She was running as fast as she could, but she could not shake him. The loud stomps when his feet hit the floor seemed to echo through the streets. She couldn’t scream for help. Why was there no one around? Suddenly, a perfectly straight line of pine trees stood in front of her. Should she climb up and hide in one? Grasping onto the closest branch, she used her momentum to swing herself up into the tree, catapulting way to the top. She would be safe here. Or so she thought.
“I’m smarter than the av-er-age bear!” He proclaimed loudly again and again as he began to climb the tree. Suddenly, a loud beep could be heard echoing throughout the land.
Jenni jolted awake. The echoing from her dream had morphed into the sound of her alarm clock ringing. 8am. Too early. Jenni was tempted to hit snooze about 13 times but knew that if she did not get up and finish her homework, she would be very unprepared for class.
She sat up sleepily and sat on her bed contemplating everything for what seemed like hours. Jenni was too tired to move from her position. Instead, she looked around her room.
Though it was a box only 10-by-10 feet, she was surprised how much it holds within. The walls, three of them clean white, the fourth a cool teal, stood tall and proud. There was nothing hanging on them, yet they seemed filled with life. The light, wood furniture and the cork floor brought warmth into the room. They changed the feeling from a cold winter day to a refreshing spring morning. In the window, there hung sheer gray curtains. Woven around the curtain rod and dangling down to the ground was a necklace of lights with deep red and bright orange flowers attached. The scent of a candle filled the room. It was oranges, mangos, coconuts, and pineapples all compressed into one small jar of wax. It transformed the room into a tropical island, where you sipped your fruity lemonade in the shade of a palm tree with a cool breeze blowing over you. The breeze was certainly just the air being pushed down from the spinning blades of the ceiling fan. However, for a short while, the steady flow of air felt like the push of the wind. It carried the scent of the room from one corner to another.
The light smell of popcorn crept into the room from the crack underneath the door. The candle masked it mostly, but not completely. Almost as if one used perfume to mask the smell of their odor after working out at the gym. Mostly pleasant, but not fooling anyone.
On the bookshelf, a variety of novels, textbooks, and scripts all leaned against each other, like an unlikely group of friends. There was a thin layer of dust on top of the ones that had not been touched in months or even years. A half empty jar of cookie butter stood on the nightstand next to Jenni’s bed. It was her source of energy on late nights when she studied. Through the window, the soft pitter patter of her neighbor’s sprinkler hitting their big, leafy plants could be heard. In harmony, cicadas and birds sang their songs.
Jenni’s bed was by far her favorite and the softest part of the room. The gray and white striped sheets, the gray, teal, and pink comforter, and the memory foam pillow always seemed to lure her in. There was a body pillow with the words “Hit Snooze” written on it, leaning against the wall, and it was an inviting phrase, with big consequences if followed too much. The pillow served as a barrier between the cold wall and Jenni’s body as she slept.
In the corner next to the bed stood two white bins. There was a collection of clutter in both, typically making the small room seem less tidy. However, Jenni discovered that by laying a blanket across the top of each bin, the room seemed so much more put together and organized.
Coffee, Jenni thought. I must drink coffee, that will wake me up. She started to get up, then remembered she did not actually drink or like coffee. Today would be a long day.
Jenni reached for her laptop at the side of her bed, only to notice that it wasn’t in its usual spot. That’s strange, she thought. I could have sworn it was here yesterday? Maybe I put it in my backpack?
Peering over to where her backpack was normally placed, Jenni realized that she had forgotten to take it out of her car the night before. This truly was going to be a long day. Not only did she have to wake up early to finish her homework, she would have to leave the warm comfort of her bed, just to retrieve the object of her woes.
Nevertheless, she sluggishly got up, grabbed her car keys and was ready to brace herself for the cold. At the front door, Jenni decided that the trip would just be a quick one to the driveway and back, so there was no real need to wear shoes. She unlocked the front door, stepped outside, and took a deep breath. The autumn air was fresh and crisp. In the distance, the motor of a leaf blower echoed through the air. A few houses down, a lady dressed in nice slacks and a blouse seemed to be taking an early morning walk. Odd for this time of day, Jenni thought.
Her neighbor, Jared, was sweeping leaves out of his garage and gave her a head nod as a greeting. Jenni returned the favor before making her way to her car.
She unlocked the passenger side door, thinking her backpack was there, but when she opened it, the seat was empty.
What in the world? Where could it be? Maybe the trunk?
Jenni turned around and was startled by the lady she had seen walking just moments earlier.
“Excuse me? You know how I get to train station?” She asked with a thick Spanish accent.
Oh boy.
Though the train station was right outside of her neighborhood, the maze of streets and all the twists and turns still made for a 15-minute walk, and that was if one walked with haste.
“This street is in the middle of the neighborhood, so it’s going to take a little bit to get there,” Jenni responded. “You are going to want to walk back down this street and follow it to the end. Then you’ll turn right and continue on down the street until you come to what looks like a dead end. It’s kind of hidden, but the road continues on there and you turn right again until–” Jenni’s voice trailed off as she saw the look of confusion on the lady’s face.
“I ask two people and they sent me down street that lead to nowhere! My English no good, I don’t understand what they really say. I work here last night and must go home now. Where I go for train?” She asked again.
I have no idea how to respond to this? How do I give her directions that aren’t confusing so she can go home, and I can go do my homework?
“I don’t know street names, I don’t know where to go or turn, I don’t know when train come. Train says it come at 8:15? But it 8:27 now, no?”
This poor lady! Okay maybe I’ll just draw out a map and write down directions on there. Yeah that should work!
“Do you want me to write it down?” Jenni asked.
“Oh yes, please! Thank you, thank you so much!” She exclaimed.
Jenni walked to the trunk of her car, this time sure that her backpack was in there along with her notebook. She popped the trunk open, grabbed her backpack, pulled out a sheet of paper and a pen and closed the trunk again to use as a desk while she created her map. When the trunk hatched shut, Jenni glanced up and was surprised to see the lady getting into the passenger seat of her car.
Does she think I’m going to drive her? I was just going to write it down! Wait a minute…write it down…write down…ride down? Did she think that I offered to give her a RIDE down to the train station?? Oh boy…well, here we go.
Trying not to laugh at the miscommunication, Jenni got into her car and started the engine.
“Thank you, sweet girl, thank you! You are so kind,” the lady exclaimed over and over again.
Yep, she definitely thought I offered to give her a ride.
As Jenni backed out of her driveway with a stranger woman in her car, Jared watched her. A look of confusion, amusement, and slight concern on his face. Jenni turned the corner and wove strategically through the streets until the train station was in her eyesight.
“Train come again when?” the lady asked.
“Well, they usually come every hour during the week, so the next one will probably be here in 40 minutes or so,” Jenni responded.
“Oh I can’t wait, that too long!”
I hope she doesn’t expect me to drive her home!
“There bus stop there no?” She asked, pointing at a bus stop sign.
“Yeah, the bus will stop there at some point, but I don’t know the bus schedule,” Jenni answered.
“It’s okay, I get out here and take bus!”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, yes. Very sure!”
“Alright.” Jenni pulled up next to the bus stop and let the lady out.
“Thank you so, so much! You are sweet angel. God bless you,” the woman said before turning and walking away. Jenni drove off.
When she pulled back into her driveway. Jared came and greeted her. Amused, he listened to the story and said, “You know, had I not had an overwhelming sense of peace about this, I would have gotten in my car and followed you two as you drove off! I’m glad it was safe though.”
Me too, thought Jenni, as she made her way back inside. Me too.
Judson Creative Writing 