1. Goodbye (Fragment)

Risen flowers. My sister read her poem aloud and that phrase suddenly hit me. She read it aloud to all of my other siblings as they sat on the floor, listening with their eyes wide. And there I sat. The darkness grinned at me with pleasure as I rocked back and forth in my chair. My wounds, wrapped up inside, seemed to pile into walls… like walls of dead flowers that were all once blooming with happiness. Like risen flowers. Every single flower representing a detail of my life.

“What’s the purpose of you living if you can’t even do anything?! I just cannot—,” my sister was screaming.

I quietly pursed my lips to keep my screams inside. Lottie noticed this and stopped Charlotte’s demands.

“You’re gonna hurt her—,” cut off Lottie.

We have had this conversation every day since our Mum died, about how I wasn’t useful and did nothing. I stopped listening to the scolding, tuning everyone out. It is hard living with six siblings and no parents.

Charlotte is the oldest of us all. She always finds a reason to be harsh. Lottie, our second oldest, unlike Charlotte, is easy to talk to.

Our parents are a different story. Both Mum and Father are gone. They both died two years ago. We lost our Grandfather, Mother, and Father all in one day. All because of this war.

When my parents died, it was 1937, and I was just a small child. This year, I turned twelve, but I miss the days when I was nine, more than anything.

“Olivia, are you alive?” Charlotte gave me a hard shove. “You know what, I don’t care.” She was mumbling. I ignored that and just said, “Sorry Charlo—” but I stumbled.

“If only I had time for your daydreaming, but I don’t! Get on with your work,” interrupted Charlotte. “Go slice some bread with butter and brew some tea for everyone.” I wonder if by everyone she meant for me as well.

I sighed as there suddenly was a thud on the door.

“I’ll get it,” I said as I began crawling towards the door.

“Get up on your feet and go slice some bread,” barked Charlotte.

I forced back tears, swallowing hard. I wanted to spit out the saltiness that had gotten into my mouth. I silently stared into horrible darkness and began to slice the bread again. Lottie came into the kitchen. I turned my head as if to look away.