Story by alyssa

I turned the corner and saw myself at eight years old. Not a phantom, but the physical me, on the last day I ever danced. This was the only memory I have with two legs and with my family and me being happy. I was giggling and running around with my friends right before we had to go on stage. Little did my eight year self know that her life was going to change forever after that dance recital. Me and my little sister were the only ones to survive the car cash. I lost my leg. I lost my family. I lost my happiness. As I snap back into reality I realize that the car has stopped and we are at our new house. I live with my grandparents and my little sister. My grandma looks back at me and my sister.

“Well, we are here. Grab a few boxes and let's get moving,” she gets out of the car and goes into the house. I look at my sister and she gives me a smile and gets out. “Maya! Wait up,” I yell. She stops and waits as I get out of the car I grab a box labeled kitchen. I hand it to her. She glares at me like I did something wrong and walks away with the box. I pick up another box labeled bathroom and walk (well more like hop) through the front door. The new house is big and has a big staircase with new fluffy carpet leading up into a hallway where the bedrooms are and a chandelier is hanging from the high ceiling above me. “Oaargh…”I trip and fall. The box smashes into the carpet and all I hear is glass breaking. Staring at the now broken box in my hands, my grandma rushes over. I sit on the floor and look up staring at the glass from the chandelier shimmering in the sun light. “You should go get your leg. Me, grandpa, and Maya will get the rest of the boxes,” She says with a calming voice. “Okay,” I say. I hop back to the black car. I grab my leg and sock and put it on. I go and sit on the grass still wet from the morning dew but I don’t care. I look across the street at the other houses also big but all of them are the same, same white siding, same glass door, same porch but our house is different with blue siding and no porch and a big tree in the middle of the front yard. I watch as a boy in a red jacket zooms by me on his bike and three little girls play in a park by my house.

“Kaylee,” I turn around and see my sister standing a couple feet behind me. “What,” I say. “Grandma and grandpa went somewhere. I think they are going to the store,” she says. “Let’s go inside and put some things away,” I say standing up and. I grab the last box and we go inside. I walk up to Maya’s room and look around. It is empty but a few boxes that are piled up on the floor. I open a box and pull out a pink and white sleeping bag and roll it out onto the cool wood floor. “Can you read me a book Kaylee,” Maya says. She hands me a book and I look at it. It was my favorite book when I was little. “Where did you find this,” I say. I think I sounded mad because I see Maya’s smile fade. “I am sorry we don’t have to read it,” She says. She looks disappointed. “No I am sorry we can read it. Mom used to read this book to me every day until…,” I stop talking and take the book. I read the book like my mom when she would read to me. “Kaylee,” Maya says. “What,” I say. “What were mom and dad like,” She says.

“Mom and dad were…,” I have to stop. I feel stuck in my own memories. I have a lump in my throat and my eyes start watering. Maya stands up and walks over to me. I wipe my eyes; I don’t want her to see me like this. We both look out the window. “Kaylee, look grandma's back,” I see the black car pull into the driveway. I run down stairs and out the front door. My grandma is standing in front of me. “Can I go walk around the new neighborhood for a little bit,” I say. “Yes but bring Maya with you and be home before dark,” she says

The first few weeks passed by in a blur of getting to know the new house, unpacking and also spending more time with Cory. “I am going to Cory’s house,” I yell from the front door. I knock at Cory’s front door. The white door opens. “Come in! Cory is up stairs in his room,” says Cory’s mom. I walk up the staircase and open Cory’s bedroom door. “Hey Kaylee,” Cory says. He looks excited “I know you loved dancing so I got you something,” he says. Cory is wearing a red jacket and blue jeans like always. I swear he wears that everyday. His black hair is messy like he just woke up and when he stands he is tall, very tall. “You know I don't dance anymore right,’ I say. “I know but it is the only thing you talk about,” he says. He stands up and pulls something out from under his bed. “Here,” he says. He hands me a big box it is wrapped in blue wrapping paper the color of his walls and tied off with a big red bow. I open it and see a new leg but it was different. It was white and looked as if it was wearing a ballet shoe. “It is specially made for dancers,” said Cory. “ And I thought it would be perfect if you are going to do ballet,” he said “How do you know I wanted to do ballet,” I say “ I may have seen you looking at ballet classes on your phone,” He says. That night I tried on my new leg and spined. It had been four years since I had danced I forgot how happy it made me feel. I showed Maya my new leg and asked my grandpa and grandma if I could sign up for ballet classes.

Works Cited

Blurry Picture. Digital image. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Feb. 2017. <https://pixabay.com/p-923065/?no_redirect>.

Book. Digital image. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Feb. 2017. <https://static.pexels.com/photos/46274/pexels-photo-46274.jpeg>.

Moving Boxes. Digital image. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Feb. 2017. <https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/09/%E5%A4%A9%E5%9C%B0%E7%84%A1%E7%94%A8_(7736032314).jpg>.

Shoes. Digital image. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Feb. 2017. <https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/50/PointeShoes.jpg>.

Window. Digital image. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Feb. 2017. <https://static.pexels.com/photos/19592/pexels-photo.jpg>.

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