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No Name (if you have any suggestion let me know)
{This is a very important story to me and I'd love to make it a book someday. I'm posting this here because I want to know if people will enjoy it before I go to far with it. Comment any suggestion/Name suggestion you have}
My eyes flicker open, and all I want to do is return to my dreams. My lovely, lovely dreams. Where I'm out in the meadow as a young girl, my mother French braiding my hair. Her belly was big enough you know it was a baby, my new little sister. I was about ten and I was always the ”youngest” until her. I was finally double digits but my older brother still treated me like a baby. I get it now though, being older, still thinking your younger sibling is the baby you have to help protect. Especially with the way our world works now, back then, six years ago these crazy rules wouldn't as inforced. I miss those days. I hate the way our world works now, I hate that my moms gone, I hate that my brother’s gone, I hate the fact that my dad has to work three jobs, especially with his bad leg. And I especially hate today.
I'm still laying in bed, just staring at the ceiling. Today's the day I leave my family. But not by choice, even though the wealthy’s make it a celebration. To congratulate us for turning 16 and becoming part of society. Every 16 year old has to pick a region to call their new home, but here's the catch you can't pick the region you're already in. It’s called the ”of age ceremony”, but we just call it shipping day. Because we get shipped off to the region of our choosing. The whole thing is really unfair. I mean no one really knows what the other regions are like. so letting us choose isn't them being nice, honestly, it's them being crueler than ever. Because now we're the ones choosing to leave, choosing what the rest of our lives are going to be like without knowing what's waiting for us on the other side. It is honestly one of the cruelest things they've done to us.
I just lay there, I don’t want to move but I hear the loud creaking from out my door. which means that someone’s awake. We could only afford an older house even though my dad works all day and a bit into the night. so hearing creaks and cracks are normal but after a while you start to tell the difference between the wind and a person’s foot. I stay still though, knowing I should get up and get ready but I really don’t want to move. I just want to lay here and forget about shipping day, forget all my troubles, just to lie here, and drift off to sleep and live within my dreams. I think that maybe everyone will forget about me if I don’t go, but then I remember a boy a few years ago tried to hide. it was the same year as my brother’s shipping day. we were all standing in the square when they poled the boy on to the stage and whipped him three times. Faun, my little sister was hiding her head against my shoulder. so I know that wasn’t going to work
“ I’ve been laying here for too long” is what I thought right before my door opened. I thought I was going to be my dad telling me to come downstairs for breakfast - seeing everyone’s off work on shipping day so the parents can say their last goodbyes after their 16-year-old has chosen - but it wasn’t. he’s small, a lot smaller than the other boys his age, but he’s also a lot smarter. the scrounge little boy with dark brown short hair and his dark brown eyes, it surprises everyone when we tell them he’s not actually related to us. though me and my sister both have blond hair - hers much lighter than mine- my dad has dark brown hair and very dark brown eyes, they’re almost black. My sister and I both get our hair from my mom, she had the most beautiful blond hair just like my sister does. my though has streaks of brown, but I did get one thing from my mom. her eyes, they were a perfect ocean blue and I still remember how they sparkle in the sunlight.
The little boy rounded my bed and hoped up to my right. he laid down on his side facing me without saying a word. just then I realized just how early it was. it was still a bit dark outside.
“good morning Leo,” I said as I rolled over on my side to face him. he moved closer, close enough to wrap his arms around me. he squeezed me as hard as he could and I held him tightly
“There's nothing good about this morning,” he says pressing his head to my chest. I feel like I'm going to cry.
Leo isn’t my real brother but he might as well be. It was 3 years ago, when Faun was only 3 years old, I still had school to go to back then so I couldn’t take care of her and my dad had to work so he would pay a friend of his and moms to watch her until I got home. Her name was Miss Pots. She was a very friendly old woman and she just absolutely adored Faun and I. she had three boys - they're all adults, they were all adults even before I was born so I never actually met them but miss, pots never stopped talking about them - but deep down miss, pots regrets not having a girl before she got too old to have one.
One day I got off school early and ran straight home. I’d finally get to go back to the meadow only my mother knows how to get to. but every time I’ve tried the way she showed me, the fence is always on by then. but it won’t be now, we don’t have electricity yet. When I got home my sister’s asleep in her crib that sits in the living room and Miss. Potts was passed out on one of our armchairs with her knitting needles still in her hands. I carefully tiptoed up the stairs and put my books on my bed then ran out the door.
