Children of the Eon

4

Sacrifice. An act of giving up something valued for the sake of something else regarded as more important or worthy. Sacrifice is something you do for the ones you love. You give up something because you rather see the other person live, succeed, heal rather than yourself. Light from the small rectangular window comes piercing through in the morning light, directly in range of my eyes. Fluttering my eyelids. The brightness overwhelming. Fully awakening, once hearing the door to the basement start to creak following with the patter of footsteps nearing. Using my hands to sit up and push myself back against the wall, leaving room for my father to take a seat. I look down so i can rearrange the blankets draping it over the cushion, when i notice the black ink still tagged on my skin. My eyes traveling back to my father heading towards me. I swiftly grab my sweatshirt, pulling it down over my head and putting my left then right arm through the sleeves and taking hold of the cloth at the bottom in my hands pulling the material down situating it on my body, moving my hands back up near my neck lifting the hair out of my sweat shirt and letting it fall freely around my shoulders and back. I feel the cushions sink under the pressure as my father takes a seat in the spot i left vacant. I take a quick glance down making sure the inks not showing once I'm reassured that the ink is fully covered by the over sized sweatshirt i direct my attention back to him. He gives me a good morning smile and further holds out a tray of food, i lift the tray of food out of my father's grasp, giving him a slight smile. Setting my tray of food to the side it comes to my attention there's a generous amount of food. "dad, this is ration is too big" i give him a concerned look. "you need it, we get less and less sent each month from the Leaders, and you're getting very thin sweetheart, you need it" he replies grabbing my hand and looking me in the eyes. "well you need it too, maybe even more dad you're getting older and this is my ration and at least half of yours, please take some i won't eat it all and risk your health." i say tearing up but he stands his ground always selfless when it comes to me I add in louder "your life dad your life what will i do you" he now is also starting to tear up "sweetheart, i will not risk your life for my own" he says using his thumb to rub circles on the back side of my hand "but it's not risking either of us if the rations are fair, and you need more anyways. dad i refuse to eat your ration" he lets out a sigh "sweetie, you will eat them they're yours now. You know i would do anything for you and I've had a long life, not only are you young but you're not even able to acutely live under the circumstances" i pull my hand from his grip and wrap my arms around his neck pulling him into a tight hug "today only today dad. I don't like this but i will do it to make you happy but you have to promise me that tomorrow we have are normal rations" i release from the hug looking him in the eyes, waiting for his promise "sweetie you need more" i shake my head "dad so do you, what about your fake tags that always helps us get more rations" he lets out another sigh "as the Eon's resources get scarce so are the rations that the members get making the subconsciouses not have enough to spare" i furrow my eyebrows at the news "but if the subconsciouses don't have a fake tag how do they go out into the eon?" "sweetie they can't anymore they hide well most of them" "won't that make the peacekeepers suspicious if people start disappearing" "it's a tough world i don't know what to tell you" "yeah" that's all i was able to muster up before he placed a kiss on my forehead and headed out for the day.