DISCLAIMER: I do not earn anything from this. I only claim my "OC"s

.oOo.

A Cruel Fate (part 2)

.oOo.

At the burial site Mom collapsed into Dad's arms and sobbed uncontrollably as they lowered Lewis and Michael's empty caskets into their graves.

Will stood beside me his face showing deep pain and remorse.

I had sat in a daze throughout the whole funeral ceremony. Not many people came and those who did, I barely even knew, if I knew any of them at all.

They all wore black. I hate black. It's so void of joy, and it holds no hope.

'It's odd how they were born on the same day, and died on the same day as well.' I thought in morbid fascination. 'I wonder if they're happy where they are now. Wherever they may be.'

The ceremony is over now. I suppose I should follow everyone home. I suppose.

Will took a hold of my elbow and gently led me towards our car where Dad drove us home.

I walked in silence to the house and up the stairs into my room. I shut the door behind me and walked to the window.

Silently crying, I looked down at the rope swing where we all would play together. I remember when Lewis dared Michael to climb to the top of the tree. He made it, but didn't realize the higher up you go the less weight the branches can hold. Long story short, he ended up wearing a cast on his arm for six months and Lewis got grounded for a year and six months. I tried to laugh at the memory but it only came out as a choked sob.

I heard my door open and close. I glance over my shoulder to see Will coming up to me. I quickly wipe away my tears and look back out the window.

"Are you ok?" he asked gently.

"What kind of a question is that?" I answered coldly.

He sighed, "You know I didn't mean it that way."

There was a silence before it was disturbed by my shaky voice, "Why did it have to be them?"

Will turned me around and gathered me up in a giant bear hug, "Oh Ella. I don't know."

I sobbed into his shirt and before long I could feel his tears on my neck, "I don't know."

We both sunk down onto the window seat and just sat there silently comforting each other as we cried for hours.

It was dark outside when William slowly broke apart from me, "Lets go downstairs. Mom, Dad, and I have something to discuss with you."

I numbly agreed and he led me downstairs and into the living room where Mom and Dad were already seated. I again took my seat on the couch with Will beside me.

Dad ran his hand through his blond hair then began speaking first, "Eleanor," he never uses my full name, "Will has brought to our attention that you are no longer safe here."

"What do you mean?" I whispered.

Will took up the conversation, "That you would be safer elsewhere. Clancy has shown his true colors. He's a Communist and we all should have seen it but we didn't."

"Safer elsewhere." I echoed numbly. "Where is elsewhere?"

"The Florida Keys. Your boat leaves tonight at 11:00." Dad stated.

I slowly began to realize what they were saying. They wanted to send me away. "I'm not going." I said firmly. "I don't want to leave you behind." my eyes began to water.

Mom immediately shushed Will and Dad, and jumped up from her seat to give me a hug, "Oh Honey. You're not leaving us behind." She pulled back and wiped my tears away with her thumb, her own tears leaving wet trails down her face, "You are going to live, to fight another day."

She rose from the couch and pulled me up with her, "Come on. I'll help you get your things packed."

I followed behind her to my room where she busied herself while I picked up the photo of my siblings and me, and my parent's photo and put them into a pocket in my suitcase.

Mom handed me a shirt and a pair of jeans, "Go and change. I'l take care of everything here."

I nodded and took the clothes into the bathroom in the hall. Once I had changed I looked at myself in the mirror. My face was red and blotchy from crying. I hardly ever wore makeup so there wasn't any eyeliner to smear when I quickly wiped away the remaining tears out of my eyes and off of my cheeks.

Mom had picked my favorite shirt for me. It was white with blue and purple cherry blossoms, the dark green leaves showing here and there balanced the design and made it uniform.

She had also picked out my best fitting jeans. They were normal so I'll spare you the details.

I walked out of the bathroom without picking up my funeral clothes from the floor.

Immediately when entered my room Mom shoved my navy blue hoodie at me, "Wear this too, It's going to be cold tonight."

I put it on over my shirt as she finished zipping up my suitcase.

"Wait." I walked over to my book shelf and grabbed my journal, and stuffed it into the suitcase. She zipped it up and carried it off down stairs.

I glanced at the clock on my phone on the way down.

10:12 pm

Dad and William were both waiting for us when we came down the stairs. Mom put my bag down next to the couch and turned to me.

But before anything could be said the crunch of footsteps was heard from outside.

Will shushed us with a finger over his lips and walked to the window. His eyes quickly widened and he drew back. He looked at us with a panicked expression on his face, "Communists are surrounding the house. About five of them." He looked at Dad and then nodded.

