The World You Never Expected

Sarah: Eleven Years Ago...

"Shawn, please, just listen to my voice," Sarah said frantically as Shawn faded in and out of consciousness next to her in the car. She began to cry even more.  The glowing blue-gold scar was beginning to wind up his neck.  When his eyes opened, they weren't their usual sea blue, but rather a glowing bright gold. 

"We'll be there soon, Nate and Emily were going to try to beat us and unlock the basement. It'll be fast, I promise."  Shawn's eyes lazily opened and he smiled.

"Course, baby," he said weakly, and his eyes closed. She began to sob.

"Shawn, I beg of you..."

***

"DADDY I BEG OF YOU!" Sarah screamed into her dad's open coffin. She felt the cool tears run down her face, the pungent salty taste only inflicting more pain. Her dad's eyes stayed closed, she'd never be able to see them sparkle gold like the Sun ever again.

"Daddy come back... I need you..." She fell to her knees by the casket and cried softly. Suddenly, she felt two warm arms wrap around her chest. She turned back and buried her face in the soft, black silk shirt.

"Mommy, I miss him," she muttered. Her mom smiled.

"I do too, but I'd miss you more," her mom said. Sarah wiped her green-gold eyes and stared up hopefully at her mother.

"Mommy?"

"Yes, Sarah-bear?"

"Are we going to be ok?"

"Sarah, what a silly question. Of course we are."

"But Daddy's not here. It doesn't ever feel like I'll get better." Sarah's mom pushed Sarah's face up to stare up at her.

"Sarah, darling, you must promise me you'll never think that. Ever. Horrible things happen when people think that. Horrible. So you must promise me you'll never think like that, ever. You promise?" Sarah nodded meekly.

"I promise, Mommy." She hugged her daughter.

"It'll be fine, Sarah. I'm always here."

"Why wouldn't you be, Mommy?" Her mom sighed.

"Sarah, honey, Mommy did something very bad." Sarah laughed.

"Mommy, you never do anything bad," she said with a giggle. Her mom placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Sarah, I need you to be serious." Sarah stopped laughing and just about looked ready to cry again. "Mommy died." Sarah started to cry.

"M-Mommy's dead?" she asked. Her mom shook her head.

"No, no, baby. Not anymore. I'm fine, I'm alive now." She smiled, and Sarah hugged her.

"I'm happy you're ok, Mommy. Thank you."  Sarah skipped off.

"Emily? Emily, where are you?" Sarah turned the corner to see Emily, sitting down and crying. She ran over to her.

"Emily, it'll be alright," she said, sitting down next to her. Emily looked up, teary-eyed.

"Sarah, you don't under-"

"I understand ok enough."

"You don't, though. You don't understand."

"I want to." Sarah said. Emily stared up at her, teary-eyed.

"I think something wants to hurt me, now." Sarah gasped.

"But why? You're the sweetest, nicest, smartiest person I know. Who'd ever want to hurt you?" Emily began to bawl. "Emily... I don't like it when people cry. It makes me cry..." Sarah felt tears being to streak down her face. The two girls heard footsteps as Alina turned the corner. She gasped and ran over to the two of them.

"Emily! Sarah! Are you ok?" Alina asked. Sarah shook her head.

"I miss my Daddy..." Sarah said. Emily whined.

"I miss my life..." Emily groaned. Alina started to cry and joined in on the hug with her cousins.

"Now I'm sad, too!" she shouted, hugging her cousins harder. Sarah leaned in closer to Emily and clinged onto her shirt.

"Emily, I can't go through this..."

***

"Emily, I can't go through this, again..." Sarah said, clinging onto Emily.  Emily patted her on the back.

"I know, Sarah.  I know..."