Hollefine: Something I did for english class--maybe I'll make it longer some day...
WISH
Keira drew her legs up and wrapped her arms around them; shivering. Even though the sun was high in the sky, the water of the small river near the orphanage was frigid around her. Keira didn't really know why she was here. She had just wanted to get rid of the ache in her whole body and the tiredness that had built up in the last couple of days. Last night she hadn't slept a wink, and earlier today, she had been officially pronounced a nun for the orphanage. The previous day, she had just been another orphan, scrawny, pale, and hungry. Another desperate child looking for someone to be loved by.
She was still very scrawny, pale, and hungry, of course, but she was a nun. She loved helping the little children, and now she could help other people too. Her heart swelled with pride. 'Mother and Father would be so happy for me.' She thought. 'But, I suppose...they can't really be happy, or anything, anymore.'
Tears formed in Keira's eyes. Before her parents had died of disease, they had encouraged her to do anything she wanted, and helped her make the right choices. Even though they were very poor, they saved up for Keira to go to school.
Keira gazed, not really seeing, into the glimmering water. Daydreaming, she was broken from her stupor by a flash of light coming from the water. She carefully dipped her hand into the water and grasped the object. She pulled her hand out of the cool liquid and realized that it was a ring, polished from the current of the river. She slipped the said ring on comfortably onto her right index finger. It fit perfectly. Keira unexpectedly felt compelled to wish for something. Closing her eyes, she thought, 'I wish I could see my parents again." She snapped her eyes back open, as the river's current suddenly seemed much stronger than before. She gasped, getting pulled in. In a split second, she was totally submerged, moving down the river with extreme speed.
Keira hadn't even had time to take a breath, and she was running out of oxygen as fast as she was traveling downstream. She realized that she was going to die, but she fought anyway. Soon, though, she didn't have any strength left in her. Just as she let out her last breath, giving in to whatever mercy the river had, Keira barely registered that the ring had slipped off of her finger and out of her fuzzy view.
When Keira woke up next, she knew she was dead, or just dreaming. She was in a void of darkness, and she quickly became very frightened. She couldn't remember what had happened. Then it clicked. The once peaceful river had pulled her in. She had probably drowned. She went back to reality and started groping around in the dark. She stumbled and fell as her foot went below the floor level and onto another flat surface. A step. That was a start. She continued to trip and fall down the stairs and finally managed to make it to what seemed to be the bottom.
Keira saw a faint glow in the distance and moved towards it. As she got closer, her eyes widened in surprise. It was her parents! Their eerie, incandescent glow got stronger as they came closer.
"Mom...Dad" Keira whimpered, and then flung herself towards them.
Her mother's face looked tired, worn. So did her father's, yet they both seemed genuinely happy to see her. A sad smile formed on her mother's face. She was crying.
"Mom, what's the matter? I'm here now." Keira said, hugging her mother tenderly.
"That's just it. You're not supposed to be here." Her father explained. His eyes showed what his voice didn't; pain and grief.
"You should have been more careful." Her mother sobbed against her chest.
Keira didn't get it. Why were they so sad? It wasn't like she was dead. She gave her father a confused look.
"Look at yourself." Her father responded, still sad looking.
She looked down and was astonished. She was glowing too. Just like her parents. That would mean...Keira figured it out in her head. She was dead after all. It wasn't a dream. It was so real.
"I...I just wanted to...see you again." Keira stuttered, still shocked.
"Should've...been more...careful." Sobs wracked her mother's body.
How could she have been more careful?
"The ring." Her father said, as though reading her thoughts.
That made sense. Didn't she wish...? Yes, she did. She hugged her mom tightly as a single thought ran through her head, over and over again.
Be careful what you wish for...