• Chapter 1: Leaving Chico Village


    Today was unlike any other day, normally around this time of year the sun would shine like a warm, welcoming beam. The villager's would be smiling with happy childish face's, and for the village. It would be filled with loud-annoying voices. But today was different, different than any other day I seen before.

    The sky was covered with dark murderous clouds, well not so murderous. They sure didn't look like any clouds I seen before. As for the rain it fell like shooting bullets from a gun, tiny shooting bullets. Everything about today was miserable, too miserable for anyone to be wandering around in. But this weather, it was strange. Why of earth would it start raining now? It never rained before, well at least here it didn't. Here in Chico Village, the village where I come from. The village I lived in for the past 18 years.

    18 years of my miserable life, I kept myself locked away. Well not entirely locked away, most of the time I stayed at home away from the others. My parents however would nag all day long, about me being too much of a home-body. Buy my parents weren't as annoying as my little sister Samantha. She was the worse when it came to nagging. Especially when she would moan and nag about wanting to go into town to meet her friend, but as always our parents wouldn't let her. Oh and speaking of nagging, she had to start now didn't she?

    ''Mum why can't I go outside? It's boring sitting here at home all day.'' She said, munching away on her cereal like she hadn't eaten for weeks. ''Because it's raining and I don't want you catching a cold.'' Mum replied, while a small annoying sigh came from Samantha. ''Please Mum, pretty please.'' She begged like a helpless lost puppy. ''No and that is final.'' Mum yelled at her, which scared the both of us. Every day though, was the same dam thing. Every dam day, I wake up to Samantha and Mum arguing back and forth. As for Dad, well he sits there reading the newspaper like nothing even happened. ''Can you two knock it off your giving me a headache.'' I yelled out, wanting them both to stop already. Unfortunately for me, Mum had to get all mouthy. ''Kenneth, you should know better than to speak to me in that way.'' Samantha of course was giggling away in the background, like she knew better than me. ''Sorry Mum, I just don't like seeing you two argue.'' I came out with. Ever since we've all started arguing, I just couldn't cope with it anymore. All I wanted was for it to stop.

    However I wouldn't have to be around them for long, because from today I was leaving my family and Chico Village to start my new journey. When I first told my parents, Mum wasn't to pleased. She insisted on me staying here, but after arguing about it she finally decided to let me go. Although I knew she still had her doubts, I could see it in her expression when she went to go clean the dishes. ''So your leaving today Kenneth?'' I heard Samantha say, who by now had finished eating. ''Yes, why you ask?'' I asked her. ''Well it's because, I'm going to miss seeing you.'' She said which really surprised me. I remembered at times, when we used to argue. When we both wished, each other wasn't born. I really hated those arguments, because afterwards Samantha would particularly cry her eyes out. ''You're going to miss me?'' I asked. ''Yes, is that a bad thing?'' Samantha asked me, thinking that she had said something wrong. ''No of course not, I'm just surprised you don't usually say you miss me.'' I stated, while there was a look of doubt on her face. ''That's because your leaving and never coming back.'' There was a look of painful hurt when Samantha said this, a look that I never wanted to see. ''I'll come back; I promise.'' I said hopefully trying to cheer her up, which did leave a small smile on her face. But deep down I knew she was still upset. ''You promise you will come back for sure?'' She asked staring at me with those tearful eyes I remembered seeing many times before. ''I always keep my promises don't I?'' I asked, knowing that wasn't true. But with Samantha, I always kept them. ''Yes but who am I going to talk to when I need someone?'' Samantha asked me, crying again. ''There's always Mum or Dad.'' I suggested. ''But I don't want to talk to them. Mum and Dad always argue.'' She said, until I suggested something else. ''What about that friend of your's, you talk to her right?'' Samantha at that moment seemed to of went all quiet. I wondered why though? But decided not to ask. ''I could, but she's not the village anymore.'' Samantha explained to me, which left a look of puzzlement shown onto my face. ''What do you mean she's not in the village?'' I asked, wanting to find out what Samantha meant. ''She's gone away with her parents. I don't know when they will return though.'' She told me crying bitterly. It was moments like these where I felt like crying to, lame as that may have sounded. ''I'm sure she will come back soon, so there's nothing to worry about.'' I ensured her, with a tiny hint of a smile on my face. It was usually uncommon for me to smile. But right now it felt necessary.

    I suddenly then felt Samantha's warm embrace, or to say she was hugging me. Something that we've both hadn't done in a while. However while hugging Samantha back, I heard Mum's voice coming from the kitchen. ''Shouldn't you be going now Kenneth? You miss the train otherwise.''

    At that moment I remembered the train. If I didn't leave now I would have missed it. ''Great, I forgot.'' I said quickly hurrying around packing away everything I needed. ''Goodbye.'' I called out, heading towards the door. But before I could, both Mum and Samantha were giving me a last goodbye hug. ''Don't forget to write. I want to known how you're doing.'' Mum said letting go of the hug. ''I promise to write.'' I said, leaving the house soon afterwards.

    The train station from our house wasn't that far, it took me at least five maybe ten minutes to get there. But when I had arrived, I noticed the train hadn't come yet. Did I miss it? Or was it late? I quickly looked towards my watch as it read nine-thirty. ''Where's the dam train?'' I yelled out getting all frustrated. If anyone had heard me now, they probably would of given me the evils or something? But no was here were they? It was just me and this boring, pitiful train station.

    Eventually to my utter surprised, the train was finally here. At that slight moment I felt like shouting. ''AT LAST IT'S HERE ALREADY.'' But I decided not to, be size that would be weird. I mean me shouting out in the middle of nowhere? Who wouldn't think that was weird? Anyway soon as the train doors opened, I quickly step inside. Only to have the stupid door's shut behind me. They could have at least waited until I got on first. Soon afterwards I went to go find a seat, but while looking around for now there was something I noticed. The train seemed empty? Why was it empty? Wasn't a train usually full? Then again as I remembered it was raining, so maybe everyone didn't have anywhere to go today.

    However I was glad, well glad that the train wasn't so full. I never did like tight-enclosed spaces. Especially when you're packed into such a tight space, you feel like suffocating.

    After a while of finding which seat to sit on, I finally decided to sit near one of the windows away from the front. It wasn't that I disliked sitting near the front, sitting at the back seemed better. Be size while sitting here I gained full view of the outside. The outside world that is. However my mind was already seat on leaving Chico Village and everything else behind. Starting from today my journey began.