Despair: The HERCULEAN Challenge

Stage 4: The Stakes (Victory!)

Conversation:

"But Reema—"

"I said no!" I glared at my little sister, Rowena. "We are not going back for that damn dog."

Her bottom lip trembled and she didn't say another word. I blew out a frustrated breath. I didn't understand why Rowena wanted that small puppy with us. Where would we take it? What would we feed it when we couldn't even feed ourselves? 

I glowered as we trudged between the ruins. Massive erect buildings that used to touch the clouds were now no more than rubble that appeared like a hunched, old man who did not have the strength to carry the weight of the world on top of his shoulders. Rusted steel and jagged glass littered the sandy ground. Our feet were already calloused and bloody from our non-stop hike since dawn. The harsh, unforgiving midafternoon sun beat down on us, causing sweat to run in rivulets down our backs. 

I glanced at Rowena. Her once-white dress was now dry-blood red and sodden with sweat. She was breathing hard, her chest expanding and contracting quickly. Different cuts and bruises marred her sunkissed skin, her black hair limp and greasy. I had no doubt I looked just as bad. When you were running for your life, you had no time to stop and take a five-minute shower regardless of whether there was any water to be found or not.

"Mom would've let me take him," Rowena muttered, her eyebrows puckered into an angry line. 

I stopped. It took Rowena five steps for her to notice I wasn't walking next to her anymore. She looked back at me and bit her lip at whatever expression was visible on my face. 

"Mom? The same mom who used to beat your ass up for bringing in a stray cat inside the tattered tent we used to call our home? The same mom who had no qualms in raping you—her daughter—or allowing others to do the same?" I laughed harshly. "Yeah, I can totally imagine her allowing you to take that mutt." I shook my head and began walking again.

Two steps and Rowena was walking beside me again. "God, why do you have to be such a—such a—" she stopped and sighed. "I just wish we didn't need to run away," she said, her tone weary. 

I looked at her. "Did you want to stay so they could kill you as a sacrifice to some fictional goddess, then?" 

She made an exasperated noise deep in her throat. "No!" She hesitated. "Yes? I don't know, okay? Maybe if I stayed, you wouldn't be forced to run and take me with you. Or maybe you could've run without me to hinder you." She looked away. "I know how much of a dead weight I am to you."

I swore under my breath. I placed my hands on top of her bony shoulders and forced her to stop and meet my gaze. "Rowena," I said softly. "Don't ever think that. You are not a burden. If I had lost you to some imaginary goddess, I would've died. Do you understand? You're everything that is good with this wretched world and I'm not. Despite us being born abominations, you're my sister and you mean everything to me."

Her big, brown eyes lined with silver. "But you've risked everything," she whispered, her voice thick with suppressed emotion. "I'm not worth all that."

I shook my head. "I only risked what I had to. You and I, we're not at fault here. We were just unlucky enough to be born in this day and age and to despicable parents. At least I gained you." 

She finally smiled, and it felt like a cool winter breeze had kissed my heated flesh. She wrapped her arms around my waist and hugged me. "And I, you," she murmured against my heart. 

I swallowed heavily, my heart hammering against my ribcage. I would do whatever I had to in order to keep Rowena safe, even if the cost was my own life. I would risk it all just to see her smile so openly like she had moments ago. 

* * * * *

Word Count: 692

Outline:

I. Exposition:

a) The story takes place in a post-apocalyptic world.
b) Reema and Rowena are introduced.

II. Inciting Incident:

a) Reema overhears her parents' plans about sacrificing her younger sister that night.

III. Rising Action:

a)  Reema takes Rowena and together they escape their hellish community.
b) As they travel through the ruins of the world of before, they come across a group of people that claim to know how to return things back to normal.

IV. Climax:

a) The group of people kidnaps Rowena to make Reema obey their commands.
b) Reema realizes too late that those people were frauds.
c) Reema hunts them all down and kills them, even the one she had started to fall for.

V. Falling Action:

a) After saving Rowena, Reema is mortally wounded.
b) Rowena tries to save Reema as shooting stars fall in the night sky.

VI. Resolution:

a) Despite Rowena's best efforts, Reema dies under the falling stars with a relieved smile on her face.
b) Fast-forward fifty-five years into the future, and Rowena will be found telling the story of her brave, selfless older sister who died to save her to her grandchildren.

Word Count: 195