Ava does not want to be here. Neither in the underground, nor the country. It's rainy, it's cold, the kids at school are unfriendly and she'll never get used to riding in the busy tube. Ava stands next to her mother and holds her sister's hand. Her mom tries to keep her rowdy brothers occupied as the twins jump and run around the car. She holds Becky's hand tighter as Becky leans forward to get their mom's attention.
Ava rolls her eyes and looks around at the other passengers. She notices another girl about her age with sleek black curls tied up in a large red bow. She holds the hand of a man who appears to be her father. They're both dressed alike in fine black jackets, and everything about her is perfect, from her white bobby socks to her uniform curls.
She catches Ava's eye and smiles at her, her brown eyes sparkling.
Ava opened her mouth to say hi but was interrupted by the girl's father tugging at her hand.
"This is our stop, Nyssa."
"Yes, Father."
The train slowed down, and everyone prepared for the stop and gathered their things.
"Ava, take Colby's hand," her mother says, joining them all together.
The train comes to a stop and the doors open. As people shuffle out she loses sight of Nyssa in the crowd. Her mom pushes them forward, and they're halfway off the train when someone starts screaming.
Ava looks back to see a man on the ground and a woman crouching next to him.
"Ava don't look," Her mother pushes them forward, getting them off the train as fast as possible.
"Mom, what happened to him?" Becky asks.
"Did he die?" Her brother, Celeb asks.
Her mom doesn't answer their questions as she shuffles them to the walls of the Underground. Ava grips her siblings hands and she watches as the security guards run forward onto the train.
She looks around and catches Nyssa's red bow. She gives Ava a look of fear and surprise as her and father disappeared, and it's etched in Ava's memory forever.