June's Little Light

Day's Fall

Day

Eden and I were playing one of the new sports we'd been introduced to in Antarctica. I was glad for the open space and lack of poverty here, but it was so foreign to me. Eden adjusted better than me. It was more insulting than anything. I already left my memories back in the Republic, but I never agreed on leaving reality behind with them. That was how it was here. Antarctica painted a pretty picture for me, but I didn't lose all my memories. I knew most of the people of the Republic had a bigger worry than if they would lose a point when they stayed up late at night.

I didn't say a word. Eden was having the time of his life in his engineering class. I knew he had a good day when he visited with three or four of his friends speaking practically a new language. His friends liked coming to our house most due to the fact that I was so young.

Eden was doing so well here they offered to let him into an elite boarding school that was normally meant only for kids with so points, but they made an exception with him. He didn't want to go at first, but when the offer came a second time, I didn't let him refuse it. The school was close enough he could visit on the weekends if he had free time. I could tell this place made him more or less happy. I was content.

Mom would have been blown out of her mind at how this happened. I still was. Hearing was different from remembering. I was some war hero? No way. I was not a hero. I helped the poor from time to time, but I didn't do anything grand. I didn't have the resources or the plan. All I could do was set places and things on fire. It left a gap. I knew Eden either left something out or didn't know it. What pushed me to revolt so loudly and bravely?

I shook my head. It probably had something to the deaths of my family. John would have been throwing his hands behind his head and kicking his feet back in our luxurious apartment. I hated it. It was so cold and elegant. It was nothing like home. I felt like I was staying long term in a hotel. My bedroom was more than half the size of our old house. It was too much.

"Daniel! That's the second time you hit it into the trees. It's your turn to get it," Eden snorted. He was laughing as he spoke. I made a face and jogged to he nearby tree. In a park, trees were apparently common here. I had never seen a park. It was natural and green. It was overwhelming, but there was also so much going on. There were trees with budding flowers and different free fruit, healthy dirt surrounded shrubs and short grass, bright blue water with small fish swimming all around. Eden and I were tossing a baseball. Dad told me about it a long time ago. It was never recorded in the Republic's Internet because it originated in the United States of America.

I was fascinated with my homeland's former country. Antarctica offered uncensored Internet. I spent the first year here reading all about it. Eden and I enjoyed reveling in how correct Dad was. We also enjoyed laughing at the things he was very odd on despite how rare it was.

"I would have got both of them, but somebody wanted to use his new set of eyes," I jabbed at his side as I ran past and swiftly climbed the tree. Despite my love for both, I was quite bad at the new things in my life. I was bad at climbing trees (they hurt my hands and offered seemingly good footholds that broke after a few seconds). I was bad at throwing a baseball (I didn't have the 'flick of the wrist' or whatever Eden called it). So the ball was high in the tree. I still managed to get to the top. It was about three stories high, which was small compared to most of the buildings I climbed back home. I threw the ball to the ground.

I was just headed down when Eden called, "They're working great. We have to make a trip to the Republic soon so I can actually see the so called beautiful June," he called up subconsciously as he studied the dirt on the ball with his eyes. The moment the words slipped out of his mouth, he gasped.

But the damage was done. That name. I remembered that name. A roaring memory flew past my eyes, if only for a second, but the second was enough. She was looking into my eyes with such assurance that all the fear drained away. Then, I kissed her like my life depended on it. My hands fell slack and my feet slipped.