《Running to Willow》 Chapter 1: Faith May Pollock As the early fog drifted from above the mountains in the state of Melior a bright sunrise was revealed. Of a deep magenta, blazing yellow, beautiful gold and marvelous orange reflected on the beauties of nature, the greens that covered the smoky mountains. These were the colors artists wished they could pick from the sky, take down from the heavens to recreate the sanctuary of a place the sunrise gave Melior that day. The newborn baby girl who was resting in her mother''s arms, new to the world felt the light from the sun pour into her. Her scrawny twigs of limbs reaching for her mom''s hand, but still not opening her eyes to the exposure of light on her face. Her eyebrows barely etched out on her skin. Fly-aways of curly dark hair already appeared like peach fuzz. Her nose as tiny as a dolls and as perfect. Her mouth a gaping hole that she would smile on so many times in her life. Her lips a light shade of purple already wanting to speak. Her skin a tan glowing from the lights of the hospital on her back. And, most importantly her eyes, a wondrous brown, reflecting all she could see. Big, wise, overseeing and wonderful eyelashes to match. The Mom looked up, "she is stunning." "I know," the Dad whispered, "I know, just like you." He came over to the hospital bed, "May I?" he asked, reaching out his hands. The baby squirmed as she was handed over, but just as comfortable as she was in her Mom''s arms once she was settled down. The Dad stroked her neck, putting her in a place of safety. "I''m always going to protect you," he whispered, "no one will ever hurt you." The baby smiled as he talked in her ear, the air whistling through her. "Faith," the Mom said. "Yes," the Dad answered pulling the baby closer to him, "that''s it." "May for the beautiful day she was born and the words you asked so you could hold her for the first time." The Father nodded, and Faith May Pollock was born. As the minutes stretched into hours which stretched into days, to months, to years since May was born and her capabilities grew. Crawling was the first step and the day it happened she crawled her way around the house to every toy she had. The next step was sounds at two months; yells echoed through the house as the parents covered their ears, wincing as Faith experimented with how loud she could get. Then, there came walking and running getting Faith anywhere she wanted and giving her the ability to do now one of her favorite things, circling the table as her parents ate. When the four months of maternity leave were over the Dad returned to work for the government, but Faith and her mom continued to stay home. The Mom decided on quitting her job until Faith turned two, but as that milestone came up, she decided she wanted to stay at home with Faith all the time. "We need someone at home Robert. I don''t want Faith to go to one of those daycares where they are paid no attention to."The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. "I agree Nicole," said the Dad. So, Faith continued to grow with Mom at home and Dad at work. Then, the day came when Faith could talk when she was around two years old. "Mama" was first and unexpected for it is much easier to pronounce da than ma. The Mom, although beaming said, "It''s not a big deal." The Dad sighed as he looked adoringly into the eyes of Faith, "I know, I just wonder if it''s..." The Mom cut in, "it''s not." as she pecked him on the cheek. A couple of nights after Faith turned three her mom and dad both had news. "I got a promotion," was the Dad''s first report, "I have been crowned President of Melior!" he said excitedly. "This was actually a great surprise for before now I was only the Vice President''s assistant, but I got the job since both the President and Vice President of Melior didn''t seem to like the idea of splitting up the United States that happened a couple of years ago and they can''t seem to get over that. What I don''t understand though is why both of them quit their jobs..." the Dad babbled as Faith started to circle the table. "Oh ok, well Faith and I went to the..." "Do you even care?" asked the Dad, cutting in. "About what?" the Mom asked innocently. "My promotion?!" "Of course I do. It''s just..." "What?" the Dad snapped. "Is it too much to congratulate me?" Faith ran under the table. "It''s wonderful sweetie." the Mom answered as Faith pulled on her jeans. "No! What were you going to say before?!" the Dad yelled. "You need to lower your tone." the Mom said dangerously for Faith jumped under the table every time he yelled at her mom. "I need to lower my tone?!" "You need to calm down!" the Mom was yelling now, and Faith ran to her room, tears in her gorgeous eyes. "Look what you did now! She is just a baby!" "Yeah, cause this is only on me! Because I got a promotion, I should expect to come home to my wife yelling at me about it?!" "I would have done what the Vice President and President of Melior did! It might seem like the US was just split up into five states for us, but we are in the wealthier section. What about the people in Pauper, Esuriit, Fragili, and Infirmi? Think about the poverty they are living in." "Wha-?" the Dad sputtered. "You just don''t get it!" "Get what?!" the Mom asked. "How important this job is to me, how this job would benefit us and how this job would benefit