Disappearing Ashes

 New Story! I really liked the idea, so I decided to start it. Don't worry though, I'm still writing Infinite Hallway. PLEASE PLEASE give me feedback. I want to know if I should keep writing it. Enjoy! 

Exactly 25 years ago, Dustwood, Fareland was the most popular place for tourists. We were known for our friendly atmosphere, delctable food, and enchanting weather. Vacations were nightmares. Everyone wanted to live there or that's what Mama said. Christmas was a true winter wonderland. Mama would spend hours outside making snowmen and angels, skating in perfect frozen ponds. They even had carriages and trains specifically for winter time indicating how important this cultual season was..

Everyone wanted to live in Fareland, for us being acknowledged as the country of dreams, or at least thats what we thought.

Until 2698

I was 11 years old.

That's when the war happened.

That's when we fled to nowhere.

.....................................................................

I thought what I saw was buildings ahead of us. I could see the tops of wooden roofs above the towering piles of rocks. Mama's words echoed in my head. Never lose hope Elle.

But what if we get there and all the hope in my head sank? My heart felt like an anchor holding onto the weight of all the hope I've had since we started traveling. Two months ago.

I sat behind the tree, studying the snow on the ground. It was rough and rocky. Nothing like the snow back home.

"Elle!" My mother's voice called behind me. It was full of anger and worry. But she wasn't mad. Her tone only appeared otherwise. Something was about to happen, something that would change everything.

"Yes, Mama?" I looked behind me. She was piling my belongings in a bag.

"We're leaving! Now get your stuff and start walking!

"But-"

"Not a word, just do as I say."

I looked around. Everyone was packing up their stuff. But where would we go? There was only one place I had in mind.

I couldn't tell what season it was exactly; For miles now, we have been walking through a forest only the ground was covered in ashes and trees were charred black with not a leaf in sight. Mama said she was told it was around 60 degrees so I suppose it could be fall, but I'm not completely sure. Looking at this made it hard to believe. before the war, I always loved the forest; it had a magical feeling to it; it felt like in every corner there would be a fairy. I had never stopped believing in them. I knew someday I would take a walk and see a little pixie right by a tree.  

I clutched my mother's hand and glimpsed at her face. It used to be young and without worries. Now her mouse brown hair was streaked with grey and her face was wrinkled. Her eyes used to be a crystal blue; whenever I looked at them I longed to play in the ocean. Now they resembled storm clouds, gray and full of stress that needed to be relieved. I could see that when she told me not to lose hope she was also telling herself.

Finally we arrived at a wall. It was a wall of rocks ceasing at two rivers both left and right. The rivers were definitely too dangerous too cross; most of us wouldn't make it with rocks and rapids as sharp as knife points.

"We need to climb," Michael Bronson said. Mike is 24 years and had just been about to graduate college until we were under attack. He was naturally blond haired but since showering became a challenge and not like it used to be, it had turned brown. He was a hard worker; he was always trying to help provide for everyone, catching fish and hunting deer and birds for us to eat. He traveled all over the forest to find food, coming back with splinters, scrapes and bruises. He was basically my brother and always wanted to know if I was ok.

Mike got ropes out of his bag that looked sturdy, but un-sturdy at the same time. I gulped and looked at the rock wall. It must be at least fifty feet high. "I'm going to need to cut a tree stump to tie the rope on too. Would someone hand me a knife?" His eyes traveled over our crowd and Mark Tackle handed Mike a hunting knife about ten inches long. "Hey Elle, do you want to help me find a tree stump good to hold a rope?" I nodded and followed Mike into the woods.

"Excited to get home?" Mike asked attempting to make conversation" I searched my mind knowing there were two answers to this question. No matter how destroyed Dustwood was, it will always be home.There were so many things I would miss. I would miss all of the delicate flowers that made Dustwood's beauty. I would miss all of the rainbows that came after rainfall. I would miss our little cottage surrounded by trees that the sun would peek through. I would miss collecting all of the beautiful stones that Beya and I would hunt for. I would miss Beya...

"Yes and no?" My mind sailed back to reality hearing Mike's voices and softly muttered, 'yeah'.

"Nothing will be the same without Raini and Beya." We both fell silent and searched for a tree stump. It took about fifteen minutes for him to cut it. That whole time, I sat on the ground and stared at the pendent of a gold bird hanging around my neck. We both walked back in silence.

Mike put the tree stump down by the wall and tied a long rope around it. He grabbed another rope, climbed the wall with ease and threw the other rope over while on the other side of the wall. "Okay, who's going first?"

James Stone had his hand raised, deciding to go first. I remember his whole family had been tortured to death, leaving only him and his three year old sister Ari. He made his way to the front but I couldn't help not to keep looking at everyone. Only thirty people, including me had made it through the battle. Our country consisted of a small 30,000 people, but still makes me wonder why. Why have I made it? Out of all the other 29,970 people, why did I make it? Why didn't they target me? Or at least how did I make it? That was my question...

James stood in front of the tree stump. "Okay James, here is what you  will do!" Mike exclaimed on the other side of the wall. "You see that rope tied to that stump? tie it around your waist As tight as you can." James followed Mike's instructions. "Now there's another rope I Now there's another rope I just threw over the wall. Do the same thing with that one." James did what Mike said and started climbing. He stopped once he got to the top and looked down, probably listening to Mike's instructions, and jumped.

A couple people went after that. "I'll go next." Stares. Everyone stared at me like I was crazy. How else will I get over, I wanted to yell. Instead I walked forward and tied the ropes around me leaving them tight enough for me to be safe, but loose enough for me to breath. I looked at the rope tied to the stump. It was extremely frayed, would it hold on? I decided not to say anything, and I climbed. After a few steps up the wall, I realized it wasn't so hard. My hand were bleeding from the sharpness of the rocks, but I decided to ignore it and keep climbing. Finally I reached the top, but I closed my eyes and turned myself around deciding to wait until I get down before I see the ruins of my home.

"Elle, next you are going to repel down. Now when you're ready, you're going to let go, and hop down to each of the rocks. I took a deep breath and let go.

That was when I heard a snap, and color flashed into darkness.