A Heart's Thoughts

Before the beginning - Eden

Eden stood on his tiptoes as he tried to look out of his bedroom window without showing too much of his head. He saw four men, dressed in all black, knock on his neighbors' door. Cecilia's door.

Eden tried to get his head closer to the window in an attempt to hear what they were saying to Cecilia's parents. The men looked scary, even though he couldn't see their faces. Just something about their clothes and their voices made him feel nervous. As if they were there to punish someone.

The door finally opened and he could see a beam of light illuminating the street at night before two shadows appeared in it.

"...on Ministry's orders.... Treason... erased or..."

Eden couldn't clearly make out what they were saying, so instead of trying to listen, he moved his body in an attempt to catch a glimpse of Cecilia's parents. He saw her dad lunge forward a bit, but he was being held back by his wife.

"No! Edward!" he heard her yell. "Cecilia..." and her voice got softer again.

Everyone outside stood frozen for a moment before Cecilia's father lowered his arm and looked away.

Eden got startled by his own bedroom door opening behind him, and he quickly turned around, trying to pretend he wasn't watching what was happening outside.

His mother looked concerned as she quickly walked towards him and closed the blinds before putting a hand on his shoulder.

"It's time to sleep, sweetie."

Eden shook his head and looked up, "what's happening outside? Why are those scary men visiting Cecilia's home?"

His mother put her other hand on his other shoulder and urged him to walk towards his bed before sitting him down.

"Cecilia's parents did some things they shouldn't have done. Those men were just there to tell them the rules again. The Ministry gives us food and work, so we have to be thankful to them and follow their rules."

"But if the Ministry does all that for us, why aren't Cecilia's parents thankful?"

His mother smiled sadly before kissing his forehead and saying, "that doesn't matter, sweetie. They'll learn to be thankful soon."