Run Away Teen

Chapter Six: Spring Cleaning

I wake up, surprised that no one has come in and sworn at me and chucked me out. I’m not sure why I’m surprised; this place is a dump! But it must’ve looked like gem back in it’s days of glory. If it had any.

 “Spring cleaning day today!” I smile sincerely, and jump out of, um, mattress, as it technically isn’t a proper bed.

 My quote for cleaning is “you need to make a mess to clean it up.” So I grab the mattress and, after folding up my blanket and putting it back in my bag, and leaning the bag against the far facing outside wall to prevent it getting wet, I drag the mattress onto the sand. I squeal slightly as a couple of black spiders and a few hundred slaters crawl out from where the mattress was. I slept on those creatures last night? Gross!

 I pull the mattress onto the sand in such a position that the waves can splosh over it, cleaning it slightly, but it’s still completely on shore. I go back inside to find a pleasant surprise. There was a broom hiding underneath the mattress! This’ll make it tons easier! I start sweeping all the debris onto the mini veranda, and push it into the waves. I try to forget about the many, many bugs, be them alive or dead, that may be hiding amongst this natural and completely artificial debris.

  By the time the sun has set, some of the original brown floorboards are showing. I reckon by this time tomorrow, the floor will be completely in view. I found another surprise whilst I was cleaning today … this one even better than the broom! I found a wall socket! So I can charge my laptop! Before I bring my laptop out, however, I have to drag the extremely wet mattress, which I forgot to dry today, inside, and I layer my blanket and a dirty t-shirt and tracky pants over the dryer side. I sit on the minimal clean area of floor, and bring my lappie out. I plug it in, and while I wait for it to turn on, I munch on some nuts. My fingers fly across my keyboard as I punch in my password with ease.

  “No way!” I gasp, looking at the internet connection. “There’s wi-fi!” I squeal, doing a sitting down happy dance.

 Never would I have thought that this dilapidated shack would, not only have a wall socket, but free wi-fi as well! I do what I always do when I go on my laptop; I check my e-mails. That’s when it hits me. An idea so ingenious that Mark Zuckerburg may as well take his Facebook and bow in my presence. Yeah, that’s how amazing my idea is. I scroll through my inbox, until I reach the one from blogthingyme from a few days ago. I click on it, and click on the link to the blog creater.

  I’m going to make a blog about me running away from home. As I didn’t bring a notebook, this can be like my diary. I create an account, and call myself run_away_teen, and start designing my blog. Fireworks of excitement explode around my body. I’ve never had a blog before! I title it “Run Away Teen,” as I’m 14, and I ran away from, not only my home, but life as I knew it. I click the big blue CREATE button at the bottom and wait for it to load, and YES! I’ve got a blog! I click on the ‘new post’ button, and ponder upon what to write. It needs to be simple, something to sum up why I created a blog. I know!

 ‘My name is Everleigh Gabbard. I ran away from home,’ I type, and press enter.

  I squeal again, looking at my professional-like blog. I swear, I’ve squealed more today, than ever have in my entire life. I normally leave all the squealing down to Prima or Alise, when they hear that their fave boy band is coming to town, or that Herbz is having a sale. But now that they’re out of the picture, I may as well fill in for them. I sigh. I know that falling asleep won’t be a hassle tonight. a.) I’ve been on my feet, non-stop practically, for days, so I’m exhausted and b.) for the first time since dad has been around, I’m actually excited about something.

  I sleep, as predicted, like a rock, and wake up and eat some dry muesli (yum … not really).  I drag the damp mattress back into the sea, posting a mental post stick note in my brain to dry it today. I dump my bag with everything in it at the same place as yesterday, and get to work. I sweep until the floor is just splintery wood, covered in a layer of dust.

  “I just need a mop and some water...where can I get water?” I mutter aloud, and laugh at my own stupidity. “You’re on a beach, idiot,” I remind myself, dipping the broom in the sea and transfer the water onto the planks.

 By twelve, the brown wooden floor is shining like new. Only slightly splintery. And damp.

  “Tomorrow, I clean the walls,” I say to myself, proud of all of my hard work, and the way it’s paid off.

 I dig a picnic blanket out from the bag of everything and place the mattress upon it to dry.

 “You deserve a little treat, Ever,” I smile, and reward myself with a block of chocolate.

 I pull my new bikini, the one from Herbz, out of my bag, and change inside the safety of the cottage. I wade into the cold waves and, you guessed it, I squeal. I splash about, and have stupid competitions with myself, like how long I can hold my breath under water, or how many back flips I can do under the waves, or how far I can swim without breathing. (1 minute, 3, and to the flat rock.) When it gets dark, I drag my (now dry) mattress into the center of the room, so that it doesn’t get dirty from touching any of the grimy walls. I snack on some dried fruit, and decide to update my blog.

 So, anyway. I’m Everleigh Gabbard. 14. Short. Skinny. Scrawny. Blonde. Pale. Grey-blue eyed. Sick of life. And I ran away from my home. I won’t tell you where I am...mostly because I don’t even really know! But also because I like being isolated and free, with no bullying BFFs, no accusing sisters, no step-dads or step-sisters. It’s bliss, it really is. I’ll start posting like an actual diary tomorrow. Goodnight! -Ever xxx

 Views: 0          Comments: 0

 I close my laptop and curl up underneath my blanket, and fall asleep gazing at the stars through the natural skylight in the roof.