Status: WIP
Far From Home
One
Seattle, Washington USA
July 26, 2011
Washington in the summer time was exactly like Washington in the winter time – only a few degrees warmer. There was no sun. Raindrop after raindrop would fall from the darkly cloudy skies for hours on end, being lit up only by the odd flash of lightning.
For most, such a scene would be classified as scary, like that of a cheap horror movie. Yet Washington weather was something that the state’s inhabitants grew used to. So while Andrea Barrow spoke amicably into the phone to her mother on the other line, she hardly noticed the Washington storm brewing outside. Instead, her mind was set on gathering and putting away the newly cleaned dishes from the dishwasher and attempting to appease her mother’s worried notions.
“We’re only going to be in London for two weeks, Mom,” Andrea explained softly. Her hands reached out for the few plates still left in the dishwasher. “Besides, Sharon will be with me the entire time.”
“That’s what worries me the most,” her mother’s static voice shrilled over the phone. Andrea winced. “I don’t trust that roommate of yours. She’s always looking for trouble.”
Andrea rolled her eyes, having heard this speech from her mother enough times to recite it herself. “She doesn’t look for trouble,” Andrea explained, extracting the silverware drawer from the dishwasher and setting it on the kitchen’s granite counter, before returning to put away the cups. “Trouble finds her. Besides, we need the break before college starts. London will be good for us. You said so yourself
“Yes. It would be good for you. Not for you and your delinquent friends. Who knows what sort of mischief she’ll involve you in. I have a horrible feeling about this trip. I don’t want you to go.”
“It’s a little late for that,” Andrea joked, causing a scoff of annoyance from her mother. “Not to mention, I’m 17 years old. I think I can handle whatever London throws at me. I don’t think—”
“You’re not even an adult yet,” her mother interrupted. “College student or not, you are still a child. And I just know you and your friends are going to get into trouble while there. I will not be the one who has to sort it out. I refuse You know, when your father was alive, he never—”
Andrea hissed into the phone. The last thing she needed was another lecture about her father and his drinking habits. “Sorry, Mom. I’m losing you,” Andrea explained, her voice breaking like she was headed into a tunnel. “I can’t---not…Storm---just wait…Bye!” She hung up.
With an angry sigh, Andrea began putting the silverware away. “Ooh. That mother of mine,” she accosted, literally throwing the forks into their rightful places.
Just as she was about to rant to herself about the horrible woman that adopted her, a lightning bolt struck close by, lighting up the entire condominium before the lights all shut down with another power outage.
Another thing the people of Washington grew used to: power outages. With a soft flick of her hand, Andrea turned on the battery-operated lamp that sat on the countertop, ready for moments like these. The lamp cast eerie glows into the mostly dark house, but Andrea ignored the tricking light and continued clearing the silverware.
At any other time, Andrea Barrow would have completed clearing the dishes in the dark and wouldn’t have felt a single tinge of fear from this much storm and darkness. Yet when a chill passed across the back of her neck and her ears grew warm with suspicion, she deftly picked up one of the steak knives from her silverware.
Andrea was not easily scared. As a child, there was no fear of the dark, heights, snakes or anything that normal children grew up fearing. Andrea didn’t back down from any challenge and she was proud of the fact that fear was relative as far as she was concerned.
She was also proud, however, of the fact that her fear was always well placed, when it ever did indeed arise. So when a chill of icy fear ran down her spine and she could feel the presence of someone behind her, she did not question it. Grasping tighter the knife in her hand, she wrenched herself around, ready to capture her attacker unawares before he could do the same.
But there was no one there.
Looking around, Andrea could see no reason for her instant apprehension. As far as her eyes could see there was no danger in the kitchen except for the young woman holding a knife out at the ready. With a frown of confusion, Andrea turned back around and continued with the last of the utensils. Whatever risk that was behind Andrea was now gone.
Another thirty minutes later, Andrea’s roommate, Sharon, finally returned from a night of partying and Andrea watched absentmindedly as Sharon began packing for their flight to London. Tomorrow the two would travel halfway across the world with two other friends to see what the world outside of Seattle, Washington had to offer. They had no real plan, besides a hotel reservation and a list of over a hundred places to visit and see
It was planned to be a long two weeks.
Too bad Andrea would never get the chance to see the 21st century London like she planned.
