The Struggle

Chapter 3

The bright rats of sunshine shone through the curtains much too soon. I leap out of bed and race out my little bedroom and into Mackenzie's little one. I shake the little lump that is hidden away beneath the sheets awake. My sister bats get eyes open quickly and smiles at me. "Time to go to school, Kenzie!" The two of us slip into our worn uniforms and use the bathroom before skipping down the stairs. "Madison, where is mom?" "I don't know, she might just have overslept." "Let's go upstairs to wake her up," Mackenzie suggests. I nod in agreement and march up the stairs and burst into our mothers room. I knew I shouldn't have gone to sleep last night. I could sense that something wasn't right. Our mother was sleeping on the floor with the bed sheets curled around her loosely. Even though her chest was not visible, I could tell she was not breathing. Our mother was most likely not alive. "Madison, why is mom-" I cut Mackenzie off by rushing her out of the room. I knew the famine was bad, but nobody from our area had passed because of it. I assume that's why she was gone.
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Narrator:
The only thing that the girls didn't know was that Melissa had a fiancé. They also didn't know that she was expecting a baby. With the famine going on, Melissa only had enough food for her two girls and was forced to stay hungry.
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"Mackenzie, hold my hand," I inhale. I was having a panic attack! Our mother is dead and I am left to keep Mackenzie! "Calm down, Madison. Take a deep breath. I'll get you some water." Mackenzie releases my right grip and sprints to our little kitchen, retreating with a cold glass of clear water. I chuck it down gratefully, taking little gasps and breaths in between each sip. After what feels like ten minutes, I have calmed down. "I love you so much, Kenzie, got it?" "Got it." "Now, there's a couple of things we have to discuss." Mackenzie sighs and plops down onto a wooden chair in the kitchen, right beside me. "Mom won't be around us for a little while. She's, uh, not feeling too well." "Ok, who will take care of us then?" I take a deep breath and announce, "I will. Let's go over to Mrs. O'Neill next door and tell her that mom die-um, isn't well." I grab my sisters little hand and lead her outside. My next door neighbour gives me very sympathetic looks. She could see that I was about to burst into tears. Poor little Mackenzie didn't and wouldn't understand. Mrs. O'Neill tells us that we can stay with her while mother is 'sick' as she has no children of her own at home. They have all grown up and left. "Thank you so so much, Mrs, O'Neill. My sister and I are so grateful." "You're most welcome, Madison, and you can call me Kelly," she grins. I smile too. "Maybe you two shouldn't go to school for today. You've been experiencing big changes this morning." "Kenzie, would you like to take a day off from school today?" I question. "Yes, Madison. I'm too worried about mom to learn anything." "Then it is settled. You two will stay here for the time being and not attend school today. Come on upstairs and I'll show you to some beds and pyjamas. You two need some more sleep," Kelly instructs. We follow her up the stairs and before we know it, we are snuggled up together in a double bed wearing fleece pyjamas. "Madison?" "Yes, Mackenzie?" "Will Mom be ok?" "I don't know, Mackenzie. I don't know."