this country! How I could help our country, Quinque!" "And what would you do? Hire more people like you who think our country is okay the way it is?" The Dad''s mouth screwed up in rage while his face turned red. "Fine! I am leaving with the baby! Nice seeing you cause what a great time it was to talk to you tonight! Oh, I got Faith a tricycle, and she rode it on the spot today, but it''s not like you care because your dumb job is so important!" the Mom screamed with fury unaware that her daughter was listening upstairs. Unable to understand and frustrated with confusion, but knowing her parents were not happy with each other. This would be a night she would remember forever. Chapter 2: Road Trip! The Mom stormed upstairs and collected Faith in her arms. ¡°We just need a little time away from Daddy.¡± the Mom said as she carried Faith out to the 2090 Lexus RX Sport the Dad had just given her for her 35 birthday just a few days ago. Faith was strapped into her booster seat, and the Mom put her buckle on. Packing nothing but themselves they drove off. This drive gave the Dad just enough time to reflect with the help of liquor. Days were long without his family and loneliness began to overwhelm him. He had always been the one away, traveling for work. He never knew how hard it was to stay home alone for so long. All the same Faith and her mom were traveling around Melior, her mom running on coffee from Dunkin Donuts and Faith running on applesauce packs found at the grocery store. They got to see their beautiful city at night and the fantastic views out their fogged up windows where they breathlessly glued their eyes. ¡°Can¡¯t we just stay here forever?¡± the Mom asked at one point as she tickled Faith on the red picnic table they were eating on at a local park. Faith giggled in reply as she watched a herd of deer go by. ¡°Food?¡± she asked, ¡°for deer?¡± Faith was starting to elaborate on what she was talking about, and she was starting to try to use sentences. ¡°You have food for deer?¡± Faith said as she stared at her empty applesauce container. ¡°I no have food for deer¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry honey, but I forgot the loaf of bread to feed them. Your dad always brings that when we picnic here¡­¡± the Mom answered reassuringly. ¡°I already ate all of my food Faith.¡± This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Me too¡­¡± Faith said as she frowned at the floor. Her pouty face wrinkled in concentration. ¡°Why Daddy no come to bring bread? Why deer hungry? Want Dada.¡± ¡°We can have fun without Daddy though, right Faith?¡± Faith gazed into her mom¡¯s eyes, ¡°We no family no him.¡± As the Mom picked up and threw away, the trash Faith waved to the deer, heading their way to the car so they could drive home. ¡°I knew we couldn¡¯t live like this forever; it was just so fun.¡± the Mom mumbled. The drive to the Pollock¡¯s on 7 Domum Lane took longer than expected on the sunny afternoon that day. Home by dusk Faith and her mom had been gone for about a week. This was Faith¡¯s first trip around Melior, her first vacation you might say. No one goes on vacations in the poor regions of Quinque anyway so this first travel around Melior was the typical vacation of a Melorian, plus the hotel. On arriving home stepping into the living room was Robert Pollock in his suit and tie, home from work that day. With a tequila bottle in hand and his head back on the couch, his slight snoring and the slow rise and fall of his chest, his weary face was apparently drunk. The Mom never knowing her Robert as one to do this took Faith upstairs to bed. With a quick lullaby Faith was asleep within minutes, exhausted from the journey she had just endured. Pushing Robert¡¯s head aside and laying him down on a pillow on the couch she draped a blanket over him. Kissing him goodnight it comforted her to think his actions reflected how he felt without his family. Chapter 3: Bye Bye Daddy The trip and the Dad¡¯s reaction to it was never mentioned or spoke of the next following days. As long as Robert¡¯s family was home to support him every night, he was okay. But, of course, there came a time when Faith¡¯s parents bumped heads again. The job as President of Melior was getting heavy. A tragic hurricane had hit on its South side of Melior, out of danger of the Pollocks, but the massive storm caused enough chaos for people to be mad. Angry letters were sent to the President each day about how he should be doing his job and how severe the damage is. Robert was working so much that no one in the Pollock¡¯s house knew when he left and when he returned. Faith began to worry that he had been taken. ¡°Is Daddy disappeared?¡± she asked. As her dad vanished without seeming to come home for weeks at a time tantrums to have her dad with her became more frequent. People were starting protesting against the new President of Melior for not doing anything about the hurricane unaware of his hard work. Faith¡¯s dad, to prevent these protests was forced to go to the office even more after this. Now Faith would cry on the nightly. Nicole hated to see her daughter cry, but Robert had agreed to pay for Faith¡¯s preschool so Nicole feared one more argument would make him not pay. Faith had her tryout to get into Taught Toddlers on her 4th birthday exactly and was so excited to meet other children and be taught by a teacher other than her mom. Faith was still nervous walking into the tryout area though. ¡°You will do great,¡± her mom whispered in her ear as she embraced her in a hug. Trying not to get her hopes up Faith talked in full sentences, spelled, and demonstrated her math capabilities. However, when they asked for a complete sentence answer about her parents and their jobs Faith could easily answer about her mother, ¡°She takes care of me as a job,¡± but talking about her dad was difficult. ¡°He is the President. I don¡¯t see him. Wish I did.