Part 1

She said she'd always be here. But she's not anymore. Why do we have wakes anyway, they just make me cry. I wish my last memory of her was when she was teaching me how to use acrylics or play my flute. Or of her singing, she loved to sing. Her favourite song was 'You are my Sunshine'. Or even in her hospital room when she was yelling at us for not talking to her two weeks ago. Two weeks. If I knew what was coming...

We used to run to her house in the Spring, Tom and I, she would watch us out her window until we got there safely. If we stopped to play under her porch she would worry. More recently she would watch us as we were doing our chores, she always loved talking about when she was working on the farm. We used to joke about going out at night with flashlights to do a square dance, then see what she said in the morning. But not anymore. 

Now my most recent memory is of her face, grey and cold in a casket. And I hate crying, why can't I stop, I didn't cry when I first heard. Why didn't I cry then? Didn't I love her just as much then? Oh grandma, I do love you! I always have loved you, I wanted you to be my sponsor for my confirmation. I was going to ask you this week, why did you have to die now? I wanted you to see my children more than anyone. Now you won't. You won't even see my husband. Yes you will. I'm sure that you're in heaven. If you aren't, I don't think anyone ever could be. I know you're watching me, but why couldn't you stay here with me for a while? And grandpa, he won't know what to do. He loves you so much. Goodbye grandma.

The funeral was perfect, grandma would have loved it. Everyone in the family went up to be blessed, even Uncle Dan. I don't know if that's ever happened. Now we'll go to the cemetery and then everyone will be easier. No, don't start now. You can't cry, it's perfect. Oh gosh, it's perfect. Grandma loved the snow. That the first snow of the year be at her funeral is... perfect. Everything is white. Big snowflakes are still fluttering down on our way to the cemetery. I'm ok. Grandma would love it.

Part 2

~5 months later~ 

Marching is the best part of band. Memorial day is the perfect time, we can honor all the veteran's by playing and looking our best. We have to walk past grandma. She is a veteran. She was. I prepared for this, why am I still crying? I can't see my music, I can't hear the drums. We stopped for the speeches. I wipe my arm across my eyes, Isabella whispers it's all right. I know it is. I'm done now, I can finish the march.

~1 month later~

Mom says grandma would like for us to sing her song. She is singing it to us now as she drives. You'll never know dear, how much I love you, oh please don't ta- Screeeeech! Crash! Splash!...

I can't do this anymore.

Dad died when he found out. I'm alone.

Mom you can't leave me too! You can't just abandon me!

I can't go to an orphanage, I had five brothers and sisters! Where are you, Tom! Help me. I can't do this myself. I can't.  

The crash was awful. Mom was killed by the impact. So were Bill and Betsy. Tom and Bob drowned. Why couldn't I go with them? They took me and John to the ER. John died two hours ago. Dad died the day of the crash. I am paralyzed. I'll never walk or run or swim or skate or... 

I can't do it. I love you world. Goodbye. You took my sunshines.

Doctors report: Girl found dead in room 107. An apparently self drawn star or sun was colored on victims hand.

Part 1 is based on a true story, names have been changed. If you can read it without crying I doubt you know yet what it's like to have a grandmother die. Part 2 is in case that is true.

I know this song has been used already, if you feel it is inappropriate for me to use it as well just judge part 1 minus the song. I wish to remain anonymous. 

Where did I go wrong

I got the text in the middle of history, I got the text I knew was coming. the talking coming from my teacher turned to static, and I felt my heart drop my feet, I opened my mouth, I wanted to scream. I wanted to yell at the inconsiderite history teacher who just kept on talking and talking like nothing happened, like my life didn't just fall apart. 

I don't remember getting up, but I do remember the loud screech of my chair and the entire class's attention switched from their hidden phones to me. 

"Kate, what do you think you're doing sit back down," Mr. Johns said, not seeming to notice the tears that had begun to stream down my face. I could have done something, I should have done something.

I lost a friend

how could this have happend, how could I have let this happen. I should have known something was wrong. I could see the man yelling at me, but I could hear no sound. people around me stared, and I felt someone take me wrist, a friend of mine, I pulled away, staring back at them, they didn't get it, didn't understand what was going on. 

