The Garden (Discontinued)

Passage 1

Meisha awoke, the dimly lit light of the sun seeping through her curtain hitting her in the face. She groaned, flipping over to her other side, then swiftly bringing her pillow over her face to block the sunlight. Yesterday had been awfully busy for the 24-year-old woman. Many chores had tired her quickly, and she was sure that she'd woken up later than intended this morning.
 
  The tired girl felt a heavy weight being pushed down on her stomach suddenly. She moaned, the feeling of something stepping all over her stomach getting worse. Meisha lifted the pillow off her face slightly.

   "Alexander! Off!" Meisha yelled sleepily as the giant dog receded off of herself and the bed. He sat down and wagged his tail. "Good boy," the girl praised. The dog seemed to respond happily, barked, and she heard thudding footsteps, presumably from Alexander walking downstairs. She threw the covers off of her body and slipped out of the warm bed, rubbing her eyes and blinking several times as her eyes adjusted to the newfound light. She walked out of her room and down the slim stairs, into her small kitchen. She laid out two bowls, one for herself and the other for Alexander. As she was about to pour her cereal she heard a faint sound, like a car honking. Meisha froze mid-pour of her cereal, and she nearly dropped the box. Alexander lifted his head from his bowl, obviously sending distress from his master.

   "Alex, stay," the girl commanded anxiously, the loyal dog sitting down as she asserted the command. Mei knew what that sound was all too well. That cursed sound... The sound of distant, child-like chatter confirmed her fears.

   "No, no, no..." Meisha continuously muttered this to herself in disbelief as she walked slowly towards the door. She opened the door, the door creaking, and a slight breeze chilled her. She collapsed to her knees on her wooden porch as she saw the newly arrived bus parked near the main pathway. A small cry, more of a whisper, escaped from Mei. Alexander, her only friend nowadays, walked to her and nudged her head slightly, rubbing his soft fur on her appreciatively. Meisha shook her head softly, trying to shake away her despair, and proceeded to bury her face in Alexander's coat of blonde fur. She could barely contain herself from crying; seeing that bus had broken her will so quickly, quicker than she'd trained herself to. She could never stop being mentally scarred whenever she saw that bus, no matter how many times she convinced herself otherwise.

   "It's happening again, Alex... More children, being stolen and used and," Meisha choked on her last words. She couldn't help it anymore. She sobbed, Alexander sitting faithfully next to her. It had become that time again. That time for Meisha to do everything in her power to rescue those poor children. She was the only one who could, after all. The only adult in the Garden who still had color.

This time, this time Meisha would save them. But not once has she been able to succeed in the past. What could possibly help her win now...?