"Shut up, Val." Val's vision blurred. She couldn't do it. She couldn't. "Don't cry. Crying is for the weak. You know what happens when you do." Those were the words Sara had told her the day before they received the news she was in danger. And the day before they received the call, Sara had whispered, "I will see you again, Valeria. I promise. Please don't cry for me. You have to keep it in." Tears started to boil, but she stopped them. Val wanted to cry. She really did, just so she could be with Sara again. Who cares what the police will do if she cries? Don't do it. Val thought about Mom. And Jo. What would they do if she cried? Sara knew all along. She knew the consequences. Of what would happen to the rest of her family. All along. So Val let it pour. She sobbed and mourned. The good feeling of finally letting it out. It filled her body and she wiped her tears off her dull cheeks and into her dark brown hair. And she waited. She waited for her body to float off the ground and be with Sara again. Because it was all her fault. All her fault, all her fault, all her fault. But Val was going to see Sara again. Just like she'd promised. In Hell. *** Val didn’t dare budge from the polices’ strong arms. She let them drag her into the brown room, with the tall stand the Queen stood behind with her boring gray hair. There was a strange tension in the room that Val couldn't put a finger on, and that must be to intimidate her. The plain flag of Cricke hung from the wall. It reminded her of the American flag always hanging on the wall. Where her whole family was taken from. And every American family. The life she once knew was so far away. It reminded her of Sara. Sara liked the Crickeans. On the day America was defeated in the Crying War, she had told Val that everything would be okay. "Cricke will be amazing." It wasn't. Because now her family's hopes and dreams for them would float away, never ever to be seen again. Sara liked battles. And she didn’t like crying. Sara is the reason they all survived, but she’s also the reason Val was not going to survive at this moment. Val forgot she was in court for a second. “Valeria 139.” announced the Queen in a raspy bold voice. Val’s head snapped up, legs trembling. “You know the consequences of crying.” Crickean court was way different than American court. Crickeans are much less professional and are plenty harsher. Her heart thumped so hard she didn't notice her hand was in a fist, fingernails gripping in her skin. Run for your life... In court, you were always wondering what your next move should be. If you should run. Or stay. Or scream or cry or smile. She'd never been in court before.. Val knew her sister Jo and her Mom were standing right behind her. Staring at her. Val hadn’t glanced at them the whole day. If she did her whole family would probably cry at her stupid wet face, and they’d all die together. Jo, with her big blabbermouth, hadn’t even said anything. “You know what you have done.” She locked her knees and bowed her head. “I know. I am guilty.” Val whispered. “Now, let’s plan the day of your consequence.” “STOP!” Val turned around, off-guard, at the sudden yell. Jo stepped forward and pushed her away from the police, into her mother. Val didn’t want to look at her mom’s watery eyes and bloody lip from biting it too hard. And now Jo— And it was all her fault. The police tried to get ahold of Jo but she stopped them from getting to Val. “I’m not a threat.” “Joanne 397? Anything you have to say?” “She isn’t guilty! It was our sister Sara. She died from a sickness, and it saddened Valeria 139. She isn’t guilty!” Val reached for Jo’s hand. “That’s not going to work—please, Jo—I don’t want them to—” But she hesitated. Cricke had ruined their family. They killed their Dad, now they were going to kill her and Jo. They could do nothing about it. Nobody could. Millions of people died each year from crying. And they couldn’t do anything… Nothing… She should've known earlier. Val took one last look. One last look at Jo’s determined face. Her sweet dimples. At her big green eyes. They looked like Sara’s. So Val took a deep breath. A last chance to make a difference before it was over. “I am Valeria Emmons.” “Val—your unspoken name—” Jo’s eyes watered up. “And I am the sister of Sara Emmons. Who will always be remembered.” Val risked another breath. Another step. “And I am not guilty.” Jo and Val both stood there, hand in hand, and a single tear fell out of Val’s eyes. Then a gust wind, a fast strong gust of wind, blew them off their feet. It blew the Crickeans off their feet. It blew the Queen off her feet. And blew them away. Blew them, and all the other people in Cricke to America. Home. And Val had a tiny feeling, a feeling in her heart, that it was the Spirit of Sara. notes :)) - original story 901 words <33 - I see there aren’t many writing entries… sooo
