Broken

Chapter Eight

*credits to the artist*

/ means it's a memory

{ song lyrics Ari remembers

"Goodbye, Shyanna."

I gave her one last hug before we both walked in the opposite direction.

Neither one of us cried. We both felt like hollowed out shells.

I had to find my family. If they even were still alive.

I started jogging, then running. I steadily picked up speed until I was sprinting.

Don't think. Don't think. Don't take anything in except for what you see now.

I left Shyanna with all the food. She'd lost her family.

When I was finally out of breath, I staggered to a halt and resumed walking, never looking back.

I wouldn't look back.

/"Why are you being homeschooled this year? Of all years, middle school is the best!"

Brandon swung beside me, keeping us synchronous as we sat on the pair of swings under the blossom tree.

"The education stinks here. I learned absolutely nothing in fifth grade."

"You'll be learning now."

"Nope. Not trusting them."

I learned back on my swing, falling back down with the cool wind on my face.

"You are so missing out."

"How do you know? You've never been to sixth grade."

"My friends from Europe say so."

"Not believing it."

"You're evil, you know."

"I know."

"You threw sand in my hair."

"You threw sand in my teeth. And you started it."

"You pushed me down a sand dune. I lost my footing and rolled down."

"You pushed me onto a sand dune on my side in my favorite sweater."

He laughed and leaned backwards. "You're stubborn."

"Surprised you're noticing now."

He stopped swinging and gradually came down. "You're an odd girl."

I stopped the swing and scraped my feet against the ground.

"Yes. I am."/

Deaths. Six.

{ Everywhere I go my shadow, it follows behind }

{ Doesn't matter where I travel, my shadow, it finds me }

I started running.

{ Something that I've come to realize after all this time }

Sprint.

{ I can't escape my shadow, I can't escape my shadow }

Get. Out.

{ It won't ever let me go }

OUT.

{It goes everywhere I go }

I stumbled.

{ It won't ever let me go }

I pressed my hands over my ears and screamed.

{ This shadow, this shadow of mine }

GET OUT!!!!

I removed my hands from my ears. I was shaking.

I have to find my family. I have to find Brandon.

I'm not defeated yet.