I've always wondered what this day would be like even before my freshman year. Senior year of high school was probably one of the most questionable years of high school. I have many friends that have graduated- some I'm still in touch with, and others have felt like they dropped off the face of the earth. They all tell me different stories about their senior year as one of my friends, Kate, said it was one of the easiest years of her life. Although, she was valedictorian, so, of course, she'd say that.
My brother Sam said it was his hardest year trying to get into the right college, keeping up with his sports, and holding the same job. As for me, my first three years were simple there were a few parts of junior year that were a bit stressful. I'm hoping my swim season this year can get me noticed by some colleges, so it'll be easier to get into a great school. I got noticed by some small schools last year and offered about a half scholarship but the way they teach their kids is very questionable. My brother left for college about a week ago trying to get his dorm all set up so he could get used to the campus a little before his first day. He was always the kid to be ahead of it and to be in the know.
My brother and I are different in this respect. I like to live a little wild and adventurous. There is this trail that leads to some old cave behind my house. I've always been so intrigued by what lies behind the darkness. The sun is never at a good angle to shine light through the cave and the flashlights always turn off when we get near it. My goal was to walk through the cave by the end of my high school year, my best friend Robin said he thought we could use a flame as a source of light. so, he brought his dad's lighter with him and lit a branch on fire, but a mysterious wind blew through, and it went out almost instantly. I almost wanted to give up but that's when Kate joined in, she hasn't seen the cave in person yet but when we told her the stories, she wanted in.
Before we could explore the cave, the first day of the new school year came. Robin and I are in the same grade, although we never actually have a class together, he's kind of like Kate, not the smartest but he's a close second. My alarm is set for 7 AM when I must get ready for school. I hear my mom call down from upstairs wanting me up early, she has been a little upset about Sam leaving for college it's hard for her to see him go. I have taken care of myself it felt like for the last few years. My mom has helped me out and given me a home and food, but other than that I have kind of been on my own. I was self-taught in caring for my self. My mom is to busy keeping up with work. Being a single mother for most her life she has been money oriented on many thing. It's only been me and my brother we had no other siblings or cousins, although we haven't met anyone from my dad's side of the family. I always wonder why we don't ever visit them or why we never hear from them. It's not just them either, a lot of people I was close with, vanished. Once they graduated, they just kind of left or forgotten us. There haven't been any missing person's cases, so I believe they want to just leave their lives behind and restart. This town has always been a little strange, but in a curious way that I've always wanted to investigate.
My alarm finally goes off and I get ready for the day, I don't care too much about what I wear on my first day anymore. Not like I'm going to walk into school wearing a potato sack or anything. I usually just throw on a pair of ripped jeans and a T-shirt. Our teachers don't tell us to grab any supplies until after the first day, so I grab a pencil from my dresser and stuff it into my pocket as I do the same with my phone, keys, and wallet.
When I get downstairs there is already a plate of biscuits and gravy with eggs sitting on the table at my usual seat. I go to the door and right as I open it Robin is right there ready to knock on the door. Robin comes stumbling inside as he didn't expect me to open the door. My mom grabs another plate from the cabinet and assembles another plate of biscuits and gravy with eggs. She goes to the fridge to grab orange juice and hot sauce-Robin loves hot sauce with gravy and eggs, I don't see the appeal. Robin takes his seat across from mine. As he sits down his long blonde mane flops down from where he perched it on top of his head, covering his eyes. He flips his hair back up fixing it. He will never cut it short again not after his mom passed, she always loved his hair long. Robin hasn't been one to express feelings, but I can tell when he's hurting. All I can do, is be there for him when he needs me to be. The tow of us have been there for each other since I can remember. He looks up at me about to speak as he finishes chewing his biscuit "Hey man think you can lend me a hat today?"
"Yeah sure, man," I respond as I get up to head upstairs to grab one of my hats as I can hear a faint call from downstairs.
"Think you can grab the-" he stops talking as I walk downstairs with my grey Virginia Tech hat. V-Tech is the college his mom graduated from. I try giving it to him but he never accepts it. I have tried give it to him for his birthday or any other occasion that involves a gift, he politely accepts in public and declines in private. I guess he doesn't want to have a constant reminder of her, as it wouldn't mean as much to him when he wears it.
As we both finish our breakfast, my mom runs to her room. She comes back with her camera as me and Robin look at each other with the same look of dread as we know what's coming next.
"Alright, Alex... Robin, you know the drill. Get in front of the door this is the last one till you guys can't do this anymore." My mom demands, she always takes a picture of me and Robin in front of our front door ever since we were in first grade.
My mom makes a slide show of all of these and will show it at our graduation party. She did it with my brother and Kate. Robin heads up to the door as I take our plates to think sink and I fluff up my hair a bit more. I dread the pictures, but still wanna look good. I meet Robin at the door, and we pose like we always did when we were younger. I would jump on his back and both of us would put a thumbs up. My mom would take her few pictures before robin collapses to the ground. We always laugh it off. We then brush ourselves off and grab our stuff to go to school. The drive to school is peaceful. We roll down the windows and let the wind blow through the car. Robin takes off the V-Tech hat and lets his hair blow through the wind. We see a lot of our friends as we get closer to the school, Kate helps at the school as a nursing assistant for the first half of the day, and the other half she goes to V-Tech. My brother attends Miami university he's always liked the beach and the sun, so he wanted to be more south than Virginia. I find Kate's car in her old parking spot which I was able to reserve the one next to hers. Thankfully her classes don't start for another two weeks, so she is stuck with me here all day until then.
YOU ARE READING
Path Through the Darkness
ParanormalAlex and his friends thought their whole lives were just as simple as everyone else's. what they don't know is that their world is about to change, as they step through a cave unaware of where the adventure will take them.
