Cold And Forlorn

• Cassie Barker, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2019

She just stood there. Looking at him with sad, forlorn eyes. They glazed over as she sat down, contemplating all that had happened. He put his hand on her shoulder gently. No. She pushed him away aggressively, head down, her body shaking. He backed away, his breathe echoing on the pasty walls of the hall. As he parted through the door the moon light shadowed on his dark skin as he left into the cold, tempered night.

Her body numb, she watched him leave. Her mind raced as she traced the lines on her palm calmly, the blood on her feet pooling around her torn, peeling heel. Her stomach ached and she felt almost… empty of emotion. It was just one deed. One troubling, pacing deed. I thought it was the right thing. She closed her eyes, what would it have been if I ignored him? She saw…. What did she see? Pain.

All but a solemn nine faithful months ago, she took her place in the hall with the others, surrounded by blank faces and still hearts, frozen people succumbed to a life of misery. Would today be the day? Her day? Yes. As soon as she was in her seat, she was called. She trembled as she walked through the people. She was asked many a quaint question, and she answered with contentless smiles, hiding the sacrifices. I shall have consequences he'll deal, but there'll be solutions; she'll leave me, but there are always solutions, she recited to herself and others. And now look at her.

She opened her eyes. The opening in the building that had once been filled with a dark, terrorised sea above, that was illuminated with a single crescent globe, is now streaming light from a flame millions of miles away. How long had it been? Well over a dozen hours. The blood that was pooling at her crippled toes the night before was now a dry red plate latched onto her cream skin. She stood up finally, hearing tight cracks through her spindly back. Tightening the sheet wrapped around her cold, aching, desolate body, she walked towards the opening in the door, aghast at the sight she saw.

Everything was burnt to the ground. Debris of dead bodies lay around in piles, some laying tight together, others spread out and torn limb from limb. Tears welled in her misty eyes as she examined the ruins of the town she loved. This is my fault. It's all me. She suddenly remembered the crucial point of the mission. Finding them. Bringing them back. She did, but just look at them now.