The Only Exception

A town located in the middle of no where, surrounded by trees and hills. The inhabitants here have lived in this small, quiet town since they were born. Everyone knows everyone. Everyone knows everyone else’s business. There are no secrets in this town.

Everyone knew of Mr. and Mrs. Fisherman’s divorce before it even happened.

Everyone knew of Miss. Chairman’s death at 22 an hour after it happened. Everyone knew that it was an alcoholic driver from out of town that killed her before anything was even said.

Mr. and Mrs. Tyler knew of their daughter's pregnancy before she told them, as did the entire town. And of course, they all scolded her, but helped none the less, because this town is known for that, known for the people being kind, nosy, and helpful to everyone.

It’s kind of sickening, because although they help, they are saying things behind that person’s back…

There is no privacy here. Parents gossip, because there’s nothing else to do. Kids make up stories, because there’s never anything interesting going on. It’s calm here, quiet, down to earth, boring.

The most exciting thing that’s ever happened here was when a young girl went missing, and even that wasn’t exciting, but frightening.

She turned up 3 days later, as it turned out she got lost in the woods. Nothing scandalous like a kidnapping or murder, that has never happened here, at least not in my time.

The crime rate is low, nothing happening, maybe once a year or less. There’s hardly any drugs, due to the very stable environment in this town, if stable is what you wish to call it.

The kids survive by swimming in the lake, running through the woods, and going to the skating rink, which has been here before my great grandparents time. The mud and wilderness is our best friend, because it’s really the only fun thing in this dead town.

Everything here is family owned. The diner down the street, the roller skating rink, the docks, the boat house, the bowling alley and the super markets, are all owned by the towns people. The nearest mall, city, or town in general is nearly an hour away. This place is literally, cut off from civilization.

It’s actually rare for kids down this way to have things like Xbox 360‘s, PS2, computers, or anything else like that. Technology is very low down this way, because we’re so cut off and have learned to use what we have.

I hate it.

New comers are rare. Actually, I can’t recall anyone new moving to this town since I’ve been alive. Which is not surprising at all, considering this place and it’s location, it isn’t exactly a place people want to come to, unless you’re old, practically useless or half dead.

People leaving this place is even rarer. Most stay here their entire life, go to school here, grow up here, fall in love here, make friends here, and die here. It’s like being stuck in a trap, one that you cannot escape or even think about escaping from.

I’m not really sure why people would stay in such a place. I don’t know why they’d want to be in such a dead, cut off town, that has nothing but its history. I don’t know why people stick here, in such a useless place that has no future for them.

Everyone here grows up to take over a family business, become farmers, or some other job that they really don’t want, but have to do because of the location. This place, it’s just…truly pathetic.

I, Roy Nicholson, hate this place, this town known as Windchester.