Chapter 48 · Thent-hill

It wasn't a long trip but it felt slow. Watching the graffiti brick walls slowly turn to trees and the odd few houses that were unlucky to be built next to the track.

When we finally stopped I jump out of the train and onto the almost empty platform. It hadn't been that busy on the train but it still felt the glance. I felt the shudder run through my body.

As I left the train doorway with Zoe behind me and the other one fumbling with his bag before finally following I got a good look around.

There wasn't much to the platform. Two tracks running alongside each other and on the right of me was a small café and tickets booth. The exit was a simple brick wall with one of those metal spinning things that you had to scan your tickets to get out of. The rest of the platform was mostly made of of grey slabs of concrete flooring, one lonely knackered bench and all of it surrounded by a wire mesh fence.

I look at Zoe as I started to walk towards the exit.

"So um, this is Thent-hill it where I grew up or at least from since I can remember anyway,” I whispered giving a nod to the little welcome sign.

"Cool, kind of rustic. Say I'm sorry if I annoy you," Zoe said looking at me with a small smile as the rising sun fillyed decided to come out from behind a cloud and light up the sky behind her. It was pretty if it hadn't half blinded me in doing so.

"No, I'm sorry. I just don't know how my uncles going to be. He's kind of, oh I don't know, protective of me," I replied half lieing. I didn't want her to think I was being petty. It's not like she did anything wrong after all I hadn't said not to bring any friends along.

"Meh I'm sure it will be fine, everyone loves me, right Wick?" Zoe shouted over the Wick which resulted in him looking up from his phone with a look of confusion as he clearly hadn't been paying attention. "Also if your worried about something I'm here to listen if you need it or to do anything really."

I turned my head back and nodded as I felt my chest do a little flip.

We walked mostly in silence as we got to the exit. Upon leaving I looked around the small town of Thent-hill. The station was on a slight hill which gave me a good view of my old home town. In front stood the main street with the odd shop here and there. A mix of local shops with Tudor looking building mixed with more modern brick and white paint buildings with large glass windows reflecting the sun's rays.

I could see a few people walking here and there, mostly mom's with little kid's. I watch as some chased each other in the streets as peronts chatted to each other while keeping an eye on them to make sure none went to close to the road. The road itself was busy but compared to some of London streets were almost ghostly quiet.

I looked beyond the shops to the rooftops of houses with little potted chiles reaching out and the odd aural pocking out here and their. I breathed deeply my heart beating as I remember the odd days I would walk down theses road when I was little.

I could almost smell the freshly turned earth. Thent-hill was mostly a farming based town and even I knew that at this time of year they would be planting the new crops for spring. Probably some kind of rape-seed or whatever that yellow flower they use for oil is called.

As I stood there taking it in I was returned from my memory by a short gust of bitter icy wind. It seemed to cut through my clothes and deep to my bones. I gave a slight shiver but as fast as it had come it was gone again. It seemed like winter hadn't quite past yet.

I turned to Zoe and wick and gave them a smile before waving my hand.

"Follow me, ok," was all I said before leading them onwards. I just wish that I knew if I had made the right choice.