The Depth Between Elements

The Place I Used to Call Home ~ Chapter 6

Finally I think I’m safe. I let out a small sigh of relief. Taking in my bearings I walk through the dense woods. They may know where I’m headed, but if I can travel fast enough I can get to the next town before the airbenders do.

I quicken my pace, the brush is heavier now, and although I’m certain I haven’t been in these parts of the woods some of the boulders and trees look recognizable. Like I’ve seen them before. Then it comes into view.

Through all the foliage I can see an old run down house. Its cobble stone walls and rustic red shutters are welcoming. I distinguish it immediately. This is the place I used to call home. Wild flowers surround it and although probably not maintained in a while it still looks cozy. I walk forward towards the red door.

I open it and immediately I’m swept into the past. All the things in the living room were exactly how we left it when grandma drove me out. I remember how she told me it would hurt too much to live here. How she was right. I’m sixteen yet for some reason I still can’t get over their disappearance. Being back where it all happened is painful.

I trail my hand along our old dinner table. I can just remember our family sitting down for dinner together... Mom made the best lasagna I swear. I smile to myself, even if they are gone some of their memories still make me grin. I remove my hand from the table, a thick layer of dust now on my finger.

I make my way to my old bedroom. Its just the way I left it, only covered in dust and cobwebs. My bed is still made and my old clothes in the closet are miniature, made for a seven year old girl that I no longer am. I sort through the clothes until I come to something I’ve never seen before.

A long, cascading black and gold dress is hidden in the back of my old closet. Hanging with the dress is a gold necklace. It’s gorgeous. Most likely my mother’s, I think. I delicately pull out the dress and it actually looks like it would fit me. I drag it to the bed and I take the necklace. It is heavy from the gold, but it feels delicate. I hold it like its a relic before carefully putting it on. The dress is also beautiful, it almost looks like something from the last avatar era, but its style is ageless. Along the dress is embroidered gold, most likely real. Why did my mother have this?

A white paper catches my eye when inspecting the dress. I grasp it in my hand and read the scratchy writing.

“From Aang, to the next generation”

Wow. Shocked I put the garment down. How in the world did my mother get in possession of this? I hear something in the front of the house. Panicked I put the dress and necklace back into the closet and run into the living room. I hide behind a couch.

The door swings open and black shoes waltz in. I move my eyes from the legs of the man to see the same boy that was after me. Fear pulses in me, but luckily he doesn’t see me. The look on his face shows he's in another world when he walks over to the kitchen. Slowly he opens the cabinet I hid in just 10 years ago. I hear him sigh.

“If only I said something more. Why didn’t you Zach? She was so scared, but all you did was stare at her.” he says to himself shaking his head slightly. He suddenly turns, his eyes scanning the living room. I pray he doesn’t find me.

He rotates on his heel and walks right out the door. I stay where I am for a few minutes, one incase he comes back and two because I’m really not sure how to react. What if he was the boy that found me when I was hiding ten years ago? Of course he was right? No I refuse to believe that this Zach guy saved me. That wide eyed boy kept me alive, but Zach is cruel and arrogant. No man like that would have the kindness to save me.

I pick myself up from the dusty floor, still not sure what happened. I walk to my parents room for one last look. I know I can’t stay here since Zach knows of this place. I open my parent’s door and squint my eyes. The room is brightly lit by sunlight, but I can see the dust floating around. I touch the bed. I miss you both,  I think to myself. I then see another necklace on the dresser. I walk over and  put it in my hands. It was my mothers. She always used to wear it, it has a silver chain and a light blue green locket attached to it. I lightly put it on, loving the warmth and pleasure it gives me to be wearing something of my mother’s.

I then walk out of the house. Those memories still tugging at my heart as I continue to walk through the woods while the locket repeatedly clinks against my chest. The wooded area is all too familiar, but I then catch sight of a cobble stone path and realization occurs. This leads to another town, my dad made a bridge to secretly connect to another River Village. The village is in the western Earth Kingdom, situated between the forks of a large river. It's known as a great trading hub and  a great town for merchants to sell their wares. My father always went there to sell hides of animals he killed and herbs mother collected. Nobody knows that my father made a bridge here, so Zach will be searching a different town then the River Village.I proceed to walk the path, thinking it’s worth trying to cross my fathers bridge.

The bridge looks unsafe, probably since it’s about 20 years old. The river underneath isn’t that large, but still poses a threat. One step, one big step on this bridge will prove the past is in the past. I will find my parents no matter what it takes, even if I take the journey alone. I will leave my old home, friends, and neighbors to find my parents. Holding my breath I take my first leap towards the rollercoaster of my new life.

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Hi guys! Sorry this is a day late! I had soccer last night and I kind of procrastinated before I actually starting writing a hour before I had to leave for soccer. So sorry about that, but I reread this multiple times for you guys to make sure I didn't have too many errors. Hopefully that makes up for it? So this is kind of exciting, especially since Vic is now trying to find her parents. I researched an earth kingdom town that she is going to because I didn't want to randomly make a new one. What do you think of Zach's past and Vic's new journey?I hope you guys liked it!

Me and Alyssa are outlining the story now so we know exactly where were going with this. Were pretty excited for the twists we have in plan. Please vote and fan us! Were trying to make this more popular since both of us are working hard towards it!

This Saturaday is the next upload, its Alyssa's turn writing her chapter. I hope you enjoyed and stay tuned! Again sorry for the late upload! (;

~Jackie