"I-I need to go," I finally chocked out, rushing out of the room, fully aware of Mr. Johns screaming at me to get back into the classroom, but I couldn't. I could only run out of the school, tears blurring my vision, making it harder and harder to get home.

somwhere along in the bitterness

(Saterday)

Black, not only how I felt, but my entire outfit, a black dress with black shoes, a black heart with a black emotion. 

"Honey, we leave soon!"My mother called, I help the frame in my hand, staring at the picture of us.  I took a shaky breathe, nodding to no one, and walked downstairs, wondering aimlessly out the door. 

it was a short drive, almost too short.

we arrived in stormy weather, but that felt good, it felt right. the rain drummed down on top of me, feeling only like more weight added to me. 

I would have stayed up with you all night

"please everyone, take your seats and we will begin the ceramory," a woman said. people began to fill the seats in around me. i was up front, my mother beside, while I didn't want to be up so close, I felt wrong sitting anywhere else. as the chatter dimmed down the woman began talking again. "Melaney, was my daughter, she was a kind and wonderful girl who always seemed to smile, and-and, I'm sorry," she stopped, her eyes tearing up, as she looked over to her husband. the man got up and they switched spots. 

"my daughter had so much to live for, and yet no one noticed what she was going through intel it was too late we all thought she was so happy-" the man stopped, and like his wife, was overcome with emotions. "uhm, at this point, we'd like to invite anyone who'd like to speak to come up,"

I looked around, and after seeing no one getting up, I took a deep breath, and stood up, and started my way over to the front. my heart raced, as I looked out into the crowed of mourning people in the rain. 

"Melaney was my best friend," I started already feeling the tears build behind my eyes. "we have been since first grade," silence everywhere, I took another shaky breathe, "I had more-more inside jokes, and laughs with her than I will with anyone else, and, and when I hear she was in the hospitle after-after overdosing on sleepign pills, I knew that she would make it out of it, like she did when she was sick, or when she broke her leg," tears had began glittering down my face, but at this point I didn't care, "but when she was in a coma for two days, I was worried, I began to lose hope, began to stop bleieving, but I still had that flicking beleif, that wouldn't die, and yesterday, when I got the text, that-that she died, I felt like my entire life collasped before my eyes, like my soul had been fed to a shredder, Melaney was my other half, and I have no clue how'll I'll go on with out her."

I looked over to the caskit, it was open in laying inside was Melaney, he icy blonde hair not nearly as pale as her skin, her eyes that once shined gold, now were closed, laying in an eternal sleep.

Had I known how to save a life. 

Hi! Can I join, even though this is already started? If not, just ignore this:

~~~

Once upon a time, there was a little girl. The girl had a teddy bear. The teddy bear was golden brown, with a pink satin bow tied around his neck.

The girl loved the teddy bear. And the teddy bear loved the girl.

The duo would always play together. Every day, they would play make believe. The girl would be the princess. The teddy bear would be the knight in shining armor. Then, at the end, they would cuddle together, happily, in bed.

One day, the girl was gone for the whole day. There was no princess that day for the teddy bear to save, so he sat in bed, gazing out the window.

He missed the girl. And he waited for her to come home.

In the afternoon, the girl came home. The teddy bear was overjoyed, and he reached out for the girl, but she pushed him aside and pulled out her homework.

So the teddy bear waited some more.

And when the girl was finished, she was very tired. Too tired to play. So the teddy bear settled with cuddling with her as she drifted off to sleep.

Then one night, years into the future, the girl went to sleep alone. That night, the teddy bear lay awake on the ground, looking up at the girl's sleeping face. He felt a hole in his chest. An empty hole. He put his paw on his heart and felt it ache slightly.

The next morning, he woke up under the bed. And there he stayed, along with a pair of old slippers and some candy wrappers, for years more. From the crack between the bed and the floor, he watched the girl study by the lamplight, her brow furrowed. Sometimes, he would call out to her to come back to him.

But she never responded.

And so the teddy bear waited some more.

Days turned into weeks. Weeks turned into months. Months turned into years. 

Then, one day, when the old bear was covered in a thick layer of dust, he was brought out into the light again. He opened his eyes, and there, before him, was the face of the girl.

The girl smiled, and whispered, "You are my old teddy bear, from when I was a baby. I remember those days."

The teddy bear smiled, and said, "Come play make-believe with me! I can be the knight in shining armor again!"

But the girl didn't respond. She took him to a dusty attic and left him there.

For years, he sat by the window and gathered dust. Moths came and bit holes into his satin ribbon. His ears drooped, and his eyes lost their old shine. His once glossy fur became speckled with dirt and matted with dead flies.

And then, when he had almost lost hope, the door to the attic opened again. An old lady walked in, leaning on a wooden walker.

The teddy bear recognized the girl immediately, and called out, "Come play with me! I can cuddle with you as you fall asleep at night, like I did in the old days!"

But still, the girl could not hear the teddy bear. She passed him by, like before, and looked around the attic. As the sunlight from the open window caught her face, the teddy bear smiled.

He smiled, and remembered.

He remembered his role as the knight in shining armor, the days when he would rescue the girl, his princess, and they would ride off together. He remembered the beauty of the girl as she weaved flowers into her hair, as she lifted her face to meet the sun and the sun illuminated her. And now, as he gazed upon the girl he so loved, he saw that carefree young child again.

The girl turned, caught his eye, and smiled. The teddy bear felt the hole in his heart fill up again with love. He lifted his head a little higher.

But the girl looked past him. She reached behind him and brought out a little doll, her skin and clothes perfect, as if she had just been bought yesterday.

"Ah," She whispered, "You will be perfect for my granddaughter."

And she swept past the teddy bear, out of the attic. The door locked with a click behind her.

"I am happy for her," The teddy bear whispered to himself. But inside, his heart shattered.

I know a ton of people are joining but I just had the sudden impulse to write this.

(It doesn't have a title, but I can come up with one if need be)

