Her Million Miles: The Drive Series, #1

By Marina O'Brix

Sabrina with no memories of her mother and her disengaged father.  
A family of dangerous secrets and betrayal. Her curiosity builds as she searches to find out the truth of their whereabouts.  
 
Sabrina feels what she sees, how she reacts to confrontations, betrayal, love, forgiveness, and that is just the first part of her life. Sabrina's discoveries are just the tip of the iceberg.

 
Her scariest thought still plagues her mind…  
 
Is Sabrina Odessa OBer-Hein Next?  
 
Drift in Sabrina's world where only a child could try to understand and parents only dare to face.  
 
Come, sit, and read into the mystery and stay for the suspense!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Marina O'Brix
• Release date: Apr 9, 2017
• ISBN: 9781386641711

Book preview

Dedicated To:

––––––––

My Family and Friends,

Of which I am merely a phantom of their existence.

With love, gratitude, and support,

Kisses

PREFACE

Sabrina, who lives her life through her own eyes, who is creative, intuitive and begins her life in the Midwest as she deals with the simple complications of growing up that some, would go through. Sabrina lives with her grandparents and has been longing to know who her father is and her mother who has never seen her since her birth. Sabrina, with her genuine heart, feels that one day, she will reunite with them.

She lives in a time where the world is changing, music is alive, friendships and relationships are hard to keep.  Secrets about her life and the lives of others change in a way most people would never dream of happening too.

The Recurring Nightmare

Get up and hide! Debra screams.

Feet pounding the hallway to the side closet in the hall, the door quickly closes, swoosh! Frighten sounds and screams come from the echoing hall coming from the kitchen.

No, Stop It!

Leave, you’re drunk and you’re scaring the children!

Dead Silence in the distance, then a SLAM! Sabrina hears the door slam from their kitchen and creeps out of the closet; telling Shelby in a whisper, stay here. Sabrina starts to inch her way down the hall slowly.

As she turns the corner, she sees her mom crying, huddled in the corner and telling her to take her sister to their room and play....

Little tiny drops of sweat drip down on Sabrina’s brow as she blinks her eyes to wake, shaken from her nightmare again.

One

Their Beginnings

Just call me, Jackson.

Jackson, much like his parents lived in an Amish Community. He was raised around church, discipline, hard work and a stern belief. He often had an awkward look on life though full of questions. His father and mother believed having a large family was a blessing. Although after his mother having him, she could not have anymore. Jackson had learned very early in his teens that he too was God fearing but was not hypocritical of any religion. This disturbed his parents but nonetheless still loved him unconditionally.

Jackson would say, Jackson is his name and don’t wear it out, to everyone that knew him which led him to a hardy chuckle.

He was the type of man that women would swoon over with his dashing good looks and his smile. He was brought up old-fashioned and he would put his own coat out on the ground for a lady that does not want to get her feet wet in a puddle. He would kiss the hand of a lady when he was introduced too and would look up at her with his brown eyes.

He believed in America and what it stood for. He did not see color and never liked someone who did. His father would be disappointed in him if thought for one second that his own son would ever slap a woman.

Jackson is tall and nearly six foot, with a short, slicked-back brown color hair with matching eyes. He could melt your heart with a smile but is quick to handle himself in a fight. He is not into sports but how he loved to work with his hands. That is when he got the chance to work for Century Forging Mill. He forged small industrial parts for the military.

The best part for him is feeling the grit between his hands and making something that is worth making by Americans.

Although Jack is a strong, independent, gentleman; he also had a past. Many that knew him in his twenties would say quite different to what he shows now. As mysterious Jack was his name and personality was different back then. He was laid back, smoked a little weed and jammed in the back of his van for hours at a time. He never cared about anything but peace, love and a sense of euphoria. He grew his hair down and is known as Phoenix Sky, the man with the plan.

Until he met Sophia Prim or Mystic Promise as she was named back then.

Sophia will celebrate her eighteen birthday in a month. She grew up experiencing things a teenager should have never been around. Her mother and father loved to be physical to each other almost made it like it is a game.

They would want to find out how far they cannot go, before screaming, Enough!

They would have dope lying around the house. The smoky air painted the walls as people was lying around in a euphoric state of mind. Her status at school was nil since she was not painted as a popular girl there either. Her parents were often raided by the man because all the traffic they did have.

This often brought on the screaming matches with both of them and Sophia just closes her bedroom door and listened to her radio. As Sophia got older she saw less and less of her parents and more and more of the outside world. Sophia loved the excitement of sneaking out and found interesting things to do at night.

