NOT IMPOSSIBLE CHAPTER ONE!

NOT

IMPOSSIBLE 

 BOOK ONE

A N   A C T I O N-  T H R I LL E R   B Y   E L E N A   D E N V E R

                    C H A P T E R   O N E

                           N O R M A L?

It was Tuesday. 

Finally, school was out and I could have a little fun. But before that, running errands for Mom came first—and dropping off books at the library too. I had two brown paper bags in my hand, and one blue plastic bag filled with books in the other. The library was just a few blocks away, but I never minded the walking. It was cooler than the last few days and there was the faintest breeze in the air, but I welcomed it. As I walked down the sidewalks, I glanced at the stores on my right, the displays showing in the windows. When I got to a certain store, I paused.

Wedding Gowns and Floral Decor.

I looked in the window, only a few feet away from the glass. Inside, I saw a girl measuring a dress on a mannequin, adding little bits and pieces to the gown, things I didn’t understand.

Trinity.

I smiled. 

Her warm eyes glowed and she smiled, taking a needle from her mouth and pinning it down somewhere.

Just as she went to look my way, I turned and walked briskly onward. I didn’t want to make her think I was staring at her.

Trinity Jane March. That was her name. I had known her since we were small kids, though I never got the chance to say hi to her. Someday, I would.

But not yet.

I had to find out what was going on with Mom and Dad first.

I finally arrived at the Herrington Library and slid my books in the blue book slot. I felt just a tap of rain, but the sky was still a nice warm pink.

I wanted to hurry home, in case it picked up. I walked home, still holding the two brown paper bags in my hand, filled with groceries. I glanced at my watch.

5:37 pm. I wanted to be back in time for my birthday dinner, pizza and ginger-ale—my favorite. My best friend Andy was even coming over. It was going to be fun. 

So, I picked up my pace and just for a mere second, I looked away and plummeted into somebody, dropping my bags and scuffing my already bruised knee.

The apples and onions rolled all over the concrete and some into the road. Those were immediately squashed and turned into mush.
“Oh my goodness, I am so sorry!”

I hadn’t even noticed who I bumped into. I looked up and my eyes were met with deep auburn eyes, with just a hint of sunset orange.

“Tri-Trinity?”

“Um…Danny, right?” She awkwardly laughed and bent down to help pick up the food that rolled all over the sidewalk.

I blinked, breaking the daze I was under. “Oh—hi, I…I’m sorry, I wasn’t looking where I was going…”

“No, no, it’s my fault, I wasn’t being careful, and you were carrying a ton of groceries, and now they’re all over the floor!” 

She talked so fast, I barely heard her. But something about the way she riled herself up, brought a smile to my face.

“Um…Danny?”

“Oh, um, yes?”

She laughed again, holding the bags, one ripped. “Here’s your food. I’m sorry, one of the bags is ripped and—”

“It’s okay.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I mean it. It’s fine.”

She smiled and stood up, wiping off her knee-length skirt. Her skirt was a pale peach color and her shirt was cream with little peach flowers. And around her neck, was a gold necklass with what looked like a rose. A rose-gold rose. Something about that sounded nice. Elegant.

I realized I had been staring at her necklass too long.

“It’s from my mom,” she said, looking down and fingering the flower between her two fingers.

“It’s…it’s really nice.”

“Yeah. It used to be hers. I don’t know what I would do if this thing got lost.”

I nodded and looked down. 

“Well, I’ll let you go.”

As she walked away, I remembered my birthday and called out, “Hey, are you busy?”

She turned around. “Why do you ask?”

“Well, today’s my birthday and we were kind of doing something at the house. Something real simple and maybe you’d like to come?”

She smiled. “Well, happy birthday. But no, I can’t this time. I was going to the animal shelter to help my friend this week. But thanks, anyway.” She turned around and walked down the path. 

I watched her until she turned a corner and left my view.

That was probably the second time I had ever uttered a word to her.

And it felt good. Not just good—but normal. Today was actually normal. I brushed off my feelings about Mom and Dad’s basement thing. It was probably something I had nothing to worry about.

The words, “His life depends on it,” entered my mind for the millionth time today. But this time, I ignored it and made my way on home.