¡± Faith¡¯s sentences began to be shaky, and her grammar got mixed up with her emotions ¡°Love him. Come home.¡± Once the first tear slid down her cheek the rest would not be stopped. Hearing and knowing Faith¡¯s cry Nicole sprinted into the tryout room. ¡°Honey, what is wrong?¡± ¡°N-n-nothing!¡± She whimpered through her tears. ¡°You may leave now, Pollocks. We will consider your daughter for Taught Toddlers.¡± the booming voice coming from around the room echoed. As Faith and her mom walked out of the preschool, the Mom commented, ¡°I didn¡¯t realize people watched through the cameras and talked through the microphones. I assumed someone would be there with you. There was no one to comfort you was there?¡± Faith shook her head. The Mom turned the car on, and they drove off. ¡°You can tell me now, what happened if you want to¡­¡± the Mom said. ¡°Asked about dad,¡± Faith replied. The Mom nodded, it was what she assumed. ¡°Miss him so much!¡± Faith yelled letting another rainstorm on tears shower down her face. ¡°I do too.¡± Mom said glumly. Without Robert home soon Faith would have a tear stained face all the time. Taught Toddlers wouldn¡¯t accept that. It will be lucky if she gets in after what just happened Nicole thought. With a sharp turn, Nicole pulled into the 7 Domum Lane driveway. As she stopped the car Faith¡¯s mom pulled Faith into her arms. ¡°It will get better.¡± Yet another memory Faith would remember no matter how old. After tucking Faith into bed and soothing her out of crying, Nicole settled herself down on the couch, determined not to fall asleep and ready for a long night. Hours passed of waiting and waiting until the door was opened by a man even Nicole hadn¡¯t seen in days. His face was dark, wrinkled and sagging. Lack of sleep had his eyelids squinted and legs shaky. His back hunched as he put his suitcase down and made his way over to the couch. He collapsed, head on Nicole¡¯s lap. He did not react to her presence. Nicole let her husband sleep a while as she watched the nightly news to get some idea of what Robert had to deal with at work that day. More protests, more screaming, more stomping, more rallying. At two in the morning, Robert woke up. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Thank you,¡± he whispered weakly, ¡°so there must be a reason you stayed up all night.¡± ¡°I wanted to talk to you,¡± said Nicole. ¡°We need you home more often.¡± ¡°I want to be home more often, don¡¯t you see that?!¡± ¡°I know, but it is worse than you thought. I miss you of course, but Faith cries every night.¡± The Dad¡¯s face became soft, ¡°What should I do?¡± ¡°Quit your job!¡± said the Mom irritated ¡°What?!¡± screamed the Dad shocked. ¡°And why in the world would I do that?¡± ¡°Because your family misses you, that is why!¡± ¡°Nicole, I will be home sooner than you think.¡± ¡°What I thought was I would still get to see you every night, not at two in the morning after five days! You will ask to get a smaller job in the government.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t control me! I can do what I want!¡± ¡°And be a self-centered person who only cares about work not family, fine!¡± ¡°That is not me.¡± ¡°Then why don¡¯t you care that our daughter has breakdowns every day because you are not here?¡± Faith awoke upstairs, again, struggling to understand, but knowing her parents were yelling. ¡°I do care¡­¡± the Dad whimpered. ¡°Then why can¡¯t you quit your job for your daughter?¡± the Mom asked, lowering her voice. ¡°It doesn¡¯t work like that,¡± Robert mumbled. ¡°Honey, you¡¯re overreacting! Family or job?!¡± the Mom said frustrated. ¡°Job.¡± The Mom paced around the couch. Both of them were standing up now. ¡°I can¡¯t live like this if this is you.¡± ¡°Will you let me explain?!¡± ¡°Your a cold, selfish, ugly, work-loving idiot!¡± The Dad scoffed, ¡°Well, last time I checked I used to be the idiot you were in love with!¡± ¡°I made a mistake. Robert, don¡¯t you get it! When you have a family that is your priority!¡± ¡°The only reason I said job was because if you don¡¯t work, you can¡¯t have a family! You can¡¯t afford one!¡± ¡°Your lying! You''re just in love with your boss. You''re in love with the publicity and the people! It¡¯s all you crave, support, yet you deny some from your family! It is why you are so messed up right now! You are not getting the good support you put over everything else! I have known you too long Robert. If this isn¡¯t fixed soon, I am leaving.¡± With the baby, she thought. Chapter 4: When It All Went Down Hill Robert wasn¡¯t home at once, but within a month everything had settled down. Nicole had promised herself she would only leave if it wasn¡¯t fixed within two months, so Robert fixed it in time. Truth be told Nicole didn¡¯t want to go without the cozy house, plus it was helpful that Faith¡¯s preschool was paid for. But if it happens one more time Faith¡¯s mom thought I will leave, no matter what. Just as Nicole thought this the home phone rang. ¡°Yes?