Arriving in Middle Area (narrative)
Angela was...here. Finally. After six hours on a plane, she'd arrived with only two suitcases of her possessions. And this place was grey, and cold, and worst of all, land-locked!
"Angela, love, come and see your room." It was pretty obvious that her grandmother was really trying to be friendly. Angela made no comment at the nickname, and followed her grandmother up the stairs, carrying her two suitcases. She hadn't even been able to bring hardly any of her books or journals or...anything, though her Dad said that he'd have them sent on. She hoped they came soon.
The room looked so cold and grey, four white walls, dark blue curtains, so...not like her room at home, but then, nothing here was like home.
"Here you are, Angie-love. This used to be your Daddy's old room, did I
tell you that?"
"No, Grandma, you didn't. Thank you." She had only seen this woman once before in her life and now that her father was going to be shipped out on an extended military tour in a war zone, she was her only family. So she made an effort to be pleasant.
"You won't have to go to school until the New Year, but I thought that tomorrow we could go to the mall and shop for school supplies and anything you might need."
"Yeah, okay," she said softly. "Thanks," she said again.
There was an uncomfortable sort of silence as Angela looked at the floor and shifted her weight.
"I know you don't really want to be here, Angie-love, but it wouldn't be right to leave you out on your own..."
Angela forces a smile. "I know, Grandma. But...I'm really tired and I'd just kinda like to be alone and unpack for a few minutes."
"Of course, dear. I'll call you for dinner--I'm sure you must be hungry." She went out, closing the door.
Angela sighed and sat down on the bed, shivering. God, it's so cold... She toyed with an old set of her Dad's dog tags that she always wore around her neck. Most of her clothes came from Army stores, most of her shoes were combat boots, simply for the practicality. She had to keep moving when Dad moved. She couldn't keep up with the fashions at every new place they lived. And why bother when they never stayed long enough for Angela to have friends of any sort?
But now she was here, while Dad was off in a war zone. She might never see him again. She didn't like to think about that. So she unpacked her clothes and set out whatever cosmetics she could on the dresser.
"Angela love, dinner's ready!"
Angela closed her eyes and sighed. I'm going to eat here. That means it's real.
"Coming, Grandma!" she called, and headed down to dinner.
"Angela, love, come and see your room." It was pretty obvious that her grandmother was really trying to be friendly. Angela made no comment at the nickname, and followed her grandmother up the stairs, carrying her two suitcases. She hadn't even been able to bring hardly any of her books or journals or...anything, though her Dad said that he'd have them sent on. She hoped they came soon.
The room looked so cold and grey, four white walls, dark blue curtains, so...not like her room at home, but then, nothing here was like home.
"Here you are, Angie-love. This used to be your Daddy's old room, did I
tell you that?"
"No, Grandma, you didn't. Thank you." She had only seen this woman once before in her life and now that her father was going to be shipped out on an extended military tour in a war zone, she was her only family. So she made an effort to be pleasant.
"You won't have to go to school until the New Year, but I thought that tomorrow we could go to the mall and shop for school supplies and anything you might need."
"Yeah, okay," she said softly. "Thanks," she said again.
There was an uncomfortable sort of silence as Angela looked at the floor and shifted her weight.
"I know you don't really want to be here, Angie-love, but it wouldn't be right to leave you out on your own..."
Angela forces a smile. "I know, Grandma. But...I'm really tired and I'd just kinda like to be alone and unpack for a few minutes."
"Of course, dear. I'll call you for dinner--I'm sure you must be hungry." She went out, closing the door.
Angela sighed and sat down on the bed, shivering. God, it's so cold... She toyed with an old set of her Dad's dog tags that she always wore around her neck. Most of her clothes came from Army stores, most of her shoes were combat boots, simply for the practicality. She had to keep moving when Dad moved. She couldn't keep up with the fashions at every new place they lived. And why bother when they never stayed long enough for Angela to have friends of any sort?
But now she was here, while Dad was off in a war zone. She might never see him again. She didn't like to think about that. So she unpacked her clothes and set out whatever cosmetics she could on the dresser.
"Angela love, dinner's ready!"
Angela closed her eyes and sighed. I'm going to eat here. That means it's real.
"Coming, Grandma!" she called, and headed down to dinner.