Chapter Thirteen Tears

Christine directed me to a cookbook. We all flipped through the book looking at all the recipes. Every time I would say the word cookie and/or cake Colby would shout out, "Cookies and cakes, yum!" And wouldn't say anything more. It was odd but cute too.

In this cook book, the titles of the food were the only words in the entire book. Apperently, they don't know how to write words, so they draw pictures and tally how much of what is needed.
All three of us decided we would make a cake. We went through the ingredients and figured out that we had enough for the cake. Unfortunately, we had to go to the back of the house where they had a few goats, chickens, rosters, and a few other assorted animals for milk and eggs.
We gathered a few eggs first and milked the goats after. It was pretty difficult and it was really weired but Christine showed me how. (It's sad when a five-year-old girl has to show you how to do something properly, but I am not ashamed to say that I didn't know how to before. I mean, I was living in the year 2004 and things where made easy for the average person.) After we got the milk we needed, we had to clean all the hairs and other gunk in the milk out. That was the worst part.
By the time we finished all that stuff, about an hour and a half had passed. (Hey, we had a lot of stuff to do. We had to clean up first. The children had dirt all over and I wasn't about to let them help me with filthy hands.) We, then, grabbed some wood for the oven. (I think I lost five pound by making this cake in the heat) I made the fire and we started to mix everything together. That took us about a half hour. We put the cake in the hearth and let it cook. (The fire wasn't that big. I made it small so I wouldn't burn the cake.)
We then got all the dishes and cleaned them. That took about a forty-five minutes to and hour, between all of the dishes and the dog eating the batter and the water fights. But it got done nonetheless.
It took a while for the cake to cook, because of such a low heat, but it got finished and it looked perfect on the top so we pulled it out to let it cool so we could decorate it. While it was cooling, we went out side to play for a little bit. I didn't want them in the back because of all the animals and the dirt factor, so we went to the front.
We ended up playing hid and seek with Rex, who is more like Nana the dog/nanny from Peter Pan. The kids said they found the perfect hiding spot, and stuck me there.

They pulled me into their parents bedroom, and pulled the loose board from their parents bed. From the outside, I would have thought it was solid enough, because the nails looked like they were still in place, but the Christine was able to pull the board out, and fit under it. She called for me to get under with her, and I almost didn't thinking I wouldn't fit, but I was surprised to fine I could, if I tried. Then Christine closed up the board, and we hid from Rex.

The only source of light came from the very small crack at the end of the bed where the chest was. And that's how Rex found us. He just put his body to the ground and barked when he saw us.

While the kids started another round of the game, this time Rex hiding, then them seeking, I told them I was going to see if the cake was cool enough to decorate. I felt the cake and it was cool enough. I walked to the kids and told them that the cake was ready.
We went in and started decorating. A little while later, when we were almost done decorating the cake, I heard horses. I thought it was George and Anastasia. I told the kids to keep decorating it and I would go get George and Anastasia. However, when I went to see them, it wasn't them. It was three huge gruesome men on some hug horses. I knew that the men weren't friendly by the way they were walking toward the doors with knives and other weapons.
I didn't have a chance to defend myself or the children from these huge burly men, so what was I going to do? I ran silently to the laughing children and told them that we had to hide. They didn't understand why I had ushered them under parent's bed, so I told them it was a game and that no matter what, they couldn't let the ' big men' get them.
I heard a clatter in the kitchen and knew they were searching for something. But what? When they reached the room that we were in, they where looking through everything, looting I guess. I was hoping they were only robbers and would leave soon, but that just wasn't going to happen.
I could see that the two children I was holding figured by now that it wasn't a game. I saw fear in there big blue eyes; then tears. I held them closer to try to reassure them that everything would be okay, but I wish I had someone to reassure me, too. I was scared of my wits and practically shaking in my boots.
The man who was in our room was searching the room, and through everything. If he found something valuable enough, he grabbed it, and jammed it in his pockets. He went through the closet, and the chest at the end of the bed. He also tipped over baskets, and other things. I could see his feet pause for a moment, and turn around in the direction of the bed. He started to slowly walk to the end of the bed, but I could hear another man's foot steps fall in the room

" Have you found her?" the other man said. The first man must have shook his head, because he didn't say anything, but the other man followed with, "well, come on droogy, let's get out of here. The wench must have slipped out through the back or something. Let's get outta here."
"What about lootin'? Can't we take something?" A man said from across the house.
"If you wanted something, you should have taken it already! I told you we had to come and leave soon, so take that. That cake ought to be good."
The man that was in our room was about to leave when Colby decided he didn't want them to take his precious cake that we had worked so hard on. He started to fuss but I put my hand over his mouth. I was too slow. The man whipped around, and I knew he had heard us. He went strait for under the bed.

I grabbed the kids, kicked out the board, and was going to run for it even though I probably wouldn't make it, when Rex threw himself at the man. That gave me enough time to break the window with my arm and toss the kids out. Once I was out, Rex followed me and we all started to run. We ran for town. I couldn't think of anywhere else.

Shortly after we started running, I could hear the man that Rex bit yelling to his companions to get us. It was only a matter of moments before I heard hove beats behind us, but I kept running. I thought I could see someone up ahead. Then, right up from behind me, there were two men who grabbed the children and me. One took Christine from my grasp and the other took Colby and me. I fought and kicked and screamed. I was able to wiggle myself out of the man's grasp, but before I could grab Colby, I fell and was covered by dust kicked up by the horses.

