The Run-aWays (I)

~ChaptEr Twelve~

1 days passed, Athena struggled her way home from school.
"Its nearly time for matching ceremony. The government matches you up with your future husband or  wife. In a years time of course."
The same lines her teachers said replayed in her mind constantly.
Her brain mentally aching from the anxiety. She looked around, The city looked duller then usual.
poverty increased as death and violence increased.
The whole city took a violent shift since the leadership changed.
The kids giggled, playfully screaming and playing among needles and toxic waste left by lazy citizens. They ran, Joyfully kicking a can of beer across the floor. Their imagination looking past the can of poison.They smiled with glee swinging on the rusty swings, and mouldy slides.Their mother stood,all their faces grey from stress and hunger, probably stressing about the very little food in the cabinet.
Laughter was erupting from all four corners of the park. Their imagination filled with gold and happiness, they had zero problems in the world.

All except one.

A single lonely child. Physically weak crouched on the floor, the black sheep of the crowd. You look around to see everyone child belonging in a family except her. She was parentless..

Her malnourished face was pale, her lips turning blue. Her black silky hair was now a strawy knotted in all directions. Pointy ribs protruding out her chest, as her ripped t-shirt barely hung over her skinny torso. It was useless with keeping the cold out, the icy winds sneaking through the black fabric. she shivered uncontrollably. People walked passed her, no attention or sympathy was shown within their emotionless faces. Mostly disgust and annoyance as the young girl held her hands out desperately, "f-food please...." she whimpered
"W-water" she begged
No sympathy was given, she grew weak. As her body craved food.
She fell and curled up in a foetus position, her stomach aching in hunger. It was unbearable. The twist and cramps up as if her stomach was eating itself.
"M-mummy, when are you coming back. You promised that u will come back!!"
She cried.
She was just a useless unwanted vessel in a big city of brokenness and coldness, she was nothing.
breathing was a work out, a work out. slowly day by day, her body starts to shut down. Each organ, each body cell. Start to die. Each day looking paler. Each Day losing the ability to walk, to talk, to even think.
The fading image of her mum, each day getting blurrier and darker, She loved her.

Until her last breathe.

Only an empty shell was left, death consumed its new soul. Thats what Athena saw, she was too late. A soulless shell, left to rot day and night. The dead child's pale skin no longer glistening in the sun, but laying lifeless in a foetus position. As she laid , where the living children play.
No one didn't anything.
Athena grabbed her phone, placing her jumper over the child.
Knowing April was busy at tutors she called Elijah.
She waited.
His confused voice echoed through the phone, "hey Athena, now this is the first time you've-"
"C-can you help me." Her voice cracked at the sadness of the scene.
"Yeah of course?"
"Meet me at vanilla park, a-and bring a shovel please." Athena whispered.
"Ahhh...Okayy-" answered weirded out Elijah.
She cut.
She waited, getting two sticks and crafting them into an cross. Distant footsteps echoed through the now sunset sky.
"Fuck."
Athena turned around seeing Elijah standing over the child, he squeezed his fist. His head hung low, and his muscles clearly tensed, the shovel gripped in his hand swinging slowly. Athena approached him, "it's bad isn't it?" She whispered, he nodded. "I couldn't just leave her here and rot."
"Lets do it, before the 88's come." He whispered hastily. He grabbed his jacket wrapping both Athena's and his around the girl. He picked her up, the child's hand dropping and her head tilted back, she was as light as a feather.
Elijah teared up a bit, pushing the girl's ebony hair away from her delicate face. Athena grabbed the shovel, and they walk to the nearest field.
They reached a hill, Athena started to dig while Elijah held the child. At one point swapping roles, due to Athenas still little strength.
She cradled the dead child, taking a good look at her small features. Athenas heart physically aching at her pale face.
"Done." Whispered Elijah, he wiped his face with his arm "Harder then i thought."
He opened his arms, allowing the girls now heavy body be put in his arms.He slowly lowered her to her grave, laying her arms neatly beside her. They start to cover her,more and more sadness flooding into Elijah and Athena's soul. Her features and body becomes less and less visible.
At the end, Athene -who was tearing up- stabbed the cross into the girls grave violently. breathing heavily. Elijah saw her struggle and gently pulled her by the waist close to his chest, embracing her he looked straight at her. Looking into her brown and grey eye, she stared back look up at his brown fox-like eyes.
Snap
Elijah froze looking up to find the source of the sound.
"Let's go." He whispered looking around for the 88's.
Athena sniffed and nodded, before walking very close behind him all the way home.
He watched her squeeze through her gate before him himself , turns back and leaves. Texting April as always.
ELIJAH: "been a long day...."
APRIL: "ikr, come sleep round mine tonight."
ELIJAH: "calm."
April slumped in her bed, her mum still not home -The house was quiet.