Forsaken Flowers

1

It is 4:00am on the first Wednesday of the month, like every first Wednesday of the month, everyone under the age of 21 is tested for the Zizanian disease. It's rare for anyone to have the disease, but not impossible, only 3 or 4 people per year, are tested positive.

I get up, out of my bed, it dawns on me that today is testing day, and I only have 8 hours to enjoy myself until then. I look around my room, it's small, and plan, the walls are a grayish, blueish, color, there is only one window in my room, it's only view is of the large fence behind my family's house, I have a small old bed, that makes loud, unpleasant, noises, when you sit down or role over, on it. I have a small dresser on one wall, with one framed photo of myself, and one framed photo of my family, and with the only two books I own, on the dresser.

The only two books I own are, the Holy Bible, and a nature book. My mother says that I must keep the two books hidden, because, any book besides school books, or work books are not allowed in community. My mother says, she salvaged the books from a fire, when she was a young child, she also says that these are one of the last none community books out there, every other book was burned to ashes in small fires, because none community books where considered false information, and childish fantasy.

She told me everything in though's books she saved where true information. She would often tell stories, from the Bible, to my siblings and I. How many stories within the Bible told of people who had no power and were less likely to succeed in life, who had (what is considered in the community to be childish) faith, hope, love, and God. She told me I could do anything with these 4 things.

My family, consist of my father, mother, three little sisters, Missy, Lilly, and Addy, one older sister, Ally, one little brother, Micky, and myself, Lizzie Clarke, that makes six Clarke children in all. We live in the smallest of houses, and one of the farthest houses from town. My three sisters share a room, and my little brother still sleeps with my parents. My sister, Ally, or Allisa, is now married to her husband, Marvin, they now are expecting their first child.

My mother, Eliza, was not originally, from my community called Southward, she was born and raised in a community known as, Dillard. Dillard is a small, unpleasant, community, full of sadness and dirty people.
My mother was raised there by her father, a merchant who traveled to different communities to sell jewelry. No one is allowed to leave the community where they were born unless their work or their parents work required it. My mother's, mother, was a Zizanian, she was sent to There when my mother, Eliza, was only four years old. My mother has not seen her since.

Everyone learns in school that 113 years ago North America suffered a terrible storm, there was so much rain that the ocean swallowed up several states. Now, 113 years later there is only 5 states left, who are now called communities, and have different names. Such as the remaining states became, South Dakota became Javen, Nebraska became Leon, Kansas became Dillard, Colorado became Northward, and New Mexico became Southward. They are known as the Community of Brothers. No one knows if any other countries have been effected by the terrible storm or if any still exist. Many believe that the Storm is the cause of Zizanians.

My father, David Clarke, was born and raised in the Southward Community. He was raised by his mother and father in the same house of where he is raising his own children. He was the oldest of ten children, his youngest sister, Mariam, was born a Zizanian, she tested positive for the disease on her first time when she was 8 weeks old, she was taken to There and remains there 20 years later, my father was grown, married and expecting my sister Ally, when Mariam was born. Mariam is not spoken of in the Clarke family, they hope she can be cured and be brought home but until then she is to stay There and not be spoken of.
Just like any other community families, we have our secrets we do not want exposed.

I walk out of my room into the living room it's completely empty everyone is asleep, I go outside to my mother's garden. It's full of fruits and vegetables, some we eat and some we sell at the community market. The sun has barely risen, I grab three apples and a bucket of water, and I walk to the shed, in the shed is Declan, an outlaw and a Zizanian, if he were to be found by the community guards, he is to be shot on sight. He's been hiding from the communities for 6 months and has been hiding in the Clarke family shed for 6 weeks.
Declan Grassenhall is a humorous, 16 year old boy, from Javen, who very much so, likes trouble.

"Good morn'in Lizziebeth, what'ch ya got for me this morn'in?" Asks Declan.
"I got you, one apple for breakfast, one apple for lunch, and one apple for me." Says I.

We sit down in the shed and eat while we chat, like we always do.

"You don't disappoint, when it comes ta breakfast." Says Declan, jokingly.
"Ya scared of that test today?" He asks.
"No I'm always cleared, today won't be any different." Says I.
"That's what I done thought too, but I'm now liv'n on the run." Says Declan, seriously.
"So where are you off to today?" I ask.
"Don't know, I think I want to head home." Says Declan.
"But you know the community guards will come for you." I say, with concern.
"Yeah well than I'll just run off again and come back to this nice old shed." Says Declan, with a small giggle.

Later, around 7:00am, Declan binds his farewells to My family and to me, I'll never forget Declan Grassenhall, my only none serious friend.