––––––––

She also loved to see other people in her neighborhood doing whatever. She became a ‘peep tom’ of sorts as she watched a TV show from the outside looking in at the window sill.

Sophia seemed to become a thrill seeker and anything that excited her she would want more of.

However, Sophia hated it when she had to go back home but that too excited her only until she got caught by her dad and then beaten by his buckle strap to her backside. Even at seventeen, she could not bear another day in a house full of potheads. Secretly, she is one too.

She often heard her father tell others, that his family is the ‘Prim-O’ of life.

Her father would nudge her mother where she would just laugh and then turn back around and take a toke off a joint that was being passed around.

Sophia thought, ‘If I can somehow get out of here and away from all this madness, maybe, my life would be better.’

Several weeks pass, Sophia would still sneak out as she got better at not getting caught by her dad or her mom. The next day at school, she ran to the bathroom to get out of going to gym class. She would often lift her legs up off the floor onto the urinal so that the monitors would not see someone in them. I guess she was in luck, the day she went into the stall and did her normal routine and as the monitor left the bathroom; she heard two girls giggling in the next two stalls to her immediate right.

Oh, that is close! says the brunette.

Yeah, no crap! says the redheaded.

Sophia sat quietly in her stall, looking so carefully at the two at the sink and listened to them talk.

Did you hear about Pinkies’ party on the beach last weekend? says the brunette.

No! What happened? says the redhead.

Pinkies’ hash was stolen and everyone was out looking for it only to find out someone was playing a gag on Pinkie. So, ‘Pinkie’ calls over this dude named Phoenix and as he starts to walk over. Someone screams, PIGS! and everyone takes off down the beach. Come to find out it is not true and leaves Pinkie so pissed off; he even leaves the party, says the redhead.

Phoenix just chuckles and heads back to his van and lights up another joint right on the beach, says the brunette. It is not the same guy you told me about that you wanted to ball with? says the brunette.

Yep, same one, says the redhead.

As the two girls giggle their way back into the halls of the school, Sophia lets her legs down off the urinal, as she begins to wonder, Who is this guy? Sophia has her uncanny side of feeling and sight of colors that loom around a person when they come into contact with her. She has had it since she is five. It is this that made her stand out in the crowd of people. She can sense something is either a little off or vibrant about people. A lot like when she heard about Phoenix, she was intrigued about whom he was. She felt something from within her when the two girls were talking about him. She is drawn to know more about him.

Was the universe trying to tell her something?

Phoenix though very handsome, caught the eyes of many women whether it is sexual, or spontaneously alluring to all people that he surrounded himself with.

––––––––

He was always seen with his long, brown hair and an unshaven mustache. He has been seen wearing a tie-dye t-shirt; which is under his tattered leather vest that would wreaked of grass, bell bottom jeans and with no sandals.

Phoenix thought the man was trying to use conformity to make them into captives of society. He never took off his peace sign medallion around his neck. He captivated his fellow bros and chicks with his laid back voice. He never raised his voice unless he is in a protest or howling at the moon. His charisma oozed out as soon as he had a crowd around. Phoenix mesmerized people and his aura stood out like a giant beacon. His smile was the ‘deal breaker.’ As his smile grown into a laugh his yellow aura illuminated his presence in a crowd of others. This is where Sophia feels his warmth of his smile when they both are on the beach that fateful morning.

Sophia is late again for school at Hatchetmen High and decided not to go. She figured, Why should I go to school when it’s such a groovy day to go to the beach? She heads down the plank to the sand, she strips off her t-shirt and underneath she shows off her newly handmade tie-dye bikini with little fringes on the bottom. One that took her two weeks to make as she looked through about ten Vogue and Time magazines to make hers.

As Sophia places her shirt down on the sand, she sees some people walking, someone playing guitar and then she sees him, Phoenix with his friends. Sophia has nothing in particular to do but to lie on the sand until school ended and then head back home. Sophia lies down only to get back up and look up.

She blinks her eyes open to see something bright blocking her view.

Sophia jumps to a sitting position and screams, Ah, you scared me!

Phoenix says, Sorry, ‘little chick,’ I just came over because I saw you were alone. I thought to meet you.

Why? says Sophia.

Sophia trying to catch her breath long enough to answer his question because all she could not see his yellow mist. It looked like it was oozing from his body. She hears a wind chime in her ears only to snap back into reality and its Phoenix talking to her with his hand on her shoulder.

Hey, ‘little chick,’ Are you alright, I did not mean to scare you.

