Nevengton Valley

3: Phinn

My nightmares, well normal people have nightmares every once and awhile but that's not the case for me, I have had them ever since the day I was born, now sixteen years later I can't really sleep anymore, for a lot of reasons mainly because of my Mom and Dad. They have been abusive for as long as I can remember. The only ones in my family who care are my brothers, but now that I'm gone they have to fend for themselves. I have always looked out for them, I may be short but I'm still their big sibling. I took a look at my arms and sighed heavily, lines, lines and more lines covered both of them. Within these lines there are memories of tragedies and fatalities of my past. I still don't remember why I started. I traced my finger up and down the scars, a smile spread across my face because as of today, I'm a year clean. I pulled my sleeves over my small hands and put my thumbs in the makeshift hole I cut into either sleeve. I grabbed my bag which was up against a beautiful oak tree surrounded by green and blue flowers. I took out my lighter and a cigarette. I placed it in my mouth and lit the tip. I inhaled and blew the smoke out of my mouth after letting it dance on my tongue. I took it out of my mouth momentarily, then returned it to my mouth taking another puff. I finished it, putting the lighter in my hoodie pocket. I put my bag on my shoulder and started walking again. This vision, the one with the man with the strange hat. I thought it only happened once, but I was very wrong. It's been happening since I was five. Back then however the dream was a bit different. The man was way different, he was a she until I was he, he transitioned with me. It makes no sense to me, but fascinating nonetheless. It was impossible for me to figure myself out, so I decided to go onto my next mystery. What the hell is happening in Nevengton Valley. I laughed to myself because a sudden sense of joy and excitement rose in my stomach. I put my earbuds in and started blasting some punk music, the second the drums came in I was running through the woods towards the old abandoned skate park. I had the biggest smile on my face and felt amazing. I saw an old skateboard sticking out of the old tuck shop wall, it was fully intact. I grabbed it and stood on it. I haven't done this in four years. I was twelve and skateboarding down a very steep hill. A car hit me and knocked me into a week-long coma. I started skating, surprisingly after years off the board I kept balance. Once again I smiled, it was fun to feel the summer breeze on my face. I left the skate park and stayed on the board all the way to Kylee's house. She was sitting on her front steps. She had a fresh bruise on her face and there was dry blood under her nose. She was wearing sweatpants and a shortsleeve which was not normal for her because just like me she had scars all over her arms. I sat beside her and rolled up my sleeves so she would feel more comfortable in her own skin. She looked over at me and smiled. "Phinn, can we please run away together right now?" I tilted my head "Right now?" she nodded and I smiled "Yeah lets go!" I grabbed her hand and started walking with her to her garage. She grinned and grabbed keys to an old truck. "This will do," she said. She unlocked it and gave me the keys. Before I could ask she answered "How will we get out of the city well one there are backroads and two this is my Moms truck she gave it to me and told me to run." I nodded and started the truck, its engine growling. Kylee got into the passenger seat. "Seatbelt" we both said at the same time and did them up. I put my foot down slowly on the gas and drove out of the garage, turned around and rolled down the backroad behind Kylee's house. The road led to the forest which was a shortcut to the highway. Kylee seemed so much happier the second we were on that highway. We drove for about six hours. The actual drive was only three hours but we took a few to explore the world we never saw. We pulled up to a campsite which strangely let us in with no questions asked. We had everything we needed, a tent, a water purifier, enough money because we both come from wealthy households, we also had blankets, sleeping bags and some food. I set up the tent and Kylee figured out payments and tried to plot out where we were going and how we could  figure out the mystery of Nevengton Valley. After setting up the tent we both cooked a hot dog over a fire. When the Sun was setting we climbed on the roof of her truck and draped our legs over the side. The stars were dancing and the Moon was rising through the Sun's bedtime kiss. I decided to grab her hand. She jumped a little at first but then relaxed. She seemed very calm. I looked into her eyes and she looked into mine. "Kylee?" I asked with my usual sleepy shaky voice. "Yes, Phinn?" Kylee said with a small smile." I leaned my head on her shoulder. "I love you" she giggled "I love you too" I turned to look at her and our lips connected. It was a beautiful kiss and a perfect night for my first. "Is this your first time kissing someone Phinn, because you are really good at it." she teased "Shut up!" I whined, earning a laugh from her. After a few drinks and a few more kisses we hugged each other and crawled into our tent. We went into our sleeping bags "Goodnight Kylee" I said with an exhausted tone. "Night Phinn" we both fell asleep after that. That night I didn't have a nightmare, I did not even dream, I just slept. I woke up the following day to the smell of bacon and eggs and the sound of a guitar. I sat up and looked around. Kylee had made me breakfast which I ate quite fast, and she also woke up before me which was really odd. I stretched and made my way out of the tent. Kylee was sitting on the bench by the tent strumming her guitar and singing something I did not