Famous Last Words

• Sophie Roberts, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2017

They thought I was too young, that I wouldn’t remember. They were wrong. Alfred thought that the boat ride would change everything. Would stop me crying at night. Such an event as an adoption would leave my mind. Never. Father and Mother… Gone. A chance of a childhood… Lost. Bessy was my only belonging, they took that too. Just because I was five. My mother died and my father couldn’t bear to look at me. Memory. I remember my last hug, I didn’t understand. I was sent off with people often and I thought this was just another trip. I dreamt of finding him when I was nine. At ten I prayed. When I was eleven I abandoned all hope. This year, I’m fifteen, it’s been ten years. Ten years of utter desertion.
“Alfred and Ann attempted to make me happy. They made efforts some would never try, but nothing could make me truly love them,” I whisper to Esta, my baby daughter, “My life is a mess, I hope yours is better. It was hard. But then I met Lane and had you. It is my life, my fate. I’m not too old to forget, I wasn’t too young to not be able to remember. You will have a childhood. I will not leave you like my Father and Mother did. You will not be a victim of our family’s misfortune. I will be here when you are old and I even older. You are my child and I am your Mother.”
Thirteen years later, I think of those words as your famous last words. You were meant to be here. Life was not meant to be this hard. I was not destined to be without my Mother or Father. I, Esta Laurent was not supposed to be without a lot of things. Nonetheless, a cursed family is all I have. When I was young, I didn’t think so. Most of what my Mother said was true. I had a great childhood, although there was one thing she got wrong. She was not there. I am not going to have any children for the curse to be bestowed upon. I will not. Before I did not believe in fate, but a curse is a curse, right? I will be the last of my line. None will come after me. These are my famous last words…