~~~

The air is thin and dry and cold. Every breath burns the inside of my nostrils. The wind is like knives against my scarlet cheeks. My tattered scarf, flimsy jacket and moth-eaten hat do little in the way of comfort, and the only thing that keeps me going over the white hills is the hum of some unrecognized song from an old ipod I found at the last settlement, and the the incessant beeping of the navigator device.

I look down at Jade. She seems to be doing better than I am. She trots leisurely through the snow by my side, her tail wagging contentedly, as if this was some sort of game. Some sort of scavenger hunt. I envy her naivety for a brief moment, but I realize not even she has survived unscathed. We've both lost a lot. She was the only survivor of her litter, and now I was in a similar boat.

Randy was still alive when we found her, shivering in a pipe at the abandoned industrial park, among the lifeless bodies of her short-lived siblings, left for dead by their mother.

Are you insane? We barely have enough food for the two of us, you think we can take on some sort of... pet!?

It's a... husky, isn't it? Aren't they like descended from wolves or something?

All dogs are descended from wolves, you complete and utter moron.

Yeah, I know, but aren't huskies, like, closer relatives? They have the instincts and stuff?

"Instincts?" 

Y'know, hunting. For food. We won't even have to feed it, it'll probably catch rabbits or something.

Have you seen a single rabbit since we left Whitefort?

...No.

It took a lot of convincing before he was on board with it. Part of me kept saying that if I had listened to him, maybe he wouldn't have gotten distracted, maybe he wouldn't have slipped... I know Edith would've loved a dog. She was always going on and on about how she used to have one, how it disappeared one day and she never gave up hope that it would come back. God, that was back when there were six of us. How long had it been, two weeks? Three? Hard to believe it was just me now. Me and Jade.

The music fades to nothing. I stop in my tracks, startled out of my memories. I hurridely whip the ipod out of my pocket and I'm greeted with a lifeless black screen. Dead. I curse and threw it into the snow. It really was a miracle that it had any charge at all when I found it, but that doesn't make the moment any less discouraging.

Now there's just the beeping. Jade seems to have been affected by the loss of music as well. Her movements seem fatigued, and her tail droops. At least the beeps are getting faster. That means the next beacon, and the next settlement, can't be far away. Who knows, I might see another face for the first time in days.

The incline gets steeper. My breath gets shorter, puffs of steam coming out of my nose and mouth every second or two. My legs ache, and I vaguely muse how Mike would've probably said something like "This is good cardio! Let's get that blood pumping!" Jade runs ahead of me, and I almost consider taking a rest stop until I hear her bark. She almost never barks. With my last bit of energy, I force myself to the top of the incline, and... almost fall off a cliff.

