The Secret Five #Wattys2016

Day 42-Anya

It's raining today and everyone is in the living room watching television and I am upstairs trying to take a nap because I haven't been sleeping well. I lied in bed, stared at the ceiling above me, and soon closed my eyes and fell asleep.

I was walking through the forest, outside to be exact, and heard something behind me. I kept walking, with my head down, shoulders slumped over, and my feet shuffling against the leaves.

"Anya." I heard someone say behind me. The voice was very familiar and one I haven't heard in months. "Anya." I turned around and found Armin standing there. He was wearing his baseball uniform and smiling at me.

"Armin?" I asked slow and soft, almost in a whisper. "Armin?" he nodded and stepped closer to me. "Armin, oh my gosh, it's you!" I yelled and ran over to him.

"Stop!" he yelled and I did, sliding a bit on the forest floor. "Why did you quit?" I made a face at him. "You were a great EMT and you stopped because of me. I don't like that and you should know of all people. I'm your twin brother and lately you haven't been the good girl I know you are. Why are you here, Anya? What did you do to get arrested and sent out to the place? What about Mom, Dad, or Alton? They need you home and you aren't there and everything is falling apart. You are stronger than this, you could've done something more than just cry and yell for Mom. You could have fought and you didn't!" He was yelling at me.

"Armin, I tried to get away, I tried with all my might and I couldn't, they wouldn't let me go! I witnessed a government official's death and now the people whoever killed the official is after us. We had no choice, they arrested us! I know I should be home, I miss being home, this place is quiet and it kills me how much silence can be heard out here."

"I know you and this isn't you. You were so happy and loving life and now look at you! You look sick, you are depressed, you want to die also."

"You don't know what I have been going through since you left. It's difficult to keep living when you're not here sharing the same moments with me and everyone else. We all miss you Armin and what happened shouldn't have happened like it did."

"I miss you all too. I watch you all cry and argue and laugh and create memories without me there. Soon, more people will be part of the group and I will be missing it all and just watch down and be there in spirit."

"More people?"

"Yes, more people are going to join the group, and it will bring everyone closer than ever, and all I can do is be there in spirit. They will know about me through stories and pictures and not who I really am."

"What people? Why do you keep saying they?"

"You know why." I shook my head and stared at him with confusion written on my face. "Cason and Locklyn, they will be having the 'they' I keep talking about. You know this all ready. Cason knows all ready, it's just I know how many there will be and you guys won't." I looked at the forest ground. "Anya, I'm here, I will always be here with you five. I'm pissed at how you threw your dreams down the drain and ruined your future."

I slowly looked up at his face. "Are you serious? Armin, life shouldn't feel so empty, like something is missing. I am in pain constantly, I am hurting to a point where it is difficult to talk about it and I hold it in. I am not Anya Rowen Pritchett anymore; I don't know who I am."

"Yes, you do know. You always knew. Anya, you are dwelling on my passing; you are stuck in the first stage of grief and something is stopping you to accept everything that happened and to move on in life."