(September 4, 2017)
(10:45 P.M.)

In the central part of Attwater, entitled on a stone is "Woodland's Run". The street lights illuminate the neighborhood. Tall trees align most houses, standing up to about 15 feet. Crickets chirp and owls hoot throughout the neighborhood. House lights are off in the windows but porches are well lit.

A girl, with Strawberry Blonde hair, a white jacket, and black jeans, walks along the sidewalk through the dark and vacant neighborhood. Equipped with a blue backpack, she holds a yellow note in her hands. Written on this note is an address, an address belonging to Woodland's Run. Looking up and down, she examines both the number on the note and the house address numbers. She continues this process as she walks along the cement pathway.

Allison: "1119...1120..."

Allison pauses, looking both at the house number and the note's digits. She then exhales, and looks up at a building.

Allison: "1123."

Allison gulps as she stands before a 2-story tan house with a bright red front door. She begins to approach the wooden front porch steps when-

*SNAP!*

Gasping, she turns around; Allison observes the surroundings. Trees stand in the front yards of freshly cut lawns. Crickets chirp and house lights are dim. Nothing out of the ordinary pops out to her.

Allison: "Nothing..."

She sighs.

"It's just my nerves. I'm so scared... what if she doesn't even know who I am? Did Mom even tell her about me? Oh... Mom... Mom..."

Allison: "Mom..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(June 13th, 2017)
(New York City)
(9:00 P.M.)

Allison sits alone in a white car outside of a movie theater; she sits in the driver's seat, tapping her fingers on the steering wheel to the beat of the faint music coming from the car stereo. The driver's window is rolled down halfway, as Allison looks out to a scenery of crowds of people exiting a movie theater. Leaving the theater is a woman in her 40s. She has long silk chestnut hair and seems to resemble Allison in an uncanny way. Accompanying her side is a man, well-aged, wearing a clean black polo. The two walk side by side and arms linked.

"Are we still on for next Tuesday, Lassandra?"

The woman smiles at the gentleman who looks to her as they stroll out of the movie theater.

Lassandra: "Definitely. Thank you for this wonderful night, Clark."

The two embrace in front of the movie posters, wrapping their arms around each other; some passerby look on and "aw".

Clark: "It wouldn't have been amazing without you."

Clark pecks her on the lips. The woman blushes; her cheeks turn a deep rose red. The two wave at each other before turning and going their separate ways. Lassandra felt her lips, with her fingers, smiling.

Rolling down her window the entire way, Allison waves to the woman from afar.

Allison: "Mom!"

Noticing Allison through the crowd of people walking in and out of the theatre, she approaches the car, entering in on the passenger side. Allison smiles; she readjusts her posture in the driver's seat to face towards her mom, patting her hands on her lap.

Allison: "So mom..... How was the movie date?"

Allison's mother sighs; she looks at Allison and rolls her eyes.

Lassandra: "Not a movie date Ali, just a movie."

Allison looks at her mother, raising her eyebrows,and chuckles at the her mother's denial.

Allison: "You can't be serious, mom."

Lassandra tosses her hands up in the air, almost hitting the roof of the car.

Lassandra: "What? A woman can't enjoy a man's company without being a couple?"

Allison: "All I'm saying is that it's kind of getting boring, just the two of us. Also, you just kissed the man."

Lassandra: "Are you suggesting Clark moves into our apartment?"

Allison: "Well, if you put it that way, yes."

Lassandra sighs at her daughter's request. Allison takes her mom by the hands and shakes her silly.

Allison: "I see it in your eyes mom. You like the guy! You've been seeing each other for a few months. Why don't you tell him how you feel?"

Lassandra: "Honey, I like our life just the way it is, with or without Clark. You don't need to play matchmaker."

Allison shrugs. She looks out the car window, staring at the skyscraper buildings standing tall above them; Neon lights on billboards are placed upon their sides She listens to the cars honking, and the crowds of people conversing outside of their car. Allison sighs, still gazing out at her surroundings.

Allison: "I don't know. For the Big Apple, living here my entire life hasn't really been that exciting."

Lassandra: "Well, you've still got college, a career, and after that you'll start a family."

Frowning, Allison shakes her head.

Allison: "It's not that, Mom. I just have this gut feeling. It's like the last missing piece to a puzzle. I feel like something from my life is missing."

Allison's Mom stays silent.

Allison: "Sorry, I know you hate when I talk like that. It's just that you and Clark are so perfect together! I want our life to change, in a good way. I feel we've been coasting along. If I want to be honest, I don't feel like I belong here."

Lassandra still remains silent; her jaw tightens and her eyes are fixated upon Allison.

Allison: "Mom, what's wrong?"

Allison seems confused about the situation as her mother inhales. Lassandra looks away from Allison as she says:

Lassandra: "You're not entirely wrong sweetheart."

Allison: "About what? Are you finally admitting your love for Clark?"

Lassandra: "No, honey. No. What you just said, after Clark."

Allison: "What?"

Lassandra props herself back up on the passenger seat, turns towards Allison and puts her hands on Allison's shoulders.

Lassandra: "There's a part of your life, a part in the past, that you don't know or remember."

Allison: "I don't understand what you're getting at mother..."

Lassandra shuts her eyes and exhales deeply.

