FINDING HOME

Chapter II

Annika slowly stepped out of the transit bus, savouring the walk from the stop to her house. The concrete was slick from rain and the birds were all hiding away in their nests, safe from harm. Families of robins protecting their baby chicks from the outside world. 

112, 114, 116. Annika counted the house numbers as she walked on the sidewalk, her dress clung tightly to her silhouette in the rain and her backpack so heavy as though she was carrying enough bricks to build a house. Her phone vibrated, it's sounds echoing down the lifeless street. She picked up the call, 

"Hey, Lauren what's up? No, I'm doing fine, just walking home."

 Next to her, an engine roared to life. 

Annika froze in place and her head jerked in the direction of the noise. She couldn't move. The car moved in slow motion as she screamed deafeningly, her eyes squeezing tight. The driver swore, swerving left and right and left again, only seeing Annika a split second before. She lost her balance and slipped on the sidewalk, flying forward and landing so hard she swore that she cracked the concrete. Her bag flew with her and was laying on the grass right side up. 

Still on the wet sidewalk, Annika turned her neck and watched the car swerve into its mailbox, what once had the words Home is where the heart is, affectionately painted its side, now a jumbled up mess of metal and wood laying 6 feet from her. What could have been her.

Bullshit. If home is where the heart is, why was it that every time I go home, I want to claw my eyes out and slip into a dark closet, far away, where nobody can find me?  Annika thought. Somewhere without tears, and anger, and problems. To be frozen in space, somewhere where mom was home and dad cared enough to even look at his kids. 

"What just happened?" The screeching voice from her phone cut through the rumbles of thunder and rain.

"Yeah, I think I'll have to call you back." Annika winced, as she peeled herself from the concrete.