Sophia still in a fog says, What, what?

Phoenix repeats his question again, Are you alright, I did not mean to scare you.

She says as she looked up toward him, Yeah, I am fine. What do you want, man?

Phoenix looked at her with a half-cocked smirk as his brow ever so slightly rises toward to the sky looking confused at her.

Phoenix extends out his hand to Sophia. She goes to grab his hand, but she slips on her t-shirt and falls down. Dazed, a bit, they both look at each other and start to laugh. Sophia dusts herself off and starts her way toward Phoenix’s VW all the while still seeing this yellow glow around him. He looks back and smiles. She feels her heartbeat growing to a small pitter-patter, but she does not stop walking. She literally catches up to him and looks to him with a sarcastic giggle.

Oh, by the way, I am Sophia and you are? He replied, Just call me Phoenix.

As Phoenix and Sophia walk up to his VW, Sophia hears people chattering and laughing. She smelt lemon, but she left that idea when they both came around his VW and saw that they are passing around her old friend, Mary Jane. Phoenix takes the joint from his friend. He takes a toke and then passes to Sophia as to which she says, Lay it on me, Phoenix, laughing as she says it. Phoenix starts to introduce his friends to her.

Little Chick, this is Moon Dog, Debra, and Cassie, my friends.

Guys this is Sophia or Little Chick.

Everyone did their mutual hellos and went about smoking as they start to pass another one around. She noticed the change in temperature in the summer air, still warm but not as warm enough to stay any longer as she already did.

Sophia pulled Phoenix aside and told she has to go and then tells her goodbyes to everyone. She thought, ‘they would not say anything considering everyone is just so mellowed out and damn near passing out for a little sleep.’ Sophia spoke to Phoenix in a low voice that only he could hear that ‘she wishes to see him again sometime.’

Phoenix says, Groovy, see you later then.

While Phoenix comes back to his friend, Moon Dog starts to mess with him about little chick and Debra and Cassie look at each other and decide to get to know more about Sophia.

Sophia turned her way toward the plank that led up to the street and smiled. Sophia smiling and wondering, ‘what she is smiling for.’ As she walked home, she is contemplating ‘what she saw when she met Phoenix.’ That yellow glow or mist; it was weird but oh how he made her smile for the first time in a long time.

––––––––

His aura fascinated her like a guiding light to her soul. She would have to ask someone about his aura and what did it mean. Auras made her mind wonder on what kind of people to have around her, so as she walked home she thinks about his VW.

She marveled, how psychedelic it looked like. She thought. a freedom bus to anywhere, maybe even away from here. She vowed, ‘to see more of it’ to find out if he was planning on going anywhere in it later.

Sophia laughed a little inside, at the possibility of maybe getting away from her dysfunctional family’s chaos once and for all. To have a life of peace, love, and harmony as she always dreamed of happening. But who knows, everything she believed in is already written in the stars of her life, since birth. She knew Phoenix could be her way out, but she also knew she had to tread lightly and not to get ahead of herself.

She felt numb for a while; maybe from the effects of meeting him or the weed, she just smoked with him and his friends.

Sophia did not care, but she now knew; what those girls meant in the bathroom at school. For whatever she felt now; she wanted more of that feeling. One thing is for sure, his aura is strong.

Sophia nears her home as it stands out like a sore thumb in her neighborhood. She notices everyone else’s homes had a clean yard and flowers and picket fences.

Her house, on the other hand, looks like someone took a crap stain on their house as it corrodes and the smell of it is horrendous. The neighbors complain to her dad always told them to Go tell it to the man!

––––––––

Being seventeen in a chaotic house made Sophia unhappy to be there even though she had nowhere else to stay and an only child made it worse. Sophia ran up into the house so that she would not feel embarrassed to walk into it. She walks in to see her dad at the table rolling up a doobie.

She proceeds to the kitchen to get some water from the tap and she sees her mom cooking alfalfa sprouts, beans, and brown rice again for the fourth time this week. Sophia huffs about the food and her mom said, Well if we can only get a break in the garden out back we would have something different to eat. Sophia rolls her eyes and says, Alright.

Sophia heads down toward her room as she stops into the bathroom. She is shocked to see a man standing there picking through his Afro and she screams, MOM, There is a guy in our bathroom! She hears nothing and stomps her foot and walks into her room where she leaves it a little open.

The guy from the bathroom goes to her room and opens it a little more and says, Hey there, little mama, what you doing? Sophia looks up and is disgusted and slams her door in his face. She plops down on her bed and turns on her little transistor radio. Music comes on blaring and she quickly turns it down only to hear a song that makes her dance and turns it up a little as she bops to the beat of the music. Listening to the song she says, without missing a beat, ‘Turn On’ and starts to dance more wildly around her room.