I hear myself shriek a little as I scramble away from the edge of what appears to be a massive vertical drop. My chest still pounding, I survey my surroundings. This is the best view of the mountain range I've had so far. The frozen peaks stretch out for miles and up into the heavens, where they meet with a brilliant blue sky. I hadn't even noticed how blue the sky was. Not since the last storm.  I almost feel like sitting here for a while, taking in the majesty of nature. That's probably what Daisy would've wanted to do. But any plans of frigid meditation are immediately shattered when, on one of the peaks, I spy a tiny black speck.

My heart begins racing once again, and I immediately take off my pack, fumble through it, and bring out my binoculars. I press them against my eyes, and struggle to find it again. Finally, it comes back into view. A black obelisk, rising out of the snow and ending in a red, glowing tip.

The beacon!

"We found it!" I cry out, my voice reverberating off of the gargantuan landscape. I turn enthusiastically to Jade, to see if she is sharing in my excitement. She has, after all, been barking nonstop for the past minute.

But when I see her, my stomach ties itself in a knot.

She's not barking towards the beacon.

She's barking to the west. Towards another slope.

Oh no.

As if in a nightmare, my eyes are met with the very thing they did not want to see. It's a few hundred yards off, running towards us with frightening speed, an abominable feat of human ingenuity. It runs tirelessly on eight metallic legs, its cylindrical body marked with the symbol of a spider and the number 867. I hadn't seen it since Christopher died, and hoped I never would. But now it's here again, its only mission is to sniff out and extinguish any life that might still be in these frozen depths. And we are its prey.

I try to run but there is nowhere to run to, and before I know it the thing has reached us, its terrifying blades extending from its cold metal body. My legs buckle beneath me, and I can only watch as the thing gets nearer and nearer, sniffing out my life force.

And then Jade lunges at it. 

The world slows down as she collides with its silver shell. It raises one of its blades as if to swat a mosquito. I blink and I hear a whimper of pain. Then the thing shakes her off of its body, and then I see her scrambling on the brink of death, for a few moments, looking at me with helpless eyes, me who she'd tried to protect.

She falls.

The last thing I had in the world.

With some final reserve of strength I didn't even know I had, I lift myself to my feet, pick up a nearby rock with Herculean strength, and heave it at that horrible metal thing. I hear a dull clang and a sizeable dent appears. In confusion, it stumbles towards me, trying to recalibrate its blades, but it can't get its footing and it walks to close to the edge and now it too has fallen.

And now I am alone.

I collapse to the snow. I'm not cold anymore, just tired. I feel a tear freeze on my cheek, not even sure how long I had been crying. My throat hurts, too, so I might've also been screaming. I close my eyes and all I see are faces, the faces of people who'd trusted me, who I'd let down. Who I'd loved. The desperate, terrified eyes of Jade as she tried to regain her footing.

I'm sorry I couldn't save any of you... 

I don't want to see the faces. So I open my eyes again. 

And the last thing I see is that blue, blue sky... 

Translations:

Baba- Daddy

Al'umu- Mommy

Shaqiq- Brother

'Ukht- Sister

Shaqiq Alzawj- Brother in law

Jida- Grandma

Saghir- Small one

Salam-  Peace (It is a greeting)

Tawaquf- Stop

Alan- Now

Hasananaan- Aright

Keffiyeh- A piece of fabric used to cover the head. Covers whole face unlike a headscarf that just covers your hair and sometimes mouth.

Keffiyeh

“Anything read! Anything written! Anything read, Anything written!” My Baba yelled from next to me. The men on the street glanced over at us, but nothing more. It was a hard way to make money, reading and writing for others, but since the war started, that is all my Baba could do. Work was scarce, and his right foot was twisted and disfigured so my Baba needed a walking stick. He was the only male in our house though, as my shaqiq died long ago, so we needed him to make us money.

Eyeing the crowd, I found my Al'umu’s shaqiq, Iskandar. His gaze hardened when it met mine, and he started to make his way over. I pulled my headscarf tighter and stared at the ground. Iskandar could only mean trouble. He stopped in front of my Baba and glared at me.

“Salam,” said Baba cheerfully.

“What is that girl doing hear?” Iskandar demanded, ignoring my Baba’s greeting.

“Arziki is learning about the market so that once this war is over, she will be able to make a living.”

“Women are not allowed to work! It is against the law to to teach her Mayank! And why is she here without the proper covering?”

