Phoenix: Book One of The Stardust Series Read Online Free PDF Page A

beneath
creaked, declaring its age.
    My dad already left for
the day, off to work before daybreak. Thankful I wouldn’t have to face him yet
after our talk last night, I climbed out of bed and walked down the hall to the
only bathroom in the house. While rinsing my face, I studied myself in the
mirror; dark circles under my eyes betrayed my exhaustion.
    I shook my head then
gently rubbed my eyes to push the sleep away. After stargazing, I must have
climbed in bed and fallen asleep at some point, finally worn out. I put on
casual shorts and a fitted V-neck T-shirt before walking to the kitchen to make
breakfast.
    After clearing the
mismatched dishes from the table, I washed them by hand in the sink. The house
was old but comfortable. Although the wood floor was already pretty clean, I
swept it once more. As I quickly folded the quilt and placed it gently over the
back of the sofa, it made me wonder. What was our old house like? Did my mom
like cooking?
    My recollections of her
and our life before the accident were vague. Sometimes memories that were more
like dreams would float through my mind. Now I wondered if they were actual
memories from our life before. I pushed the subject out of my mind for the
moment and tried to go through the motions of my daily routine.
    I walked aimlessly from
room to room. Having completed my home school curriculum a few years ago, I had
more free time now. Instead of a prescribed regimen, I had the freedom to
explore topics that piqued my interest. From navigation and the history of sea
travel to art history, my interests were broad. Most recently, I had been
delving into the Civil War.
    Since I planned to take
a walk later in the day, I perused my new library books, finally settling on Gone
With the Wind. After spending the next hour or so reading, I returned the
book to the stack, and The Codebreakers caught my eye.
    I smiled, reminded of
the cute guy at the library and replayed the scene for what felt like the
millionth time. I couldn’t believe how good-looking he was and that he could
seem so nice. Even though it was just yesterday, it already felt like a distant
memory or something I had imagined.
    I’m sure I’ll never
see him again , I thought wistfully. I
don’t even know his name. Shaking my head at how silly I was being about a
complete stranger, I glanced around the room for something to occupy myself
with.
    Despite my lack of
sleep, I felt restless and decided something creative may help. I grabbed my
paint brushes, paint, easel, and canvas and went outside. With few clouds in the
sky, the sun played peek-a-boo, casting curious shadows on the mountains. The
fresh air and sunshine made it easier to focus.
    I circled the house,
seeking a comfortable perch, finally settling on one and setting up my
supplies. I wanted to get my mental picture of last night’s sunset down before
it faded away. Raising my hand to paint, a glimmer of light caught my
attention. The stones of my mom’s, now my, ring glinted in the sun. I sat up
straighter on my stool and focused intently on the task at hand, determined to
push the swirling thoughts and questions away.
     
    *  *  *
     
    Late afternoon, with my
chores completed, I decided to take a walk to clear my head and stretch my
legs. I grabbed my small cross-body bag and added a bottle of water and a snack
to the other items I usually carried. I slipped on my favorite canvas flats and
locked the door behind me.
    Walking in the
direction of the mountains, the worn dirt path crunched beneath my feet. My
mind and body felt heavy as I slowly made my way toward my favorite escape,
hoping to find solace. After walking for twenty minutes or so, the familiar
path widened to reveal a small clearing with a majestic old tree. I loved to
relax under the huge tree and daydream; something about the place was magical.
    I slumped down in the
grass against the tree and leaned back against its reassuring trunk. The large
branches arched protectively above me,