Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Just Another Day ❯ Volume Three, Chapter Fourteen: Dead Winter ( Chapter 14 )

Dead Winter

Nothing but sand everywhere. Even sand in the city. Mai-Pai grew tired of it. But where could she go? The sand was everywhere. Everyone grew tired of the sand. Mai-Pai couldn't remember a day where she didn't see it everywhere.

She was born before the Exile. The late nineties. About 1997. Mai-Pai only got to enjoy three years of a normal life. Then the sand came. Her family couldn't stay in their home. They used to be happy. Dad had a successful job. Mom stayed home with her daughter. Did they have much money? Not really. But that didn't matter. They had love. They thought it would go on for years.

But then the sand came.

Everyone had to survive. Mai-Pai's mother packed up everything and left the darkened house. The little girl didn't know what was going on.

-Mai-Pai-

We left in the middle of the night. I was asleep when Mama took me from my bed. When I woke up, there was nothing but sand. Now, I was used to it, but something wasn't right about it. Something seemed… off about it. Mom wouldn't let me touch it. She didn't stop walking either. I asked questions as best as I could at the time. Mom wouldn't answer. She didn't even look back.

Daddy was nowhere in sight either. I didn't like any of it. Mom wouldn't put me down. She held me to her side tight enough to hurt me. I remember crying those first few days. Mom kept trying to shush me the whole walk. I don't think we ate or slept for the first few days.

We didn't find Daddy until five days later. He looked so haggard. Daddy hugged us both. He said that I was squirming between him and Mom.

We didn't have a home anymore. We just walked through the sand. Sometimes we ate, sometimes we didn't. I was tired all the time. There weren't many kids around. My family kept to themselves. We didn't trust anyone. I couldn't remember a time where we were in one point for more than one day. Even back then, I hated our life in the Exile. It got worse as I got older.

By the time I was twelve, we joined a tribe. We didn't have a choice. We were in one when I was seven, but it didn't work out. I think most of them either died or went their own ways. We were all alone.

This time would be different. Our second tribe looked more stable. They knew what they were doing and how to survive. Maybe things would be better.

We had food and water. My family and I could stay safe. But I was still lonely. I was between the adults and little kids. (I had to watch over the little ones in the camp.) I didn't have anyone my age. I would pretend it didn't bother me. But it would've been nice to talk to someone my age. I thought about going out to the other tribes. I didn't know where to start. I finally started wandering around the desert for connections. I was sixteen at the time. My parents weren't so strict on me by then. I could move about as long as I made it back in time.

The first few nights, I had no luck. No one in sight. Still I had to keep trying.

And I met Soon.

Present Day…

Lonely Days