Crying: A Dystopian Novel

Standing: Chapter 7

++++ ANNA ++++

"Michael? What's wrong?" I just woke up to the pain in my arm, and he's pacing.

"Lae's missing." He frowns. Those two words echo in my head forever before I respond.

"Then why are you here?" I ask.

"Someone had to stay."

"Eleise could have. They need you out there."

"Eleise didn't want to. She said that your arm sort of... freaks her out." I could totally understand that; it freaks me out. It is now wrapped in a makeshift cast that feels like it's about five pounds. "How is it?"

"It hurts," I manage a weak smile, "but it's okay. Let's go find Laelynn."

"You sure?"

"Yeah." I stand up and head for the door. He follows me as I speed toward the door. "Where're we going?" I ask him as I step out of the house.

"Gotta drive. Ten mile radius search." He says. The searches never start that big; I've been out of it for a while. We walk to the truck and get in.

"How long has she..." I let my voice trail off.

"Two days." He starts the engine. "I- it's my fault, really. Do you remember the ride home?"

"No." I reply.

"Oh. Well, she still didn't feel good when we got in the car and she passed out on the way home. She was out for most of the trip, and I sort of freaked out. I insisted on helping her inside, but she pushed me away ran off; no one's seen her since." He sighs.

"This isn't your fault. You probably just reminded her of Drew or Dad. She probably just wanted to be alone for a while." I try to console him.

We drive in silence until I can see Eleise and John among the trees. Michael parks and we jump out. We join the search silently and continue like this for several hours.

Eleise sighs after about 6 hours.

"You okay?" I ask.

"What if they got her? What if she's gone for good? We just got you back and now she's missing." What if Eleise is right? What if she's gone? I don't know if any of us can handle it. If she dies, my spirit dies.

"Don't fret. She's okay, for now." I hear the man cackle.

"You! Where is she?!" Michael's shouting at him, who is sitting on a branch just above me.

"HELP!" I run through the woods, not caring where I am going. I am not going to lose Laelynn, and they have her. Her cry resonates over and over, and I'm frantically running through what seems like an endless and huge forest. Every tree looks the same. My mind is racing and I'm so afraid that they will end her life, that my innocent sister's life will be taken from her at the young age of eighteen, just like Drew; and that there will be nothing I can do to stop it.

"Dad, please. Oh, please! If there was ever a time we needed you to watch over us, it's now!" I wail as fear multiplies inside me with every step.

"HELP!" This time it's from nearby. I turn toward the sound and see a large, blazing fire. She's ten feet up in a tree, it's base just inches from the spreading flame on each side; they've made the fire encircle the tree. I force myself to run through the fire and try not to scream. Reaching the shrinking middle, I pick up a flaming branch that's long enough to reach the ropes. They burn through and she screams as she falls into my awkward catch with my good arm. I put her down as the flame draws even closer. She follows me the painful way I came in and we both lie down on the ground about fifty feet from the fire.

++++MICHAEL++++

"ANNA!!! LAELYNN!!!" I scream their names over and over.

"MICHAEL! OVER HERE!" Eleise shouts to me. I run toward her and see our two sisters lying on the ground as I approach. There's a roaring fire nearby, but I pay it no more attention than noticing it. John runs up and kneels with us by Anna and Laelynn. They are badly burned.

"Laelynn?" Tears stand ready to flow in Eleise's eyes as she holds Laelynn's hand. John's doing the same with Anna, and I realize that I am sitting in between them doing the same with both.

"Anna?" Her name falls out of my mouth in sorrow. We all begin to cry and I just lay down where I am, not caring about anything else. I listen to the sound of my breathing and hear myself cough, but then realize that it wasn't me. I shoot up to see Laelynn coughing and sputtering.

"Laelynn!" I lean over her.

"How's Anna?" She asks through her coughing fit. I try not to show any emotion.

"How are you?" I ask her.

"Fine, Michael. I'm absolutely fine," she laughs after she's finished coughing. "Seriously, how's Anna?" Her expression changes to a serious one again.

"She's right here." I say, not sure how else to put it. Laelynn's eyes get wide when she sees that Anna still hasn't woken up.

"Oh my gosh." She gasps. Eleise is trying to talk to her, but she just stares at Anna. She shakes Anna, but I think John and I have come to realize that she's probably gone.

"Um, Lae, I think we need to take you guys home and..." Eleise lets her voice trail off.

"Anna?" Laelynn whimpers.

"Lae, we should—"

I start to insist that we leave, but Anna gasps as I start to talk. Laelynn practically tackles her. Anna sits up and hugs her, coughing and sputtering just like Laelynn had.

"Laelynn." She smiles. "You okay?" Laelynn nods and squeezes her tight. Anna's eyes meet mine and my face must have a hundred different emotions on it because she gives another little smile and looks at me as if to say that I don't have to worry anymore.