The sun slowly shone through the curtains. The curtains covered the window to the unknown world outside. Sunlight shone on a body which laid in the nearby bed. It was a girl, no more than the age of ten. She shifted in bed, "Ugh, it's too early to wake up. Go back down sun!"

There was a knock on the door. The visitor didn't wait for permission and walked right on in. "Good morning my love!" came the cheery voice.

It was the girl's mother. The woman walked over to the window, moved back the curtains and opened the window. "Ahh... Beautiful morning! Isn't it?"

She smiled at her sleepy daughter.

The girl sat up in bed, shook her head and dove under the blankets. "I HATE mornings!"

Her mother simply laughed and sat next to her on the bed. "Now Meng," she removed the blankets, "How can you hate mornings?"

Meng gave her an evil look. You know, the 'Piss-Off-Before-You-Die' look we all have used at least once in our lives. Again, her mother couldn't help but chuckle. "Well, how about this: I make your favorite breakfast!"

This made the little girl smile and nodded quickly. Her mother kissed Meng's forehead and began to walk out of the room, "And change out of those clothes hun!" then slowly walked down the stairs.

The girl groaned as she stepped onto the floor and crawled out of bed. She limped over to the mirror and looked at herself; two messy pigtails, bucked teeth, and a round face. "I hate mornings..." she said to her reflection. Moving her hands over her hair; trying to make it look neat.

She rubbed her eyes as she walked over to the closet. Blindly, she stuck her arm in the door and took out a pink dress; it was her favorite. "One way to make mornings better," Meng twirled back to the mirror, "is to dress your best!"

After the dress was put on, the little girl bowed down to her reflection and smiled. Then she ran out of her room and down the creaky stairs. "Good timing." her mother walked over to her with a package. "Your father sent this to you." she handed over the box to her daughter with a weak smile.

Meng's face lit up as she tore the box apart. Inside, there was a stuffed, pink Koalaotter. "I love it!" she squealed with delight.

Her mother chuckled, "What are you going to name it?"

Meng thought for a while. "How about... umm... Tamiko!"

She smiled. "What a lovely name."

The little girl grinned. "C'mon Tamiko! Let's go see the lake!" she ran out of the house and into the field.

Her mother ran to the door and yelled, "Be back soon! Breakfast is almost ready!"

But, of course, Meng didn't hear her. All she could hear was herself giggling with joy.

Meng fell down onto the dirt with her feet in the water. This was her favorite place. The only place she could be at peace. Or at least, ever since her father went to the war. Before he left, this spot was where they would hang out. She missed him.

She put Tamiko up to her face. It smells like him...

Meng closed her eyes and burried her head into the stuffed animal. It felt like him too. To her, it was him...

Her eyes slowly fluttered open. "What time is it?" she looked up to the sky. The sun was straight above. "NOON?!" the girl jumped up, brushed the dirt off her dress, and ran to the house.

She was just over the hill when she saw it. Up in the air, there was smoke. Not just any smoke, but black smoke. "MOM!" the little girl screamed with horror as she ran faster.

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It was night. Meng was alone. She fell to her knees and hugged Tamiko into her chest. "Now it's just you and me... We're all that's left..."

Eh, I feel like making you guys guess on what happened. -dodges tomato and sharp objects- I'll tell you next chapter. At, this rate at how much I update my stories, in six months... -dies before she can get killed-