On Our Own- chapter 3

Instructions

Here it is, the third chapter! Let me know in the comments if you have any feedback! The ride went by fast. Faster than I wanted it to. The soft hum of the engine and the murmur of voices surrounding me were comforting. It felt like I never really left home, like I could still go back. But when we landed in Florida everything changed. I knew I couldn’t go back. I knew I would be stuck here forever. There was a man waiting to pick us up after we landed. When I saw him I stumbled backward a bit. He was young with a small stubby beard and baggy clothes. This couldn’t be the Uncle Hendric mom was afraid of. Apparently it wasn’t. He handed us a note that read: Dear Lila and family, I am feeling too tired to pick you up today so I sent this young man to do it instead. I expect you to be here by 1:00 and no later. I will see you then. Sincerely, Uncle Hendric Mom stared at the note for a while before she spoke quietly to the taxi driver. Soon me and my brother were being hustled out the door. What sat at the curb was sickening. The taxi, if you could even call it that, was rusty and broken. One of its tires was flat and the seats were nearly ripped to pieces. “Oh, it’s…” Mom paused trying to find a word to describe the car. “Charming.” “Aww don’t try that. I know you hate it, like everyone else. But you see, I don’t believe in fixing anything. This car has been the same since the day I bought it.” He said proudly. It was obvious that Uncle Hendrick chose the cheapest taxi he could find and took advantage of an innocent teen who just wanted to earn some money. The whole ride to his house I reminded myself that first impressions are often wrong. However,I couldn’t put the image of that note out of my head. Jake, my brother, being only six didn’t seem to understand what was really going on and was happily playing with his toy car. Mom was fidgeting with her hands and kept glancing out the cracked window. I reached over and placed my hand on hers. Her shoulders relaxed a bit and she let out a sad sigh. “I think we’re almost there.” she whispered. “Look on the bright side, at least we don't have to listen to the news reporter going on about snow storms every day. It’s HOT here.” I rolled my eyes but secretly enjoyed my moms attempt to “look on the bright side”. When we pulled up at Uncle Hendrick’s house I certainly had a bright side. He practically lived in a mansion! After further examination I noticed that there was a sign for a beach down the road too! Maybe we do have something to look forward to here!