....Alex POV.....

After passing all my exams, I can finally fulfil my dream. I can't believe that all my sacrifices paid off. London, here I come!

"I'm moving out. Finally!" My cheeks ached from all the smiling. I could feel positive energy entering me.

"How kind, sweetie. You're saying that as if your life with me was hell," my mother said, rolling her eyes.

"Sorry Mum," I looked down with a shy smile.

"Alexandra?" Her voice shook as she pulled out a tissue from her pocket and wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Mum?" I called. Tears rolled down her cheeks like a cascading waterfall, and as I gulped, I started to cry as well and took a deep breath and said, "Mum, we aren't even at the airport, stop crying!" I closed the trunk and moved towards her, hugging her very tightly. We just stood there in front of the garage for a few minutes.

My 11-year-old brother walked towards us with a small smile on his face, his shining blond hair bouncing with each step. 

"God! Noah, I am really gonna miss you." The moment he reached me, I turned my gaze away to not let my emotions run wild.

"Do you need to leave? Can't you stay here with us, please?" He looked into my eyes with his crystal eyes of sadness as he gave me a hug. My heart sank as his words touched me. He put his head up, looked straight at me, and cried. I fondly looked back as his bright blond hair swayed with the air, covering his eyes a little.

Like all children who are becoming teenagers, he can be a little brat, but I love him with all my heart. I felt sad to leave him, but I had to go. It was always my dream to go study in London, so nothing would stop me, not even my little brother with his puffy face and Pikachu hoodie. He knows my weaknesses.

"I do, my little spaghetti monster!" 

"Stop calling me that! I was little when I put the pot over my head!" He pushed me back and crossed his arms.

I put my hand over his head. "Don't play mad, I know you're sad." I smiled and kissed his head. But I'll come to visit, I promise. You and Mum can also come to visit me." 

He turned towards our mother with his big, hopeful eyes. "Can we, Mummy? Can we visit Alex?" 

My mother couldn't say no to her cutie pie. She had a tense look on her face at the thought of leaving this house. She told me she didn't want to spend money, but I believe this has more to do with the death of my father since we didn't have money problems.

"I'll come to see you both during my next vacation," I promised Noah, who was happy with my answer, so much so that he didn't mind letting me leave.

Since moving was getting closer, I started to get nervous. My hands began to shake, and my skin warmed up. My mind went overboard. Without my mother calming me down with a kiss, I would've been an emotional wreck.

She let go of me and went towards the car. I looked towards our small blue house. I walked towards the outdoor glass stairs to enter the house and get the last of my suitcases, but reaching the couch, my legs grew heavy, and I lowered myself onto the couch to rest.

Closing my eyes, I remembered the strong black aroma of the coffee beans. I could hear the vibration of the drops falling into my travel mug before leaving for school. I could overhear the laughter and see the droopy eyes of sadness that happened here. I slowly stood up and moved towards the staircase. I went upstairs to my room. I remember the first time I tried to sneak out the window next to the staircase, which didn't work out well. I smiled at this thought.

I entered my room and realised how empty it was. We shipped most things to my cousin in London. A picture of my father sat on my desk. I almost forgot about it. I picked it up and looked over it. All three of us were smiling, my mother was pregnant with Noah. Yet not even two months after this picture was taken, he died, and we never found the body.

I broke down in tears, hot torrents of grief coursed down my face, splashing on what was once a picture-perfect family. I wiped my tears away with my hands and ran a finger over my father's frame before putting the picture in my pocket. I grabbed the suitcase next to my now-empty wardrobe and walked out. I passed into the hall, looking into my brother's room full of toys, and remembered how we always played together until I couldn't take his whining for not getting his way. 

They grow so fast. God, how did I think leaving would be so easy? 

I passed my parent's room and saw one of my father's books about ancient Egypt still in the same spot since my mother never touched them again. His side seemed to be frozen in a time loop. I left my suitcase and entered the room, going towards the books. I picked up the book and read the title out loud. 

"The Truth about the Duat." He was always fascinated by the afterlife. I put the book back down, seeing as my hand started to shake again. Turning my hands over I could see some dust on them.

Looking around, I thought about the day we came back from his burial. My mother tried to be strong, but at one point she almost killed herself in this room with pills. She only survived because I came into the room and screamed. I will never forget how I had to make my mother throw up. Thank God, that my brother was born some weeks earlier.

I couldn't stay inside anymore. I grabbed my suitcase and ran down towards the door. I closed the door behind me. The warm wind felt like a father's touch taking care of me. My hair moved in every direction, even into my mouth. Therefore, I put it into a terrible bun. I put the suitcase into the side of the car since the trunk was full. For one last time, I glanced back at the house. Something in me made me feel as if I could never come back to my blue house, I dismissed this thought immediately.

We all entered the car. I didn't take my eyes away from the house until my mother started the car, and it was far away, only a little blue dot.