I just stand there staring at the fence. It's the first time after my mother’s death that ill is in the meadow, the first time the fence has been off when I’m here, the first time going in alone. The meadow was my mom's place and it's when I feel connected to her. I throw a stick and the fence just to make sure it was off - the way my mom showed me - then went in. it felt strange being here without her but it also felt like home. I walked around for what felt like hours, picking flowers and making crowns out of them, one for me, my little sister, dad, and Miss. Potts. the meadow connected to a forest. my mom always warned me about the forest, said to never go in too deep. but looking at it, it feels like something is pulling me in and I have to go.
I’m already a few feet in before I realize what I’m doing. I should stop, go back, give my little sister and Miss. Potts their flower crowns and starts making dinner but I can’t stop myself anymore. left foot, right foot, left foot, right foot, left foot, right foot deeper and deeper into the woods. the smells, the sounds, the feel of the trees, it’s amazing. It had to be an hour at least before I heard it, the cry for a baby. I rushed over to find a little baby boy in a small basket crying as loud as he could. He was in a small stream but a few low branches had stopped him from drifting off. I picked up the basket and set it on land then I picked him up and cradled him in my arms the way my parents showed me when Faun was born. I rocked him back and forth until he stopped crying then led him back in the basket and brought him home.
My dad froze when he saw the baby boy in faun’s old bassinet. Of course he scolded me about taking someone’s baby and bringing home another mouth to feed. I understood why he was so mad, it was hard enough feeding the three of us and now I just brought home a fourth. after he was done explaining why I can’t just take baby’s and his mother is off somewhere having a panic attack trying to find him, I explained how and where I found him and gave him the note I found in the bottom for the basket when I go home.
it read:
dear anyone that finds my boy,
I’m sorry to place this burden on you but there is no way for me to properly take care of my son. If you can’t take care of him yourself all I ask of you is to find him a loving home with accepting parents and maybe a few siblings. Again I apologize for the inconvenience but I just want my son to have the best life he could possibly have. If you do decide to take him in there are some things you have to know. 1, his name is Leo and I ask if you keep the name I have given him. 2, he was born august 18th 3042. and 3, he’s almost completely deaf in his right ear. I can’t thank you enough if you desired to take him in.
Sincerely,
Amelia
I begged my father to keep him, I couldn't trust even Miss. Potts with the little boy. It had to be me to take care of him. My dad told me to take this seriously, that this wasn't like adopting a dog, that it was a real baby and they're a lot of work. I just can't shake the feeling that we had to keep him, so I started to cry begging even harder until my dad snapped at me. He said that on his next day off he’d bring Leo to the orphanage and 3 years later I'm still waiting for him to do so. It didn't take long for my dad to love Leo the way I did.
I must have fallen asleep because it's much lighter out. I'm still holding Leo as I watch two birds from out the window. I laid there for a few minutes before I realized that faun had crawled in my bed when I was asleep and fell asleep behind me. I round over slowly not to wake them up. I wrap my arms around both of them pulling them both in even closer. Now I'm looking at the ceiling again, this is the last time I get to spend with these two. I now wish we had done this more often. That I hugged them more, told them I love them more. Leo is now almost 4 years old and faun is 6 but as they sleep right next to me they look so much younger, they look like babies again even. I've always been the overprotective big sister to Faun, but Leo, he's more of a son to me then a little brother. It pains me to leave them but I know I have to. And now laying in my bed with my little sister and practically my son I started to cry.
Nothing feels real. I’m sitting at the island in our tiny crappy kitchen only built for one person. My dad is cooking breakfast. He's usually alrighty at work right now but because it's shipping day, he gets time off. it's been a long time since I’ve seen him in the kitchen. mom and he loved cooking together and after she died he stopped, except on our shipping days. Now that dad has three jobs he doesn’t really have time to cook but before he was so busy and mom was still here he was the best cook. Leo and faun sit by the fire right behind me. Faun is trying to cheer Leo up by playing dolls with him but it doesn’t look like it's working.
