Scopeland is settled on the Whitenal Ocean. Its a bit ironic if you ask me, the war, the unsettlement in our island, our rulers, it should be called the Blacknal ocean, as this is the colour that best suits this place. But before the war, it was surrounded by astounding pearl blue oceans and Lipgulls-they where heavenly like, submerged in golden features, they where the Sky Father-honoring us, protecting us. They released a noise; they made you feel safe.
Our country was once a independent nation, the citizens worked hard together to make the island symbolize hope and peace, that was before the Hallows got their hands on it, and decided to turn our country from democracy, and step foot into a new era of 'dictatorship', where you get your say in pretty much anything… Yeah you wish. They split this country up into four quarters to represent the four seasons, four directions and the four elements. The north of the island: Galascope, is the spirit of the spring with the passion of water. Galascope is the capital, where the living conditions are the best offered, where we get our say on pretty much anything...unless you live in the mainlands, you get absolute 'zilch'; this is where I live. Along with the east of the island: Trexscope, with an endowment of winter, joined with the subdivision of air; they where known for their classified information, that only the top ranked citizens were to know. Thirdly you have the south: Wikascope, they where the city of autumn-the beauty of the earth, their part of the island was like stepping into a new world/dimension-that was before the Hallows destroyed the every last inch of beauty that could be squeezed out of its dying terrain, its now known as the 'City of Emptiness', they had to start their own village on the outskirts of the island; it was the only piece which was untouched. Lastly was the west: Musicope, the aptitude of summer and fire; you wouldn't want to mess with them, they were known as the 'peace destroyers'-they were part of the reason why the Hallows took action and made this country what it was today. But if all four cities were to work together, their powerful essences would never be defeated. But to get this result, there would have to be no more Hallows to witness this. Unless there was an alliance formed between each region; but this would be like trying to find a needle in a hay stack.
Never the less the war broke out on the sixth of October 1997...Lipgulls dead...The natural beauty of this island had just disappeared in the hands of the saturn; the 'death wisher'.
The island might as well have been four separate islands from the start. Instead the remaining population created a wall, a wall designed not to be trespassed, a wall that towered over the opposing cites to show diversity and individualism. You could not leave your segment of the island, unless you had authority from the Hallows: they are a four generation family, meaning they have a settlement in each part of ScopeLand; they are the rulers. Each year they hold a ball in the main establishment here in Galascope, to bring together the most prestigious people of each city. Minors like myself and my family would never be invited, unless one of use died heroically. This happened when I was younger...when my dad died. The ball was to try and bring peace to our island again, but I think it was a huge pile of dung if you ask me, after all they are the ones who caused the war!
Those hundreds of men and women, even children that sacrificed their life; their future, for peace on this island. We believed that this island allows lost loved ones to be 'planted' into the roots of the island; they are never forgotten.
As I said my dad died...i never knew him as I was only 6 months old, it was his turn to take that step into the light; the unknown. I tell myself it was for his family, friends and this island.
I stopped reading.
There was complete silence in the classroom, I was waiting for the hay stack to roll past. All I wanted to do was go to the back of the classroom where my desk was situated and just dream-dream of my dad. When ever I talk about my dad I try to recall my first and last six months with him; nothing appears, its a blank canvas awaiting alteration.
"Well Trisha, that was very good. The passion in your reading was astonishing, it was too good. Plus you never told us, well me that you once went to the Hallows Ball? Even though that was the last thing you would have wanted to do after that tragic event." Said my teacher Mrs Pluto with a cheeky smile on her face, fading towards the end when she had a revivifying look on her face.
I made a noise which was supposed to be a laugh. I replied "Haha, yes it had a real meaning to my heart. I can't really remember it as I was only young, so I am not the best person to ask about the experience." Mrs Pluto just smiled-it was obviously a sign to say "You can go and sit down now."
Mrs Pluto was a large but caring women. Her conscious was so pure, you felt protected around her, just like she was your Guardian Angel. She wore a dress which symbolized Galascope; Spring and water. The dress painted a picture in my head. It had subtle pastel colours; oranges, yellows, blues and white. The design was of leaves plummeting through the wind to a tranquilized remote pond. She knew how to dress-she was known as the Spring Lady.
