The Figure

The New House

Looking out the car window, all I could see were trees filling any space they could alongside the road. The scenery here was so much more different than in our old apartment which was filled with littered streets and many highways crowded with cars all night. 'I'm sure the new house won't have moldy carpets and dogs barking every night' Jeff thought.

"We should be there soon honey the town is just right there" Jeff's Mom Delilah had turned to him "I know this may be a little different from the city but just think of it as a new chance okay?"

It's not like Jeff hated the idea of moving he just didn't feel so comfortable with the whole "new school" problem, being the new kid wasn't exactly anyone's favorite part of moving. But he was happy about getting out of the apartment.

A few Days Ago

In a small run-down apartment right beside multiple highways, Jeff had just gotten home from school "Mom I'm home!" He yelled to let his mother know he was back. Sitting his backpack down he looked into the kitchen for her but did not see her anywhere.

"Mom... you home?"

Jeff walked through the kitchen and saw some plates with food she had made for supper. Seeing that supper was done but she wasn't here he walked towards her bedroom when he had heard a voice.

"-ell what do you mean this is sudden, how could this just be a sudden thing that no one noticed till now" his Mom's voice stressed and unhappy with whoever she was talking to.

Jeff quietly walked closer to the door and pushed his ear slightly onto the door trying to be silent so he could hear the conversation.

"I'm sorry ma'am I'm sure something happened that day and the person who went over it just missed it" He could hear that she was on the phone with someone. "How about we give you one free year at the house and a reduced payment on the bills for the fourteen years you weren't there?"

'A new house huh?' Jeff thought the idea wasn't bad and they could get a free year without paying any bills but 'what house are they talking about.'

"Alright alright that's fine I still don't appreciate that this went unnoticed but right now it's better than what we have so send me the information on it" Jeff's Mom was still upset about what happened but thought that it would give them a new chance. "Thank you and sorry I know it wasn't your fault but It hasn't been easy" apologizing to the person on the phone for acting a little rude about the situation. "Don't worry about it ma'am I too am sorry that this has happened to you I'm just glad we got it settled, I'll send it to you later through email and you can look at it goodbye." His mom sighed loudly expressing her exhaustion "Let's hope this goes well" she said before walking to the door.

*Knock Knock* Jeff lightly tapped the door "Mom you in there?" acting as if he had just gotten there and didn't hear the last half of the conversation. She opened the door and gave him a big hug while rubbing his back "Welcome home honey let's go eat supper before it gets any colder" pausing for a second with a lonely but hopeful look in her eye "I've got something to talk about while we eat."

Heading back to the kitchen to eat the supper that had already gotten cold from sitting out Jeff sat down and ate the food knowing that his mother tried her best to provide so even if it was cold he still enjoyed her food.

"So today I got a call" his mom started out "From the school?" acting oblivious to hearing the call. She smiled softly before continuing "no-no Honey although you saying that makes me wonder if something happened at school" chuckling a little "it's something about your dad..well more about the things he had owned not so much about him."

Jeff's eyes widened at the mention of his father he knew that the house was one thing but never thought it'd be his father's 'wait so we were supposed to have this house already then but they messed up and now we've been stuck in this little apartment' he thought about it but it made a little sense from what his Mom had told him about his dad. Soon he calmed down, as much as he wanted to know the answers to all the questions he has about his Dad he would wait to think about them later.

"So what did he have for us?" although he felt a little guilty since he had listened in earlier he still wanted her to have this chance to tell him now. "Well it's not a bunch of money although there is just a little bit the main thing is the house he had owned which is now our house to own, I had just gotten off the phone talking with someone about the details of it but we are gonna be moving there in a few days so make sure you pack everything the truck will be here and they will take our stuff there while we drive to the house before them to get it ready."

After some more talking, they enjoyed their supper together despite it being cold they were happy that night. Brushing his teeth and putting on some Shrek-themed pajamas he slipped into bed.

The night was restless, the dogs barking mixed with the cars honking was Jeff's life for all he can remember and now he's moving away to somewhere that's completely different in so many ways that it's almost overwhelming. He wasn't sad about moving but more excited and for some reason, he felt almost as if something was coming together.

The Car Ride

The trees around the car were mostly thin and about medium height, the road was getting rugged but still a little smooth as long as they didn't go too fast. Looking ahead Jeff could start to see trees that were even larger than the ones around them currently with a river splitting the medium ones from the big ones. After passing the river Jeff felt as if he was more comfortable after they crossed the river to the side with the big trees but shrugged it off as a new experience from the old place.

"Woah these are the biggest trees I've ever seen mom" his excitement showed as he pressed his face to get as close as possible. His Mom laughed "Oh yeah these are pretty big but Honey I've seen a tree that makes these look like saplings" He turned to her "really? is it close to here?" an almost sad look appeared on her face for just a second before she kept smiling "sadly no but I'm sure you will get to see it one day." A little down from hearing that he instead asked "Could you tell me about it then?" she looked around and saw a sign showing that they weren't much farther from the town so she decided to tell the story to pass the time for now.

"Well let's see, It was maaany years ago when I was still a little younger but the forest had trees like these for the miles a thin chilly fog was always floating through the trees white as the clouds but it seemed like a never-ending maze every time you would try to reach the fog it felt like it just moved with you but one day I had found a red and black flower that seemed to split the fog so I dug it up and used it to guide my way through before I found a cliff then once I reached the cliff the fog seemed to come together again but this time it kept creeping closer even though I had the flower, the fog soon reached me and tried going for the flower since it wanted the flower I decided to throw it over the edge so that it wouldn't have it, I tossed it over and expected the fog to just settled down but instead the flower hit some water that was below and as if a reaction happened the fog started clearing and in the center of the whole forest was a tree that seemed like it covered the entire sky, its leaves spread out covering the forest like a blanket I was so suprised that I hadn't seen it before any other time I had been there, its roots were taller than buildings digging into the earth seamlesly as if it was just another tree"

"Mom how can a tree like that exist that's way too big I should be able to see it from anywhere if it was that huge" he didn't doubt that his mother had seen things around the world but he knew trees didn't get that big. She just laughed "Don't worry I'll show you one day and maybe we can find that flower again."

The story had lasted long enough for them to reach the town and start driving down the road to their new house. The houses around the town were all built with plenty of trees in between 'glad the cars won't be so close at night when I try to sleep' happy with the distance from the road to the houses he felt that sleeping would be easier but maybe quieter after he had gotten used to cars passing by every night.

Reaching the house, only after feeling like they were in the middle of nowhere which wasn't wrong in a sense. The driveway was just rocks leading to the house which stood alone with no trees around it for many feet. The house itself was two stories tall and made of wood logs on the outside with fake wood walls for a more modern take on the interior.

The New House

Parking the car Jeff and his Mom both stepped out of the car looking at the house both with their own feelings for it. His Mom felt like she was back home after being away from it for so long. Jeff on the other hand was excited to live in such a place which he had never experienced before a whole new place to explore and many new people to meet. 'I can only think of what stories will unfold here, a new life, new friends, and a new adventure.'