Nobody’s said a word all morning. we all know what’s about to happen, I’m going to leave. I won’t be here for dinner tonight, I won’t be here to put Leo and Faun to bed tonight, I won’t be here for Leo’s 4th birthday, for anything anymore. I feel like I'm going to cry again. Leo and Faun mean so much to me, and dad, how is he going to take care of the two of them without me? Faun has school now and dad works all day so Leo will be alone almost all day. Leo’s a smart boy though, he knows how to take care of himself for a little while. and I’ve taught Faun some recipes and she’ll have my cookbook. Faun will make her and Leo breakfast and she’ll make him lunch for when she’s gone. they’ll be okay, but will I be okay without them.
“cricket, are you alright?” asked dad as he grabbed my hand.
“of course she’s not alright!” yelled Leo. I stare at Leo, then stand up and walk over to him. I wrap my arms around his small body and I squeezed him as hard as I can without hurting him. He starts to cry on my shoulder and I try not to cry myself. I can’t cry, not in front of Leo, I need to be strong, for him.
I guess I do have it a bit better than most, I’ve known what region I’m going to for years. were not allowed to know what the other regions are like, but when mom and I were in the meadow she told me about her old region. region 5, Ryepri. they’re iron miners there, but she always said that it was much more than just iron mining. I loved it when mom talked about her old region, she was always so happy when she talked about it. After faun was born she told me that when it was my shipping day to pick Ryepri, I promised her I would and that’s exactly what I’m going to do.
7:48 everyone’s already in the square, the “ceremony” does start until 10:00 AM but sense the whipping 4 years ago, nobody wants to be late. When we arrive at the square the 16 years olds have to be registered and put in a line alphabetic by the last name, I’m okay with that, that's the same way they did it at school, and it's how I meet my friends. Dragon Xeter, Star Zaland, and Cricket Zearis. I’m always last, but today I don’t mind it.
When I was younger my mom told me not to tell anyone that she had told me about her old region, but I was a kid and couldn't help but tell my friends. years age when my mom told me to pick Ryepri I told Dragon and Star and we all agreed we’d pick Ryepri together, but that was years ago so who knows if they're really going to go through with it. I would ask them, they are just right in front of me but were not allowed to talk. for the exact reason why I want to talk to them, but we’re not allowed to talk about our choice. I just want to know if my friends are coming with me or not. but I can’t say anything so I just stand there and wait.
thanks for reading hope you enjoyed 💞
#lovestory #travel #book #long #lgbtq #motherlove #9 #5
© Sierra G Lovett
My eyes flicker open, and all I want to do is return to my dreams. My lovely, lovely dreams. Where I'm out in the meadow as a young girl, my mother French braiding my hair. Her belly was big enough you know it was a baby, my new little sister. I was about ten and I was always the ”youngest” until her. I was finally double digits but my older brother still treated me like a baby. I get it now though, being older, still thinking your younger sibling is the baby you have to help protect. Especially with the way our world works now, back then, six years ago these crazy rules wouldn't as inforced. I miss those days. I hate the way our world works now, I hate that my moms gone, I hate that my brother’s gone, I hate the fact that my dad has to work three jobs, especially with his bad leg. And I especially hate today.
I'm still laying in bed, just staring at the ceiling. Today's the day I leave my family. But not by choice, even though the wealthy’s make it a celebration. To congratulate us for turning 16 and becoming part of society. Every 16 year old has to pick a region to call their new home, but here's the catch you can't pick the region you're already in. It’s called the ”of age ceremony”, but we just call it shipping day. Because we get shipped off to the region of our choosing. The whole thing is really unfair. I mean no one really knows what the other regions are like. so letting us choose isn't them being nice, honestly, it's them being crueler than ever. Because now we're the ones choosing to leave, choosing what the rest of our lives are going to be like without knowing what's waiting for us on the other side. It is honestly one of the cruelest things they've done to us.
