I weave my way through all the tents along the dusty road. the tents are all different sizes and shapes. Some make me laugh the way they are held up, like the one in between an outhouse and a tree. Who would live next to an outhouse? As I approach our tent, I hear something strange. Someone is crying. I run up and push open the tent flap we call a door.
Mommy is kneeling on the ground, hunched over something. I walk up to her and see why she is crying. My sissy is lying on the ground,spread out and very still. I tap her with my toe, and she doesn't wake up. I look up at Mommy, and she shakes her head back and forth. I give her a big hug, and start to cry. "Why did sissy have to die?" I whisper at Mommy, but she doesn't say anything, but starts to cry even harder, and gives me a much bigger hug. We both sit there for a long time. Eventually, Mommy cries herself to sleep. I dry my eyes with a tattered sleeve, and get three blankets. I cover Mommy, then place one over sissy, even though she doesn't need it any more. I curl up next to Mommy and try to fall asleep too.
Slowly, I open my eyes. I hear footsteps running towards our tent. I sit up as Daddy runs into our tent, happiness covers his face, something I haven't seen in a long time, and I smile a little. He comes over to us and gently shakes Mommy awake, not yet knowing what happened. when Mommy lifts her head just a little bit, Daddy yells, "I got a job! A really good one! We could get the medicine..." He trails off seeing the look on her face. Daddy turns and see the blanket I placed over sissy and his face falls. he becomes really sad, and even angry. daddy turns away, and kicks one of the wood frames holding up a tent. Dust rains down on us as he crumples to the ground in defeat.
A Six Months Later
A small wooden coffin is laid into the earth. Sissy died on the same day Daddy got a new job. It took him a long time to save up enough to but a good coffin for her. I got a new pair of shoes, and gave the old ones to Pat. She was so happy, she gave me a kiss! We now have jelly and peanut butter too. Life is easier and better now, but home feels empty. It always feels like something is missing, no matter what we do. We have to move on, and be happy for the time that Sissy was with us.
This story is dedicated to MarianMurdoch17 for all her encouragement for this story.
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