Wish by H.R. Davison (phonics books .TXT) 📕

Wish

Book One of the Guardian Series

Thank you for taking the time to read my story! I know there are grammar and spelling errors and I am working hard to correct them.

Please let me know what you think. Drop me a comment or send a message! I would LOVE to hear from you, the reader!

I appreciate any and all helpful feedback.

Cheers,

H. R. Davison

Light seeps from the evening sky. Murky clouds race each other above. In the fading evening light shadows lengthen under the overpass. It is rush hour, vehicles stream past the guard rails of the bridge, filled with passengers eager to return home after a long day at work. Thunder cracks through the twilight in the distance. The oncoming storm is gaining speed towards its final destination.

Tired travelers focus on the road ahead, no one notices the blue minivan, or its contents. A bright bolt of lightning rips across the dusky sky. The blazing streak momentarily blinds the drivers. In that exact moment the seemingly ordinary van does the unordinary, it takes a sharp right turn into the guard rail. The sounds of rubber tires squealing on the pavement sounds through the air. The smell of ozone mixes with the burnt stench of rubber. The sudden stop of traffic during the rush hour commute creates a symphony of car horns to announce aggravation and annoyance at the delay.

One lone commuter exits her vehicle and makes her way through the broken glass glittering on the road. She approaches the jagged metal heap against the demolished railing with a few light steps. The hood of the minivan juts past the edge, teetering towards the empty creek below. The front tires spin in the open air incapable of gaining traction.

“Hello? Hello? Are you okay?” The commuter calls out to the passengers of the van. “I’m a nurse, I can help.”

A single ray of the setting sun breaks through a gap in the clouds, shining down onto the nurse like a spotlight. The yellow light turns the nurse’s auburn hair into a blazing golden halo as the wind whips it around her head in a frenzy. In that moment the woman appears beyond beautiful, almost angelic.

Passengers that remain in their cars pull out cell phones, wanting to capture the event not only in their minds but on video. Later they will show their friends and family the devastating incident they had the opportunity to witness.

True dusk falls when the sun retreats behind the clouds once again. Heavens above release pent up fury, rain pours down in sheets, lightning streaks across the overcast sky followed by a hollow rumble of thunder. The storm has finally reached the wreck. The brave nurse reaches the van calling out a hello to the passengers within. Opening the driver’s side door she leans into the seat. As her dainty hand touches the wet cloth of the driver’s seat her mouth opens in surprise. From the view of onlookers she appears to back away briefly before being pulled into the van by an unseen hand. The van rocks forward with her weight, the front tires tip down, advancing on the open space below.

Spectators gawk from parked cars as the van disappears from sight. Almost like a magic trick, here it is-now it’s gone! Abracadabra, ta-da! The shriek of an oncoming ambulance can be heard in the moment before the loud crunch below. Metal and glass breaking and shattering on the jagged rocks below the bridge sounds through the night.

No one notices the slight frame of a figure clad in all black step back into shadows of the overpass above.

The alarm clock screams to life on my cell phone, waking me from a perfect dreamless sleep. Grumbling to myself I reach over and grab the phone, sliding the snooze button I curl into a ball holding the phone in my curled hand pressed to my chest, ready to muffle the alarm next time it sounds. Before I can slip back into a slumber my eyes flash open, realizing why my alarm was set in the first place. Summer break is over. Today is the first day of school, more specifically the first day of my senior year, better yet the first day of my senior year at a new school.

My dad thought it would be a good idea to start over after 'The Incident'. That is how he refers to it. My mother’s death will now and forever be known as 'The Incident'. Summer had gone by in a haze. During the move he would mumble about new beginnings and a fresh start, constantly rubbing his eyes. Tossing my phone on the table I get up to prepare for my day, nervous butterflies already racing around inside my stomach.