I just lay there, I don’t want to move but I hear the loud creaking from out my door. which means that someone’s awake. We could only afford an older house even though my dad works all day and a bit into the night. so hearing creaks and cracks are normal but after a while you start to tell the difference between the wind and a person’s foot. I stay still though, knowing I should get up and get ready but I really don’t want to move. I just want to lay here and forget about shipping day, forget all my troubles, just to lie here, and drift off to sleep and live within my dreams. I think that maybe everyone will forget about me if I don’t go, but then I remember a boy a few years ago tried to hide. it was the same year as my brother’s shipping day. we were all standing in the square when they poled the boy on to the stage and whipped him three times. Faun, my little sister was hiding her head against my shoulder. so I know that wasn’t going to work
“ I’ve been laying here for too long” is what I thought right before my door opened. I thought I was going to be my dad telling me to come downstairs for breakfast - seeing everyone’s off work on shipping day so the parents can say their last goodbyes after their 16-year-old has chosen - but it wasn’t. he’s small, a lot smaller than the other boys his age, but he’s also a lot smarter. the scrounge little boy with dark brown short hair and his dark brown eyes, it surprises everyone when we tell them he’s not actually related to us. though me and my sister both have blond hair - hers much lighter than mine- my dad has dark brown hair and very dark brown eyes, they’re almost black. My sister and I both get our hair from my mom, she had the most beautiful blond hair just like my sister does. my though has streaks of brown, but I did get one thing from my mom. her eyes, they were a perfect ocean blue and I still remember how they sparkle in the sunlight.
The little boy rounded my bed and hoped up to my right. he laid down on his side facing me without saying a word. just then I realized just how early it was. it was still a bit dark outside.
“good morning Leo,” I said as I rolled over on my side to face him. he moved closer, close enough to wrap his arms around me. he squeezed me as hard as he could and I held him tightly
“There's nothing good about this morning,” he says pressing his head to my chest. I feel like I'm going to cry.
Leo isn’t my real brother but he might as well be. It was 3 years ago, when Faun was only 3 years old, I still had school to go to back then so I couldn’t take care of her and my dad had to work so he would pay a friend of his and moms to watch her until I got home. Her name was Miss Pots. She was a very friendly old woman and she just absolutely adored Faun and I. she had three boys - they're all adults, they were all adults even before I was born so I never actually met them but miss, pots never stopped talking about them - but deep down miss, pots regrets not having a girl before she got too old to have one.
One day I got off school early and ran straight home. I’d finally get to go back to the meadow only my mother knows how to get to. but every time I’ve tried the way she showed me, the fence is always on by then. but it won’t be now, we don’t have electricity yet. When I got home my sister’s asleep in her crib that sits in the living room and Miss. Potts was passed out on one of our armchairs with her knitting needles still in her hands. I carefully tiptoed up the stairs and put my books on my bed then ran out the door.
I just stand there staring at the fence. It's the first time after my mother’s death that ill is in the meadow, the first time the fence has been off when I’m here, the first time going in alone. The meadow was my mom's place and it's when I feel connected to her. I throw a stick and the fence just to make sure it was off - the way my mom showed me - then went in. it felt strange being here without her but it also felt like home. I walked around for what felt like hours, picking flowers and making crowns out of them, one for me, my little sister, dad, and Miss. Potts. the meadow connected to a forest. my mom always warned me about the forest, said to never go in too deep. but looking at it, it feels like something is pulling me in and I have to go.
I’m already a few feet in before I realize what I’m doing. I should stop, go back, give my little sister and Miss. Potts their flower crowns and starts making dinner but I can’t stop myself anymore. left foot, right foot, left foot, right foot, left foot, right foot deeper and deeper into the woods. the smells, the sounds, the feel of the trees, it’s amazing. It had to be an hour at least before I heard it, the cry for a baby. I rushed over to find a little baby boy in a small basket crying as loud as he could. He was in a small stream but a few low branches had stopped him from drifting off. I picked up the basket and set it on land then I picked him up and cradled him in my arms the way my parents showed me when Faun was born. I rocked him back and forth until he stopped crying then led him back in the basket and brought him home.
My dad froze when he saw the baby boy in faun’s old bassinet. Of course he scolded me about taking someone’s baby and bringing home another mouth to feed. I understood why he was so mad, it was hard enough feeding the three of us and now I just brought home a fourth. after he was done explaining why I can’t just take baby’s and his mother is off somewhere having a panic attack trying to find him, I explained how and where I found him and gave him the note I found in the bottom for the basket when I go home.
it read:
dear anyone that finds my boy,
I’m sorry to place this burden on you but there is no way for me to properly take care of my son. If you can’t take care of him yourself all I ask of you is to find him a loving home with accepting parents and maybe a few siblings. Again I apologize for the inconvenience but I just want my son to have the best life he could possibly have. If you do decide to take him in there are some things you have to know. 1, his name is Leo and I ask if you keep the name I have given him. 2, he was born august 18th 3042. and 3, he’s almost completely deaf in his right ear. I can’t thank you enough if you desired to take him in.
