"Sabine Trillian, please report to the front office," the principal said over the loudspeaker.
Sabine didn't notice the announcement. She had her full attention focused on the brand new atlas her father had given her that morning. She aspired to be a professional cartographer, so she spent most of her time studying maps.
The loudspeaker clicked on again and repeated its message, "Sabine Trillian, please report to the front office immediately."
Sabine's classmate, Maggie, poked her in the ribs.
"Ow!" Sabine complained.
"They're calling you to the office," Maggie explained.
"Oh," Sabine said, then delicately closed her precious atlas and tucked it under her arm as she stood up.
"Go ahead and bring your backpack with you, honey," Sabine's teacher said.
Sabine nodded and smiled, then slung her white backpack, covered in her random doodles, over her shoulder and walked to the front office.
As she pushed open the office door and stepped inside, she was met with her crying older half-sister, Tracy, and two police officers.
"Tracy? Why are you crying?" Sabine asked, immediately rushing over to her.
Tracy looked up from where she was sitting and sobbed harder at her sister's presence.
"Your house burned down," a male police officer, who's name tag read 'S. Mitchum', said bluntly.
A female officer, who had the name tag of 'E. Feint', smacked his arm in disapproval. She then turned to Sabine, her odd, question mark shaped eyebrows furrowing in sympathy above her piercing green eyes. "I'm sorry, little one, but your parents have passed away in a fire that destroyed your home," Officer Feint explained softly.
"Passed away?" Sabine asked in confusion. How could her parents have died? Her dad always said he was a superhero, invincible.
"Yes, they-" Officer Feint started again, but was interrupted by Officer Mitchum.
"They're dead, kid. Burned to a crisp. They went bye-bye forever," he said angrily.
Sabine cocked her head towards him in puzzlement. "Why are you mad at me? I'm eight years old and all I did was ask a question because I don't understand what's happening. You should be nicer to people," she said honestly. Her little eight year old voice was sweet like honey, but the words stung the officer like salt in an open wound.
Officer Mitchum turned red from embarrassment and looked down at the floor in shame.
"Ignore him, sweetie," Officer Feint said. "You'll be coming with us for a while and we'll find you a nice place to live, okay?"
"Will Tracy come too?" she asked, looking at her half-sister.
Officer Feint took a deep breath. "N-no, she won't be coming. She found somewhere to stay already."
"Why can't I go with her?" Sabine questioned.
"Because the people who wanted Tracy didn't want you," Officer Mitchum snapped, seemingly over his embarrassment from being lectured by an eight-year-old.
"Tracy?" Sabine turned to her, placing one tiny hand on her knee.
Tracy sobbed harder and hugged Sabine tightly. I'm so sorry. I tried to get Grandma and Grandpa to adopt you too, but they said no, Tracy signed after she released Sabine from the hug. Tracy had been born mute, so she signed things using ASL instead of talking.
Sabine sighed, "Why don't grandma and grandpa like me?" she asked.
Tracy smiled sadly and patted Sabine's fluffy head of black, curly hair. Because you're different from them, Tracy signed.
"You're different too, you can't talk, but they like you," Sabine said in confusion.
Tracy's smile faltered, and she patted her half-sister's head again. It's because of the color of your skin, she signed, a sympathetic look in her eyes.
Sabine looked down at her dark brown arms and frowned. "What's wrong with my skin?"
No, nothing is wrong with it! Tracy signed frantically. Grandma and Grandpa just... She stopped signing and thought for a moment. It's just that you look different from them, so they don't think of you as family. She finally finished.
"But, Momma was their daughter! I am family!" Sabine cried.
Tracy nodded and signed, That's true, but they didn't like your dad, so they don't like you either. It's awful and unfair, but that's how their minds work.
Sabine sighed and looked down at the ground. Tracy hugged her again and patted her back.
"I'm so sorry to have to break you girls up," Officer Feint said, "but we have to get Sabine to the foster home and Tracy to her grandparents."
Sabine gripped her older sister tightly one last time, then signed, I love you, to her and followed Officer Feint out of the school building and into her police car.
𝔼𝕟𝕕 𝕠𝕗 ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣
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𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕋𝕨𝕠 ℂ𝕒𝕣𝕥𝕠𝕘𝕣𝕒𝕡𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕤 (ASOUE)
Fanfiction"Shh, don't cry, Sabine," Quigley whispered in her ear. "It's okay, don't cry." His hand slid down her arm, then gently landed in her palm. He slowly spread his fingers out, then carefully entwined them with hers, as if he were savoring every sweet...