Walking down the hall I call for my dad. No answer. I didn’t actually expect one, even though it’s only 6am he is already gone for the day. My dad is never home, spending most of his time at the office. My counselor says everyone deals with grief differently, another new thing in my life, a counselor. Rolling my eyes in unison to my own inner dialogue I pad down the hall to the bathroom.

I take my time getting ready for school. Deciding what to wear, how to fix my hair, and what accessories I will need. I have never been one for primping and styling, but hey new beginnings and fresh start right? Over the summer I fell out of contact with all of my old friends. I was too engrossed in my own pity party to let them be there for me and by the time I realized I was losing them, they were already gone.

I decide on a simple outfit for the first day, nothing too flashy. Black skinny jeans paired with a white V-neck shirt. I brush my auburn hair until shines, letting it hang down freely to my waist. Looking in the mirror one last time I nod at the girl staring back at me.

My wide green eyes stare back from my reflection, sparse lashes and spaced too far apart for my liking, they give me a bug eyed look. Fringed bangs hang to my brows covering my high forehead. My button nose looked cute on me when I was a child, now that I am nearing adulthood it just looks out of place. The overall look is completed with a pointy chin that would be better suited for the wicked witch of the west. I groan audibly.This is the best it’s going to get.

“Knock ‘em dead, Kat.” I say to myself. “Dead? Great choice of words.” I mumble.

Sighing heavily I leave my bedroom to find something to eat before I subject myself to a day of almost guaranteed torture at school.

A single rose sits in a vase at the center of the dining room table. Tucked underneath the vase is a note with my name scrawled across the front. I unfold the note to read what my dad has to say.

Good luck today. Sorry I couldn’t be here to see you off. Make sure to eat before leaving. There is a surprise for you in the garage. Love you.

Dad

Stuffed inside the envelope is a wad of cash and a single car key. Staring at the key I know I should be excited, any other seventeen, about to be eighteen, year old girl would be thrilled about her first car, but I am unable to muster up any enthusiasm. As if a car would make up for an absent father and a deceased mother.

Now that I have successfully lost my appetite I decide to skip breakfast. I shove my sketch pad in my backpack, stuff the cash in my pocket, and head to the garage. Sitting inside the garage next to where my dad’s car would normally be, if he were ever home, sits a brand new shiny red Volkswagen Beetle.

I admit to myself that I am a little excited as I turn the key and the car comes to life under my hand. I breathe in the fresh scent of new car smell, savoring the flavor on my tongue. Nervously driving to my new school I fidget in my seat, checking my rear view mirror often, attempting to adjust myself to the foreign car, before I know it I am pulling into the parking lot of the high school. Over the summer I had spent several hours touring the new town with my dad, getting to know where everything is. He worries about me nonstop since my mom’s death and wanted to make sure I knew my way around.

The brick building looms over the parking lot, casting a shadow on me as I pull into a parking spot. Teenagers spill out of cars all around me, laughing and giggling in groups they walk to the entrance of the school. Unable to put it off any longer I make my way to the entrance.

With my head down I walk in the direction everyone else is going. “Hey, nice car!” A chipper girl says to my left.

I look up at her, noticing she has a large toothy grin on her face, out of sync with the rest of her delicate features. “Uhhh thanks.” I mumble and keep walking, not eager to start a conversation.

“You must be new here” she says still smiling, her bright blue eyes sparkle like sapphires. She is carrying a designer purse swinging it back and forth as she walks.

“Yeah, I moved here over the summer.” I say still looking down at the ground. Wishing I could melt away. I must stick out like a sore thumb next to this petite blonde princess, even though I only stand at 5’6” I am looming over her diminutive frame with my height, making me feel like a giant in comparison.

“My name is Lilli.” The girl says, smacking her gum with each word.

Realizing I am not going to be able to avoid this awkward conversation all day with every person I encounter I decide to suck it up and talk to the girl. I glance at her sideways as we both walk into the school. “My name is Kathryn but everyone calls me Kat.” Eager to end the conversation I ask her, “Do you know where the office is? I need to get