]I felt a foreboding sense of dread from that name as well.
New Hope was a special place for me. In some ways, it was my second home.
New Hope was known as the safest city in the entire first territory, crime was practically nonexistent. This apparently made it an obvious choice for the First territories security headquarters. My father would often travel there for various meetings, and he would sometimes bring us along.
I Loved it. The people there were the Friendliest people in the world. Random strangers would come up to you and inquire about your day and your visit in New Hope, before directing you to the most fascinating places in town.
They had an excellent selection of shops for my sister, a stunning art museum, a thrilling amusement park, a fully-stocked library, and the best dining in all the northern territories. We came to New Hope to have a blast; but that wasn’t why we came back.
There was a Children’s home, just down the street for the security office building. It was on our third visit that Imogen suggested we take a look. We’d been going there a couple of times a month ever since. The children there were the sweetest angels I had ever met. Some of them had such heart-wrenching stories, yet they were so full of hope and joy. Every time we came we would play games, read stories, poise for crayon portraits;everything and anything that they wanted us to do. Melina had stopped coming a few years ago, but me and Imogen, and sometimes our little sister Katie; kept coming back.
I knew every orphan there, and loved every one of them; but their were some, who’d I’d for so long, that they were as much my younger siblings as Katie or the boys.
If something had happened to them...
I couldn’t finish that thought.
The Prince must have seen my face. He continued, but gentler, more cautious.
“When they got there” he paused, cringing as though the next words brought him pain. “They found that New Hope...was gone”
His words settled.
“What do you mean, gone?” Imogen inquired. I didn’t want to know the answer.
“The entire town had been destroyed, burned” his voice was barely audible. “there’s nothing left”
We stared at him, stunned, then the horror of his words clasped around us like freezing steel chains.
My mother was the first to recover
The people,” she gasped. “what happened to them? Did they get out?”
I snapped back to him, waiting, hoping. One look at his face took all that hope away.
“The smoke wasn’t coming from crumbling buildings” he wasn’t whispering
anymore. His voice carried fire and passion, and fury. ‘It was coming from a pile in the middle of town.”
He looked straight at me “they killed everyone.” he said,
“Every official, every family, every last child, and then they piled all the bodies
together and burned them”
No.
It couldn't. They couldn’t.
They were all dead.
Tears were streaming down my cheeks, just the way blood was stream from the hole in my heart.
I couldn't, I didn’t want to face it. I wanted to run, escape. But I knew I couldn’t. I looked at Imogen. Our eyes met and we passed a silent, shared grief. I could see my pain mirrored in her eyes. My sister shed no tears though. She turned to the Prince and spoke with a perfectly controlled voice.
“And you sure it was the rebels?” He didn’t look away from me as
he answered her. “Their flag was on the field of victory” he replied bitterly,
“Their victims might as well be coated in rebel blood.”
I saw my mother. Tears stained her cheeks too. But her face was, different. It was wearied, resigned; but not shocked, like mine. I felt a flash of confusion and concern. What could that mean, did she…? I shook my head and
turned away, I had no strength to contemplate the meaning on my mother actions. I had no strength for thought, no strength for this.
We finished on meal in silence. The prince apologize for ruining it, my mother countered that it was all right, we needed to know. It was all a blur. At some point I departed their company, and went off. I started running. I didn’t realize where I was going until it was right before me, my swing. I collapsed on it.
And that’s when the sobs started.
They ripped through me. Racking my entire body with spasms, clawing their way up my throat. My soul was screaming. I saw their faces, over and over again; smiling, laughing. Their never ending love as they pulled me close to their little hearts, showing all their secret worlds and places. Their belief that the day would always dawn brighter.
Then I saw fire, I saw burning, I heard screams for mercy, screams of terror. I saw their faces again, tinged with despair, before flames swallowed them up forever.
No. no.
“Darcy?” I turned. Nathaniel stood behind me. For a while he didn't
say anything, then he spoke. “I’m Sorry, I’m so sorry that you had to find
out...like that”. I shrugged. After a moment, he sat next to me. I don’t know how long we sat there, side by side, before I broke the silence.
“I used to sympathize with the reformers,” I murmured, “I mean, I could see where they were coming from, understand why the believed reform was so important.” He was silent, listening. I couldn't believe I was telling him this, of all people. “You must think me a traitor.” I sighed.
“Not at all.” he countered. “Democracy is good...in theory.” I shook my head.
“But I don’t” I continued. “I don’t sympathize with them anymore, I can’t” I swallowed down tears.
“Not after this.” I choked. He nodded.
“This catastrophe is only the beginning” he said “The rebellion will only get worse” He looked thoughtful. “But perhaps some good will came out of this after all.”
I was dumbfounded.
“How could any good come out of this?” I inquired strikingly. my voice shook, I new I had crossed some bound of proper respect, but I didn't care. The prince did not seam offended. When he eyed me now thier was sympathy in his eyes.
“This is a warning” he responded.” An example of what will happen, should we ever revert to the old days. This is the result of democracy; it will bring only chaos and violence. This is our reminder” his voice grew stronger. “That we can never repeat the past.”
I didn’t have it in me to do this anymore. I just nodded, agreeing to whatever he told me.
“You understand don’t you?" There was urgency in his tone now. "The rebels don’t want freedom, they just want power.” I just nodded again. “That’s why we have a Royal Family in the first place. People can’t be trusted. They’ll act selfishly, that’s what destroyed our nation in the first place”. I didn’t respond.
“Darcy?” he said again, more gently this time. I looked at him; tears were still flowing freely down my face. he looked at me curiously, then he leaned closer. One hand gently cupped my chin, pulling me to him. His lips neared mine.
I couldn’t think. I didn’t know if I wanted to pull away, though even if I did, I couldn’t. I was numb and tired. So tired.
His lips met mine.
I had trouble falling asleep that night. Images kept swirling in my head. The fire. The Kiss. Jason Race. The children. The Prince. The fire. My thoughts were just as jumbled. Conversations, mixed in with images of past. History lessons. Government class. New Hope. I didn’t know what I was feeling. My head was still reeling the electrifying kiss, and my lips tingled. But inside I was still racked with pain, still frozen in my grief. I had never been so confused, I had never felt so much in one day. For hours I lay there. So confused. I couldn’t sleep, I didn’t want to sleep.
But I was so tired.
I closed my eyes, and let the world shut itself off to me.
Gender:
Points: 10769
Reviews: 209