"Hey, Hannah!" Chelsea nudged her friend.

"Wake up! The movie's over. I can't believe you slept through a movie, that you wanted to see!"

Hannah woke up with a start.

"I can't imagine why I fell asleep. Suddenly, as I was settling in, I started to get so drowsy!"

It was nighttime and I was climbing the stairs to my room. I had been living for a while at my aunt’s house. Mom and I were fighting again and I thought that maybe a break would help the situation. Actually it wasn’t exactly my decision to leave. Mom threw me out after one of those stupid arguments that we always have, about utter nonsense.

Rachel was sitting on her front porch. It was late afternoon, around 4 pm. It had been hot all day and finally, it seemed the heat was letting up a bit. A fine breeze was blowing through the trees and Rachel wanted to take advantage of it. She had just spent the better part of the day cleaning out her attic, and it had been stifling up there. She needed just a few minutes to cool off before she tackled the rest of the job.

Miri sat in a chair, in the corner of her den, staring into space. The room was dark. The only light that could be seen from the doorway was coming from the kitchen. No one was home. But then no one would ever be coming home again. Miri had two children, a boy and a girl. Her daughter was married and had moved away. Her son was still living with her. Or, he had been, until he was gone. The funeral was held yesterday. This was the second time in two years that Miri had buried someone she loved. Her husband had died after a lengthy illness. And then there was her son Aiden, who had died of an overdose.

Katherine and Adam had known each other since childhood. Katherine’s family had moved into the house next door to Adam’s when he was nine and she was eight. They became fast friends, always playing together, in one house or the other. By the time they were in high school, they were considered an item. No one could get in between them, and everyone knew, that when the time was right they would get married. Adam knew it, and Katherine knew it too.

My family and I live in the house that once belonged to my elderly Uncle Arthur. Somehow, it was left to me. I'm not quite sure why. Maybe, my uncle knew that no one else would want this old relic of days gone by. Or maybe he understood that my generation preferred the fast paced excitement of the big city, to the peace and quiet of the country. Maybe he knew that no one would appreciate the sentimental value of the house, and would just sell it for the fortune that it was worth in today’s market. Or maybe my uncle knew me better than I knew myself.

Sami sashayed her way through the restaurant while she followed the maitre d' to her table. Her glossy black hair, tied back in a pony tail at the top of her head, swung back and forth as she moved. She was dressed in the latest designer jeans with a silk top and a pair of stiletto heels . She was gorgeous and definitely made an impression on all of the patrons, especially the men. If they only knew!

The past year has been so difficult. All I want to do is run away. It is almost impossible to deal with the grief, for now, anyway. Would this harsh feeling ever go away? Would I ever laugh again, or even just smile? Would I ever enjoy anything again? Or, would all the small things in life be tinged with bittersweet memories of what once was, or what could have been? My heart is locked up right now. I can’t open that door to other feelings and emotions. I don’t even want to!

Early morning. Sadness envelopes me. I am making a cup of tea. I was never one for coffee. It always upset my stomach. I put the teapot up to boil. Not for me these fancy coffee/tea making machines. I like to do things on my own. It makes me feel like I am accomplishing something. Although, this morning I don't feel like I want to accomplish anything. But maybe the tea will help.

It was late fall, and I was outside raking the leaves in front of my parents' house. Dressed in jeans and a tee shirt, with my hair tied back in a messy pony tail, I was not exactly looking my best when the neighbor, who had just recently moved in, approached me.