¡± she asked. ¡°Your daughter has been accepted into Taught Toddlers, but only under one rule¡­¡± the operator on the phone said. ¡°Yes?¡± Faith¡¯s mom squealed. ¡°The crying situation will need to stop.¡± ¡°Deal.¡± ¡°You can send a check to our address on 36 Partum Road. Our first day starts a week from now.¡± ¡°Perfect!¡± Faith¡¯s mom said as she hung up the phone, wishing heartedly that another hurricane wouldn¡¯t come to make her husband be at work 24/7. Nicole turned on the news then wrote the check, licking the envelope to close it. She quickly ran outside in the early autumn air then emptied the envelope into their mailbox. As she ran inside the house with a feeling of giddiness the newscaster eagerly informed her of the news she dreaded most. ¡°President of Melior was found drunk at his office. Many question his reliability between this and the hurricane situation.¡± Nicole slapped herself in the face questioning whether her husband had missed her and Faith that time they went away from home a couple of days. Had he just passed the time then by picking up a new hobby? She asked herself. She turned off the TV and slammed the remote on the floor. Sulky and depressed Nicole tried to think of the good news and ran upstairs to Faith¡¯s room where she was playing. ¡°You made it into Taught Toddlers!¡± Faith¡¯s mom yelled loudly almost as if she thought her loudness could cover up the bad news she couldn¡¯t tell Faith. ¡°Really?¡± Faith asked, her hands on a couple of dolls with a pink decorated room surrounding her. ¡°Really.¡± Faith¡¯s mom replied. ¡°Yay!¡± Faith cheered. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Do you need a partner to play dolls with?¡± Nicole asked, trying to get her mind off the bad news. ¡°Mm-hmm,¡± Faith replied, ¡°you get this one,¡± she said as she handed over a doll that looked similar to Faith¡¯s mom and herself. Beautiful dark hair and dark eyes. ¡°Well, thank you,¡± Nicole said. They played with the dolls until the sun went down and it was past Faith¡¯s bedtime. Tucking Faith in under the covers, Nicole looked at her daughter''s innocent face. She couldn¡¯t let her husband hurt Faith with his mistakes. She couldn¡¯t leave yet, though. Faith was too young. Faith stared at her mom¡¯s stressed face, ¡°Where¡¯s Daddy?¡± Faith¡¯s mom sighed knowing this was another fault in her plan, ¡°Daddy had a long day, I¡¯m sure Faith.¡± ¡°Will he be there in the morning?¡± Nicole heaved another deep breath. She couldn¡¯t lie to her, and that was why leaving was so important too. The truth is too hard for a little girl like Faith. ¡°No promises.¡± Waking up early to get Faith ready for Taught Toddlers Faith¡¯s mom prepared her cereal and made sure she had brushed her teeth and got dressed. As they both stepped off the doorstep and went into Nicole¡¯s Lexus Faith said to her mom, ¡°Is he going to be at work a lot again?¡± ¡°No promises.¡± Faith¡¯s mom sighed once again. Little did she know that her no promises response was one that would make Faith have hope. The Mom didn¡¯t promise anything, but it still wasn¡¯t a definite no. This answer pulled Faith through a year at Taught Toddlers with no crying. Her dad that year rarely came home, and when he did, he fell asleep. Her mom assured her everything was okay, but he was sleeping a lot more than normal, and if anyone woke him up, he became violent. Through the eyes of Faith, she had lost her dad, and she had no idea why. Faith¡¯s mom, however, knew that year that her husband had become an alcoholic. The little love she had for him was replaced by frustration and protection over Faith. A year is too long Faith¡¯s mom told herself. I would have wanted to wait until Faith was older to, but it has gone too far. She is starting kindergarten next year anyway, and I don¡¯t have to send her to a private school like Taught Toddlers cause public schools in Melior are good she reassured herself. I¡¯ll just need some money¡­ and the frenzy to leave the always drunk President of Melior began. Chapter 5: Living On the Run ¡°Pack everything honey!¡± Nicole said at her daughter on August 6, a day with a shining sun, birds chirping and a slight breeze. The same day the Pollocks family would split apart. The explanation from Nicole to her daughter was complicated, but a simple word convinced Faith to leave. Through the eyes of a 5-year-old girl the word adventure meant the world, so when her mom told her to pack everything, that was what she did. A few minutes later six suitcases of clothes were packed in the 2090 Lexus, and the trunk was piled high with Faith¡¯s favorite toys. With Faith in the back seat and Faith¡¯s mom in the driver¡¯s seat, the first stretch of their journey began. Nicole knew they would have to drive extra fast for the night before she had stolen her husband¡¯s credit card while he lay knocked out on the couch. He would soon realize it when he tried to buy more booze. So, driving over the speed limit Faith talked with her mom. Soon bringing the subject to her father Nicole explained how they would most likely not see her husband ever again and her daughter''s reaction was the exact reason why she was worried about doing what she was doing when Faith was so young. No matter how hard she tried, she would never be able to replace that fatherly role, and Faith¡¯s mom knew that. Thus, the only reasonable solution she could think of at that moment with Faith hysterically crying in the back seat was to explain why her husband or Faith¡¯s father, Robert was suddenly so ¡®sleepy¡¯. ¡°Faith, sweety,¡± Nicole cooed as Faith wailed, ¡°we have to leave.