Outside and Inside

Part 1.

Dearest Joel,

This is day one of our separation and already I am missing you so much.

What happened? I just don't understand! One minute we were sitting there hand in hand, the next I was dragged away from you. Who are these people who have taken over our town, who have turned it in to an armed fortress? What right had they to decide who could stay? What right do they have to say that we cannot be together.

I don't understand any of it. I never did anything wrong. We have both always been good citizens of Mortown. We never did anything wrong so why pick on us! Why did they have to tear us apart?

Nothing makes sense. I had my usual notebook in my pocket together with my ever-present pen and pencil. If I hadn't of done I would not be able to write this now. This is my only way of talking to you and I would be lost without it.

There is nothing out here. Nothing! We have been pushed out of our homes into a wild land of nothingness. We have no shelter, no food apart from any supplies we thought to take with us. We have been tossed from the town like garbage!

Why am I writing this? I don't know but it is the only thing that gives me hope. Somehow I will find a way to get this to you. Someday........

I hope they are not being so cruel to you. I would hate to think that you are suffering in there.

I love you, Joel. They will not be able to keep us apart for long.

Waiting for the day when I can see you again,

Amber.

***

Dearest Joel,

It is now day five. I know because I have found a piece of wood that I carve a notch into each sunrise. If not for that I believe I would have already lost track of time.

There is nothing here, just land and trees. No lights, no shelter, and we are almost out of food. Some people have created shelters from branches and material and we make fires which we gather around. I don't know exactly how many of us were removed from the town but there are at least a hundred of us here, probably more.

Do you remember how we thought that there would be nothing more romantic than to sleep out with just the stars shining above us? There is nothing pleasant about sleeping outside. It is cold. It is uncomfortable. The insects seem to like nothing more than to feed on us in the darkness.

I am glad that you cannot see me so covered in bites and blotches. Not to mention the lack of washing. I must look absolutely filthy by now. I know that my clothes do. Perhaps I could will you to throw me some clean clothes from my wardrobe.......Perhaps you could wake me up and I would find that this whole situation is nothing more than a bad dream. Wake me up, Joel. Please!

Tonight I am going to wrap my arms around myself and pretend that they are yours. Maybe then I'll be able to sleep for more than just a few minutes at a time.

There is so much weeping here at night. They tore us apart but they have done the same to others. There are husbands without their wives; wives without their husbands. There are parents without their children and I know of two children, just about four or five years old who have been cast out without their parents. I am trying to take care of one of these, a little girl called Kate. She wants to know where her Mummy and Daddy are and I don't know what to say.

I wish you could tell me that you are all right. I worry so much that they may have harmed you.

I wish that you could tell me what is going on. That it is all a mistake and that we will soon be back together.

Try to stay strong and I will try too. Our love for each other is surely so great that we will beat whatever this madness is and manage to find each other again.

Your ever loving Amber.