"Mommy, Alexandra is crying like a baby." Noah was making fun of me and sticking out his tongue.

My mother just replied, "She isn't the only one, is she, Noah?" 

Noah crossed his arms and sat quietly in his seat for some time. I tried not to laugh, to no avail.

On our way to the airport, my brother, after he stopped being mad, played with his old Nintendo. I was looking out the window with the warm wind whipping my face like a hurricane. Suddenly, my entire body shivered.

"Mom, are you feeling this coldness?"

"Of course not, it's so hot you can even cook an egg outside." She turned her head at me as if I were crazy to even think about it being cold.

"Eyes on the road, Mum!" She turned back towards the road and stayed quiet.

"Yeah, right, I am just imagining it." I hope so.

Fifteen minutes later, my mother parked outside the airport. We each took a suitcase. I was sweating like a pig when we finally arrived at the air-conditioned airport. We looked at the black panels, there was my flight from Luxembourg to London.

Together, we went to check in, since it is a tiny airport, there wasn't a long queue. Handing in my baggage and passport. With their approval, we moved to our right, where the security check was. I gave one last hug to both and handed my passport to the security guard who checked my identity. 

I waved goodbye one more time, tears spilling out in a steady flow, knowing that I wouldn't see them for at least a couple of months. I didn't want them to see me cry, so I didn't look back.

I was on the way to pass security when my mother screamed, "Your dad would be proud of you."

Her words hit me hard, she had never talked about my father since his death. I didn't look back because I was crying, so I just waved my hand as one last goodbye, for now.

I got on the plane and sat on the seat that I chose, next to the aisle, which made it easier to go to the toilet. I let two passengers pass who had the other two seats, they were a priest and a nun. The pilot said the flight would take one hour and twenty minutes and there wouldn't be a delay. The plane backed out of the gate, and the stewards started to present the security measures, which I always listen to, just to be safe. After the plane was up in the sky, I made myself comfortable enough to fall asleep since I wasn't hungry enough for the food on the plane.

A voice was screaming in agony, retracting itself together, crying for help. Trying to save himself from the metal table. The scream made me shiver in horror. They chained me next to that little boy. The last thing I saw was him falling on the table, dead. 

I jolted awake. I heard the stewards say we were landing. I prepared myself and ignored this dream immediately. Sometimes I wondered what our subconscious was thinking.

After we landed, I waited until everyone left the plane because people seemed like lions without patience when they arrived. My neighbours seemed to be on the same page. We three looked at everyone, trying to take their baggage aggressively and pushing each other. When many left, all three of us stood up and took our baggage. 

I helped the older nun get her bag, and then I went outside. Arriving at the exit from the London City Airport, I called a taxi to take me to my university, since my cousin would only be home in an hour. The taxi approached. They were small and black, so cute. The chauffeur got out on the right side, nodding hello. Oh right, they drive on the left. He put my baggage in the trunk and we both entered together.

"Where do you wish to go, Miss?" His rasping voice worked well with the London accent.

"Could you please bring me to the UCL Institute of Archaeology, and if possible, wait for me for just five minutes? I would like to see the Institute from outside."

"No problem, I'll gladly wait, but not too long." He smiled, and here we went to my university.

On the way towards the institute, the vast city mesmerised me. London was much bigger than I thought. I could see the huge modern buildings next to me reaching the sky. I passed close to the Tower of London, which was surrounded by a long wall. Most of the way, I was next to the Thames River with all its bridges. So many parks, to my surprise. I thought the city would be less colourful, but there were so many colours everywhere. The red, high-rising buses are everywhere. This city really is marvellous. I was like a little kid who just wanted to jump out of the car and see all this beauty.

Before reaching the university, I called my mother, who still seemed a bit sad. I held it together since I wasn't alone and told her all my impressions of London. I talked in Portuguese, so the driver wouldn't understand me. 

"Here we are." He stopped the car. Opening the door, I saw the brownish building standing in front of me. I was so excited finally to study something that I liked. All my life, I loved history. Now I could maybe be part of it.

I just stood there looking around. I saw families entering their homes next to the institute. All around us were brownish, similar-looking buildings, with a little park not far away. 

This feels so liberating. I can finally live as I see and wish. Thank you, Mum, for this opportunity.

I went back into the taxi and gave him the address where my cousin lived. It wasn't far from here. We took some turns, and there it was, his apartment in another brownish-grey building. It seems like they love these colours. The chauffeur helped me get everything into the lift. I gave him a little extra for his kindness.

"Thank you very much for your help, have a nice day,"  I said before the doors of the lift closed.

 Here we go. I was a bit nervous as I approached my new home. When the doors of the lift opened, I dragged my three bags towards the door. Here I am in my new life.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Edit: 23/05/2023

I thank everyone for reading my first chapter and I wanna thank every comment that helped me improve my story and writing.

The picture is from me. I called it a new horizon.

Love you all, chicken out.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Question for you all :)

Do you think that the dream is more than a dream?