Off to the Races

2

"Just beacuse someone looks happy doesn't always mean they are. Even a white rose has a black shadow."

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"So what happens after you die?" Anna questions. Her hand placed in mine as we walk back from the funeral site. I couldnt take her in. I lied and told her that the funeral wasnt Jenns but an old Lady's.

"I dont know Anna, how could I possibly know?" I smile at her. She shrugs and giggles.

Saying goodbye to her tonight will be horrible. I probably will slip away in the morning when the village chiefs come to get me, not uttering to her a simple word.

"I think when you die you become like a fairy with big purple wings. Then you flutter away, up to god, and then you live the life of a fairy and so you don't actually die you just become a fairy." spoke Anna.

"Like an angel?" i raise my eyebrows. Sometimes I feel shes older than just a 6 year old.

"No." Thats all she says as her focus lands somewhere else. I dont question her again.

As we reach the market place of the village, I hear a scream to my right. A woman not much older than my mother, is screaming and crying as a dead body is placed her lap. The dead body is one of a child. She grips onto the collar of the little boys shirt and repeadtly kisses his face. She throws her head back and screams 

"My baby, my baby, they killed him" she hugs the lifeless body tightly and a crowd has formed around her. I want to move and run but I cant. Another woman kneels down to her and places her hand on her shoulder, comforting a mother who just lost her 4 year old son isn't possible.The crowd pushes past me to get a closer look of the boy, then they shrug and start walking away. We've all come so used to seeing families ripped apart and dead bodies littering to floor. This isn't new.

I look down at Anna, forgetting she was there. Her finger is in her mouth as she bits on her nail and she is tapping her foot, shes thinking. I'm about to pick her up and drag her back home, telling her its just a play and no little boy actually has an arrow through his stomach, but im stopped as I feel a presence of a man stepping beside me.

"These rebels, hurting little boys now" The voice is deep and raspy. 

I look up to see a face I dont recognize, someone not from here. He's wearing a black suit with a blue tie and his hands are stuffed in his dresspants pockets. His blonde hair is in a perfect quiff and theres a light stubble on his face. His eyes, a bright green, are already on mine as I look at him.

I give him a quick smile and turn around on my heel, talking to men in this village can result in horrid expierences.

"Wait, wait whats your name?" the man follows me and before I know it hes standing right infront of me.

"Alice" 

"Alice." He looks at me and smirks. My name rolls of his tongue smoothly. "It was a pleasure to meet you darling" he winks at me walks away.

I watch him walk and the gold watch on his wrist shimmers.Why did I just tell him my name?

"Why did that man want your name Alice?" Anna questions. I snap out of my thoughts.

"I dont know Anna, lets get out of here."

"He was so rich! Did you see his coat!" She jumps of excitment.

"Hes probably from the city, lets go home" My answer is rushed as I pull her in the direction of home. 

We walk in silence, but knowing Anna, she wont stay quite for too long.