Jack

Mud

A string of memories floods my vision.

"Emma! Wait!" A tiny 7 year old me yelled after my best friend. Her brown hair disspearing over the hill. I look over my shoulder and see everyone busy with working in the fields. Suddenly I hear a girl scream. "Emma?" I shout. Only sniffles answer. I run over to where I last saw her. I'm not the only one who heard the cry though. Her brother, Jack, is there in his mud-splattered pnats, and Oskar is there behind him, holding a rake. Jack is helping Emma up, her hair now covered in mud. Jack kneels in front of her murmering softly as he brushes the dirt off her dress. My feet are off the ground and I see my brother holding me. "Hello, there T," Then he smiles, "Why aren't you all muddy?" I poke my tongue at him. "Because I didn't fall!" I stick out my chest as much as I could. Then he drops me, right into a big muddy puddle. "OSKAR!" I scream. He smiles and starts running, but I wasn't hurt and I get up and run after him. I jump on him and he almost topples. Emma is standing up and Jack picks her up, like she's a sack of grain, and pushes her over his shoulder. We all start running and eventually the boys run out of energy and the eleven year olds tickle me and Emma and soon we're all rolling around and then we're breathless.

Then the scene changes.

It's a dark room, I'm sitting on my bed, four years older, and my feet are dangling over the side of the bed and I'm staring at my hands. I glance at my bedside table and see his smiling face. I can't bring myself to flip the picture down, but I can bring myself to cry. I cry and cry. Why? He was barely a man. He was my everything. I hear footsteps and I sit up and see Emma and Jackson come through the door. Emma sits next to me and wraps me in  a hug. Tears streaking down both our cheeks. Jack sits next to us and puts his warm arms around us. We stay like that for a few minutes and then he leans in close. I smell dirt and leather, it's a comforting smell. It smells familiar. He leans in close to my ear nd whispers in a voice so smooth my tears stop falling. "I'm not going to let anyone hurt you. I'll always stand by you. Emma too." Emma smiles at me and I smile back. I stare up at Jack with big adoring eyes. He smiles back and smoths my hair. My breath evens out, and the tears dry up.

Instantly another scene shows.

They have my arms in a lock, with me on my knees. They start pulling me away.

"No! Please! I'm not a witch! Please, let me go." I scream, my face covered in dirt streaks. They take no notice and pull me away, my mother is sobbing on the ground and it pulls at my heartstrings. The whole town in staring, mothers hold there children close. I glance around, begging for anyone to stand up for me, to save me. I see a cart waiting, with a cage in the back. I see two figures running towards the circle of people, I see Emma run towards me, "Talaha!" She screams. "Emma!" I yell back. She runs closer to me, almost close enough to touch. Then Jack jumps behind her, "We can't get involved." He says furiously. Emma has tears running down her face. "I'm so sorry." She whispers. I shake my head. "No! No! Please! LET ME GO!" I yell and squirm. They shove my skinny 11 year old body into the cart. Before they shut the door, I see Emma wth tears running silently down her cheeks, and Jack avoiding my eyes with no emotion.

"JACK!" I yell.

Then colour returns to the world.