Gone to Carolina

Chapter One: That Southern Heat

“Explain to me again exactly why I am going to the middle of NOWHERE for the summer?” An agitated girl spoke from the backseat of a luxury sedan, her arms folded tightly across her chest.

“Ashley it’s become clear that all of the hustle and bustle of the city is corrupting you. Dr. Miller said that being away from it all is the best thing for you right now.” A woman spoke from the front seat, her lips upturned in a patronizing smile.

The girl sneered, hating the way she said his name with such tenderness. If she’d had any doubts before about whether or not her mom was banging the psychiatrist, she now knew for certain. “Why am I not surprised Dr. Pervert wants to get me out of the house for the summer.”

“Oh I have heard enough of your accusations. You are staying her at your Aunt Josie’s for the summer and that’s final.”  Was her retort, her voice calm and unwavering.

Ashley shut her mouth this time, instead choosing to sink deeper into her seat. She tried to imagine spending an entire summer in rural South Carolina. Just thinking about it made her skin crawl. This had to be some sort of child abuse or something, abandoning her in a place like this. She was 14 years old, old enough to become an emancipated minor maybe. The dark haired girl smiled a bit as she imagined being free from her overbearing mother and almost non-existent father.

“See, isn’t it pretty out here?” Her mother spoke, having mistaken Ashley’s smile for one of admiration of her surroundings. She couldn’t be farther from the truth.

“Yeah until the hillbillies slash your tires and burn us city folk alive.” The girl responded darkly, rolling her eyes in one melodramatic motion.

“Ashley…” The older woman chided, frowning as they settled back into silence.

The young girl was awoken by the crunching of tires on gravel. She jerked awake, knowing immediately that they must have arrived at her aunt’s house. Her brown eyes took in the small, white home with a look of genuine fear. To most it would have looked like a modest, but clean little house in the woods. To Ashley it looked like hell on earth. She moaned audibly, deciding to give it one more try, “Please mom, I’m begging you.”