1 May 2012
This is the second chapter of The Witness, the adventure story I'm writing. What do you mean you haven't read the first chapter? Go read it now! :P Also, could you comment on any things I could improve on? Thanks, hope you enjoy! :D
Chapter II: Thoughts
Now I would never get to see my parents again, hear their voices, touch their skin. I would never get taught another lesson by Mum, or eat one of her amazing brownies. Never get to listen to one of Dad’s amazing adventures or receive one of his tropical gifts from halfway around the world. He was an explorer, and he was always investigating rain forests or trekking across a desert. He only came to visit a few times a year and when he did, only for a few weeks. When he came back, he would tell us a hugely exaggerated story of his time away, which always made us laugh. He would come back with precious stones, and sell them to museums. That was what made us rich. And I mean really rich. So rich he was able to buy an entire island for us to live on. It was tiny, and completely surrounded by the sea. It was just us living on it, so Dad had to get food sent in every day. He tried not to spoil me, but he didn’t do a very good job. He was constantly buying me things, probably to make up for his absence. But none of those gifts could make up his absence from the world. As for Mum, she was one of the smartest women in the world. Her parents were always nagging her to do something worthwhile, like curing cancer or running for Prime Minister. But then she met Dad, and became pregnant with me. The day I was born, she swore that she would pass on every piece of knowledge and wisdom on to me. She home schooled me, and that’s why I’m so smart. When I was eight, she gave me a small red leather notebook. She told me to take it with me everywhere and write down my every thought. I promised her I would, and I have never broken that promise. I delved my hand deep inside my jeans pocket and felt a hard, leathery object inside. Just knowing it was there made me feel at ease. It was my most treasured possession, and the only object I had left from Mum. I wondered what sort of cruel, heartless people would do this kind of thing. Take two such wonderful, inspirational people away from their family and friends. All with one simple pull of the trigger. And now I was all alone in the big world, with no one to look after me. But I wasn’t. Not at all. I almost kicked myself for being so stupid. I forgot all about Uncle Vic. Vic and Dad had been friends from their first day of university. He had been the best man at Dad’s wedding and my godfather. He was away often too, but I have no idea what he did. He was like a second father to me. Now me and Uncle Vic could start a new life together. I was just gathering the energy to go back in the house, when I spotted a puddle beside the bench. I could see the reflection of my face in it. My skin was ghostly pale, even paler than usual. I had long dark brown wavy hair that I inherited from my dad. In fact, I was a spitting image of him. Whenever a guest would visit the house, they would always exclaim, ‘My, she looks just like you, Norman!’ or say to my mum ‘She’s the exact size as you were when you were fourteen, Sharon!’. I detested being short. You could never reach anything high up and you were always overshadowed by everyone else. I wasn’t bothered about being skinny though. I was able to hide places nobody else could. My eyes were what made me really unique, though. They were a bright turquoise, but with a huge black hole stuck in the middle. That would always surprise the guests. ‘What peculiar eyes!’ they would say. But I was oddly proud of my eyes. They were unique, and that’s why I loved them. It was with those eyes that I would see the most terrible thing that would change my life for ever.
The Witness - Chapter 2 • Opuss № I