“Iskandar…”

“No. You should be finding a man for her to marry, not filling her head with nonsense! You will be lucky if I don’t go to the soldiers with this!” and with that, Iskandar stormed away.

“He won’t really tell the soldiers, will he Baba?” I asked, fear rising in my chest. “Al'umu is dreadfully ill and since Omar died, you are all Mysha and I have!”

My Baba chuckled. “I doubt he will. He has threatened to tell the soldiers many times, and yet, I am still here,” my Baba assured me, “Come. It is getting late, we must return to Mysha and your Al'umu.”

I helped him to his feet, and we started for home. We stopped at a shop to buy rice and raisins for this week’s diners. I kept my head scarf tight around my head and tried to stay unnoticed. Despite my efforts, the men and boys in the street glared at my as I waited. As we walked out of the market, a government soldier stopped us.

“Where is her keffiyeh?” He asked my Baba, gesturing at me.

“She is still a child, why does she need one?” He replied, moving in front of me slightly.

“She is old enough to get married, therefore she needs a keffiyeh.”

“I apologize, we will get one as soon as possible,” said my Baba, bowing his head respectfully.

“I’m afraid that without one, you have broken the law by taking her outside.”

“Sir please. I am the only male my family has!”

The soldier sighed, “Well, I guess I could let you off if…” he trailed off.

“If what, sir please. I’ll do anything!”

“See, I am looking for a wife, and your daughter is of age…”

My Baba’s face hardened. “She is already spoken for,” he said coldly.

“Al'akadhib! Lies!” Somebody yelled. I turned towards the voice. It was Iskandar. “The girl is not spoken for. This man is too busy teaching her to find her a husband.”

“And who are you” Asked the soldier, narrowing his eyes.

“I am Iskandar, this man’s shaqiq alzawj. He has two daughters and spends all his free time teaching them to read, isn’t that right Mayank.”

My Baba stammered “I… well… I, I…”

“Tawaquf!” Said the soldier “Lying to a soldier, and teaching women to read! Those are high crimes against the country.”

“This country will be better off when the government is overthrown,” Baba said it slowly so nobody could mistake it.

The soldier glared at my Baba “What did you just say?”

“You heard what I said, but I will say it again. This country will be better off when the government is overthrown. I remember times when girls and boys played together, and women were free to dress as they pleased. A time where everybody was happy. A time before the government corrupted.”

The soldiers face hardened in pure rage. He suddenly kicked my Baba’s walking stick away from him so my Baba fell onto the dirt at his feet. “You are under arrest for treason against the country,” The soldier declared. All the while, Iskandar smiled in the corner.

“No!” I screamed, running up to him. No sooner had I reached him when Iskandar grabbed my arm and yanked my upward. I kicked and shouted begging them to let Baba go, but the soldiers ignore me. I watched, tears streaming down my face, as they took my Baba away. I never saw him again.

Once my Baba was out of view and I had stopped squirming, Iskandar dragged my towards home. As soon as he started moving, I started to struggle. I pulled against him, screaming. People were staring, but I didn’t care. Finally, Iskandar had had enough. He threw me to the ground in front of him and beat me with Baba’s stick. When he was satisfied, Iskandar grabbed my arm again, and dragged me the rest of the way home. This time, all I did was go with him.

When we arrived home, Iskandar stormed through the door and threw me against the wall.

“Go get Mysha,” he demanded “We are leaving.”

“But what about Al'umu?” I choked, picking up my two year old 'ukht.

“She will not be coming”

“But she’s ill! She can not care for herself.”

“Alan! Your Al'umu will do nothing for me. You and your 'ukht, on the other hand, I can marry off. Now come!”

“I will not leave Al'umu to die” I cried. Iskandar came and grabbed Mysha. He wrenched her from my arms, Mysha screaming the whole time.

“If you will not come I will at least have one!” He yelled. Iskandar started to leave. Mysha screamed even louder and started clawing at Iskandar’s face.

“Tawaquf!” He shrieked and started shaking her violently.

“No, no! You’ll hurt her! I’ll come with you, just please stop!” I begged.

Iskandar shoved Mysh back into my arms. She clinged to me and buried her face in my shoulder.

“Alan” Iskandar said, barely concealing the rage in his voice.

I turned and looked at my sick Al'umu, lying in bed, for the last time. Tears were running down her cheeks, but she could have done nothing. None of us could. I silently prayed that somebody would find her and, by some miracle, care for her. I then turn and follow Iskandar, leaving my Al'umu behind.

