Thursday, November 1, 2018

Flash Fiction Winner Emery Porter - 7th grade

Hopefully Hopeless


As I feel the old pages of the Frankenstein book by Mary Shelley between my fingers I look outside of the fast moving car. I then find a bookmark to a certain page that has a quote highlighted in it. My dad had just given me this brand new book for my birthday and I was confused on why there was already something in it. I then read it, "Nothing is so painful to the human mind as a great and sudden change." I only had a brief second to think of what this quote might mean when something did suddenly change my life, again.


Earlier that morning


I woke up with the birthday song sung to me by my whole family. I slept in the same room as my two sisters Charlotte and Charlie, they were a set of twins. In the room next to mine is a set of triples, but is occupied by only two, the girls, Bella, and Harper. Then the third triplet Logan sleeps in his own room. All of my siblings are older than me, I'm the baby of the family. I Mya Lee Hope, was thirteen.


I hurried and got dressed and went downstairs for my birthday breakfast that my dad always fixes the birthday kid on their birthday. When I got there I realized my dad was overseas and wouldn't be able to make me a birthday breakfast for me. My siblings all pitched in to try to recreate the special birthday breakfast, but it just wasn't the same. I took a couple bites and each one made my eyes fill with tears. I was going to go to our library when I heard a knock at the door. I opened the door to find two soldiers standing there. My mom came to the door and started bawling. I had no idea what was about to happen.


The first soldier spoke, "I'm sorry Mrs. Hope, but I'm afraid your husband has died in action, they were not able to find his body." My mom just stared blankly at him with tears running down her face. She then closed the door and went to her bedroom and cried the rest of the night.


I on the other hand was sad, but mostly sad that no one would celebrate my birthday because they were all busy being sad about dad. I then got one of those cake in a box type things and baked it. I sat there alone with just a single candle. I then blew out the candle saying this as salty tears fill my eyes "Happy birthday, Mya." I then heard another knock at the door.


"I got a package for a Ms Mya Hope." The delivery man said to me.


"That would be me," I respond as I wipe tears from my eyes.


"If you could just sign here, please." The delivery man said right after I said it was for me.


"Of course." I respond and then sign for the package. I look at the box then I closed the door.


My dog Bailey came to greet me. "I think more people celebrated your birthday than my birthday." I said out loud to my dog, she barked.


I then grab a knife and opened the box. I find two things a book and a letter. The book was called Frankenstein and it was by Mary Shelley. I then opened the letter and immediately I knew it was from dad. I then walked straight to my room and thought that when I was strong enough to read it I would. So, I marched to my room with the whole box, and I set it on my bed. My sisters looked at me strangely, I faked a smile and walked out to finish my cake.


My mom came downstairs and called a family meeting. We all walked into our normal family meeting room. Everyone sat down on the couches in our living room. I offered cake, but no one seemed like they wanted any.


"I know that we all have suffered a big, tragic loss. I've been thinking that we shouldn't dwell on this one moment. We should all move on, and focus on Mya's special day. We're going out to Mya's choice or restaurant. Ok? Everyone get dressed and lets get a move on it's already 7:30." My mother states in a uplifting voice.


"You heard her lets go." Logan reminds everyone.


I get dressed as fast as I can, then think of where we should go. I then stop and think about the Frankenstein book. I grab it then I hop in the car. I'm wearing one of my favorite outfits. I have a nice baby blue shirt on that says believe and a pair of jean shorts and flats. I end up picking The Dusty Spoon. It's a more run down place on the outside but inside is beautiful.


"Hey mom I want to go to The Dusty Spoon?" I say as the rest of my family gets in the car.


"Sure honey wherever you want." My mom responds.


Everyone sees the book sitting in my lap but they don't say anything. We start driving. It's about a twenty minute drive from our house to the restaurant. So, I open my book and start reading. I get lost in my book then we hit a bump and I drop my book on the car floor. I then see something stick out of the book. I turn to that page and find something highlighted in it. I read it, "Nothing is so painful to the human mind as a great and sudden change."


I thought about it for a second then a big semi came and smashed right into our car. Everyone around me was dead, my family, dead. Ambulances came and dragged everyone out. I didn't remember much because I lost consciousness in the ambulance on the way to the hospital.


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Minor formatting. Story appears as submitted by the author, unedited.

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