Chapter 5: Sara
Hunger.
I have never felt so hungry before. Mom and dad would never have allowed it. I miss them even thinking about them. It has been about one week since they died in the hospital. They died nearly minutes apart in two hospital beds right next to each other with my sister and me looking up from their feet. I cried a lot that day. So did my twin sister.
The nurse told us to wait in the room outside. She said she would find someone to take us- to take care of us. As we waited, more and more people were rolled into the room where my parents died. They were all coughing and sweating. My sister and I stayed hand in hand as I watched the clock. The long hand went around and around. The nurse never came back.
Finally, we walked down to the front desk. A woman was behind the counter. She was sweating, too, and looked very tired. More people were rushing into the hospital and many were shouting at her. Everyone seemed so angry. I worked up the courage and shouted, “Excuse me.”
She continued to work. I shouted louder. She kept writing on forms and talking to the adults swarming around us. As I felt a tear run down my cheek, our eyes met. She put the phone into her chest and leaned into me. She kinda smelled and looked like she had been playing outside in the hot sun.
“Hey, sweetie,” she coughed. I could hear a person on the phone yelling louder. She yelled back in the telephone, “Give me a minute.” Her eyes returned to me. Despite all the other people in the room she gave me her complete attention. “Do you two have somewhere you can go?” She coughed more. She sounded really bad.
My sister was still holding on to my hand and I looked up at the nurse. I think she was a nurse, anyway. Using my hand I wiped the tears away and shook my head. I wanted to say “My grandma,” but she lived in Michigan with the rest of our family. Daddy had just been given a new job. My sister and I had only gone to one day of fourth grade before mom first got sick. We had no one. The tears began again. The lady looked at us both, and she looked sad. I could tell she wanted to help us, but she couldn't. More people pushed toward the nurse. My sister and I had to hold on to the counter so we would not be pushed away.
She reached onto the counter and grabbed a paper and scribbled a phone number. “This is the number for people who can help you. They are gathering children like you so they can take care of you.” She finished and barely smiled at me. Then she resumed her work. I looked at my sister and I could tell she heard everything, too.
“If they are going to take us, I want to get some things from home first.” I said.
“I don't know. I think we should leave, Sara. That's what that woman said.” my sister responded.
I didn't think she was right at the time and I convinced her to go back home. When we left the hospital, it was completely crazy outside. Cars were backed up and crowds walked all over. Luckily my sister remembered how to get home. Since we lived so close, my parents had walked to the hospital a few days before. I wanted them to take an ambulance then, but they said they were all busy helping more sick people.
We pushed past others that were walking in the streets; some were in such a hurry. One man knocked me down as he passed trying to keep himself up. I watched him fall down a few steps behind us. That really scared me. Luckily, we were able to push through and made it to the apartments. It seemed like it took all day, but finally we were climbing up the stairs to the door.
“Do you have the key mom gave us?” I asked my sister. She looked at me. Her eyes were watering and her head shook.
“I thought you had one.” We stood there in silence at the front of our door. That door was the difference between home and the world, and I thought that if we got back inside, we could hide for a little bit more. Now, we don’t have that option. Suddenly, all the sadness and fear came upon both of us at the same time. I sat against the door and she sat beside me. We did not blame each other. We just cried and held onto one another. I thought at the time that would be the worst moment of my life. Both of us were lost without anyone, just a stupid phone number we had forgotten about at that point. We fell in and out of sleep. I thought I would never feel so hopeless.
I was wrong.
We woke up the next morning, curled up next to each other. Neither one of us remembered falling asleep. Luckily, the phone number was in my hand on a crumpled piece of paper. We pulled ourselves together, went down to the street, and found a boy that let us use his cell phone. He was like us, but had an older sister who was taking care of him. She didn’t want to take care of us too. The people on the other end of the phone told us to try and come to the other side of the yellow bridge. They said they were afraid to bring the bus into the city. She said buses would be going around the city all day and night looking for children like us. I felt a little better then. Maybe we can just escape the city.
They were right about being scared of the city. My sister and I almost didn't make it between all of the angry and sick people as we walked through the streets. We passed many kids that were just sitting and crying. My sister and I promised each other we would be better than that. Sitting and crying was not an option anymore. Finally, after what felt like forever we made it to the end of the yellow bridge that the woman on the phone mentioned. We just waited.
During the first day many cars and groups of people passed us. Now, just one or two come out. I don't think any of them can see us because they just drive past me, even when I wave. No bus has passed by yet.
We have waited for three days.
I peer over the bridge and look back at my sister who is lying on the sidewalk with her dirty and tangled hair strewn around her head. Tear stains on her cheeks show what color her pale skin was before it became brown from the dirt. Her clothes are dirty too, just like mine. Luckily mom and dad had dressed us warm, so when we huddled together the past few nights, we didn’t get too cold. We didn’t want to miss the bus so we stayed on the dusty street-occasionally taking turns to get drinks from the river.
I sit down on the sidewalk beside my sister. Just as I pull a broken leaf from my sister’s hair, a car comes down the bridge. I gave up waving a while back so I just look at it with my eyes. The car slows down!
I think they see us! I shake my sister's head, and just as she looks up, the car pulls over on the other side of the road. A man gets out of the car and walks to the other side of the bridge, leaving his door open. Then I see a girl with beautiful red hair get out and join the man, leaving the car alone. I wish my hair was like that. I do not like how dark it is sometimes.
As they get farther from the car, my heart starts to beat a little faster. I tug on my sister’s shirt to get her attention, and we slowly stand up together. I glance back and forth between the car and the man, afraid of what could happen if this doesn’t work. With no clear reason, I grab my sister’s hand and run softly toward the car.
“What are you doing?” my sister whispers.
“Shh...we will crawl into the back behind the seats. They have to take us. I don't wanna get left.” My sister gets into the car and climbs behind the back seat. I start to go in, but then I see a gun. I hesitate, but it’s too late, my sister is already in. I follow her and sit behind the back seat. I put my arm over her and we lean our backs against it. We’ll be hard to see now.
I hear them get in. My mind is still focused on the gun; it scares me. I hold my sister tighter and put my finger to my lips. She nods at me. I won't let anyone hurt my twin sister, and I know she won't let anyone hurt me.
Everything gets dark as we enter the tunnel.