I do not want to go. I was fine where  I was in Chicago . But Mom said it would be  healthy for me, for all of us , to get out in nature  and make  some friends . She said it would be a good change after the accident. I bet you she just wanted to get out of our house . Mom had bought a place  in the tiny town of Applehollow . Applehollow is very tiny . You could walk across it in about five minutes .Going there sounds like a stupid idea  but of course it is not like I have a choice .

I stare at all my luggage . There is a lot of stuff . Willow said I  overpacked and then packed up her whole closet . Willow is my stepsister . We are not on good terms. We never were/ We never will be. And after the accident we have been even more mad at each other .

Willow’s dad was more like a father to me as my actual dad. I hate my real dad. He left me when I was seven and never came back. After a while mom married Willow’s dad . It was amazing except for Willow. We hated each other immediately.

Three months ago there was a car accident. I was fine. He wasn’t. Willow thinks it is my fault.

She hates me . Hates me that I stole her dad . Hates me that I was with dad when he died and she wasn’t . She tells how much better my life is than hers. But I have troubles of my own. They intend to stay my own.

***

“Brooklyn!”

“Yeah?”

“Are you ready?”

“Yes I answer.”

We put the last of our bags in the car and got in . Me and Willow are stuck in the back of the car. We feel too guilty to sit in the front where mom and dad would have been sitting. Applehollow  is far away . Six hours away to be exact. And six hours with Willow might as well be six hours in hell.

I check the group chat . Everyone is having a big argument over which type of cheese is better . My best friend loves pepper jack so far no one agrees with her. I just like some regular chedder cheese . I don’t type in my answer .

Up front I look at the empty seat . It was like this hole in our family. No matter how long you try to fill it in, it will always be empty . Usually dad would be driving. We would all be snacking on some gas-station junk food and he would be cracking up jokes to make us laugh. He was the only thing that could keep me and Willow together but now that he is gone ….  Mom looks nervous . She doesn’t even put on the radio. But then none of us could handle the radio.

After three hours Chicago is completely gone . All I see are empty fields and a couple of cows here and there. I look at my phone no wifi .

Welcome to the middle of nowhere I thought closing my eyes . Welcome to Applehollow.