A New Home

Dad continued to drive, focusing on the road, while Lea and I looked out over the town. It was a quiet little place, looking as if it was stuck back in the 1970s. Even all of the vehicles that the townsfolk used were from that era. I wonder how much gas prices are out here. I don't see the point of it though, since the town is small enough for anyone to just walk to where they need to go.

"Wow! The water is so pretty!" Lea shouted, climbing over my lap to look out of the window. I groan as her knees dig into my thighs, more so at how my parents were not concerned at how Lea had taken her seat belt off. Shaking my head, I look back outside to see how backwards the town really was. None of the buildings were modern one bit. It's like the whole town was stuck in the 1970s; everyone's clothing, the way they looked, even some of the billboards seemed like the threat of Communism was still live and something to worry about. I can understand why mom would be a little peeved about trying to work here. Some of the people were going to be a challenge for her.

Dad reached the main road, slowing down to meet the twenty mile speed limit. The people were just as baffled to see us in their quiet town. They were mad dogging us as we rolled by, and it making me wish we had stayed in LA. I looked to Dad, hoping he had some smart comment about how some of these people were looking at us, but to my surprise, he didn't. In fact, he had a more serious expression plastered on his face than the townsfolk did. Even more discerning was that from the edge of my vision I caught my mother's mouth taking the shape of a smirk, but it was gone the moment I actually tried to look.

Let's just hope it isn't always weird in this town.

I turned my focus back on the town itself, seeing a drug store, a grocery store, bar, restaurant, movie theater and a clinic next to one another like some outdoor mall. Before I could get a glimpse of the other side of the street, we turned down a road and into a suburban like zone. Housed that resembles a fusion of cabins and the cookie cutter housed that occupied suburban's back in the 70s. It was a weird combination; the basic shape of those small family homes with log walls and roofs.

Dad drove past a few of these houses until we reached a somewhat newer home, the wood looked fresh and the driveway was pristine. He drove up the driveway and parked, and almost instantly, my sister was back in her seat, seatbelt almost locked in, but not quite since she didn't want them to hear the click. Dad sighed and looked back to the two of us, a smile spreading on his face. "Alright, you two, home sweet home. Let's check out the inside before we start unpacking so we can get rooms sorted." Lea nodded, and then my Dad looked to me, waiting for a response. I sigh and nod as well, and my Dad clapped. "Great, let's go."

Lea jumped out a second after him, big smile spread on her face. Right as I was going to open my door, my mother stopped me. "Hold on, Levi." I stopped, learning from past experiences that it was better just to listen to her instead of bicker. "I know I had my own negative thoughts about moving here, but I need you to not taint Lea's impressionable mind with your own negative feelings about moving out here. She needs to be able to grow here, am I understood." I nod, humming approvingly to indicate that I understood what she was asking. "Good." She then opened her door and walked out. I finally get out and join the three, following them as they open the front door.

The inside was rather spacious despite what the outside looked like, a large kitchen with an island and a kitchen table with six tables. A living room with a huge tv and two couches. Dad and Mom moved into the house, while Lea went into the hall way and disappeared. I slowly followed her to see what was up. There were three door ways: one that les to a bathroom, one to an empty room that had a window to the street, and a stairwell. It seemed that Lea went downstairs, so I followed.

Going down the stairs lead to a small lounge room with only one window that lead to the lake. It was interesting that the building went underground, I wondered why they would go downwards instead of just building upwards. I spotted another hall and saw five door ways. three rooms, a bathroom and another stairwell. I guess that all of our rooms would be here, but I wonder where this third stairwell led.

I moved into the door frame and saw my sister tugging on the door handle. I slowly walked down and heard the sound of water. "Lea, what's up with that door?"

She gave up on the door and looked towards me. "I'm not sure, but I'm sure it's where you'll be making some sort of dungeon." An evil grin spread on her face she walked past. I shook my head, focusing on the door. There was a window that allowed me to look past the door and into what lie behind. I gasped, seeing a dock that led to the river; a wooden rowboat waded in the water tethered to the room. This was amazing, and it made me wonder how exactly Dad was able to afford a place like this.

I moved back to the second floor and spotted my mother walking into one of the bed rooms. Lea had moved into the bed room that was next to mothers. I suppose that my bedroom was the one next to the stairs then. I moved into the room and saw that it was pretty small. It looked more like a storage closet over a bed room with enough space to squeeze a bed on the wall opposite of the door. Man, this was not going to be a comfortable place to be.

"Hey, sport." I turned around to see Dad with his hands on his waist. "Why don't you help me unpack." I nodded and followed him back out to the car. We opened the back and started to pull stuff out. "Levi, I want you to go into town and make some friends. Don't worry about helping when the moving truck comes, I'll take are of it." I nodded, secretly relieved that my Dad was already giving me freedom when I know my Mother would make me break my back unloading stuff.

"Thanks Dad. I'll go ahead and explore around." I said, carrying my bag and Lea's stuff into the house. I moved to the stairway and moved down, walking to my sister's room and dropping that heavy ass bag. I swear I heard something pop carrying that crap. I then moved my bag to my hole and dropped it. Stretching my back out, I quickly ran up the stairs and out of the house. I rolled my shoulders and put my hands into my pockets, moving away from home and towards the street we came from.