Blackwood

Chapter 1. Catherine

My name is Catherine Bronson, and my life is honestly pretty average. I am 16 years old, I've been raised by good parents, and I attend a nice high school. I was born and raised in the same town. I have long shiny black hair and bright blue eyes, my skin is a warm and healthy tan. I'm not vain but I know I'm beautiful, everyone is in their own right. For the townspeople black hair is rare so I feel like it makes me stand out some, which I don't mind.

Blackwood is a charming town far from civilization, where everyone recognizes everyone's last name. It only has one road in and the same road out: Route 77. The road is poorly maintained but seems like paradise compared to the rest of the roads in the town, all comprised of a mixture of dirt and gravel. Very rarely do we have visitors and if we do they typically don't stick around long. Most families have been here for generations.

The town itself is situated in the valley between two mountains with untamed forest all around. Most of which is part of the Blackwood Estate Private Forest Preserve. There is an old mansion somewhere in the vast forest, I've never seen it myself but have seen the dirt road that leads to it from town. Probably around 1/3 of our school lives in this mansion. Everyone just calls it the Blackwood Manor.

To outsiders it probably wouldn't seem like there's much to do but I never have an issue staying busy. There's crystal clear ponds in the woods close to town that local teens like to hang out at. We have a community garden that a few families, mine included, take care of. I also help out at the biggest farm in town with my dad to help earn meat.  We could, of corse, buy these things but my family enjoys the work. When I read stories about life elsewhere it definitely seems like my home is a step back in time, but I like it that way.

Probably the only thing strange about me is that my parents are actually my grandparents. My mother died during childbirth. She got pregnant at seventeen, which according to my (grand)parents, was very out of character to for her. My mother's name was Silvia. She never would name my father so I have no clue who he might be. I used to dwell on who he might've been, but I'm long past that now. I'm loved and I just focus on the family I have. With my Mom, Judy, being a nurse, and my Dad, Mark, being a sheriff they did a good job of hiding the pregnancy from the town and no one thought anything of it. Accepting their story, without question, that I was their birth daughter.

This year is my sophomore year, I'm growing anxious as I near the age that my mother died. I'm determined to do better than she did. I couldn't break my parents heart the way she did. I've never had a boyfriend or been on a date. Not that I haven't been asked, but I always say no. Later in life there will be time for that and until then: school, family, and friends are my focus. I do well in school and, despite being an apparent prude, I'm fairly popular. I'm not shy at all. I voice my opinion whenever I think I should but I'm thoughtful and chose my words carefully.

Our school has all grades in it. We've all grown up together. I'd say in total there's probably only 500 students total. The approximately third of students that live in the Blackwood manor mainly keep to themselves, like their own little gang.

Thomas Blackwood is the current owner of the Blackwood estate. I've seen him a few times in town and he is very intimidating. His son was a few years above me in school so I didn't know him, but he left when we were all really young and I haven't heard anything about him since. His daughter, Katrina, is in my grade and one of the few Blackwood kids that do like to cause issues, sneakily of corse. From my understanding, everyone living there is related through the grapevine or married in. They're fairly private people who don't cause trouble so no one ever prods for information much.

My dad's main job is the town sheriff and he never has anything bad to say about those from the Blackwood Estate. They've occasionally lent a doctor or nurse to our tiny hospital where my mom is a nurse. They've also helped to lead search parties, among many other things. There's just always something in the back of my mind that wonders if there's more going on. I'm always told I'm being silly when I bring it up to anyone, even my friends.

I have many friends but Samantha and Elle are my best friends. They are the only two people apart from my parents that know they aren't my birth parents. Elle is very smart, especially with math and fairly quiet. Samantha is almost the opposite. Sam is smart but doesn't pay much attention and she is loud. Her focus is more set on boys. Almost every other week she has a crush on a different boy. She's never been in a serious relationship but dates frequently. I joke to her that soon she'll run out of town boys and be out of luck. The Blackwood Estate kids never date anyone from town. Sam is tall, curvy, and tan. She has long wavy brown hair and dark green eyes. She's gorgeous by any standards.

Elle, on the other hand, has basically been in a relationship since birth. Elle is short, tiny build, with beautiful pale skin. She has freckles across her cheeks and wears glasses. She has beautifully shiny reddish blonde hair and light green eyes. Her boyfriends name is Eric and also happens to be her neighbor. Sam still jokes that she'll lose her virginity before Elle. They both tease me that I should leave town and become a nun.

Summer is winding down and the town is buzzing with excitement for the beginning in school. In a town where there isn't much going on any change is exciting.