down. The guitar lilted through the speakers and she straightened her spine, pressing her feet into the rock. She took a deep breath and as Adele hit the first notes of the song so did she. Her voice skipped over notes, in tune with Adele. She took another breath at the break and continued, turning in slow circles, fingers stretching out, wind trickling through spaces between them. She reached the bridge, punctuating notes with emotion.
She lost her breath at the end of the verse and stumbled over the next two lines, picking it up again towards the end. She closed her eyes and looked at the horizon, moving as close to the ledge as she dared. She hunched her knees to her chest and let out a long breath, willing herself not to breakdown. Her parents weren’t bad people, but they didn’t understand her and they didn’t try. Half the time she was shoved aside, ignored or overshadowed by her all-star brother. The rest of the time they scrutinized everything about her; mannerisms, schoolwork, hobbies, dreams. She desperately wanted to leave Kenora and go to Toronto’s School of Music but they were saving everything to pay for Scott’s tuition, despite the fact he was likely to get a full scholarship playing hockey.
She hugged her knees tighter and traced the patterns of clouds with her eyes. She tried so hard to impress them, but nothing was ever enough. They didn’t see her as anything more than a burden, another mouth to feed, clothe and shelter. She sucked in a deep breath, her chest tightening, making her feel lightheaded. She shook away the feeling, knowing somehow she’d escape Kenora and find the paradise she had been seeking since she was old enough to know the difference between ice cream from the store and ice cream from the ice cream truck. Some things couldn’t be replaced by no-name brands and cheap imitations.
She stood and brushed her butt off, shoving her hands into her pockets. Senior year would start soon, which meant seeing the people she had avoided all summer. Sure, they came to Red Boot all the time but she was a server, and if she was lucky, they’d tip her. The only person she kept in contact with was Stephanie, partially because they worked together and partially because Stephanie was one of the only people who hadn’t labeled Maeva a freak.
She closed her eyes, feeling another song in the back of her throat. She didn’t need the song playing to know the lyrics, she began singing, feeling heavier with every note she sang.
She tripped, almost lost her balance, the sound dying in her throat. She frantically swayed on her heels and pulled herself upright, walking over to her backpack and bending over to get another granola bar. She paused, hearing the distinct sound of footsteps behind her and whipped around. Nobody was there. Curiously she tarried down the rocks, careful not to lose her balance, but as far as her eyes could see, the forest was empty. She turned back to the rocks, intending to get her backpack and leave when she heard a rustling sound between the trees. She looked again but there weren’t even squirrels on the path. Sighing, she climbed the rocks, noticing shadows and thick dark clouds roiling over the horizon. She pulled herself over the last rock and grabbed her iPhone, hitting the weather app. The forecast took a minute to load, but she jumped as something behind her snapped and cracked, lightning lighting up the sky in jagged purple lines.
Maeva glanced at the phone, the forecast reading sunny with chance of light showers, but the sky was an ominous maelstrom of heavy clouds. A quarter sized raindrop landed on her arm and Maeva flinched, dropping her phone into its waterproof case and taking out the flare gun. She slung the pack over her shoulder and climbed down the rocks.
A ripple of thunder rolled across the sky and rain erupted in a thick sheet. She ducked under the canopy of a few trees but cursed her luck. As she looked up, a scream escaped her lips. She froze, her
She lost her breath at the end of the verse and stumbled over the next two lines, picking it up again towards the end. She closed her eyes and looked at the horizon, moving as close to the ledge as she dared. She hunched her knees to her chest and let out a long breath, willing herself not to breakdown. Her parents weren’t bad people, but they didn’t understand her and they didn’t try. Half the time she was shoved aside, ignored or overshadowed by her all-star brother. The rest of the time they scrutinized everything about her; mannerisms, schoolwork, hobbies, dreams. She desperately wanted to leave Kenora and go to Toronto’s School of Music but they were saving everything to pay for Scott’s tuition, despite the fact he was likely to get a full scholarship playing hockey.
She hugged her knees tighter and traced the patterns of clouds with her eyes. She tried so hard to impress them, but nothing was ever enough. They didn’t see her as anything more than a burden, another mouth to feed, clothe and shelter. She sucked in a deep breath, her chest tightening, making her feel lightheaded. She shook away the feeling, knowing somehow she’d escape Kenora and find the paradise she had been seeking since she was old enough to know the difference between ice cream from the store and ice cream from the ice cream truck. Some things couldn’t be replaced by no-name brands and cheap imitations.
She stood and brushed her butt off, shoving her hands into her pockets. Senior year would start soon, which meant seeing the people she had avoided all summer. Sure, they came to Red Boot all the time but she was a server, and if she was lucky, they’d tip her. The only person she kept in contact with was Stephanie, partially because they worked together and partially because Stephanie was one of the only people who hadn’t labeled Maeva a freak.
She closed her eyes, feeling another song in the back of her throat. She didn’t need the song playing to know the lyrics, she began singing, feeling heavier with every note she sang.
She tripped, almost lost her balance, the sound dying in her throat. She frantically swayed on her heels and pulled herself upright, walking over to her backpack and bending over to get another granola bar. She paused, hearing the distinct sound of footsteps behind her and whipped around. Nobody was there. Curiously she tarried down the rocks, careful not to lose her balance, but as far as her eyes could see, the forest was empty. She turned back to the rocks, intending to get her backpack and leave when she heard a rustling sound between the trees. She looked again but there weren’t even squirrels on the path. Sighing, she climbed the rocks, noticing shadows and thick dark clouds roiling over the horizon. She pulled herself over the last rock and grabbed her iPhone, hitting the weather app. The forecast took a minute to load, but she jumped as something behind her snapped and cracked, lightning lighting up the sky in jagged purple lines.
Maeva glanced at the phone, the forecast reading sunny with chance of light showers, but the sky was an ominous maelstrom of heavy clouds. A quarter sized raindrop landed on her arm and Maeva flinched, dropping her phone into its waterproof case and taking out the flare gun. She slung the pack over her shoulder and climbed down the rocks.
A ripple of thunder rolled across the sky and rain erupted in a thick sheet. She ducked under the canopy of a few trees but cursed her luck. As she looked up, a scream escaped her lips. She froze, her
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