From the front of the class to my desk; at the back of the class, wasn't so far away from one another, but it was the fact I had to walk to it-well in my case trip over something to get to it. I start to walk to my desk after a quick diagram of how I am going to get there in my head. Do I really need to tell u what happened next? Well yes you guessed…right. I tripped over this boys desk; he was an exchange student from Wikascope. He just looked at me with a blank face. I could not help but chuckle to myself. Well I might as well, the whole class did. I thought to myself, "Why isn't he laughing?" I corrected my posture and walked the remaining few steps back to my desk.
A girl named Sheila Prince said "Well done Clumsy!" Along with a big grin on her face, which clearly outlined her dimples. I shared a small laugh and returned to my desk. Normally if I was to trip over something in front of a class, I would get embarrassed-but this time there was nothing, I think I was to busy thinking of my dad; I wish I never spoke about him now! I just continued with my studies.
Several other presentations where presented, but I didn't really listen; I just wanted to go home.
Mrs Pluto saw that we were all fidgeting; entering our own worlds, so she decided to break up the presentations with this short speech about our island, "Remember kids our island has a meaning, its heard to be the synonym of the sphere, but the antonym of a square. They both always somehow meet each other, just like two magnets exerting themselves together, they will go through anything to reach each other; thats their destined nature of surviving." The whole room went silent, we all haven't got a clue what she just said, but we respected her; she is a English teacher, she knows what she is talking about.
Sheila was just getting ready for her presentation; she has been through everything with me, she is my friend for life.
I decided it would be best to manually change my posture to allow myself to look interested. Her presentation was great, she had always had a knack for English. She said her last part, "...you may think your alone, bu-" A noise, a screeching, it came out of no where "Bleep bleep bleep...bleep bleep bleep...bleep bleep bleep…"The last time I heard that noise was when I was in history class, watching this islands past: the Scopeland war.
"Everyone get out of the building!" Shouted Mrs Pluto.
We run. As I do, I trip over a desk again, but this time I bash my head against a desk to the left of mine. I reach for my head and press on the area of pain. I lower my hand to eye level, my hand was swamped in a pure red liquid; blood. Trust this to happen in this situation. I reach for the exit of the classroom to find that the door had be yanked off-parts of the wooden frame were pointing out; they looked like icicles dangling from a roof; I was amazed on how much force they would have needed to put into taking the door off. But why would they? Did they not understand you open a door, not yank it from its hinges! Idiot. I laughed, but I was in so much pain from my head it was more of a scream than a laugh. I entered the corridor, well I think it was one. I could no longer see where I was going. Teachers, children everywhere. It was as if the science lab let out a disease, that would kill anyone in its presence. It was like being at a zoo, screeching, screaming everywhere, I could not bare it much longer. I had to re-entered the classroom again. I waited till the corridors died down. I started to hallucinate. I did't think it was the right time to be alone. I moved one foot in front of the other, but it doesn't feel as if I'm moving, it felt as if I had been placed on a running machine at full speed. I can't receive the full amount of oxygen my body needs to operate, its as if my body is closing down from the inside. My eyes rolled to the back of my head, I had no control over my body. I was about to exit the classroom. I fainted, letting my body slap onto the surface like an axe meeting a tree trunk. The last thing I saw was a portal of smoke-causing havoc in the hallway-the only thing I could do now was await rescue.
I awake. I open my eyes, but have to let them readjust to the light. I regain control over my body; I gradually stand up, having to have a short breather half way up. I'm now standing. I'm not in school. I'm standing in the middle of a beach-its deserted, there is no sound coming from the ocean, just the gail force wind they whips past me, only leaving its whistle behind. I'm freezing, I covered my mouth with my hand to disperse the white cloud forming from my every breath in this icy air, it was as if I was hiding, hiding from someone.
I started to walk, as I do I see a massive rock face. I had to do a second take, the wind blow my hair into my face making me blind. Once I was able to get a complete view of it, I realized it was the rock face on the beach where my dad had died. Could he be here? I started to run, moving my head one hundred and eighty degrees from left to right.
I saw a black blur in the distance, it doesn't feel as if it should belong there. I run to it. I make out a soldiers outfit. Could it be him? I shout out "Dad?" There was a long pause, but I then heard a murmur, I couldn't work out what it was. It replied again, this time I heard it "Trisha is that you?"
We were just meters away from one another now. I run. I reached him; he didn't disappear. We wrapped our arms around one another like a cocoon, we were not going to let go.
As I scurry my head into his chest, I open my mouth to these words "Dad I have missed you so much!" He replied "Me to Trish...Me to!" I feel the breaking in his voice.