"It's time I told you about Attwater."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(Back to the present)

Allison rings the doorbell. She then stands patiently at the door, her hands in her pockets. Opening the door, is a young woman with dark brown hair and a blazer. She peers her head through the small space she made as she creaked open the door. She seems to resemble Allison in many ways. However, she looks much more mature than Allison, with fierce eyes and a stunning face. The woman raises her eyebrows at Allison.

"Hello?"

Allison: "Hi, you must be Emma... Right?"

Emma: "Yeah, can I help you?"

Allison: "Yes, umm... Yes, you can."

Allison takes a deep breath in. She opens her mouth.

Allison: "I'm Allison..."

Allison pauses as she takes in a deep breath while Emma stands cross armed, not moving an inch.

Allison: "Allison Prescott, your sister."

Emma is stunned, glancing at Allison. Speechless, she continues to stare at Allison. Emma begins to slam the door shut. Allison intervenes, raising her voice; she reaches out to try and keep the closing door open.

Allison: "Emma, I know this is a lot to take in, that you have a sister and all but-"

Emma goes poker-faced. She shrugs.

Emma: "No, I already know who you are. I've known for a pretty damn long time."

Allison: "Then what's wrong? We're finally together, after 16 years."

Emma scowls at Allison.

Emma: "That's just it Allison. I've known about you my entire life. You've just been this name, engraved in my mind, and I've always wondered when you would pop up."

Emma looks disgusted as she bickers at Allison.

Emma: "And here you are, with the audacity to be at my front door in the middle of the night. Why are you here?"

Allison looks saddened, not expecting this conversation to go this route.

Allison: "I'm so sorry... I would've told you I was coming in. It's just that everything happened so fast and I didn't know where to go so-"

Emma interrupts Allison with a stern attitude.

Emma: "That doesn't answer my question, Allison. WHY are you here?"

Allison gulps and frowns. Pain fills her face. She struggles to get her words out. Her mouth opens as she breathes in air. Suspense builds up in her breath.

Allison: "Mom... she had some complications."

Emma's eyes squint.

Emma: "Complications..."

She batters her lashes.

Emma: "What kind?"

Allison: "The um... permanent kind."

Allison holds back the tears in her eyes; she bites her lower lip as Emma's mouth hangs open.

Emma: "Oh, I get it now. She's gone, and you need somewhere to stay."

Emma scoffs. She turns around to her side, tapping her right foot as she leans to the left hip.

Emma: "And that's where I come in, isn't it? I'm supposed to just what, drop everything for you? Welcome you in with open arms? Give up everything I've worked for?"

Hurt strikes Allison's face. She frowns as Emma scowls at her. Her eyebrows droop as she looks to the ground below as she speaks.

Allison: "It's not like that Emma..."

Emma hisses, stomping her feet on the wooden porch.

Emma: "I'm pretty sure it is Allison!"

Allison raises her voice, shouting back at Emma. Emma leaps back, her expression hardening.

Allison: "I HAD NO WHERE ELSE TO GO!!!"

She takes a deep breath in. She wipes the few tears away. Her lower lip trembles. Emma's face softens as she listens to Allison's case.

Allison: "Mom was all I had growing up. I didn't have the luxury of being the popular girl or having a supportive community. I don't have anything else."

Emma scoffs at her remark.

Emma: "And neither did I..."

Allison: "Look, all I'm asking for... is a chance to have a fresh start. Would you PLEASE be willing to give me that chance?"

Allison desperately reaches for something inside of her pockets. With another note in her hand, Allison reaches to put the note in Emma's palm.

Allison: "For mom?"

Emma looks at the note curiously.

Emma: "What's this?"

Allison: "Just read it."

Taking the note Allison offered, Emma begins to read. Reading in her head, her eyes scan the words on the paper. Emma gasps, her mouth dropping at the writing in the note.

Allison: "She said you were my best hope. "

Emma is overtaken by awe. Wordless, her jaw drops.

Allison: "And she's right. You are."

Emma: "I just- I didn't...."

Emma seems lost for words, still staring at the words on the paper.

Emma: "I just didn't think she-"

Allison: "Cared about you? Oh, she did. It's all in the writing."

Feeling heartfelt, Allison places her hands in Emma's. She smiles at Emma.

Allison: "And now, I need you to care about me. This is what mom would've wanted."

Sighing, Emma turns her back on Allison.

Allison: "But-"

She walks back inside her house, leaving the front door wide open. Allison is about to start tearing up, but holds her tears back; she takes a huge sniffle in and then mutters under her breath:

Allison: "I knew this would end up happening..."

She clears her throat. Allison mutters to Emma, her head drooping down.

Allison: "Hey, you left the front door open."

Emma turns back around. She faces Allison, sighing.

Emma: "Yeah, I know."

Allison looks slightly confused. Emma gestures Allison inside her house.

Emma: "I'm doing this for mom."

She smirks.

Emma: "Welcome to Attwater."

And there we have it. Allison Prescott has finally moved into town. Now the fun is truly about to begin. Like always, feel free to give me feedback as it only makes this story better! Thank you all for reading. Stay tuned for more! If all goes according to plan, expect another chapter by the end of this weekend. I'm meeting with my cousins from France so it may or not be delayed. Thanks!