Zipped

1: The Zipper

Molly

The zipper in the ground had always haunted me. Every day I would walk by it on my way to school with Thomas and Elsie, and I remembered how many people I’ve seen die because of it. Every time it was opened, I knew someone was a goner. There had to be so many dead bodies down there.

It seemed that once a week, somebody would be thrown down there by the government. Often times, it was for “crimes against authority”. My parents told me that often times, when they said “crimes against authority” that it meant that they had found out something that they shouldn’t. They were probably thrown in to keep them quiet, they said. Thomas and I, the two kids of the family who were old enough to understand, weren’t sure what to believe about it.

Nobody in Restless Isle really knew where the zipper came from. It was always there. It was only recently, though, that people said it became a part of the way of life. This year would mark the twentieth anniversary of the first death penalty to come by using the zipper. Elsie said that it was a mean thing to celebrate, and I completely agreed with her.

I don’t understand why I can’t let it go. It haunts me so much, and I try to let it go and forget about it, but it’s hard to. I have to pass by it every day. I have to remember all the stories that I’ve heard at sleepovers from friends.

And I have to remember the worst story of all of them. I have to remember the young couple that was thrown in there, less than a year before I was born. The woman was nine months pregnant, and the government threw the couple in there. The baby was innocent, yet they killed the little innocent child off too. It was inhumane and cruel.

I went through my complaints about it multiple times as I walked, practicing my speech. But, then, I heard a voice call out my name loudly. “Molly!” Thomas exclaimed frantically, waving his hand in front of my face.

I snapped out of my thoughts and looked at my brother. “What?” I asked, pulling my backpack up on my shoulder. “Thomas, I’ve told you not to do that. What’s wrong with you?”

“Look down,” he ordered me, and I did as I was told. My eyes were huge as I saw the toe of my high-tops touching the silver, metallic edge of the zipper, the one that haunted my dreams and my thoughts. I immediately stepped back, biting down on my lip hard.

I looked down the street, and saw the end of the zipper. The pull was there, waiting for a policeman to pull on it. Then, someone would be gone. I shuddered at the thought, and looked away from the sight to meet my brother’s eyes.

“Thanks,” I said softly to him, not sure what else I could even say. “Come on, guys. Let’s get to school.” I grabbed onto my little sister’s hand and led her off towards her elementary school. I spoke to my brother as we walked. “Why didn’t you tell me I was walking into the zipper?”

“I tried to, but you were in your own little world,” Thomas answered. “You were acting just like Elsie.”

Elsie looked up at him with a death glare that only a seven year old could put on. “Hey!”

I laughed, while Thomas stammered an apology. “Sorry, sis,” he said, running a hand through his dark hair, messing it up a bit. “Didn’t mean it.”

“Don’t worry, Tommy,” Elsie said cutely, smiling at him. “Now, come on!” she exclaimed, pulling on my arm. She also grabbed onto Thomas’s, and pulled on his arm as well as she ran off towards the school. I had to follow her, in order to keep my arm from being ripped out of my socket. She may be young, but she was definitely strong. She’d survive anything.

We arrived in front of Elsie’s school a bit later, and we said goodbye. “Have a good day at school, sis,” I told her with a smile. “Prove all those dumb boys at school wrong for me, okay?” Lately, some boys in Elsie’s class had been rude to her, and whenever she had an idea, they’d shoot it down.