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llamangos4eva

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            Inscents smoke swirling up into the air, Native American music playing intensely through the stereo speakers, the window open to the evening breeze blowing through and the fan blades slowly attacking the air. This is the bedroom of sixteen-year-old Annie.

            Annie is leaning against her bunk bed ladder, sobbing softly into the blankets that are hanging over the top railing. Her face is hidden, and her legs are trembling.

            A voice is heard yelling from the other room. “She’s a no-good, spoiled bitch of a daughter … does nothing around the house … uses electricity and water like no tomorrow … ties up phone line with that damn computer…”

            Trying to block out the sound of her father’s voice, Annie turns and walks to her stereo, wiping tears as she goes. She turns up the music as loud as she dares to without causing her father to come yell directly at her for it being too loud, and walks back to her bed.

            This time, however, Annie sits against the ladder, propping her arms on her knees and closing her eyes.

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            Annie is sitting on the floor, trying to keep her crying under control to the best of her ability.

            No one knows how I feel. No one even cares! All they see is an act I have to put on every time I leave my bedroom. For all they know, I’m a perfectly happy, sane teenage girl. One who’s almost seventeen years of age… and most don’t even know that I’ve only had one real boyfriend, who turned out to be a real jerk! They don’t even know that I’ve never been kissed! Annie thought bitterly to herself.

            The tears began to fall again, and as the songs changed from track 2 to track 3, Annie heard the song of the crickets and frogs out in the swamp. She buried her face in her hands and wept again.

*********

            Brandon got a sudden pang in his stomach, awakening him from one of his many naps. It told him that he should go to Annie’s house, that she needed him. But… I don’t know where she lives! He told himself.

            Dragging himself from the couch, Brandon grabbed the phone and dialed Jane’s number. When she answered, he quickly said who he was and stated his business.

            “Of course I know where she lives. It’s 6834 Middle Road, over off of Sheerer Road.” Jane replied, then quickly added “Want me to come with you?”

            “No, no” Brandon replied quickly. “I’ll find it. I know where Sheerer Road is.” He thanked Jane and hung up before she could insist to come with him.

            He grabbed his jacket, slipped on his converse shoes and grabbed his car keys. “I’m going to a friend’s mom!” He called out as he walked out the door.

*********

            Hmm… this must be the house, it’s the only one around here, and the address sign says 6834. Brandon told himself as he pulled into the driveway.

            “But if it’s her house, where’s the vehicle?” He asked aloud as he pulled around the teardrop shaped drive way. He shut off the engine and got out.

            There were lights on in the house, but no one seemed to be home. Well, I’ll knock, see if the door is open and leave if no one’s there. He told himself and walked up to the door, he noticed that the Aurora Borealis was going on, right above Annie’s front yard, and how big it was.