I got up and was met by a running Rex. He ran past me and I ran after the children. I could see who the people were up ahead. It was everybody. George, Anastasia, Leo, Elenni and Laura and her husband. George and Leo were on horses and I screamed at them as I ran. "The children! They have the children! Get them!" I was pointing at the ascending horse riders that had passed them only moments before.

They finally understood what I was saying and George and Leo took off on their horses. Everyone else ran to me. (Rex kept running after the men.) I just collapsed on the ground before anyone could really reach me.

"What happened?" Everyone was asking but everything started to blur together. The colors of the sunset sky blurred to mix the pinks, oranges and blues, and their words got more distant and undecipherable. Then blackness slowly filled my eyes. It was only at the corners at first. Then, slowly, I slipped into a very unpleasant unconciousness.

Although I can't remember any physical forms in my dream I kept hearing voices. It sounded like I was at a council meeting or something. Everyone was debating about something, something specific, but I couldn't figure out what it was about. Then, out of absolutely nowhere, a voice plain and clear was heard and every other voice silenced. I knew the voices were still there, but I didn't care anymore. The voice was that of my mothers. She was saying she loved me. She said she wanted me back. I tried to tell her that I was here and I wanted to come home, but she never heard me. She just kept talking. Then the voices rose again, louder then before and I could no longer here her.

Through it all, though, I faintly heard another voice. I couldn't place it. The voice was something like, "Hey Gwen. So, today at school Daniel passed his record. You remember Myra. Yes, he totally jumped over her and she was standing up. Remember before when he cleared you standing up. Well, he beat the record. I wish you could have seen it. He fell though. He sprained his ankle." I knew who it was by then and tears would have been rolling down my face were I concious. It was Dana. I didn't even try to say anything though. I just grabbed my legs and pulled them into a fetal position and started crying.

I awoke to a night sky full of stars. The first thing I did was rub my arm and find a bandage. I heard sobbing in the distance and Elenni came to me. "You lost a lot of blood. Don't stand up for a few moments now." She helped me to sit up. "What happened?" She asked.

I was a little confused. Then I remembered everything. "Where are Christine and Colby? Where are the children?" I looked around trying to find answers. The only thing I found, though, was that I was now near Laura's house and I could see her and a man sitting. It was hard to see what they were doing. They were some ways away. I also saw George sitting alone on a log looking thoughtful (and not in a good way) and Leo on the other side of me with Zenith. He looked at me and gave me a faint smile.

"Tell me what happened first." She asked. I told her. She got up and went to George who was sitting alone. He looked shaken still. When she told him, (I'm assuming that's what she did) he came to me.

"So, how are you doing?" I just glared at him. Not a glare of hate, just one saying, 'What do you think?.' "Yea, I'm not doing to well either." He answered to my look.

"What are you talking about?" He was too shaken up to have only chased after a few people. There was something I didn't know. "George, what don't I know?" I looked deep into his eyes.

He sighed. "You might as well see for yourself." He helped me up. When I got up, and was balanced, we walked to the house in utter silence. I saw Laura crying and her husband (I figured) holding her.

Then my worst fears came to me. I refused to think of them; I mean, the children...hurt. I turned to George, "George, their okay, I know they are, right? They have to be. There okay, arn't they? They are, I know it!" My eyes started to sting from tears welling up. I was trying so hard for it to come true. I wanted them to be all right, but in my heart, I knew they weren't. I pleaded for George to tell me they were okay, but he just looked at a blanket on the ground.

"Leo and I found them on the road... Christine, "He hesitantly spoke. "She was gone when we found her. Colby, however, was alive when we found him. He was severely stabbed, though, and I couldn't get him quick enough." The tears streamed at the reality of what had happened. I started to reach for the blanker, but I just couldn't bring myself to look under the blanket.

I looked over to Laura who met my eyes. There was so much misery in her eyes, and why shouldn't there be. Her only two children died, and it was because of me. If I were never here, they would still be alive. When she looked away, I fell to my knees and wept over the blanket that had their bodies wrapped in them.

I wept until I couldn't find anymore tear; until my head hurt. Then I wept again, with the tears in my heart. I had so much fun with those children, and, with the short time we had together, I learned to loved them like they were my own siblings. I would never see them again… ever.

Finally Rex came to me and laid next to me. I laid my head next to him and slept. When I woke, I found myself in the bed I am in now. My own bed at home. At Elenni's house. And I am writing these things to you now so, you too, will feel my pain, my imaginary friend whom I will most likely never met. I will sleep now and hope that everything was only a horrible, horrible dream. That's what I'll do. Lie here and--

Nevermind.

In the next chapter you'll understand the ending to this chapter.

I know your probably thinking, " Wow, what a cold hearted biotch." But bear with me. I'm the author and I have a plan for everything...mostly...remember this whole story was a dream at first and I can't really remember a dream very well but I think the story is better then a dream and I just totally forgot why I was telling you this was originally a dream...well pre-dream... nevermind. just trust the author...trust...trust...in...out...in...out...sorry I went to a Lamaze ( how ever you spell that) with my mom when I was ten and it never really left my head.