July 26, 2011
Washington in the summer time was exactly like Washington in the winter time – only a few degrees warmer. There was no sun. Raindrop after raindrop would fall from the darkly cloudy skies for hours on end, being lit up only by the odd flash of lightning.
For most, such a scene would be classified as scary, like that of a cheap horror movie. Yet Washington weather was something that the state’s inhabitants grew used to. So while Andrea Barrow spoke amicably into the phone to her mother on the other line, she hardly noticed the Washington storm brewing outside. Instead, her mind was set on gathering and putting away the newly cleaned dishes from the dishwasher and attempting to appease her mother’s worried notions.
“We’re only going to be in London for two weeks, Mom,” Andrea explained softly. Her hands reached out for the few plates still left in the dishwasher. “Besides, Sharon will be with me the entire time.”
“That’s what worries me the most,” her mother’s static voice shrilled over the phone. Andrea winced. “I don’t trust that roommate of yours. She’s always looking for trouble.”
Andrea rolled her eyes, having heard this speech from her mother enough times to recite it herself. “She doesn’t look for trouble,” Andrea explained, extracting the silverware drawer from the dishwasher and setting it on the kitchen’s granite counter, before returning to put away the cups. “Trouble finds her. Besides, we need the break before college starts. London will be good for us. You said so yourself
“Yes. It would be good for you. Not for you and your delinquent friends. Who knows what sort of mischief she’ll involve you in. I have a horrible feeling about this trip. I don’t want you to go.”
“It’s a little late for that,” Andrea joked, causing a scoff of annoyance from her mother. “Not to mention, I’m 17 years old. I think I can handle whatever London throws at me. I don’t think—”
“You’re not even an adult yet,” her mother interrupted. “College student or not, you are still a child. And I just know you and your friends are going to get into trouble while there. I will not be the one who has to sort it out. I refuse You know, when your father was alive, he never—”
Andrea hissed into the phone. The last thing she needed was another lecture about her father and his drinking habits. “Sorry, Mom. I’m losing you,” Andrea explained, her voice breaking like she was headed into a tunnel. “I can’t---not…Storm---just wait…Bye!” She hung up.
With an angry sigh, Andrea began putting the silverware away. “Ooh. That mother of mine,” she accosted, literally throwing the forks into their rightful places.
Just as she was about to rant to herself about the horrible woman that adopted her, a lightning bolt struck close by, lighting up the entire condominium before the lights all shut down with another power outage.
Another thing the people of Washington grew used to: power outages. With a soft flick of her hand, Andrea turned on the battery-operated lamp that sat on the countertop, ready for moments like these. The lamp cast eerie glows into the mostly dark house, but Andrea ignored the tricking light and continued clearing the silverware.
At any other time, Andrea Barrow would have completed clearing the dishes in the dark and wouldn’t have felt a single tinge of fear from this much storm and darkness. Yet when a chill passed across the back of her neck and her ears grew warm with suspicion, she deftly picked up one of the steak knives from her silverware.
Andrea was not easily scared. As a child, there was no fear of the dark, heights, snakes or anything that normal children grew up fearing. Andrea didn’t back down from any challenge and she was proud of the fact that fear was relative as far as she was concerned.
She was also proud, however, of the fact that her fear was always well placed, when it ever did indeed arise. So when a chill of icy fear ran down her spine and she could feel the presence of someone behind her, she did not question it. Grasping tighter the knife in her hand, she wrenched herself around, ready to capture her attacker unawares before he could do the same.
But there was no one there.
Looking around, Andrea could see no reason for her instant apprehension. As far as her eyes could see there was no danger in the kitchen except for the young woman holding a knife out at the ready. With a frown of confusion, Andrea turned back around and continued with the last of the utensils. Whatever risk that was behind Andrea was now gone.
Another thirty minutes later, Andrea’s roommate, Sharon, finally returned from a night of partying and Andrea watched absentmindedly as Sharon began packing for their flight to London. Tomorrow the two would travel halfway across the world with two other friends to see what the world outside of Seattle, Washington had to offer. They had no real plan, besides a hotel reservation and a list of over a hundred places to visit and see
It was planned to be a long two weeks.
Too bad Andrea would never get the chance to see the 21st century London like she planned.
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