and slightly twisted.  It hit the sun just right.  

     I felt out of place.  Me and my glasses and pink dress.  Miller looked at me curiously before following a different guard, away from my direction.  

     As I followed the guard, I realized how nice the homes were.  They all had three stories and large doors.  

     They were all painted differently, which was a bit strange because where I was from, they wouldn't let us do anything to our homes.  

     "Do you get to paint the house?" I asked the guard.  He laughed slightly.  

     "Yes, Anastasia.  You will live here for the rest of your life.  You will live in the house that I give you for the rest of your life.  It is yours," he replied.  I couldn't help but smile.  Then I frowned.  

     "Will I see my friends from home again?" I felt nervous.  I really did hope I could see them again.  

     "Yes, you will see them again.  You will see them on visiting day, when you go back to your home town.  You will see all of them," he replied.  

     "Will my brother come here, too?" I felt like asking questions.  

     "It really depends, Anastasia.  Now come on, don't wait for someone else because there won't be another one to help you to your new house," he said and smiled.  I followed him without a word.  

     He stopped in front of a house.  It was the same design as the others, though the paint was plain grays and whites.  He offered me a key, and so I took it and opened the door.  

     All the floors were wood and the counters were marble.  As I passed the doors, they were all a little different.  One was a wooden door with a tiny, dried out flower stuck on the front.