Sophia wonders about how she can bump into Phoenix without seeming like she is watching out for him as her thoughts go back to the beach.

––––––––

For some obscene reason, she cannot get Phoenix out of her head and she had never had these types of feelings before for no guy, either. This is all new to her and feels like his aura probably has something to do with it too.

She starts to fantasize about him. The ‘radio man,’ breaks her thoughts as he says, It is a Saturday and the temperature rising on this particular day in June. It is seventy-five degrees, and the forecast calls for eighty degrees, today.

The highlight of her day was finding something that looked appealing if she bumped into Phoenix again. She decided to wear her favorite dress, which has her favorite colors, purple, orange and yellow in them.

Three colors, her mother told her would make her stand out in the crowd of men and what that meant she does not know and did not want to know either. Her mother is always sewing and making new clothes for her and her dad since going to store is too expensive for her father’s taste. Her mom told her to pick three colors, she liked and she will make clothes out of those three only for the next couple of months or until she finished High School.

Sophia decided to wear this dress which went down to her ankles and flowed like a flower in the wind. It is light in weight so she could move easily when she walked and still look like she is stylish too, like the other girls in school. Her mom also made sure to put in a few peace signs as per her direction of what Sophia would like to have on her dress.

She looks into the mirror as she glazed over it to make sure everything looked very groovy.

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She put on her earrings which are these bold orange hoops looking earrings and to match the rest of her dress she got out her mom's’ purple beaded chain necklace with a peace sign. Lastly, she could forget her yellow sandals, Sophia absolutely loved them.

Sophia looks herself over one more time in the bathroom mirror and headed down the hall to where the kitchen and her mother is making beans and rice for dinner. Mom, Sophia says. Yes, what is it? Her mom spoke while she is busy stirring the rice on the stove. Is it okay to go to the library for a few hours to find a book to read? Sophia says. Sure, just be back before we eat.

You know how your father will react if you are not back in time, she says. Yeah, I know, I will be back before then. Sophia returns; she glances at the clock on the wall. Sophia heads out the door and gets only as far as the stop sign and sees Moon Dog walking across the street toward her.

She tries to walk a little faster away from him only for Moon Dog to catch up and say, why are you walking so fast, did I do something wrong, little chick?

Sophia replies, No, just trying to get somewhere before I got to get back home. Moon Dog goes on to reply to her, can I come along; I am really not doing anything right now if that is okay with you? Sophia rolls her eyes and tells him, Come on.

Moon Dog and Sophia reach the library and the lady at the desk said, they have about a half of an hour before the library closes.

Sophia thought to herself, Great, just long enough before she has to be home and to try to lose Moon Dog in the process. She starts to walk around looking at different books and articles that are spread out on the racks for people to browse through or read and she comes upon a book that seems interesting.

Sophia picks up the book and looks it over and decides to take it home with her. She scans the area to see where Moon Dog is and does not see him and darts for the lady at the desk to check it out. Sophia looks around again and sees Moon Dog talking to a girl as they are laughing. She thought, Here is my chance to get away and get home quick.

She walks quickly to the door and leaves without making a sound. Moon Dog sees her leave, but only shrugs his shoulders and returns his laughter and interest back to the girl, he is talking too.

Whew, that is close, she says to herself and bumps right into Phoenix. Oh, I am sorry. Phoenix smiles and says, That is okay, I am just dropping off something, what are you doing here? Sophia begins to tell him about Moon Dog and the trip to the library and then she just looks up at him and says, oh never mind.

Phoenix just smiles at her and she again notices the yellow mist around his body. Phoenix starts to ask her where are you off to and she tells him, back home and then proceeds to ask her, if he can walk her home. Sophia with a half grin says Sure. As they both walk around the corner, Sophia sees her father in the driveway and tells Phoenix she will see him later.

He says, Okay. He walks off and Sophia walks up to her father, smiles and enters the house. Sophia heads to her room and smiles. She starts to think about Moon Dog, that he is a little weird, and how he just appeared out of nowhere, which is strange. Sophia thinks to herself, I think I need to watch out for Moon Dog.

Two

Sophia’s New Name

Sophia’s mother comes in and wakes her by putting on her radio. Get up or I will put you to work in the garden, her mother says to her. Sophia springs to action when her mother told her this because of the last time she did not heed her warning. Often, Sophia has been late