"Is this real Daddy? Or am I dreaming?" As I say hoping for the right answer being, 'this is real'. He replied "...I wish honey...I wish..." We hugged for at least another ten seconds with out a word-we didn't need to-we had each other. He broke the silence and said "Trish, your such a big girl now. But I still want to remind you that, what ever you go through I am always in here-" He releases me and points to my heart. I break down. I can not take it anymore, I rested my head in my cupped hands. He grabs me again. For someone who is supposed to be dead, he still had a touch which warmed me up from the wind. He moves away un-noticeably. He starts to walk towards a bench in the middle of the beach, it doesn't seem to belong there-more or less it is out of place. As I walked towards it, the wind picked up my hair and yanked it, as if I was the victim of a kidnapping-the roots of my hair were throbbing. I now made a run for the bench. I got there and we both just sat there, we had 16 years to catch up on. "Trish, there is so much I needed to tell you!" I reply "I know you do dad! So do I...I wish mum and Kay was here."
"Me to hunny, me to. How is mum?" He starts to tear up again. "Yes she is fine, she doesn't feel complete without you…Don't you worry, I haven't let her lay her eyes on another man." He reaches for me again, this time with a small croaky giggle. We just sat there and shared the scenery of the coast together. He also added "How is Kay?"
"Yeah she is great, in her last year of uni now. She misses you so much." Dad squeezes me, then detaches himself for me. He's body did not feel as stern as this a couple of minutes ago. I started to think he had something to tell me; I could sense it.
He speaks to me in a slightly more forthcoming presence "Hunny?"
"Yes dad"
"The day I died...it wasn't due to the war. Erm...i wasn't classed as normal…"
"Sorry?…" I don't understand, 'normal'. I know our family is known to be a joker, but come on, it has been passed down through generations. "What do you mean your not normal?" There was no reply. "Dad tell me!" He took a deep breath. Once he held in his breath long enough, he let it go-the white cloud furiously escaped him mouth, like a criminal escaping prison. But I then turned back to him, this time I was going to get an answer from him. "Dad! This has obviously been bothering you, now you have the chance to tell me. We might never get this chance again?" He looked at me and said "There will be...I don't think this is the correct time and place to tell you!" I am now getting annoyed! "What, will there be another time I magically see you in my head again while I'm unconscious?" "Great look forward to that!" As I roll my eyes and say it in a sarcastic tone.
"Trish I'm sorry! I love you I have said to much, I have to go now." He starts to walk off. I start to hear noises coming from the skies. They are getting louder, "Trisha get up...Trisha are you okay…" I scream out "Dad I love you!"
He replies "I love you to! Take care of your mum and sister for me...I'll see you soon!"
Everything smeared together, creating an illusion, I couldn't make out anything. He has gone-the beach had gone. I'm just looking at the back of my eye lids; nothing, just blackness. I regain consciousness, my eyes are now meeting the heat of the sun. I gradually opened my eyes, I could just make out three silhouettes, that were knelt in front of me. I am slowly regaining my sight and can now distinguish them being, Sheila, Mrs Pluto and what looks like to be a fireman.
"Trish are u okay?" Questioned Sheila.
"Yeah I'm-" I cup my hands together and coughed-I look at my hands, I saw small red blobs of blood. I think to myself, what, whats happening? Why is there blood in my hands?
"Trisha we are going to get you to a hospital, don't worry!" Said the fireman. He ran off.
"Is this real? Am I really here?" Mrs Pluto replies "Yes darling, the fireman is just going to get a stretcher for you to be carried into the ambulance on." I cough again, this time double the amount of blood is now traveling out from my throat into my hands.
The fireman places the stretcher down, then him, Sheila and Mrs Pluto lifted me onto it. "Sheila...Is my mum on her way to the hospital?" As I say weakly. "Yes don't you worry, I called her. She is on her way with Kay."
I have now reached the vehicle. I am placed into the back; wishing I was still with my dad. If I die now, I might see my dad again? This time it could be longer? Or forever? The doors shut behind me. The interval since the last time I coughed out blood has been almost triple the time to the normal pattern. I turned my head to see Sheila smiling at me. Along with her grin she said, "I won't leave you" I try to smile but I cough again, this time I did not have the energy to cup my hands over my mouth; the blood went everywhere. Great spoke to soon. Sheila got up and reached for a tissue at the back of the moving vehicle, she wiped my mouth. My eyes shut, hoping I'll see my dad again. The last thing I heard was the siren coming from the vehicle, it was so loud I thought it would burst both my ear drums. I didn't have time to think. I lost consciousness again.
I thought I died...