He looked back at me and frantically whispered, "Ella, we need to leave right now."

I looked at him then at Mom and Dad. "Go. We'll distract them as long as we can." Dad said.

Mom rushed over and gave me a hug, "We'll see each other again."

Three loud bangs at the door followed by, "POLICE! OPEN YOUR DOOR IMMEDIATELY OR WE WILL BE FORCED TO KNOCK IT DOWN!"

Will immediately grabbed my arm and started to drag me down the hallway to the back entrance but I jerked out of his grasp and grabbed my journal out of my bag before running after him. Once we were next to the door he looked through the window to the left of the frame. I peeped after him and saw a guard just out side the patio.

Dad's voice and more yells came from the front of the house when the intruders broke down the door.

Will moved me back slightly then flung the door open, picked up a chair from the deck, and took out the guard with one swing.

He took hold of my hand and together we bolted for the woods. I heard gunfire behind me but I didn't dare to look back. I just kept running.

We heard our pursuit coming swiftly from behind, but I knew that they were no match for Will's knowledge of these woods. We swiftly wove in and out of the trees just like we used to do in what we called forest races.

When we came to the edge of the forest we soon found out that this wasn't just happening to us but to everyone else in the city. Dozens of homes were being ambushed and the families who defied the takeover were being arrested and taken away.

A shout came from one of the houses; we had been spotted again. Will took my hand and pulled me into a run once more. We jogged through back alleys and dodged bullets sent by the communist invaders.

We were almost to the docks now. I could see the ship I was to take about to lift the gang plank. The boat was filled to the brim with people. One of which saw us but couldn't stop the plank from being removed. Several people on the ship shouted at us to hurry. The ship was getting away from the shore so fast, yet so slow.

When we reached the dock, the shouts of the Communists weren't far behind us. Time seemed to slow down as William picked up my small frame and threw me to the ship where several hands reached out to pull me to safety.

Once firmly on the ship I stood and turned to look back at Will. He stood there tall and strong smiling waving goodbye to me, but I also saw the communist behind him take aim, and fire. Will fell to the ground in a lifeless heap.

"NO!" my anguished heart cried out. "No."

I realize now, that William could have saved himself from the bullets that were destined to take our lives, but he didn't.

I sank to my knees more in shock than I had ever been before.

"William, why you?"

I felt strong hands pick me up and carry me below deck and set me on a bed. Their presence went away and one by one everyone on board came below the deck to retire for the night.

"Terrible thing that happened just now." I heard one woman say.

"To lose someone close to you like that? Before your eyes? It's a real shame." another one said.

"Look at the poor girl. She looks so alone." a younger woman supplied.

"A terrible thing to go through." the first continued to say.

I lay down on my cot and tried my best to block out the gossip of the women, and slowly I fell into a broken slumber.

It felt like I had barely closed my eyes when I was suddenly awoken by a loud bang and then the sudden explosion of the side of the ship. Everyone started to panic and run up the stairs to the deck.

Water was rushing in the hull at alarming rates and another crash from the deck made the stairwell cave in. It was just myself and a few other people below deck now, which were desperately trying to find a way out.

I ran over to what used to be the stairway, and assessed the situation just like my brothers had always taught me to do.

"Hey! If enough of us lifted the fallen beam here most of us can get through." I yelled to the other people. They quickly agreed with my plan and three men took their place holding the beam up for the women to crawl through. Meanwhile, I pulled a loose board from the wreckage and propped the beam up so the men could crawl through next. When they were on the other side, I was fixing to go myself when a tiny cry came from further down the way.

I looked into the shadows and saw a child who had gotten his ankle stuck under a beam. He was crying and trying to get his foot free, and I could hear the anguished calls of his mother coming down from the deck.

That's when I made a decision that would change my life forever.

I ran to the child and lifted the beam off of his foot, then carried him to the stair well where I practically shoved him through the gap just before another bomb exploded all means of escape for me.

I stood back up from where the explosion had blown me back.

I stood there while the water quickly rose ever higher, looking at the first rays of the sunrise. Not moving; not crying, but excepting my fate.

The water is at my neck now. I can see the people still on deck trying to save me, but I know I can't be saved.

I pulled in my last breath as the water came above my head. My ears stopped up with water and my sight started to blacken.

The sun looked so beautiful now. It's filtered rays were shining on my face for the last time.

I closed my eyes and let out my breath.

So this is what is feels like, to be at peace.