Golden Drive Chicago: A Short Story

Every since I came to this city I have been feeling like a stranger. It is difficult to leave your hometown, what you are used to, and go to some weird city you have never been to before.

When we did finally move from my childhood home in Illinois to our new home in Knoxville, Tennessee, the only thing I could think about was how isolated and scared I felt. What was it going to feel like on my first day of class when I was surrounded entirely by strangers? I will always vividly remember walking into my new high school and feeling so lost. Every class I walked into was an alien environment and I had to struggle to keep my composure.

From the very start I was an adventurous child. I am always looking for something new to try, something no one else would even think of doing. So, I’m going to take you to the first time I left school. By myself.

As usual the perpetrator targets young seemingly random single woman and strikes when the victim's alone. The window was broken in from the outside and there was blood on the wall and the table was knocked over, an obvious sign of struggle. No footprints around the house due to fresh snow the night of. No other signs of struggle or anything else in the house. I head over to my car where I find Amber, my partner waiting. "Find anything?" She mumbles while searching her pockets for a smoke.

And I didn’t always know the struggles my family went through, but initially moving there… I was a kid! I was excited about moving into a bigger house, with a bigger bedroom. And not be in a apartment anymore.

I had seen the space plenty of times, the simple blue paint on the wall, a rack of trophies, a TV, and an Xbox. Somehow it had seemed different, but maybe that was because we were. And also the fact that his clothes and books were all stuffed into bags, his TV and Xbox were unplugged and sitting in a box, and the two painted city canvases I gave him for gifts were propped against the door. Every other small item that accented his room was now in one box or another. It looked like he just moved in, aside from the

There were six people during the drive to Chicago, but only five on the return trip home. The only noises present were the silent sobs echoing from my mom in the driver’s seat of our van. I craved the comfort of my mom, but the only words that I could conjure were “Mom, can we still go to Cracker Barrel?” The only reply I got was another silent sob.

It was nighttime when we arrived in Kansas City. Downtown was lit up like an architectural wonder and I watched our kid's eyes sparkle with captivation. We were greeted with the splendid scent of mouth-watering food, the chatters of people, and the high energy of city life. We were all entranced. We never realized how lonely our lives were before we moved here.

Even though I was in a new, much bigger city and I didn’t get to do all the things I used to do, I grew to love the city I was in, the people around me, and the new things I’m still learning about. My heart will always be at home, regardless of where my home might

By now, I’ve finished going through the entire house. My room is the only replica of my old home. The rest is completely different, which I’m almost glad of. At least I wouldn’t be staring at the same couch I had sat on all my childhood.

I slowly walked into the building as my feet softly caressed the cement. I opened the door, and took a few subtle steps and listened to the loud creaking of the door closing. I was taken abruptly by the warm and soothing welcome that I was given by the committee and other people in attendance. I smiled and slowly turned from the lovely people. I found my glowing face of joy directed towards the exquisitely detailed walls. The breathtaking amount of anti-automatic weapon banners that slowly swayed back and forth on the walls was overwhelming. I stood proudly and walked slowly to the podium and made my statement. I thought to myself “If we didn’t have these engineered merchants of death, the murder rate in Chicago would be much more declined.”

It was dead silent with tall, plain walls, and even smelled like old books. As we walked upstairs to my room, I remember feeling nervous again. Will my roommate be nice? Is she going to like me? Are we going to have anything in common, or would I have filled out that roommate questionnaire for nothing? We finally made it to my room to find that my roommate hadn't arrived yet. The room itself was not very spacious and felt confining. Everything fit perfectly without and inch to spare. There was a desk, bed, and closet on each side with a space in between big enough to roll a suitcase through. It also smelled like old books and was freezing from the air conditioner. As soon as I unpacked I felt more at home, and with a hug from my mom my family left and I was by myself. Suddenly my choices seemed questionable until a girl walked into my room to introduce herself and I knew I would be

While moving to the city can be exciting, the change is likely going to cause disruption in your daily routine and general comfort levels. Although you might want to run back to the 'burbs to get away from the new sensory stimuli, don't hit the road just yet. Becoming accustomed to a new home city will take at least a year. Until then, cut yourself some slack.

it was a day like any other with no compelling attributes, except for the gentle breeze that was blowing through the city of Chicago as Anna Ortiz made her way towards the Chicago River. it was a particular gorgeous Wednesday evening in early October, just cool enough to know fall had arrived. The bright green leaves had started to fade as if by magic into Splendid red, yellow and orange shades thus creating a backdrop of tranquility and serenity in the downtown area. Anna walked subdued by the beauty of the city as everyone seemed to rush passed her. She on the other hand slowed her stride trying to enjoy the wonderful evening in the city she loved. it had been a long day at work, and being outdoors was a welcome distraction from the busyness

When I moved to New York, it was like moving to an entirely different time. It seemed as I stepped into a time machine and ended up fifty years ahead.