¡± Faith cried harder, wailing, ¡°Why?!¡± ¡°Your father it seems has developed a bad habit of drinking too much liquor,¡± Nicole said calmly. ¡°What¡¯s lick-her?¡± Faith asked, suddenly wiping her tears from her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s a bad thing, Faith. It makes parents forget their jobs as parents. It makes parents sleep too much, and it makes parents act like different people.¡± Faith thought back to when her dad had yelled at her about a reason she couldn¡¯t understand when she woke him up to ask if she could have something to eat. ¡°We have to help!¡± Faith said faithfully. ¡°Unfortunately only your dad can fix this, and I don¡¯t want him to hurt you any more then he already has.¡± Faith¡¯s mom explained. As the answers she had wanted for a year settled in, a dreadful feeling of despair replaced her wanting to know what was going on. The car went silent for about 45 minutes until Faith¡¯s mom¡¯s phone rang. It was Robert. Declining the call Nicole started to talk to Faith, ¡°I know how hard this must be for you because it is for even me. I really loved your father, but people change, and unfortunately, your dad¡¯s change was not a good one. The one thing I can promise is I will try my best to make this as fun as I can.¡± The phone rang again, and Nicole declined it. By the fifth time, her phone rang Faith¡¯s mom was getting annoyed. Pressing down hard on the decline button, her finger slipped, hitting the accept button. Hearing her husbands slurred words, ¡°I got her.¡± Nicole had no emotion but hatred. Declining immediately after that everything seemed to be fine. The only problem was Faith¡¯s mom worried that her accepting by accident had given her husband some information on where they were somehow, and she couldn¡¯t have been more correct. Only a couple of miles away government cars raced down the highway using a tracker that through the call had gotten Faith and her mom¡¯s location. Within five minutes sirens were telling half the Pollock family to pull over, but Nicole refused and sped up. Having no mercy, the government cars encircled Faith and her mom. Holding Faith¡¯s hand, the mom had no choice but to pull over. Nicole couldn¡¯t even say goodbye to her daughter before the bullet hit her head. Faith fainted before her father took her to a hospital near his office. Waking up in a hospital bed the 5-year-old girl felt as though the world had just toppled upon her. Her first instinct when she saw her father was to scream at him, so that is what she did. ¡°My mom is dead because of you!¡± she screamed, tears going down her face. ¡°You¡¯re evil!¡± Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. ¡°Now, Faith,¡± her father said, dark-eyed and woozy from being a bit tipsy, ¡°I am sure this must be confusing for you at such a young age.¡± Faith nodded. ¡°Truth be told your mother tricked both of us. She was a monster, planning all of these years a day to kidnap you and I guess today was the day. Did you know she was planning to sell you for money?¡± Robert said slyly, lying. Horrified by what she was being told Faith didn¡¯t know what to believe. Looking at her dad who drank too much lick-her and looking back at her dead mom, the reasonable choice seemed to be to believe her dad. After all, he was alive to tell the tale. With her confusion clarified Faith could only think of one thing to say to her dad for saving her from being sold, ¡°Thank you.¡± Chapter 6: The Plague After that incident, everything became relatively normal. 7 Domum Lane was sold, and Faith began to live in a guest room at her dad¡¯s quarters of the government office. She started kindergarten at a private school, unlike what her mom wanted which was public schools to save money. Not many people were a fan of her dad as the President, so she had few friends. Faith soon learned she had a skill of artistic ability, so that was what she often did in her free time. She got used to her dad drinking too much, and after some time in Elementary School, she learned it was liquor, not lick-her. Even though she didn¡¯t have many friends, she still wasn¡¯t picked on like some, but whenever she saw someone being teased, she would stand up for them, no matter who the person was. If she didn¡¯t say something against the bully, she would feel guilty. Her teachers loved her, and they would often compliment her for sticking up for everyone. Faith would say it¡¯s because of her name and that would always make her teachers laugh. Faith never really thought of her mom although she did remember bits of her childhood with her. She recognized her as loving, caring and protective. The only explanation she could have that would reassure her dad was telling the truth would be to say to herself her mom was a fantastic actress with a motive to kidnap. Since her mom being shot everything was pretty peaceful, and that was how Faith liked it. Her, her pencil and a piece of paper kept her from being bored for 7 years living in her dad¡¯s office. However, when those seven years came to an end Faith was in seventh grade at a private middle school, and the peace broke. It had just turned 3000, and people spoke of a deadly plague. Worse than death most said and symptoms like torture. The whispered plague soon turned to reality in all five sections of Quinque. School was canceled until further notice and Faith was stuck with her dad in his office. Being the President of Melior¡¯s daughter Faith was protected more than anyone else besides her dad practically, but as Faith soon learned during this time Faith¡¯s dad wasn¡¯t just going to be drunk that whole time. He had his own plans and now being 12 and living in the same space as him; Faith was able to figure them out. