Butterflies

Recordatus

"Mortem?"

He just shakes his head and walks determinedly on. I don't understand how he's so upset; we just talked to the special men! My Mummy and Daddy would be... No, my mummy and daddy would be so proud of me if they knew how brave I was, and how I got the special men to be with us. Well, they would be... If they were the mummy and daddy they were supposed to be. I wish they had tried harder to be good people; I really miss them. I know I shouldn't; she was evil, and really mean, but I miss them. They were never mean to me; they always hugged me, and scared away the monsters. But it turns out they were the monsters. They were the evil filth who were destroying our Nation. That's why I want to help our Nation become strong, to undo the wrong that mummy and daddy caused. Maybe then people would stop mocking me in the streets, and the other children -who don't come to my school - the pure ones, would stop throwing stones and shouting nasty names. Maybe then we could all be friends and play together.

I shut my eyes in concentration. I try to remember what my Mummy said to me last; I know it was very important. But I can't remember. Not one little thing. All I can think of is how my Mummy held my hand tightly, she cried and cried, refusing to let the special men take her. I cried with her; I didn't understand that she deserved to go. She just looked into my eyes and tried to stroke my hair. Eventually the men's strength overpowered her, and she had to let go. But she shouted something at me. Something really, really important. That was when the men spat on her. I had given up by then I just sat rocking in the corner, praying to God, or anybody, that my Mummy didn't deserve this and that they'd let her come back to me when they realise the awful mistake they made. They brought my Daddy out next, he lay still in their arms, like a fish left too long on the land. The men carried him, swinging him into the walls, laughing evilly at the bruises that formed. They chucked him out of the door, spitting as he went. I had no voice to protest. Nothing to say what wrong they were doing. Then they carried my Mummy out the door, blood dripping from below her waist, and down her legs. She was screaming desperately. Screaming for me to save her. But I couldn't talk. The men left, leaving me waiting in the dark.

"No." Only then could I whisper. "No."

I lay on the floor crying for what seemed like years, until finally the men came to me and explained everything. Then it made sense; my mummy and daddy were bad people, very bad people.

I could have saved them. No it was too late, I try to persuade myself; they were doomed for it because of the way they ruined our Nation.

I should have stopped them before they became evil.

I didn't know though.

It doesn't matter. Because of it you are working so hard to make the Nation great.

Forget about your parents Papillio; you can make our Nation Strong again.

I force myself to push the memories away; forget the past, I tell myself, save the future.