Surviving Factionless

MOM: Chapter 5

I needed to talk to her.

No matter how much I didn't want to, no matter how much I hated her. I needed to talk to her. I needed to know everything.

She sat in her spot in front of the building where I found out that she wasn't my mother. She was wrapped up in an old ripped blanket. Alone. As usual.

I stomped up to her.

When she saw me she jumped up and gave me a hug. I didn't hug her back, but I didn't shrug her off either.

"Natalie, honey", she said pulling out of the hug, "I-"

"DON'T-" I stopped myself. I didn't come to yell at her, "don't call me honey!"

"Sorry", she said, looking way older than I've ever saw her, "And I'm really sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I just- I didn't think you were ready to handle it."

"What? I'm 16! You didn't think I was ready to handle knowing that you weren't my mother? When did you decide I was ready?! When I found out a secret that you've been keeping from me? You decided that once I knew 1 secret you might as well tell me all of them!?"

"No, it's not anything like that"

"Then, what is it like? 'Cause I'd like to know!" I almost screamed in her face.

"Listen h-" she stopped herself from saying honey, "Natalie, just let me explain."

I settled down.

"Ok", I sat down and she sat down in front of me.

She sighed.

"When you were about 1 month old, a young girl, a little older than you, found me. She pleaded for me to take you and take care of you. In return she would give me food enough for both of us and clothes for you until you were 6. She said that she could only do it until then because you might see her and ask questions. I agreed, because I had always wanted a child but I never got the chance. She promised that she would come back for you when she was ready.

It went well for a while, until one day she came and told me that she couldn't come anymore because she had become a faction leader. People were getting suspicious of her coming to the factionless part of the city. You were about 3 or 4. She explained that she was terribly sorry that it had to happen, and that whenever it was possible she would send someone over with food. She also gave me a picture of herself to give to you when you were ready to find out." She rustled in her clothes.

"This picture", she handed me the picture of my mother. A young woman about 20, with long red hair. She was smiling.

"What's her name?" I asked.

"I don't know. She never told me. I asked her many times but all she said was 'She doesn't need to know my name. To her, I'm mommy.'"

I didn't know what to say.

"What happened next?" I asked.

"Well, I was struggling to feed you after that. No one came with food like she said. But one day when you were about 10, she came back. She had brought food with her, but this wasn't a normal visit. She explained that the rules had changed, and that now factionless- born can choose a faction when they are 16. She told me that you could not choose a faction, because you might find her. I asked her why she wouldn't want you to find her, that wasn't that her plan all along? To take you back? She said she couldn't do that anymore, not now. With that she ran back through the buildings and out of sight. That was the last time I saw her."

I was stunned. I couldn't move.

"Look on the back. She wrote something and told me never to read it. Only you could."

I immediately flipped it over.

I neat swirly handwriting it said,

DEAR MY BELOVED DAUGHTER,

I LOVE YOU SO MUCH. I WISH I COULD SEE YOU RIGHT NOW. I WISH YOU COULD SEE ME. BUT THAT JUST WOULD NOT WORK. I'M SO SORRY. I HOPE YOU WILL BE COMFORTED BY THIS PICTURE OF ME. REMEMBER THAT I AM ALWAYS WITH YOU. I HOPE WE CAN MEET SOMEDAY. I LOVE YOU WITH ALL MY HEART.

LOVE, MOM

I knew one thing after I read that.

I had to find her.