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.As she learned from hearing multiple phone calls and listening to various voice messages when she appeared to be drawing, her dad was going to take the peoples weakness at this time to take over as Dictator so he could then help regain our population and maintain with the plague. Happy her dad was planning to help Faith was content with the idea, but what she heard wasn¡¯t everything. When her dad rose to power, he promised Quinque medicine guaranteed to get rid of the plague, but only if they agreed to obey him as their leader. When the people decided he was crowned Dictator and a building was built for him, his colleagues, workers, and Faith in an astonishing month. The mansion was beautiful, and Faith was grateful. Within a matter of days, her dad had spoken his first code of conduct. ¡°Millions have died already, and the medicine needs to be sent out, but you guys will have to cooperate too. Due to our lack in population forced families will have to be created except in all of Melior where people will get the medicine for free because they live in the wealthiest region of Quinque.¡± Dictator Pollock¡¯s overpowering rule started its destruction. Chapter 7: A Lone World of Loneliness The week started with government officials traveling to every town in Pauper, Esuriit, Fragili, and Infirmi giving all the residents in each city a number to match another''s. The person with your matching number would be your spouse and who you would have kids with. If that does not happen in three years, you are put into jail in the Dictator¡¯s house. Automatically there were protests. The poorer regions of Quinque were already doing hard working jobs so the citizens of Melior could thrive; many thought this was outrageous. However, anyone who objected was put in jail. Faith had her worries about this and didn¡¯t like the idea of it, but she kept convincing herself her dad was trying to get the population back in order. So, as fewer people objected because there was a consequence the plague disappeared, school resumed and the community within five years regained to its original amount from before the disease, yet the same code of conduct remained. Dictator Pollock claimed it would be too risky to not continue the rule just in case another disaster came. Faith was 17 and lonely with her drawings getting better and better, but her boredom worse and worse. Now because of her dad¡¯s use of power, everyone ignored her. She felt sheltered in another world now that she was almost out of high school with more kids to ignore her. The world felt cold as her dad remained drunk now starting at two in the afternoon. At times she wished days would be cut shorter and nights longer to sleep her way out of her need for social interaction. Her want for comfort ate away at her and her will to stay happy was slipping from her. Her teachers started to worry about her, trying to schedule a meeting her dad would never come to talk about her depression. One day when the hours took longer than Faith wanted she yanked her bedroom door open in frustration and fought her way through what seemed to be forever hallways, trying to find somewhere where she could stress about her lonely life in peace, away from her drunk dad and what she thought were his butt kissing servants. It never occurred to her that because of her father many others were suffering far worse than Faith and that what she thought was an act of goodness to save the population was causing terror of all kinds for all kinds of people.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Chapter 8: A Jail of Skeletons After Faith ran until her lungs felt on fire, wheezing she fell onto cobblestone ground. Rubbing her legs on the hard floor, she felt the ground underneath her. Expecting a soft red carpet, not hard rock Faith painfully got up. Looking around, she saw a side of her dads mansion she had never seen before. She turned around to see a staircase leading towards what she typically saw in the building: red carpets and velvets and pictures and such. Turning back 180 degrees Faith pulled herself into the pitch black side of the building. She walked into the darkness and let the cool air swell around her. A tunnel formed around Faith and the more she walked, the more clear the lights in the distance became. Faith, thinking of the place as a dungeon walked up to the first torch out of the many that would follow. She continued to walk past all of the flames until the metal bars came into view. Staring at the bars realization hit Faith, and she strode forward