sand castles | f. vacker

02 THE BIGGEST MISTAKE EVER MADE

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"IT IS WITH our deepest regrets that we inform you that Alden Vacker has . . . been lost to us all." Joelle's mother looked up from the scroll, sharing a glance with her husband, who motioned for her to continue reading. "A seed will be planted in the Wanderling Woods at midday for any who would like to pay their respects."

It was with no doubt that the Zimmerman family was going. Within minutes, everyone was drowning in green clothes. The Zimmermans and the Vackers had been very close families for thousands of centuries due to their high status in the nobility. Furthermore, they were genuinely good friends and still were to this day. Joelle's parents bore a few tears, but her baby brother, Elijah, was completely clueless. He was jumping around everywhere without a care in the world as to why his family was so gloomy.

"Come here, Elijah," Joelle said as she motioned for the 5-year-old boy to jump into her arms. "We're light leaping."

Elijah looked like he was going to cry. He hated light leaping. It was ticklish. Elijah hated being tickled. Elijah was, in the end, gathered under the Leapmaster with his parents and sister. He was, unfortunately, tickled during the leap.

All of the nobility and more started gathering around an empty plot of grass. It was as crowded as Sophie's and Dex's a few weeks ago, and possibly even more. Carefully, the Zimmermans pushed through the crowd of grieving elves, trying to find the Vackers. Unfortunately, there was an enormously long line already forming to pay their respects as the seed was finished planting. Orderly, the family got into the line and waited for their turn, which seemed to feel like forever, for they were almost at the end.

By the time the Zimmermans had reached the Wanderling, all of the Vackers looked dead, which was ironic, actually. Alvar's face was pale white, and Della and Biana's clothes dragged, weighing them down loosely. Fitz was as tired as ever, and maybe a hint of anger lay in his eyes, too.

"Oh, Della," Joelle's mum cried in a soft voice, rushing over to envelop the woman in a hug. Her husband followed and started a conversation of grievances and sorrows.

Joelle did the same to Fitz and Biana, doing her best to hug both siblings at the same time while Elijah was still in her arms. She didn't have to say anything to get her point across: if they needed anything, she would be there.

"I'm bored and I'm squished!" Elijah worded out, whining about the everlasting hugging situation.

Joelle sighed as the siblings all let go. "I'm sorry Elijah. How about we walk around the woods?"

Elijah stared at the Wanderlings and nodded in satisfaction. Joelle looked at Fitz and Biana, silently asking them to join her.

"I'll go too," Biana croaked, eyes widening at the fogginess of her own voice.

"Come on, gerbil," Joelle teased lightly, connecting their hands and glancing towards Fitz, who sighed and followed the girls into the woods, where the shade of the trees protected them from the hot sun. As Elijah fell asleep on her shoulders, Joelle took some time to appreciate the Wanderlings. Every single one was different — like snowflakes. Some had leaves and flowers galore, and some were just lonely branches. A few could blend in with a normal forest, but most were all their unique species — or person.

"I like this tree," Biana said, dragging the rest of the group over to a sturdy evergreen. It smelled like winter, and its trunk was wide enough for everyone to rest on, which is exactly what they did. Joelle found herself, still with Elijah in her arms, in between Biana and Fitz, the former of which was already falling asleep under the shade, her head resting on Joelle's shoulder. Fitz just stared straight ahead, his dead eyes boring holes into the small, blue tree in front of him.