Well outside of the city, Iskandar’s car broke down. He swore and we all got out. Behind me there were miles dessert. Mysha in my arms, I slowly started inching towards it. By the time Iskandar got the car started, I was a good distance away.

“Alan,” he snapped

“No,” I replied calmly.

Iskandar stepped towards me, anger shadowing his face. “I said come.”

“No” I said again, a little more forcefully this time, and took a step back.

Iskandar stared at me and we both just stood there. Seconds turned to minutes and still we stood. Finally, after what seemed like hours had passed, Iskandar threw his hands into the air in exasperation.

“Hasananaan!” He said, “What do I care if you die out here. You’ve sure given me enough trouble.” Iskandar stormed to his car, climbed into the driver's seat slamming the door behind him, and sped away.

I turned and started walking into the dessert as Mysha dozed in my arms. Across it was a country where I would be free. We traveled for hours and after a while, Mysha got restless. I put the two year old down and continued forward. When night time hit, the road was far from view, but there was no end in sight. With no food or water, we just had to hope we would find the country in time.

The next morning, Mysha and I set out again at sunrise. She was still restless so I let he run ahead of me. As we were traveling, some dessert bug flew in front of Mysha, and she felt the need to chase it. She sprinted ahead to keep up with it, putting an uncomfortable distance between her and me.

“Mysha, come back here!” I scolded her, but she didn’t listen. I started to get nervous and ran after her. I was about halfway to her when she stepped onto a hidden mine. The ground beneath her exploded, throwing dirt and debris into the air.

“Mysha!” I screamed, running into the dust cloud. I ignored the sand stinging my eyes and threatening to choke my as I searched for my 'ukht. As the cloud settles slightly, I saw her. Mysha’s body was lying on the ground in unnatural angles. I ran up to her and searched for a pulse. There was none. I grabbed her lifeless hand, placed her head in my lap, and cried. The desert bug that Mysha had been chasing lay dead a few feet away. Not even it had survived the explosion.

The days melt together and I didn’t continue. I didn’t eat or drink or sleep. All I did was cry. I cried until my lack of water made it impossible to do so. Finally, my sleep deprivation caught up to me, and I sank into an uneasy blackness. I dreamt of my family. They saw me and urged me to get up, to finish my journey so I could be free. When I awoke, I got up and walked. My family was right. I had come so far, I couldn’t give up.

After a time, I saw a city off in the distance. There was a group of young men gathered on the outskirts of it. One of them saw me stumbling towards them and pointed in my direction. The group started running over. I continued to walk forward as the world in front of my spun and bright lights danced in front of my eyes. I was so close. The men reached me and one of them grabbed my shoulders lightly. He was saying something, but I couldn't hear him. He yelled something to the others as I cried. This time, I cried for joy. I had made it!

The man tried to move me forward, and I fell into his strong arms. The world around my spun and I slipped into the darkness. Again, I dreamt of my family. We were together again, only now we were free. Mysha and I ran through the town, our hair streaming behind us and our dresses hiked above our ankles. Al'umu was no longer ill and she and Baba were laughing. The war was over.

I awoke in a comfortable bed. I woman sat beside me, holding a bowl of rice. She smiled when she saw me.

“Salam,” she said, handing me the rice

I sat up slowly and took it. “Salam,” I replied. Looking around, I found that I was in a dark, single roomed house. The man who had found me earlier was by the door, only now I realize that he was not a man, but a boy my age. He looked relieved to see me.

“You live,” He said lightly, smiling. I pondered at his ability to lighten the mood. The boy is strong and handsome. I wondered what it would be like as his husband, then blushed at the thought. The boy creased his eyebrows, but the smile never left his mouth.

“Salam” I said, then looked out the window of the small house. Children, girls and boys alike, ran down the street. Non of the girls wore a headscarf, and the old woman next to me was not wearing a keffiyeh, even in the presence of a boy. Still, I touched my hair panicked and glanced over at the boy, fear flashing across my face. The boy looked confused, then laughed.

You don’t need that hear” Said the old woman next to me, a smile on her lips as well.  I stared at them shocked.

“Where am I?” I asked the boy finally

“You’re free,” he said. Free. For the first time since I could remember, I smiled, genuinely happy.