| Wattys 2022 Shortlist | CURRENTLY UNDER THE EDITING PROCESS
Bora, the last arctic breed, was born with an ominous curse. He must sacrifice himself to the deity for the sake of his kind, but when he meets Gemma, love makes him reevaluate his self-i...
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The thoughts that are running through my mind. I'm disobeying my parents. A runaway. Fear and uncertainty about the future and their reaction. With a home, I am secure. I know what my future will become, but with Bora, I don't know what lies ahead. He was on edge, but we shouldn't do this. However, when my friend needs me, I'm there to support and talk him out of it.
What could be wrong? Is there something I don't know? Something that I am missing? I have to ask him before I convince him to stay and tell him everything will be alright. The mellow, warm evening under the pale orange moon is calming. I arrived at the carnival through the gate's hole, and it was ill lit. The park is closed except for the railcar with a lantern. And the moon that glows from above.
A fresh bitten sandwich caught my eye as I walked to the train, but no one was there. Could he have gone to take a pee? So I sat in the train cart, opening one of the room temperature juice boxes left with the meal.
One hour has passed, and it's pitch black with only the antique lantern and me.
Two hours passed, and still no return.
Waiting is exhausting. I've been waiting so long that my body is tired from sitting on this hard wood, giving me butt leg cramps, as I stand to stretch it out. I lay on the wooden floor, staring at the stars. He will be here soon, I know it. He is reliable and always delivers on his promises.
If he convinces me to leave, I wonder what we will do. Where would we go? Poor Bora. He's never been this upset before, to the point of wanting to run away. I wonder why he is desperate to leave. I lay here dozing off, working to shake the sleepiness. Whatever is wrong with Bora, we'll figure it out. Something Quinn always told me, I'll figure it out. So we'll figure it out.
I just have to stay awake long enough until you return.
The morning sun shone on my face, waking me up from an unwanted deep sleep, hearing sirens in the distance. My blurred vision cleared as a hand gently touched my shoulder. A cop was standing over me. "Are you Gemma Woods, little girl?"
"I am." I wipe my eyes sitting up from resting on the hard freezing wood, confused.
He got on his walkie-talkie to press a button. Beep, it sounded. "We found her." He let out. "Come, I'll take you home."
He included a gentle smile, holding his hand out to me, and I hesitated to grab it. I rode in the back of a cop car, getting near home as I watched the trees pass. We made it as I stepped out of the car onto the pavement. My parents ran out the front door as I approached them with their very noticeable bloodshot red eyes and rosy cheeks. They hug me tight. I didn't mean to scare them.
"We thought we lost you forever." My mom hugged me tighter, feeling my dad place his hand on my head.
"Way to go, little miss; the world revolves around me. You scared our parents half to death, and it's for the stupid, weird kid next door." Qu spoke out, catching my attention with his frustrated words.
