Week 11 Journal

Visitation

*Adding on to my story for the Journey prompt.

Cornelia was getting ready to toss the rest of the baked food from earlier in the day outside, when she noticed Bella standing a few feet away from her.

They stood like that for a while, neither one saying anything. Cornelia didn’t understand, why could she not just leave and go wherever she needed to for the night? Then she understood: Bella was probably hungry. Had she been fed that day? Cornelia was not sure. Bella had not asked for any food.

“You want some?” Cornelia held the tray of different breads and cookies out to Bella.

She hesitated, but reached out to grab a small piece of bread. She took a small bite, then another, and then stuffed the entire thing in her mouth and grabbed another piece. Cornelia waited until Bella had finished off all the food on the tray, and then asked, “Want to come inside?”

Bella shook her head.

“No, please,” Cornelia insisted, “you’re welcome inside. Just don’t let my mother catch you.”

Cornelia stood up with the tray in her hand, and looked back to Bella, who was huddled under a shall. “Come on.”

Bella stood up slowly, and stayed far behind Cornelia, even as Cornelia held the door open for her.

Cornelia set the pan down on the counter. “That’s better,” she said. “Now-”

There was a knock at the front door. Cornelia’s mother came rushing down the staircase. So much for Bella not being seen by her.

“Who’s here?” Cornelia asked.

“Stay inside,” her mother warned her, and then paused. “Cornelia, what is she doing inside the house?”

“I had to let her in. You cannot just make her stay out by herself. She needs us.”

Another knock sounded on the door.

“We will talk about this later,” her mother said.

She opened the door, and Cornelia stood back, but there was no point. One old man and one younger one barged in, right passed Cornelia’s mother.

“And who might you be?” Her mother asked.

“We’re here for Cornelia,” the older man said.

“What? Why?” Cornelia asked.

“They’re coming,” the younger man said.

“Who’s coming?”

“The Empire. They’re almost here.”

“No,” the old man shook his head, looking out the front window, “they are already here.”

Cornelia looked to her mother, whose face had grown old and tired. She would not meet Cornelia’s eyes, though.

“Mother-”

“Go with them,” she turned away from Cornelia.

“Come with me.”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Just go.”

Cornelia looked around the room again. Was this the last time she’d ever see her house? Then she looked to the corner where Bella stood, also unwilling to meet her eyes. Bella was the only person she had left. “Come with me?” Cornelia mouthed to her.

“Cornelia,” the old man said, “we must go now.”

“Bella’s coming with us.”

The two men looked annoyed, but they allowed it anyway.

“Alright,” he said, “climb onto the horses.”

Explosion

Don’t look at me. Don’t look at me. Don’t look at me.

My eyes stayed glued to the floor, the repetitive mix of brown tiles with black flecks starting to mess with my vision, but I refused to look up.

Just pretend I’m not here.

I passed by dozens of blue lockers, but I didn’t look up at them. Instead, I watched the different pairs of shoes: Nikes, Converse, Vans. They got boring to look at after a while, though.

No one should see me. It’s not like they know who I am, anyway. I’m irrelevant. I’m no one.

I lifted my eyes from the floor, and focused them straight in front of me. The door. I just had to get to the door and I’d be out of here.

Just get me out of this place!

Lockers slammed all around me, nearly making me jump, but I stayed calm. I was almost at the door, only a few more steps-

“Hey!” Someone stood right in front of me, blocking my path to the door. I slowly lifted my eyes to meet theirs.

 

No.