Storyteller

Chapter 1: Adjusting to a New Life

It was dark and quiet in the middle of the night at the family's ancient farm, where Suzann Montgomery had lived her entire life with her two brothers and parents. When all of a sudden, Suzann Montgomery woke to the smell of smoke, and her father's voice, "Hurry, get up, run!" She always had trouble with fear, so she hesitated before reacting. Coughing from the smoke, Suzanne reached toward her father,

"What's happening dad? What is burning? Where is the rest of the family?"

"Hurry, get out now! The house is on fire!!!" Her father, who usually is calm and happy, became frantic and was unable to answer her questions.

Finally, she began to accept her father's desperate demands, and therefore, took him seriously. Her heart stopped. Still doubting that the house was on fire, her mind spun with questions: Could the house really be on fire? Was everyone alright? Where were her brothers? What would she do if her parents died? Her thoughts took her to the future, wondering how she would care for her younger brother without her parents. Then there was Matthew, her older brother, who could be a handful in his own way.

"Get outside, Immediately !" Her father shouted with fear. Without a choice, she blindly obeyed.

As soon as Suzann got outside, she saw their Nanny holding Suzann's small, baby brother in Nanny's arms. Mother looked different in some way, as she comforted Mathew, by holding his trembling hand in her pale one. Suzann, afraid of what she might hear, found the nerve to ask. "Mom, what will happen to us now?"

Florence's voice sounded weak, as she coughed, "I don't know."

Memories appeared of all the fun times they had experienced in the old farmhouse: the tickle fights in the living room near the big fireplace; the random dances, in the dining room after they'd moved the big table out of the way ( father always had the silliest dance of all, they'd fall down on their knees and laugh). With all these good memories flooding Suzanne's mind, she couldn't help but tear up, bursting out crying.

Mother noticed and leaned over to comfort her. Still holding Matthew's hand, she hugged her daughter, saying "It's alright sweetie. We'll find another good house." Suzann kept crying as Florence unexpectedly collapsed to her knees, coughing and barely breathing. Suzann froze with fear, falling near mom, with Mathew by her side.

Florence whispered, "I love you both so much.."
"No! You can't leave us! We need you!" Tears streaming down Suzanne's cheeks stressed with smoke and fear.
"I know it's hard, but I'm confident that you four will all get along fine without me," her Mother reassured them with a calm voice.

" No..!" Suzann and Mathew both sobbed.

Mother wiped the streaming tears off Suzanne's cheeks. "I want you to have this," as she removed her locket from her neck, and fastened it around Suzann's. The locket had an old photograph of Suzanne's mother as a young woman, standing beside Suzanne's grandmother. Suzanne's grandmother had died a few years earlier.

"Whenever you feel sad or down, look at this. It'll remind you that you come from a family of strong, confident women." Suzanne immediately felt the power of that locket and held it close to her heart.

Florence turned to Matthew next, who was weeping silently beside her. He knew she was slowly being taken from this planet. She kissed him gently on his forehead and whispered, "I will always remember your ability to make others laugh, so be sure to keep your father laughing." She began laughing herself, but her laugh was quickly cut off with a sudden gasp for air. Catching her, breath, she reminded Matthew,

"Never forget, I am always by your side." She handed him the one thing she had grabbed as she escaped the burning house-she handed him a box. Mother told Mattew,