Burn On

One

It's been a year now, and they still haven't returned. Their general said they would be back within nine months. It's been hard for Keegan and I to keep the apartment in order, let alone for Sawyer to provide for us since we can't work.

Life here is getting worse by the day. I'm hoping once Lawson and Everett return we will have enough money to move on and start a new life somewhere else. I've always wanted to move to the west coast. Living here in the east all my life has been horrid.

And bloody boring.

"Mags, don't worry. Any day now." Keegan comes over and sits with me. She has always been my best friend. And now since I've been with her brother, we have been even closer. We all grew up together. Sawyer and Everett, twins, have been with us the whole way. Lawson and I have always had a connection, now we are together officially. And Keegan hooked up with Sawyer so all is well with us young adults.

Other than worrying everyday if they will return. I hear the door open and Sawyer comes in swinging his keys on his finger. He doesn't even say hi before he goes to their room and shuts the door.

"I'll go check on him." Keegan gets up and walks to their room. After she steps in I hear him yelling then silence then crying.

He's been taking it harder than Keegan and I. His twin brother is over fighting a dumb war and we haven't heard news in months. The government just keeps up their stupid prayer sessions for "all the beloved warriors". They wouldn't be in this mess if it weren't for them.

I decide to leave the apartment and go walk to the pond. I grab my coat and scarf.
"Keeg, I'll be back soon, just gonna go for a walk." I hear her say something, but it was too muffled by the door between us.

The moment I step into the cold, brisk air, it hits me hard. My eyes instantly start watering and my fingers tense up. Winter is Lawson and I's favorite time of year. We would always cuddle by the fire, drinking hot coca with peppermint snopps, and just talk about traveling in the summer all over the country.

Those were only ideas that were whisked away when the war came and we became broke. The government has been collecting taxes that exceed in price everyday. They are corrupting us in cost for their own greedy war.

My boots crunch in the fresh snow, with the little snowflakes still falling around me. There aren't many people outside today. Probably because they are worrying just like us about their sons, husbands, brothers, or friends.

The pond is a couple blocks from out apartment. It's in a little park surrounded by shrubs and trees and grass. It's beautiful there all year round. Lawson takes me here every year for my birthday surprise. The bench that I'm sitting on now is where we had our first kiss on my fifteenth birthday.

"Please come back." I whisper to myself. I pray that he is alright, Everett too.

I check my phone and realize I've been here about an hour and a half already. Time always goes by fast when I'm in thought.

I walk on the path towards the main road. Around a couple corners from our apartment they have a farmer's market set up in the snowy streets. I only have five bucks so I could probably only get a hand made bracelet or an apple.

An elderly lady is the first stand that I come across. She has rings, necklaces, hand painted cards, and books that look hundreds of years old. I bet she is pagan.

She eyes me as I walk up and reach for a ring to try on. It's beautiful: mostly a dark grey metal with a blue gem in the middle.

"Crafted with ancient ruins." She says deeply. Her voice is scraggly even though she looks somewhat young.

I check the tag, $50.

"Sorry I only have five dollars." I place it back down and walk away. I can still feel her eyes following my every move.

The next vendor is a middle aged man selling all kinds of fruits and veggies. I grab an apple and dig out my money. I hand it to the man and take a bite of the apple. He counts it and looks at me.

"Miss, you need another fifty cents." I look at him in shock. I practically stole from him.

"I'm sorry, I don't have the money. But if I could just go to my apartment-"

"I'm calling the police." He grabs his phone and I just stay there in shock. I've never had this happen. What if I'm arrested and put in jail? How am I gonna tell Keegan or Sawyer?

"Please, I'll go get the money!" He grabs my arm and the police arrest me. The cold handcuffs dig into my wrists as I'm escorted, more like dragged, to the police car.