Cheri Smith, Gateway Explorer
Preview: Chapter 1
An Empty Old House
Findley heard the sound of a car crunching on the gravel of the driveway. Creeping slowly out from among the bushes behind the old house she moved closer to get a better look. It had been over two years since any humans lived here. The siding on the house was now old, worn, and faded and even the “For Rent” sign out front needed paint. She had done her part trying to bring new humans to the house. Whenever a car stopped out front Findley would do her best canine tricks, sitting up and barking, wagging her tail, rolling over to say, “pet my tummy!”, but nothing had worked. She once even licked the ankles of a large woman trying to open the front door. Instead of giggling like the last lady who lived here, this one screamed, threw the front door key up into the air and ran back to her car. But something felt different today.
A well-dressed human in a smartly pressed suit was taking down the “For Rent” sign. She opened her car’s back door and helped one tall and one short human out of the back. Together all three of them walked up to the front door and opened it. Maybe these were her new people. Findley hoped so because she liked the looks of the smaller human. She had a head full of curly dark hair, interesting brown eyes, and was wearing baggy jeans, a green, hoody sweatshirt, and a pair of old sneakers that looked just right for running, jumping, and going on adventures. Findley was quite a ways away but could pick up a slight human scent that felt kind and friendly. “Don’t get your hopes up,” thought Findley. There have been others here that didn’t stay very long. She hoped this time it would be different.
Cheri walked behind her mother as the realtor took them on a tour through the house. “Notice how the downstairs is fully carpeted Mrs. Smith.” Cheri noticed that the carpet was old, worn, and fairly dusty. The house had a stale smell that slightly irritated her nose and said, “I’ve been empty for quite a while.” Cheri couldn’t believe that her Mom was bringing her half a country away from her old home and friends. This was a worn-out old house at least two miles outside of a small town in the middle of nowhere. She knew she should be mad at her Dad for walking out on them, but her Mom was here, so it was Mom who heard all of Cheri’s complaints.
“It does need a little work here and there” droned on the realtor as she flipped on a switch for the lights in the kitchen. Only one of the four light bulbs lit up. Her Mom smiled. “No problem, we can change light bulbs.” She was always the positive one. Even now she told Cheri this was the start of an exciting new adventure. Cheri thought it felt more like the start of one of those Halloween movies that never ended well for teenagers. Not that she was even a teenager yet. Cheri was twelve, and this was her summer after elementary school. This was the time when she and her friends Marco and Jeannie were supposed to have had months for sleep overs, movies, picnics, and dreams about starting middle school together. Instead, here she was, dragged off to the middle of nowhere, and somebody was going to pay for this.
“I’ll just give you both sets of keys” said the realtor as she shook Cheri’s Mom’s hand out on the front step. “Thank you, Mrs. Smith.” “Oh, just call me Julie.” Her Mom replied as she smiled back. We’ll be back here tomorrow with our things bright and early to begin moving in.” “They’ll be back here tomorrow!” thought Findley. Yes! A feeling of hope jumped up inside her. This house was finally going to get some humans again and Findley would have new people for new adventures. This time she promised herself she wouldn’t scare them off like she had done to all the others before them. This time would be different.
Cheri Smith, Gateway Explorer - coming soon!