Indian Summer

Jackie's mother didn't get home until late that night. She staggered through the door right before the movie ended with her hands full of paperwork. They exchanged sleepy greetings and "goodnight"s. Jackie's mother wandered to her room down the hall and closed the door, probably going to finish the rest of the papers in the morning.

The movie ended soon after and Jackie stood up shakily, turned off the T.V, and turned her cat out to the garage where he slept for the night. She shuffled her way up the dark stairs to her room tripping every once in a while as she found her way through the dark. Finding the light switch, she turned on the bright lights to the hall and after adjusting to the lights, found the door knob to her room. She threw the door open and walked in to her room.

After adjusting her eyes to the light, Jackie found her toiletries and headed back out into the hall to get ready for bed. She first brushed her teeth with Crest ‘minty fresh’ toothpaste and then washed off all of her make-up in the sink. She changed into her favorite pajamas; a deep red tank-top and royal blue sweat pants. Walking out of the bathroom she switched off the light and dropped her dirty clothes in the hamper just outside of the bathroom.

She re-entered her bedroom and hoped onto her bed after putting away the rest of her belongings and turning out the light and quickly fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

***

Waking up in the morning for Jackie was never a pain like it was for most other people. She jumped out of bed at 6 sharp with only a little bit of sleep haze clogging her mind. Quickly she hopped into the shower and washed her long auburn hair. She finished quickly and got out of the steaming bathroom to grab her clothes.

“Jack?” Her mother called from downstairs.

“Yeah?” Jackie answered back, grabbing a clean t-shirt and a pair of cut-off jeans from her room.

“Breakfast is ready! Come get it!”

“Ok...” She answered hoping down the stairs.

Jackie’s mother was standing in the kitchen with purple jelly toast on the counter, pancakes cooking on the stove and two cups of orange juice on the table.

“Smells good, Mom, but I don’t think I want pancakes today… I’ll just take some toast and juice. I’m going out into the woods today.” Jackie said cautiously. “Its not that I don’t like your pancakes… I just want to get out there before it the sun comes out.”

Jackie and her mother both glanced at the clock.

“That’s fine. Honey… I know you like the woods. Just make sure you eat something though…” Her mother assured, trying to seem like she didn't take it personally.

“Ok. I will, Mom…” Jackie replied and grabbed a piece of toast to eat on her way out the door. She took a bite and went into the family room to grab her sketch book. Jackie always liked to go out back and sketch pictures of the wildlife and anything she could find out in the woods.

Finding her book, Jackie scuttled out the back door after calling to her mom not to forget to let Banshee out. He hated being locked up in the garage at night but he just wouldn’t shut up and stop screeching at the dogs next door at night.

After making sure her mother heard her she wandered out into the backyard, through the gate, and into the peaceful world behind her house.