as her eyes adjusted to the dimness of the room. The jail cells came into view and soon so did the prisoners. The white, skeletal figures that Faith¡¯s dad forced into jail met Faith¡¯s eyes. The ghosts ribs stuck out of their half-naked bodies revealing the toll taken on the prisoners from weeks of starvation. The cells reeked of manure and human filth from lack of hygiene. Horrified, Faith glanced around to see no guards but noticed the high tech movement trackers on each cell wall. Grateful to have peace to let out her emotions, Faith wept making no effort to wipe her tears from her eyes. Seeing the torture, her dad had made people go through while he laid back as Dictator made Faith lose her love for the only family member she knew left. Faith felt guilt for having faith in her always drunk dad thinking he had a good idea for once. Faith thought her dad¡¯s plan would save the population, which is precisely what happened, but with the cost of human torture. ¡°It is okay honey.¡± one of the prisoners said weakly. Sniffing, Faith turned towards a dark-skinned, frail woman. ¡°I thought my dad had the right idea,¡± Faith convinced herself. ¡°You must be the Dictator¡¯s daughter?¡± the woman cooed. Faith nodded. ¡°Listen, you can¡¯t blame yourself for giving into the Dictator¡¯s promises. We all did. I mean you''re only about 17 if I am correct?¡± ¡°Yes Ma¡¯am,¡± Faith replied politely. Through the darkness of the room, Faith had found respect for this half-naked woman. Her loneliness was pushed aside for the time being. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°You''re about the same age as my Willow,¡± the woman said, pointing to the cell next to her, ¡°she is my daughter.¡± Faith looked to the cell next to the Mother to see a fragile, timid girl of the same age as her but living in another world. At only 17 years old Willow had found herself dying in prison. Willow waved at Faith as Faith did the same back. ¡°I am so sorry,¡± was all Faith could mutter out of her mouth. A loud silence screamed through the walls of the depressed jail cells. Breaking the silence Willow¡¯s mom said, ¡°We lived in Pauper. My husband died when Willow was ten.¡± ¡°Sorry for your loss,¡± Faith cut in. ¡°That is enough sorrys for today sweetie, the death of Willow¡¯s dad is done now. Anyway, because of my old husband¡¯s death, I was paired with another man during the ceremony three years ago to have kids with. I never had kids with this man though, because he started to abuse me and my Willow midway through. Of course, no good mother would let this happen, so I stood up for us and Willow followed. We were sent to jail because of this, but I don¡¯t regret anything. I wouldn¡¯t be able to live with myself if I had a kid with that maniac. Anyway, we have been in jail for over a year now according to Willow,¡± Willow¡¯s mom said while gesturing to Willow¡¯s cell. Willow had etched in tallies on her side of the prison wall; there was more than 365. Faith walked in between Willow and her mom¡¯s cell. ¡°My name is Faith,¡± she said. ¡°And I promise,¡± Faith whispered, ¡°I will be right back.¡± Faith jogged past the torches, through the tunnel, and towards the staircase until she found her feet on top of the red carpet in the main part of the mansion. Unaware where she was Faith blindly followed the bright colored carpet until she found the sign saying ¡°Dictator¡¯s Office¡± pointing north. Knowing where she was going now, Faith soon found herself carefully opening her dad¡¯s office door to see his hands collapsed on the keyboard of his computer, breathing hard and slow while bending his head back behind his chair. He hadn¡¯t noticed she had gone. For once Faith was grateful her dad was an alcoholic. Chapter 9: The Angel Faith woke up to see her dad sober; this was something she hadn¡¯t seen in a long time. He acknowledged her, unlike usual and did so much as say goodbye to her on that Tuesday as she headed to school. This act would have been deeply appreciated by Faith only a couple days ago, but since she met Willow and her mom, this irritated her. ¡°All he does is make everyone fall into his little plans, so he has all the power,¡± Faith muttered, ¡°but I won¡¯t fall for it this time.¡± Sure enough, after Faith arrived home from another long and lonely day of school, her dad lay drunk on the floor, incapable of movement. Guess this morning I was just lucky to find him one of the hours he wasn¡¯t drunk Faith thought. Happy her dad was distracted, Faith called one of her dad¡¯s butlers to bring her an assortment of foods. ¡°I am extra hungry today,¡± she claimed. Francisco, one of the servants opened the door a few minutes later to hand Faith a mini feast. ¡°Thank you!¡± Faith exclaimed as Francisco left Robert¡¯s office. ¡°This is perfect!¡± Faith whispered after the butler closed the door quietly. The tray held multiple plates of cheese: cheddar, Swiss, mozzarella with rei bread to go with it. There were pickles and capers, plus butter, cantaloupe, watermelon, melon, grapes, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and a pitcher of lemonade. Faith opened the Dictator¡¯s office door and peeked to see the coast clear. Faith carefully walked the ginormous batch of food down the red carpet until she reached the familiar cobblestone steps leading down to the prison. She walked down the steps and carried her feet while being careful not to leave any evidence behind until she saw the first jail cell. Willow and her mom came into view. ¡°My goodness!