"She's just a child, Michael! We can't keep putting this on her, it's just too much!" urged Aunt Lycia. Uncle Michael looked up from his newspaper and laid down his coffee mug on the glass table with a heavy sigh.
"Well Lycia, she's been handling it for 3 months, I think she can do one more. And Rosabel is not a child. She's seventeen. Certainly old enough to handle this apartment and her 12 year old sister. These girls are strong. They will be fine," argued Uncle Michael.
He and Aunt Lycia had come over for dinner and when they told Anna and I to go to bed while they had their evening discussions, we did as we usually do: Anna goes to bed, and I eavesdrop. It's a great system.
Every Tuesday night, Aunt Lycia and Uncle Michael came over for dinner because they were worried about how we were doing. Ever since my parents disappeared 6 years ago, I have lived with Aunt Lycia and Uncle Michael. Then, when I turned 17, they dumped me off at an apartment with Anna saying they would send me money. If they thought this situation was worrisome, they were right. It's not that I didn't love the feeling of independence and being with Anna, it was just that I was worried about her. Anna needed a mom, and frankly, so did I.
"I honestly think that maybe we shouldn't have done this in the first place, Michael. They are both so young. When I was 12 I lived with my parents and when I was 17 I still lived with my parents. They need to live with a family, with us. This must be incredibly difficult for Rose and Anna-" Uncle Michael cut her off.
"Their given names are Rosabel and Annabel. Their parents named them that," he poined out. My cheeks flamed. I hated it when he called me Rosabel. Or when anyone did. I didn't like the name and Rose suited me way better. As for my sister, Aunt Lycia and I were the only ones who called her Anna. To the rest of the world she was Annabel Lees. "Anyway, they are fine here. It's only one last month until Rosabel goes to college and Annabel comes to live with us again. They are fine, Lycia. End of discussion," Uncle Michael concluded as he went back to his newspaper and resumed drinking his coffee. Just down the hall from me was Anna, soundlessly asleep in her cute little room. I stood up silently from around the corner of the living room where they were talking and crept back to my room, making sure Aunt Lycia and Uncle Michael didn't catch me. They seemed like they were done talking for the night and besides, I was too tired to listen any longer.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
It was the last day of school. Ever. I was happy but frightened by my future as well. I was in last period, History, doing some good old year-end research when I came across a report. Reaching Safety, read the title. I shut my computer lid and began to read.
There was a time, years ago, when everything was wrong. There was war in this now peaceful land. Why, you ask? Because of the disappearances. Our city was a chaotic wreck; brother against brother, friend against friend, and ally against ally. Blaming each other for the loss of their wives and children. People were being reported missing at such a rate it was daunting. No one could comprehend the origins of these horrible occurrences. But the government came to our rescues. They saved us all from terrible fates. That was when the wall was built. This is the wall that surrounds our beautiful city of Eraya. It saves us from more disappearances and fearful endings. We are forever grateful to our government for guiding us to reach safety, serenity and peace in Eraya.
I crinkled my nose in horror. Reaching Safety? This was the most dramatic and horribly written article I had ever read. Yes, the story was true but it was old. A few years after the wall was put up, the disappearances started again. Not as bad but still unnatural enough to raise suspicion. I looked away from the article, tucking it under my textbooks. I hated the disappearances, because they were what shattered my family and my life.
The bell rang, making me jump in surprise. Papers were thrown up in the air, and graduating students screamed excitedly. I sighed and packed up my things. College was definitely something to look forward to but what I really needed to do then go home and rest. I rose from my desk and walked towards the classroom door. When I reached the hallway, my eyes widened. Students were pushing and shouting as they tried to reach the exit of the school. All around me, yearbooks were being signed, girls with tear-streaked faces were hugging each other tightly as if they were hanging on to the lifeboat in Titanic, and cries of "Summer" were screamed as they pushed past their peers. I sucked in a sharp breath and began to weave my way through the overwhelming crowd. A few girls said hey to me and some even offered to sign my yearbook, but all I wanted was to get home and sleep. When I finally reached the door, I ran down the steps and contemplated running home before deciding I didn't have the energy to do it.
As I started to walk home, my phone rang. Expecting Aunt Lycia, I answered it.
"Hello?" I said.
"Hi. I'm Darren from the GBS," spoke a familiar voice from the other end. The smile on my face washed away along with the color in my face. I knew that name. I knew that voice. "I am instructed to tell you that your sister, Annabel Lees has disappeared."