Sincerely,
Amelia
I begged my father to keep him, I couldn't trust even Miss. Potts with the little boy. It had to be me to take care of him. My dad told me to take this seriously, that this wasn't like adopting a dog, that it was a real baby and they're a lot of work. I just can't shake the feeling that we had to keep him, so I started to cry begging even harder until my dad snapped at me. He said that on his next day off he’d bring Leo to the orphanage and 3 years later I'm still waiting for him to do so. It didn't take long for my dad to love Leo the way I did.
I must have fallen asleep because it's much lighter out. I'm still holding Leo as I watch two birds from out the window. I laid there for a few minutes before I realized that faun had crawled in my bed when I was asleep and fell asleep behind me. I round over slowly not to wake them up. I wrap my arms around both of them pulling them both in even closer. Now I'm looking at the ceiling again, this is the last time I get to spend with these two. I now wish we had done this more often. That I hugged them more, told them I love them more. Leo is now almost 4 years old and faun is 6 but as they sleep right next to me they look so much younger, they look like babies again even. I've always been the overprotective big sister to Faun, but Leo, he's more of a son to me then a little brother. It pains me to leave them but I know I have to. And now laying in my bed with my little sister and practically my son I started to cry.
Nothing feels real. I’m sitting at the island in our tiny crappy kitchen only built for one person. My dad is cooking breakfast. He's usually alrighty at work right now but because it's shipping day, he gets time off. it's been a long time since I’ve seen him in the kitchen. mom and he loved cooking together and after she died he stopped, except on our shipping days. Now that dad has three jobs he doesn’t really have time to cook but before he was so busy and mom was still here he was the best cook. Leo and faun sit by the fire right behind me. Faun is trying to cheer Leo up by playing dolls with him but it doesn’t look like it's working.
Nobody’s said a word all morning. we all know what’s about to happen, I’m going to leave. I won’t be here for dinner tonight, I won’t be here to put Leo and Faun to bed tonight, I won’t be here for Leo’s 4th birthday, for anything anymore. I feel like I'm going to cry again. Leo and Faun mean so much to me, and dad, how is he going to take care of the two of them without me? Faun has school now and dad works all day so Leo will be alone almost all day. Leo’s a smart boy though, he knows how to take care of himself for a little while. and I’ve taught Faun some recipes and she’ll have my cookbook. Faun will make her and Leo breakfast and she’ll make him lunch for when she’s gone. they’ll be okay, but will I be okay without them.
“cricket, are you alright?” asked dad as he grabbed my hand.
“of course she’s not alright!” yelled Leo. I stare at Leo, then stand up and walk over to him. I wrap my arms around his small body and I squeezed him as hard as I can without hurting him. He starts to cry on my shoulder and I try not to cry myself. I can’t cry, not in front of Leo, I need to be strong, for him.
I guess I do have it a bit better than most, I’ve known what region I’m going to for years. were not allowed to know what the other regions are like, but when mom and I were in the meadow she told me about her old region. region 5, Ryepri. they’re iron miners there, but she always said that it was much more than just iron mining. I loved it when mom talked about her old region, she was always so happy when she talked about it. After faun was born she told me that when it was my shipping day to pick Ryepri, I promised her I would and that’s exactly what I’m going to do.
7:48 everyone’s already in the square, the “ceremony” does start until 10:00 AM but sense the whipping 4 years ago, nobody wants to be late. When we arrive at the square the 16 years olds have to be registered and put in a line alphabetic by the last name, I’m okay with that, that's the same way they did it at school, and it's how I meet my friends. Dragon Xeter, Star Zaland, and Cricket Zearis. I’m always last, but today I don’t mind it.
When I was younger my mom told me not to tell anyone that she had told me about her old region, but I was a kid and couldn't help but tell my friends. years age when my mom told me to pick Ryepri I told Dragon and Star and we all agreed we’d pick Ryepri together, but that was years ago so who knows if they're really going to go through with it. I would ask them, they are just right in front of me but were not allowed to talk. for the exact reason why I want to talk to them, but we’re not allowed to talk about our choice. I just want to know if my friends are coming with me or not. but I can’t say anything so I just stand there and wait.
thanks for reading hope you enjoyed 💞
#lovestory #travel #book #long #lgbtq #motherlove #9 #5
© Sierra G Lovett
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