The sound of rain

…Gemily' pov:

I was 7 years old when Marcy Stoic my mom, Benjamin Stoic my dad and older brother Ben Stoic jr died in the accident. I was never given the details of the accident just that it was storming and their car crashed into a tree.

After that I went into the foster care system because I had no other known family. I hopped from family to family never fitting in until I was adopted by Kelly and Max Clovemen when I was 10 years old.

At first the Clovemens were kind and caring and seemed to even love me at times and just when I thought maybe my life would be okay again they changed...slowly at first then in a blink of an eye I was crying in my room with a broken arm and bruised ribs. They told the doctors that I had fallen down the stairs.

This was my life now to be honest for a while I thought I was being punished for not being there when my family died. As I got older the worse the mental abuse got.

the hospital trips weren't worth the trouble anymore. I seemed to heal faster and faster I guess they were just tired of the effort the abuse took and was letting up.

This morning was like all the others I look at my clock 5:30am I still have fifteen minutes before I have to get up and get ready for work.

it being summer meant no school. Which sucks for me because I hate being at home. I took a part time job at the bakery in town about 2 miles away from the little house I'm forced to live in with those two monsters. I keep to myself most of the time because god forbid I make a mistake and tell someone what my "loving" adoptive parents do behind closed doors. I'd fear for my life if they found out I told their secrets.

Breaking from my thoughts I turn back to the clock 5:48am "shit" I mumble under my breath hoping out of bed. I throw on jeans and my favorite green t shirt grab my shoes not putting them on until I'm out of the house so I don't have to worry about waking up the sleeping Baers.

I get my bike from the back of the house and walk it a ways enjoying the cool morning breeze. I get through the day and take my time getting home.

When I arrive in the driveway I can already hear Kelly yelling about something and Max dismissing her comments like always. As soon as I set foot in the house she turns to me "And where the hell have you been" she snaps "at work" I state flaty knowing that she doesn't actually care. " where at the slut house?" Max chimes bitterly they both laugh and go back to bickering as if I wasn't there. I had eaten at the bakery so I just head to my room.

Before I get a chance to get to the stairs Kelly grabs my arm and yanks me to the kitchen and points to the the unwashed dishes "Shit shit shit" I mentally curse myself for forgetting to do them before work. "You're such a lazy fucken Bitch, you were to have these done before I got home!!" She shouted in my ear. I grabbed my ringing ear and shuttered knowing Max will be in here momentarily.

I walk towards the sink and get slapped in the back of the head I fall forward and my mouth hits the edge of the sink instantly I taste blood. I try to stand but get kicked back to the floor it was max this time he delivers two more shots to my stomach before walking away saying "next time do what you are told and listen to your mother". Kelly huffs and walks away without another word. With tears in my eyes and my face and stomach aching I pull myself up to the sink and shake as I do the dishes.

After I finish I go to my room and start packing a bag I turn 18 in a little over two weeks. I'm leaving.

I can hear another argument starting downstairs I have to go now I can hear my name mixed in with the curses. I quickly and quietly grab the rest of my few belongings and zip up my backpack. I take a deep breath look around my room one last time before I lock my door with a chair and climb out the window into the light summer drizzle.

Once I'm out and on the ground I run and don't stop until the sound of rain drowns out their shouting voices.

I walk for hours trying to formulate a plan soaking wet I stop and look around for a Direction to start my new life in "the mountains" for a moment I'm relieved to see that they are still there as I remember my real Dad taking our family to a cabin for weekend trips. I smile and look at the mountains letting a few tears fall as I think about my family for the first time in awhile.

I wonder if that cabin is still there. "Let's find out" I say to myself as I headed out towards the mountains with my new found freedom.

It stopped raining and darkness crept in shortly after I started walking again. I continued for what seemed like hours jumping every now and again when a rabbit or other small creatures would rustle in the bushes.

I've never been afraid of the dark but being alone on a road near a wooded area makes me uneasy. maybe it's because I'm not that familiar with the area but the closer I get to the woods I get more alert and excited. Not scared just cautious.

The further I get from my old life I feel more and more comfortable in the idea of never going back.

The sun is starting to rise and the sky lightens. I see town lights in the distance providing me a stopping point to get water and food. By the time I get to the town and the sun is all the way out now.

I stop at the gas station on the outskirts of town. I walk in and grab a large bottle of water and a couple of snickers bars. Exhausted I sit down on the sidewalk and watch the town come to life. An hour or so passes and I feel ready to go again. I look up the street heading towards the middle of town and see a bus stop. I get more food and water stuffing then in my bag. I sit at the stop for a little while and a bus pulls in.

