Life After Disney

Part 11: Emilia

A knock at the door pulled me from the ever so comfortable floor. I could hear sobbing from my spot and for a shimmering moment, I had hope Riley was here. Reality hit me like a sack of potatoes. Riley simply couldn't be here. Reluctantly, I opened the door only to have a weeping girl with blue hair latch herself onto me. I could still hear the screams from earlier.

"Paxton,t-they're killing p-people..." She sobbed into my neck "innocent people..." I pulled away, my hands on her shoulders. Once I got a good look at her, I recognized her as the girl who had warned me that first night.

"I know." That's not how you comfort someone."I wish I didn't, but I do. Come sit." She ran toward the bed and promptly fell. "You know I'm Paxton, but what's your name?"

"Emilia." She wiped her eyes. "Paxton, come here." I could barely hear her whisper over the violent conflict outside. I cautiously made my towards the strange girl, I mean Emilia. I sat down beside her, feeling awkward. What am I supposed to do? Emilia nestled her head in the crook of my neck. When Riley was sad, she used to do the same thing. Focus! I could feel her heaves as they racked her whole body. I awkwardly put my arm around Emilia, afraid I would scare her.

"Thank you. It's hard hiding from them 24/7. I really need a shoulder to cry on" She buried her head into my chest like a child would cuddle their teddy bear. Thank you Emilia. I'm afraid I'm changing and I need this.

"Who are they?"

"The same people who killed everyone else here." Disney. "The Rebels."

"What?"

"I watched them storm into the center of the Magic Kingdom. Some of the rebels were princesses. They started shouting about how terrible Disney was. All of a sudden they started shooting into the crowds. The surrounded the perimeter and locked the gates; no one could escape. People were dying and the only thing to do was hide. I was only 8. I've been running and hiding for 9 years."

"I'm so sorry Emilia. That sounds like an awful way to grow up."

"Paxton, can we just lay here?" She nestled into my chest and closed her eyes. I laid down and got comfortable but I just couldn't sleep. I'm cuddling with a girl I've known for 10 minutes in an abandoned amusement park full of corpses, life goals. I hunkered down next to her and drifted off to sleep.
..................................................

I woke up to the blazing sun poking from in between the blinds. I sat up groggily and looked over to Emilia or rather, where she was last night. A hastily written note had taken her place. Paxton,
I had to leave before the guards arrived to escort you to another park. I'm so sorry. I hope I can see you again.
Emilia
I got up and slipped on a pair of jeans and my bunnyhug as I got ready to head to another Disney park. I put on my converseand quickly shoved her note into my pocket. I ran outside and saw absolutely nothing. The whole green was clear of bodies from last night's combat. I raced down the stairs expecting to see the corpses stacked against the fence. I hurried to the dining hall to once again find no one. All the old bodies were still there but no living being was there. I slammed open the door to kitchen and there sat the girl and Xander but no one was anywhere. Afraid, I raced through the kitchen, running over chairs and into tables. I went outside and searched. The guards were gone. There was one question racing through my mind. Why?