I remember tears streaming down your face
When I said, "I'll never let you go"
When all those shadows almost killed your light
I remember you said, "Don't leave me here alone"
But all that's dead and gone and passed tonight
Just close your eyes
The sun is going down
You'll be alright
No one can hurt you now
Come morning light
You and I'll be safe and sound
Don't you dare look out your window, darling,
Everything's on fire
The war outside our door keeps raging on
Hold on to this lullaby
Even when music's gone
Gone
Just close your eyes
The sun is going down
You'll be alright
No one can hurt you now
Come morning light
You and I'll be safe and sound
Oooh, Oooh, Oooh, Oooh
Oooh, Oooh, Oooh, Oooh
La La (La La)
La La (La La)
Oooh, Oooh, Oooh, Oooh
Oooh, Oooh, Oooh, Oooh
La La (La La)
Just close your eyes
You'll be alright
Come morning light,
You and I'll be safe and sound
- Taylor Swift safe and sound
People around me clapped, I smiled slightly as my eyes landed on a mother and daughter. The mother with flaming red hair whispered something into her little daughter's ears and handed her a penny. The little girl walked towards me and placed the penny gently on my guitar case, gaze never leaving mine. The penny shined brightly at the reflect of the sun, and as I stared into her sparkling blue eyes, and even though she was just about 5, her eyes held intelligence. 'I'm sorry' she whispered, her breath gently tickling my cheeks. I smiled weakly at her and placed a hand on her shoulders, 'It's okay.' She gave me one last look of pity and apology as she skipped away and ran into her mother's embrace.
I felt the hollow in my chest aching, aching for my past. Her crimson hair bouncing slightly as she skipped. And suddenly I felt weak, not like I was a lot stronger before with the lack of food and water, but I felt sick in the gut.
Flashback
Alice ran into her mother's embrace, her chestnut hair flying as she ran. She dug her head into mother's abdomen, her sobs muffled by the soft wool. 'Mommy..I'm scared.' Her voice wavered as she weeped. Mom closed her eyes and sighed deeply. Under her eyes were bags, deep and dark, highlighting the weariness in her eyes. She lightly touched Alice's hair, and murmured determinately, 'Don't be, sweetie, everything will be fine….We'll be safe and sound.'
I gasp at the memory, trying to erase the image created in my head. Alice…her soft chestnut hair, gleaming emerald eyes, her velvet voice…a voice I will never get to hear again. And mom...though she acted as if everything was alright, but sometimes at midnight, i could still hear her cry over her dead husband. After dad died in a tragic car accident as I've been told, though they never found his body, mom took care of everything in the house, Alice and me including, and worked 18 hours a day. How could anybody be okay at the state mom was in? I felt dizzy at the thought, and as memories crowded my mind, I thought of the goodnight kisses from mother, the whining from Alice as I ate the last cookie, the warmth spreading in my chest as mother soothed me from nightmares, I felt the hollow in my chest deepened. I never had a chance to step away and just look at how much I had then, I didn't even tried to appreciate it. I just thought it was nothing out of the ordinary to be cared or to be loved. But now I would have given up anything to just say a single goodbye to mother or Alice.
I pushed the tears away and tried to clear the lump in my throat. I hugged my guitar tightly against my chest, listening to the loud pounding of my heart. I held on tightly to the only thing left of mother. I pictured mother strumming the guitar with her delicate fingers, fingers molded and made for playing music. Her head tipping slightly to look at the strings and strands of hair coming loose of her messy bun. Her silk- like voice echoing around the room, her voice so beautiful you could have mistaken it for an angel humming. I still remember how when she sang, everyone in the house stops doing what they're doing, even pepper stops digging the garden, dad lifts his head up from his newspapers, Alice drops her crayons and everyone just enjoys a moment of peace.
But she's gone, a voice inside me whispered. All because of Gizannia.
My jaws tightened at the thought, my sadness turning into hatred, so much hatred for that name, for that country, I felt my cheeks turned a shade of crimson. I will never forgive of what you did Gizannia, you took away my family, you took away my home, but you will not take away my dignity.
Author's notes: Okay guys I know this is a short chapter but spare me! Just treat it like an introduction to the story…? This is my first fanfic and I have no idea is it good or not, so please review! So until next time!