I don't have much money only about two hundred left. I'm stepping up the stairs of the bus when I hear someone yell behind me "wait wait please hold the bus I'm coming!!" I turn and see a guy running towards the bus."hold on someone is coming" I say pleadingly to the driver who nods. the man rushes onto the bus out of breath "T-thanks I-I'm sorry for being l-late"he said paying the driver for both of us. "No no that's ok don't do that" i said not comfortable taking from strangers. "Come on it's only fair you didn't have to hold the bus for me. Consider it balancing out karma" he said with cute toothy grin. "Damn he's hot" i think to myself. I flush realizing that I'm still staring at him with out saying anything "umm ok umm thank y-you" I say with a little smile.

I move near the back and sit down as the bus takes off. "Shit he's sitting across from me" I say in my head. He sits "names Cole" he states. I smile " I'm Gemily"."So where ya headed?" He asks. Unsure if I should tell him I say "I'm going home" he looks confused for a moment "you live up near river run? I thought I knew everyone up there. Did you just move?" "Yeah i um just moved out here" I say shyly. I move to the seat by the window ending the conversation and put my bag on the seat next to me looking out the window as we started up the mountain.

I must have fallen asleep cause the next thing I know someone is tapping my shoulder. I look up to see the driver "last stop kiddo" I yawn and stand up getting my bag I ask the driver "is their a rangers station I can get a map of the area from? I need to find Lake Haven. Oh and what time is it?" He looks a little annoyed at all my questions but answers me kindly "the rest stop right there should have a map. But Lake Haven is private property now so good luck finding it on the map and it's 4:16pm. Now have a nice night young lady" he finished with a small smile "you too" I say as he closes the doors.

I go in the rest stop and find the maps I open one and locate the lake. seeing as I have no idea where the cabin is at the lake I look closer at the map and see a dock. "I guess that's where I'll start" i say mumbling to myself. I pay for the map and a few more snacks for the next few days.

I get a little nervous as I get into the woods it'll take me about three hours to get to the lake. I know I'm being paranoid but I can't shake the feeling that I'm not alone. I keep looking over my shoulders but there's nothing no one. I am alone.

I check my map every so often to make sure I'm still on track. Two hours go by quickly and I already see the lake coming into view. The trial was beautiful but over grown with vines and tree branches hung low over the path. I make my way to the edge of the water and look for any signs of a cabin. Nothing. I see nothing but trees around the lake. Was I wrong about which lake it was.

I put my pack on the ground and searched for the one of the two pictures I had left of my family. I find it. The picture is of me, my dad, and my brother, I assume mom took it. On the back in bold sloppy writing: Benny, Gem, and Dad at lake haven. We are standing outside of our cabin with fish in our hands but in the back ground there's a dock with a boat tied up. I'm sure this is the right place.

I get my map from my back pocket and look at the square representing a dock. I sigh getting up from my backpack and look for the land marks on my map "ah ha gotcha". I quickly put the picture back and make my way up the shore. 30 minutes of walking and I see the waves hitting the remains of a weathered dock.

I take a calming breath and look back to the tree line and see the cabin. Tears threaten to break loose down my face as I walk toward a place that held happy memories of my childhood. I make it to the steps and drop my backpack falling onto my knees. I cry every tear I had held for so many years. After what seemed like hours I bring myself to climb up the stairs. I'm almost to the door when I hear something behind me. I whip around but there's nothing. "What is with you today Gem there's no one out here" I say frustrated at myself for being a scaredy cat.

I open the door and peer inside. A little dusty but it'll work fine. I grab my backpack from the porch. walking around inside I see a bed still in the back bedroom "score" and a few blankets in the closet. A couple of the windows were broken but otherwise the cabin was still in good condition considering no one's been here in what looks like years.

"Home" i think. "IM HOME!!!" i yell at the top of my lungs.

Just then I hear a sound outside confused and scared by it I hold my breath to hear it again. A howling. "There's no wolves here" say confused. The sound gets louder and then stops "what the hell" I say. am I wrong are there wolves out here?

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Chapter two is coming soon!! This is my first attempt at writing so constructive criticism and tips are appreciated/welcomed. Please be nice and respectful and please excuse my grammar and spelling mistakes I'm dyslexic lol I hope you enjoyed it. I know this chapter is short but I felt like it was a good place to stop and start the next chapter

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