Title: No One to Catch Me
Pairing/Characters: Eden McCain (Sarah Ellis)
Rating: G
Spoilers: Spoilers for Six Months Ago (maybe, I'm not sure) and the Life Before Eden comic.
A/N: Written for the Heroes Summer Fanfic Exchange.
The sound of children's laughter rang through the walls. Parson's Field, known to all the town as 'the field', ran just behind their house, next to the local elementary school where many children came to play before and after school and on the weekends. There were three sets of swings in the field. One of the swings, the one closest to the sandbox, could swing much higher that all the others. You felt like you were flying when you swung on that swing. Or, at least Sarah did.
There was also a huge slide in the field. You had to climb up these really steep steps to get to the top, but it was worth it. You would swoosh down it at amazing speeds, feeling the wind whip at your clothing and hair, only to come to a sudden stop at the bottom. It always gave Sarah such a rush, to slide on that huge slide.
Away from the playground was a barbeque area, where many families went for Sunday lunch. Sarah had been a couple of times with her parents, but they didn't go that often. But now she could smell the wondrous odor of the sausages and onions sizzling away, and she wished they had gone more. Behind the barbeque area was this big formation of rocks and trees. That was where the teenagers hung out. She remembered seeing them sitting in the trees, or on the rocks and wishing she could be just like them…
Sarah shook her head and sighed. There was no point in thinking about the field. She hadn't been there since her mother had died and her father had taken off. She hadn't been anywhere, really. She didn't have time to go anywhere, anyway. Her step mother liked to keep her inside, and busy. She constantly had chores to do, but she was used to it by now.
But, maybe if she finished up all her chores super quick and super well, her step mother would let her go to the field for a little bit. Maybe she would even come with her and they could be like one of those proper families she often saw walking on the streets!
"No. Absolutely not." Sarah shrunk back from her step mothers harsh words. She had only asked to go to the field for a short time, she hadn't expected this reaction.
"I haven't been out for so long," she said. "I just want to play with some kids my own age."
Her step mother sneered at her. "Do you really think any of them would accept you?" She stepped forward towards her, something akin to kindness on her face. "Sarah, Sarah, my dear, how have you deluded yourself? None of those children will want you. Your own mother and father didn't even want you. I'mthe only one who will ever accept you." Her step mother smiled then, and she wasn't kind any more, she looked mean. "Now, why don't you go make us some of that wonderful chocolate cake for dessert, huh? There's a dear." She turned Sarah and pushed her towards the kitchen. Sarah nodded, tears burning in her eyes as she started on what her step mother—the only person in the world who cared about her—told her to do.
That night, well after everyone else had left and gone back home, with their warm fires and loving parents, Sarah snuck out into the dark and padded down to the field. The grass was wet beneath her bare feet; she could just imagine the other children playing tag over this same grass not hours before.
Sarah sat on the swing closest to the sandbox and began to push. But, no matter how hard she tried to feel like she was flying, all she could do was fall.
~End