e lucevan le stelle
anna gray was dead on paper, thanks to people's laziness.
in 1924, anna bernard was suppose to go to Birmingham with her guardian, attend grace burgess' wedding and leave the city. easy and uncomplicated ― the reality however was...
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Anna had been a wild child. So headstrong, loud and sometimes even mean. She could make John cry if she wanted to and Michael sulk when she hides his toys. The Anna who's returned to Polly was very different from that child ― she was well-mannered, kind and most of the time very quiet. Polly didn't even want to think of the things people have done to her daughter in order to make her so different from what she use to be like.
She has seen glimpses of little Anna every now and then but just small glimpses.
Sometimes Polly has wondered what if Anna had never been taken ― would she still be the same as now? Same with Michael. It was strange to know that your children could be so different from the people they are now.
In her cold cell with the water dripping down from the ceiling to the stone floors, Polly tried to dream. She tried to dream of the time when both Anna and Michael were little, running around their home with soft giggles. Polly could hear their running footsteps between the water drops. She could see Anna's wild curls disappearing behind a corner of the cell and if Polly would just reach her hand a little forward, maybe she could even feel her.
But Polly was tired and didn't reach forward ― she figured the hope would only bring eternal misery.
She wondered how Michael was doing. Her poor boy who yes, has made many mistakes and has been incredibly difficult lately, but he was still her boy. The one who had adored his little sister when they were young. Now they've grown apart and though it was the world's fault but Polly felt sadness knowing, that the two have not reconnect since Anna's return.
Another dark shadow ran across the tiny cell.
So another tear rolled down Polly's cheeks.
She closed her eyes, letting herself fall into a dream of a life that had died years ago...
"Momma look!"
Little Sallyanna ran around bare foot. She was holding a string in her tiny fist and at the other end of the string, flew a kite. The kite was so high in the skies that Sallyanna was so sure it could touch the sun above them. The day was bright and warm, nearing the end of summer. Michael was sitting on a blanket, playing with his wooden toy cars his father has made.
"It goes so high!" Sallyanna gasped when she looked up, her eyes squinted against the bright sun. "Papa, can I go there too?"
Jacob was helping Sallyanna to fly the kite and laughed at his young daughter's question.
"You want to go to the skies?" He wondered, pointing up where the kite was dancing in the air.
