@freewritehouse March Madness Chapter 5 ”Minivan”

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I'm am taking part in March Madness by the @freewritehouse! This is the first attempt from me and I hope I can see it through! I will try. If you would like to play along please check out more here.

Thanks for reading these free writes and I hope to one day edit them all! I am open to constructive criticism.

Word count: 1,636

Chapter 5
Minivan

Before Grant knew it his school day was already over. He was happily waiting outside for his mother to come and pick his up in front of the old Catholic school. He had not really had much to do in class today so he was relatively relaxed, but he was still haunted by the man he met in the graveyard.

He patiently watched down the road for his mothers maroon Plymouth Voyager minivan. She didn’t need a minivan having only one child but it was a gift from her parents. They had bought it brand knew in one of those year end special deals and there it sat in their garage hardly used. Her parents decided it would be better used by Rebecca.

Grant was and avid soccer player so the minivan worked great for carting the players all around the county for their YMCA league games.

On the way home Grants mom had asked how his day was. This was a normal question from her and usually Grant answered with the regular “Good”, but for some reason today he decided to say “I don’t know, Mom. It was okay I guess.”

“Oh.” She replied not sure how to take it. DId something happen today? she thought. She decided to leave it a lone for know in hopes that maybe later Grant would open up a little. She did not want to force it out of him.

Later on that evening Grant was getting ready for bed. Being in fifth grade meant that he seldom had any homework to do and tonight was no different. Tonight Rebecca decided that her and Grant would start a new book together to read before bed time.

The book she choose was called Hatchet. It was a young teenager book about a boy who survives a plane wreck and is stranded in the woods alone. All he had with him is his hatchet from the plane.

For the first time Grant was experiencing a mature situation. He never really thought about how easily one could lose their life or how quickly things could change. His mom thought that it would be a good book for him to learn a little about survival and adventure.

The young boy in the story faced with a survival situation being all alone and having to rely on himself and his self alone. Grant wondered if he would be able to survive in a situation like that? He thought he could and was generally confident in his own abilities.

I have already been alone many of times, he thought, maybe just maybe I could survive on my own. Then he began to wonder. Am I strong enough? Maybe I should think about training a little bit. Soccer keeps me in goo shape, but is it enough? Would I know what to do if I ever had to survive my own? How would I eat? Could I start a fire? I will have to practice in our woods. Maybe I can start tomorrow after school, he thought.

After his mother had finished reading for the night Grant asked her: “Mom, do you think I could survive on my own in the woods?” “Oh, Grant” she said, “Why would you ever think like that? I am here and I always will be.” Rebecca immediately thought that this was a bad choice for a book. Maybe he was not ready for this. Maybe I should pick another book, but she knew Grant would want to keep reading it was too exciting for him and she thought it best that he finds out what happens to the boy in the story.

“Was that too much for you honey?” She asked. “Should we try a different book tomorrow?” “No way Mom!” Grant snapped back. “This book is really cool!”

Rebecca kissed her boy goodnight and tucked him snug into his bed. He seemed really happy and she was no longer concerned about his strange response earlier in the van.

“Mom” Grant called to her as she stood in his doorway. “Yeah, honey?” She softly responded.

“Could you please leave the door open a little bit.” She knew he wanted to have the hallway light on.

“Of course, honey. I love you sleep good.”

“I love you too, mom”

As Grant was beginning to drift off his mid went back to the strange man he met in the graveyard.

What did he want from me? he wondered. Was he just a creepy old man? probably.

Soon he was fast asleep.
Went he woke up he was in a different place. Where am I? It was familiar but he just could not get his bearings straight. He was in a luscious green coniferous forest. Huge pine trees reached for the sky with moss covered trunks, turning the whole forest green. The forest floor was barren with a carpet of dried up dead pine needles.

His heart began to race. Searching for a way out he began to run. He’s was sprinting and the faster he went the wilder the wind blew. It was as if the wind was aiding him, it was directing him. Where is it taking me? he thought.

Soon he came to a clearing. He had now entered a meadow and the wind had finally subsided. Without the howling wind Grant was able to begin to think a little more clearly.

What is this place? He thought. It seems so familiar.

A small creek was flowing gently through the middle of the meadow. It was a deep dark blue color and appeared to be almost bottomless.

Then, from a distance, he heard a familiar sound. It was the sound of metal dragging on stone.

Scraappppeee. Scrapppee.

Grant froze. Then the world began to spin. He was feeling so nauseous that he fell down to his knees. Once he regained his composure he peered up to look and see what was going on.

Glancing up from his knees, Grant squinted his eyes. The sun was blinding him. As he was trying to get a better picture of what was in front of him, a figure stepped out in front of the blinding sun sheltering Grant from its rays.

Grant Gasped. It was him! The old man. The sun shining behind the old man outlined his figure. The grey jacket, his grey hat, hair flowing and long beard covering his face.

“Where are you going boy?” The man asked.

Still shocked and confused Grant struggled to stand up. He was rubbing his eyes as if he had just awoken from a deep sleep.

“Where and I?” Grant asked.

The old man was coming in to focus now, and Grant could see his wrinkled face and dark eye. Wait a minute? What happened to his eye? Grant wondered. All that remained where an eye used to be was was over grown scared skin.

“Maybe the question we should be asking is where have you been?” The old man scoffed.

“What do you want from me?” Grant was getting upset.

He was trying so hard to be brave, but inside he began to shutter. He wanted his mother.

“I want to go home.” Grant pleaded.

“Oh, Grant, thats all I want. I want you to go home.”

This was beginning to infuriate Grant. His young weak demeanour was beginning to give way to the fear and stress of the situation. Grant was slowly beginning to revert to a childlike state of needing his mother.

“Please Grant, fear not. I am hear to help you along your way but first, you must remember where you have been.”

Grant could not bear it any longer. It was too much for the young boy and the only thing he could think of was to run away.

In a flash, Grant was standing on top of a snow covered mountain top. The ice cold wind was howling and tearing at his skin. He had no idea how he got there and he was freezing to the bone. The sun speedily sank out of the sky. Darkness followed and he was too scared to move. He stood locked in place searching for something, anything that might save him. How can I get out of here?

The stars were rising in the nights sky and seemed to be flying past over head. There was something in the sky, he was struggling to make it out, symbols were swirling about, but they were unfamiliar to him and he couldn’t quite make them out. It appeared to be letters but they had shapes he had not seen before. He was trying to single out a single symbol to cast it to his memory. He did not exactly know why, but he felt the need to memorise them.

What is happening to me? Grant was terrified, freezing cold, and desperately wanting his mother. “Mom!” Grant cried out. “Mama!”

“Grant….Grant! Its Okay, I am here” His mom crouched over his bed and was rubbing Grants hair. “It was just a dream. Its Okay.” She was soothing him in her best mothers voice.

He was shaking and soaked it sweat with tears in his eyes. “I was lost mama. I couldn’t find you.” “Im right here baby. Your not going to get lost.”

Rebecca was filled with guilt. I should have never read him that story, she thought. What have I done? He was way to young for that stupid book and I thought he could handle it.

“Here lets put your night light on and I will stay with you until you fall back asleep.” “Thanks, Mom.” Grant felt relief. His mothers soft touch and kind voice were comforting to him. He began to drift off back to sleep, but still could not shake the old mans face. What happened to his eye?

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