Anna Scholtavette
CHAPTER 1 ETT
i am anna scholtavette. my american name is simply scholtz
but i prefer my swedish name. my family came to america from sweden. my father
got a government job very quickly after becoming an american citizen. that
was when i was only ten years old. i thought nothing of the long nights my
father spent away - more than the hours he was paid for. i thought nothing
of the feircly whispered discussions between my parents that would stop abruptly
whenever i entered the room. but now i think of these things and the peices
begin to fit together.
i went to an american school and although i knew swedish
when i was little the skill slowly vanished. however when i turned thirteen
i developed a great curiosity about sweden. i researched the country and
did every school asignment i could on sweden or swedish books. i even retaught
myself the basics of the language. i had a feeling my parents were at the
same time pleased and disturbed about it. my bare knowledge of sweden language
and politics has at least helped me to better understand my situation.
my father always worked late and never talked about his
job (at least not to me). one night he didn't come home and my mother was
worried but not the way you would think a mother would worry. it was more
like she knew something might be wrong and would wait until she was sure
and then do something. it's the waiting part that's hard.
i had only recently suspected that my family was different.
my friends sometimes excused it on my family heritage but the thing i remember
most was when i had a discussion with thomas miller about it.
"it's just not normal" he said. "your dad works with
the government. he's always out late. you're family is just... different.
it kinda reminds me of those old spy movies. the people act all normal when
you're watching but the second you turn your back they like - transmogrify.
it's weird. don't tell me you haven't noticed."
i had, but you know how kids are. i wanted the perfect
brady bunch family. i wanted everything to be nice and... you know. i guess
i had just blocked it all out of my head. i mean who wants weird parents?
that practically makes you weird too. not me. i didn't even believe thomas
at first. i had to learn the hard way.
Continue to Chapter 2...