remember. "We are broken and outcasts but babe we made it, we made it, we made it" I sat down and listened to her voice. "We never will survive if you don't grab my hand and run with me, we are broken and outcasts but we won't be forgotten" Sadly I didn't hear the whole song. I only heard the ending. She looked at me with her usual sadistic smirk. "Morning cutie" I turned red and hid my face because I felt it heating up. She chuckled "Please don't hide from me love" she moved my hands away from my face and kissed my forehead. I smiled softly and yawned. "That song, did you write it?" I asked with my usual head tilt. She nodded "It's a work in progress, I've always wanted to write music, it's my biggest dream" I blinked "No shit really, I've tried but I can only sing that's it." I mumbled a little but she understood and gave me a smile. We were only staying there for one night because well we are basically wanted if anyone knows we left. It was her turn to drive so I got in the passenger side this time. We drove for another six hours until a building came into view. It was an abandoned school, probably from 1920. It was all brick and the doors and windows have been boarded up most likely twenty times over. Kylee pulled up to the front doors and parked the truck. "Wanna see if there is a way inside?" she asked calmly "Uh DUH" I said. We did a loop around and found a broken door off its hinges "Bingo" I said and walked in with Kylee close behind me. It smelt heavily of alcohol and wet cement, the walls were practically destroyed by water damage, the hallways had sunk and practically became mud. As we walked through the hall I heard a voice whisper in my right ear "Get out" it was a little girl's voice. We were only in that building for five minutes, but we ended up leaving pretty quickly because Kylee said she started to smell rotting and burnt flesh, and so did I. We both nearly passed out from the smell, it was very strong. We got back in the truck and drove again this time a little more panicked. As we turned away from the school I saw a man's face peering out of a boarded up window above the entrance we found. I squinted and saw who he was. It was the man, the man from my dreams alive and in the flesh or dead and in spirit. He was following us. About 3 hours later we made a stop at a place called The Vapourish Valley Inn. Kylee stopped the truck, grabbed our stuff and checked in. We got a room and left our things there. We wanted to explore the little town and the inn. Kylee walked out the front door of the inn and walked over to an information board it read ~Welcome to Vapourish Valley! Our townspeople may seem weird but don't worry, they won't hurt you if you follow these rules! Rule number one: NO SMOKING. Rule number two: NO EXPLORING. Rule number three: DON'T STARE. Thank you travelers, have a pleasant day~ We examined it closely. A little boy walked up to us and smiled "What's wrong, do I  have something wrong with my face? He didn't have a face no one here did. But Kylee and I were wise not to gaze too much upon them, they are just people. We walked down the road to a little shop called "SEW A DOLL" Kylee really wanted to go in but I had an irrational fear of anything doll-like. She rolled her eyes and walked down the road past the store. I frowned and walked a little bit behind her. She snickered and kissed my cheek. I smiled brightly and got very giddy. "I love you so much!" I say playfully. She grinned "I love you so much too!"  She grabbed my hands and spun me around. She then picked me up in bridal style and kissed my nose. "Haha" she said with her classic smirk. Butterflies exploded in my stomach and slapped my hand over my face and squealed. We both ended up laughing. Out of nowhere a voice yelled at us "HEY NO GIRLS KISSING GIRLS!" The voice belonged to an old lady with barely any hair. "I'm a boy miss" she cackled "Then why do you have breasts on your chest." I felt my heart nearly shattered, it's the twenty first century and I'm being misgenderd for my fucking boobs again. Before I could reply Kylee went off. "Listen here bitch you don't go around shaming the trans community go back into your fucking cottage and do some reaserch before you come out here being homophobic and transphobic, fuck off before I get really mad" she finished and the lady ran back to her house. "Damn girl you schooled her!" I said in shock and she smiled "Nobody hurt my boyfriend" as she spoke. I pecked her chin softly and giggled. We continued exploring and Kylee got a phone call from someone. She looked really upset. "Phinn I  gotta go back to Nevengton Valley Fred my dad's old friend needs my help, something happened downtown, something bad he didn't give me any details just told me to get to his side of town fast." This was a lot to take in and I needed a second to process what she just said. "So you need to go alone, I understand. While you're gone I will do some research on Nevengton Valley and maybe even Vapourish Valley, how long will you be gone for?" I tilted my head and she wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me. "One day maybe two I'll call and text when I can, stay safe Phinn, I love you." She hugged me tightly and I smiled. "I love you too, drive safe." She nodded and got in the truck driving away. I walked back into the inn and went up to Kylee and I's room. I opened the door and noticed that she had forgotten her stuff, but it was too late to tell her she was long gone. I turned the room lights on and saw a fairly big package on the floor addressed to me with my birth name. It had a letter saying "Hello Miss Sarah we have mailed you something we think you will quite enjoy, we have been watching you grow for a while now and realize we should start calling you a he, anyway enjoy your gift" Sincerely T.W.O Incorporated. I tilted my head "Huh?"