Last Resort

The last resort is Intermat der Salzalpen. Salt Alps boarding school, my home for the next year, and you might ask why? Short answer is I’m in the foster system, and this is the “Best thing” for me while my dad’s in rehab. Since my next of kin doesn’t want to have anything to do with me.

You might think I’m some sad abused kid, but I’m not. My father was drunk but never violent until now. So, he said “As soon as I complete rehab you can come back home”, until then I will be shipped off to a boarding school in the Austrian Alps.

“Attention passengers we are arriving at Hallstate in ten minutes,” a woman in a thick German accent said over the speakers. For the last 45 minutes, I’ve been riding on a train far less glamorous than the 9 and 3 quarters, after an 18-hour plus flight with 2 stops of course. But, I have to admit the scenery is beautiful. Large green forest trees cover the huge landscape with rolling mountains, and I’m glad I have the opportunity to see it. Even if they aren’t under the best circumstances.

“Attention passengers, please exit on the doors to the left,” the doors open with a ding letting us off on a platform within the forest.

Not going to lie, I was a little nervous as I got off the train. The fact that all I own was with me. I had carried with me my black suitcase with orange and yellow doodle hearts, a matching orange duff bag, and my deep blue condition backpack. I jumped when the train started up behind me as I made a mental checklist.

Looking from the plate form a large lake was in front of me l, and in the distance, I could see the outline of the town. I sighed as I found the stairs that would lead me down the ticket booth and dock. Other people had gotten off, most people who seemed like tourists, and maybe one or two students like myself. But, I couldn’t say much because I looked like a lost kid wearing a black tee shirt, with camo cargo pants, and my black and white Nike shoes. Besides, the outfit also kept looking down at my phone every five minutes to make sure I was going the right way.

I look like some lost kid who doesn’t know where she’s going. Because I don’t. I’m some lost kid who didn’t know where she was going. Was dumped in another country, and was told to figure it out.

I take my ticket and head to the boat. Once on I could see all the seats were taken up, but I didn’t mind 18+ hours on a plane will do that to you. It only takes about 10 minutes to get to the other side of the lake to Hallstatt.

Once off the boat, I looked down at my phone only to run into someone right in front of me, ¨I’m so sorry!¨ I said backing up to see who I just ran into.

“That’s alright, little one, no harm done,” a man’s voice said, before I had a chance to look at the owner I heard something fall behind and a string of curses. Completely forgetting about the stranger I turned around to see the cause of the noise. To a girl with bleach-blonde curly hair and snow white skin standing in front of 3 tan suitcases and a spilled carry-on on the ground. She was wearing a yellow sweater, ripped shorts, white tinnie shoes, and a Sherbert green backpack over her shoulder.

“Here let me help you,” I said, as she bent down and started to pick up her stuff.

“Thank you,” she said with a deep British accent, as we started to put her stuff back in her bag. Standing up she stuck out her hand, “Thank you again-”

“Oh, it’s Nashca,” I said, taking her hand.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Dillion,” she said.

“So, where are you heading?” I asked, looking at her luggage.

“Letzte tropfen,” she said, in a choppy British Irish accent.

“Really thats where Im heading,” I told her, all the students heading for the school were told to head to that cafe that translate to the “Last Drop coffee bar”; where a small shuttle will pick you up and take you to the Tram to get to school “Would you like some help?” I asked her.

“That would be a lot of help,” she said, handing me one of the smaller suitcases. She then grabbed the biggest one and the overnight case, “Ready?” she asked, ignoring the other 2 suitcases.

“What about the other 2?” I ask.

She looks over at the other 2 shrugging her shoulders, “Honestly don’t care. Someone can keep them or send them back to my “Dear Mommy” in London. As long as I have underwear, I’m good.” she said, turning away from the suitcase I followed suit coming up beside her as we walked down the street.

Hallstatt seemed like a little out of fairy tail with a timber frame colorful house, colorful flower pot lining the street, and amazing view of the lake that just took your breath away. After several wrong turns and back tracking we finally ask someone for direction. They were very polite and pointed us to the way to coffee bar only to find out that we had passed it at least 3 times even with a sign hanging above the door. The small little cafe had the same theme as the rest of the town with a red door with 4 glass pans with a sign in one which read “Offen″ in the window, and bright blue flowers on either side of the door with a strong smell of coffee from the inside.

Dillon opened the door with a slight ding of the bell on the door, before walking in. There was a cozy feeling in the cafe, with a red plush couch, chair, and tables scattered all over with about 10 other kids sitting with their suitcases talking quietly to one another.

A couple seconds later a plump lady came out of a red curtain behind the conterin. She had a kind looking face with auburn hair clip up, she also wore black rimmed glass and a comfy looking red sweater. “Oh, perfect timing!” she said, with a big smile on her as she started messing with a machine behind the counter, “The next shuttle will be here in 10 min.” she said, producing two coffee cups on the counter.

We said thank you and tried to pay, but she wouldn’t allow telling us to go have a seat. We gave in and went and had a seat at a booth in the corner. It had comfy red cushions like the rest of the cafe with a light hanging over the table, and a book shelf covering the walls. We sat down with some coffee and chatted a little.

I learned that Dillion was from Ireland where she lived there with her Dad who owned a busy pub, and she unfortunately was forced to move in with her Mother and new rich family in London. Because her father was “Unsafe” and didn’t know how to raise a teenage girl, For only her mother to end up sending her here. And it wasn’t like that her mother really cared, but didn’t want to say she had fling with a pub owner and that her daughter lived with him. So sending her to a rich border school sounds like a much better option to keep face.

Sadly I could kind of relate to her, but instead of a mother it was my brother. Who didn’t want me messing up or getting in the way with whatever he had going on with his fiance. But, I didn’t tell her the reason I was going to stay with my brother, and to be honest I wanted to keep that a secret as long as possible.