Chapter 2
"What were you thinking?!" I shrug and look at Mrs. Parker. Then at Ace. He stares at his feet. What were we exactly thinking? What was I thinking? Bringing Ace into this. I try to explain myself. "We were just…" Mrs. Parker interrupts me. "No Rain, not again. I'm not going to accept your foolishness this time." I sigh and don't talk anymore. "This is the third time this week Rain. You can't expect us to keep you here if you're going to keep acting like this." I look up, shocked. Are they going to send me away? "I'll do anything, I live up to all of your expectations. But please, don't sent me away." Ace seems shocked too. "No, don't. I'll look after her more careful." I want to tell Ace he doesn't have to but spare my voice. Mrs. Parker sighs and walks to the door to close it. "I won't sent you away, I promise." We both sigh in relieve. "But there is something else." I am confused, what would she mean. Ace stands up. "We're ready for anything Mrs. Parker, as long as we can stay together." I nod in agreement. "Ace sit down. Let me explain." She sits down. "There is this project the leaders have been working on. They want to send the people back into the cities again." I widen my eyes, sent people back to the city? "Isn't that dangerous?" Mrs. Parker shrugs. I don't know much about it. They just asked me to pick ten children of this asylum, as I am your guardian now. "So… who are you going to pick?" "I have to pick people between five and fifteen years old. So, I thought, you two still fit in the category, because you're fifteen." I get up, mad. "You want to send a couple of children in a toxic city that will kill them!?" "Rain, you went into their yourself today and you know I don't have a choice." I try to get my heartbeat under control. She is right. If I am mad, I shouldn't be mad at her. After all this isn't her fault. I sit down again. "Send us." Ace looks at me and then back at Mrs. Parker. "Yes. That makes two innocent children less." Mrs. Parker nods. "Okay, I'll put you on the list."
While walking back to the dormitory, we are silent. I feel my fingers trembling. I am scared for going into the city, but I don't want to be. I must be strong for the others, for Ace. We split up at the end of the hallway. I walk towards the girls' side and he to the boys'. When I open the door, Sara sprints up to me. "Were where you?" I grin, looking at her cute little ten-year-old face. I found her, just after the planes had come. When the whole city was a mess. She was hidden away in a corner in a building where I had looked for shelter. We were the only ones there. She feels like a sister to me now. "I am so sorry Sara. I was supposed to be back an hour ago. But Mrs. Parker caught me." Sara doesn't look surprised. "Rain, you got to stop doing this. What if they're going to send you away?" My smile drops. Sara sees the sudden change in my look. "What's wrong? What happened?" "I… I'm so sorry Sara." Her fingers tremble, she sits down on the side of her bed. "No! No, I'm not going to let them take you." I sit down in front of her and take her hands in mine. "Sara, it's okay. I'm not going to go far. We will see each other again." She starts hyperventilating and tears roll out. "If you're going to leave, what will I do. I don't have anyone anymore." I take her in my arms and let her sob.
"Why did you do that!?" I stand in front of Sara her table. We're in the small school building of the asylum. I hold a paper, her registration paper, in my left hand. "You can't go to the city." Sara stands up, so she is now as high as my shoulders. "I talked to Mrs. Parker about this and she was okay with it." "Sara, it's dangerous out there." Sara smiles. "It doesn't matter Rain. Because I don't have anyone left here. You are the only one, and Ace of course." "I won't let you." "It's not really your decision Rain. It's mine." I sigh. I can't stop her, but what if something happens to her? "Are you sure you want to do this?" She nods. "Look Rain, I have thought this through, trust me. It's okay." I believe her. Sara is a very smart girl. She must know what she's doing. I sit down, looking at the plain wooden table. "Rain, we're sisters now. Sisters do everything together." I look her in the eyes and smile. 'Okay, we'll go. Together, as sisters."