¡± both of them said. ¡°I told you I would be back,¡± Faith said, ¡°now they haven¡¯t killed you yet, so how are they feeding Y''all?¡± Faith asked. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. ¡°They typically throw bits of bread through the bars now and then,¡± Willow said. Faith became concerned that she could get caught by one of the feeding guards. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Willow reacted while pointing towards the small windows in the wall, ¡°they always feed us at night.¡± Faith relaxed. ¡°I don¡¯t think the motion detectors go off unless it is a big movement,¡± Willow¡¯s mom answered wisely. Taking a chance, Faith held her breath while she chucked a piece of cheese at Willow. The sensor didn¡¯t do so much as blink, so Faith threw a piece of cheese to each prisoner as they ate gratefully. Next, she distributed the bread, pickles and capers, packs of butter, fruit, and lemonade by throwing and sliding the food under and in between the cell bars. Watching the starved prisoners thankfully eat their food Faith didn¡¯t say a word. She never realized how precious food could be growing up in Melior. Willow gestured for her to have some food, but Faith denied. ¡°I can have some anytime,¡± she said. After everyone had eaten the thanks were handed out to Faith graciously, and small talk started. Every prisoner had their own sad story to tell. Many hadn¡¯t had kids with their assigned spouse in three years, and that was why they ended up in jail, while others started rebellions themselves. One woman was caught seeing another man (who she was in love with) instead of her assigned husband. Another one of the prisoners was found trying to flee. A connection was created, intertwined with trust. Faith was seen as a friend, even a lifesaver who would help the prisoners. ¡°You don¡¯t know how lucky we are to have you, Faith,¡± Willow said. ¡°You have waited too long,¡± Faith replied coolly. ¡°An angel¡¯s timing is always perfect,¡± Willow breathed, ¡°you have saved us.¡± Chapter 10: The First Friend With that Faith scampered to her dad¡¯s office as she later did many times again. Every day after school or in the afternoon on Saturdays and Sundays Faith would go to the dungeon to feed the prisoners the same platter from Francisco the butler. The more she did this, the closer she got with all of the prisoners, especially Willow. One day as Willow ate Faith even explained about her mom and how her dad had shot her then later said she was trying to kidnap and sell her. ¡°I just don¡¯t understand because all I can remember of my mom is how nurturing and protective she was of me,¡± Faith said, pleading for answers. ¡°Baloney!¡± Willow said, ¡°Your mom was wonderful I am sure. I think she took you away from your dad because she knew how bad he was. Your dad shot her because if he was going to be the President of Melior, he couldn¡¯t have a wife who wasn¡¯t supportive of his campaign.¡± ¡°But why go so far as shoot her?¡± ¡°By then your dad had already devoted his soul to working and reputation. A divorce would give your mom the opportunity to rebel against your dad''s ways while shooting her he could say one day she ¡®disappeared¡¯.¡± Willow answered calmly. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. Faith gaped, her mouth wide open. ¡°How do you figure out all this stuff?¡± she asked suspiciously. ¡°It¡¯s what I would do if I was an evil Dad, trying to have as much power as possible,¡± Willow replied making Faith laugh. ¡°I also learned something from living somewhere named poor in Latin.¡± Another day Faith spent some time creating a portrait of her and Willow. It was a beautiful painting of the two young adults holding hands, raising them towards the sun. Willow¡¯s shackles were off her, laid on the floor in the painting and Faith had a family portrait in her hand. The glass was cracked on her dad¡¯s face. ¡°When we are free,¡± Faith titled it. She sprinted to Willow¡¯s cell the day after and slipped the painting quickly through the bars. ¡°This is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen,¡± Willow said, staring at the painting, ¡°thank you.¡± ¡°No,¡± Faith said, ¡°thank you for giving me a future to hope for and to create art about.¡± And thank you for being my first friend Faith thought as she watched Willow slip the painting underneath a loose stone in the floor. Chapter 11: The Culprit It was another typical day, and Faith was heading down to the jail to visit Willow and see the prisoners. However, her arrival caused a ruckus. After Willow had quieted everyone, she explained. ¡°Yesterday the same guard that typically feeds us arrived, but with someone else Faith. That someone else declared the guard was feeding us too much and he wasn¡¯t allowed to feed us at all now. You need to be more careful Faith. They are onto us.¡± ¡°Well, they aren¡¯t going to stop me from feeding you guys,¡± Faith replied while the prisoners ate appreciatively. ¡°Just be careful,¡± Willow¡¯s mom said, ¡°we wouldn¡¯t want you to get in trouble for your goodness.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine!¡± Faith answered, ¡°However thank you for worrying about me.¡± Faith said to Willow¡¯s mom. Sadly, