To End the Rapture
Chapter One
"Eagle Crest Mall, open from ten in the morning until ten at night." My TV spoke to me in faux enthusiasm. "Get down here today for the special Christmas sales beginning at noon and ending at four. Everything is half off and all appliances-" I clicked the power button off with my index finger and stared at the blank screen. My eyes turned down to the bowl of chips on my lap, and cramped my chin until I moved my head back up. Without thinking, I rolled over and knocked all of the chips onto the floor. Oh well, the dog can take care of them.
Christmas. Or three days before that is. Everything was always too rushed, and nobody even bothered with the real meaning behind it. They go out and buy gifts just so someone can be happy, per say. If they didn't, than guilt would consume them until they finally did purchase something that would be forgotten about in the next couple of months anyway. I wasn't a huge fan of the holidays. Maybe it was because I didn't have many friends. I mean, I had enough to keep myself content, but not as much as the average seventeen year old girl. Though oddly enough, I get smothered by my mother constantly.
My eyes focused on the pine tree set up on our deck outside, caked with fresh powdery snow. I could barely point out the lights underneath the massive amount. I wasn't even aware that it had snowed, honestly, but it had to be at least five inches out there. I stood up and shivered when my bare feet touched the cold linoleum floor as I headed towards the sliding glass door. Just barely, I cracked it and smiled as I inhaled the crisp air that immediately shocked my lungs. I loved the cold air, but I hated snow more than anything else in the world.
My emerald eyes scanned the backyard, first looking towards the plastic pool. The water had frozen over and another thin layer of snow coated that. We didn't have any trees really. Just a bird feeder and a swimming pool. Neither looked like themselves, depressing me further. An unexpected breeze rushed by and I hurried to shut the door. A shiver escaped my lips as I rubbed my arms for warmth.
"Jael?" a voice asked from the room next door. I turned my head to look into my mother’s room, noticing that the bathroom light was on instead of the main one. "Jay?"
"Yes?" I answered in annoyance, beginning to head towards the room. I stopped where the carpet began. I didn't like this room to tell you the truth. It reeked of axe, perfume, and cigarette smoke. They're probably three of the worst scents in the world.
"I'm going to the mall, do you want to come with?" my mother asked hopefully. I let my face fall and kept my grunt hidden as my eyes rolled to the ceiling. "I need to get my sister something." I waited a moment and then opened my mouth to speak. "And besides, didn't Taylor get you a nice CD? You should get her a little something in exchange." And my jaw dropped. That's what I've been talking about. My mother probably couldn't even define Christmas. Just because somebody got me a gift on her own free will doesn’t mean that I need to do the same. But the guilty feeling never ceased to amaze me. In just seconds, I had my shoes and coat on while leaning against the wall near the opening of my mother’s room.
I heard a light flick off and footsteps head towards me. My mother appeared in the living room, shutting the door behind her tightly. She smiled broadly in my face. I tried at a quick grin, but failed. Her brow furrowed as she stepped forward, splitting a potato chip in half. "Jael," she scolded, starting the word in a tender voice and ending in an angry one. Only parents could do that and sound frightening. "Pick these up."
"They're already on the ground, can't Baxter just eat them?" I complained.
"He'll get sick if he does." Her rosy red cheeks lightened as she puckered her lips. I heard the clinging of dog tags coming down the dark hallway as my border collie appeared with his tongue drooping out of his mouth. I couldn't help but to smirk. I got him before he was a year old when I turned fifteen as a birthday present. He shoved his nose to the ground and inched towards the chips. I laughed as my mom tried to dissuade him. He stared up at her, but sure enough didn't stop until he ate. I heard her sigh in defeat and head down the stairs to the front door. I patted Baxter's head as he graciously picked up another chip.
"Bye," I whispered sadly as I followed behind my mom. I shut the door and allowed her to lock it.
Christmas. Or three days before that is. Everything was always too rushed, and nobody even bothered with the real meaning behind it. They go out and buy gifts just so someone can be happy, per say. If they didn't, than guilt would consume them until they finally did purchase something that would be forgotten about in the next couple of months anyway. I wasn't a huge fan of the holidays. Maybe it was because I didn't have many friends. I mean, I had enough to keep myself content, but not as much as the average seventeen year old girl. Though oddly enough, I get smothered by my mother constantly.
My eyes focused on the pine tree set up on our deck outside, caked with fresh powdery snow. I could barely point out the lights underneath the massive amount. I wasn't even aware that it had snowed, honestly, but it had to be at least five inches out there. I stood up and shivered when my bare feet touched the cold linoleum floor as I headed towards the sliding glass door. Just barely, I cracked it and smiled as I inhaled the crisp air that immediately shocked my lungs. I loved the cold air, but I hated snow more than anything else in the world.
My emerald eyes scanned the backyard, first looking towards the plastic pool. The water had frozen over and another thin layer of snow coated that. We didn't have any trees really. Just a bird feeder and a swimming pool. Neither looked like themselves, depressing me further. An unexpected breeze rushed by and I hurried to shut the door. A shiver escaped my lips as I rubbed my arms for warmth.
"Jael?" a voice asked from the room next door. I turned my head to look into my mother’s room, noticing that the bathroom light was on instead of the main one. "Jay?"
"Yes?" I answered in annoyance, beginning to head towards the room. I stopped where the carpet began. I didn't like this room to tell you the truth. It reeked of axe, perfume, and cigarette smoke. They're probably three of the worst scents in the world.
"I'm going to the mall, do you want to come with?" my mother asked hopefully. I let my face fall and kept my grunt hidden as my eyes rolled to the ceiling. "I need to get my sister something." I waited a moment and then opened my mouth to speak. "And besides, didn't Taylor get you a nice CD? You should get her a little something in exchange." And my jaw dropped. That's what I've been talking about. My mother probably couldn't even define Christmas. Just because somebody got me a gift on her own free will doesn’t mean that I need to do the same. But the guilty feeling never ceased to amaze me. In just seconds, I had my shoes and coat on while leaning against the wall near the opening of my mother’s room.
I heard a light flick off and footsteps head towards me. My mother appeared in the living room, shutting the door behind her tightly. She smiled broadly in my face. I tried at a quick grin, but failed. Her brow furrowed as she stepped forward, splitting a potato chip in half. "Jael," she scolded, starting the word in a tender voice and ending in an angry one. Only parents could do that and sound frightening. "Pick these up."
"They're already on the ground, can't Baxter just eat them?" I complained.
"He'll get sick if he does." Her rosy red cheeks lightened as she puckered her lips. I heard the clinging of dog tags coming down the dark hallway as my border collie appeared with his tongue drooping out of his mouth. I couldn't help but to smirk. I got him before he was a year old when I turned fifteen as a birthday present. He shoved his nose to the ground and inched towards the chips. I laughed as my mom tried to dissuade him. He stared up at her, but sure enough didn't stop until he ate. I heard her sigh in defeat and head down the stairs to the front door. I patted Baxter's head as he graciously picked up another chip.
"Bye," I whispered sadly as I followed behind my mom. I shut the door and allowed her to lock it.
♠ ♠ ♠
It starts out kind of slow, but the next chapter is intense.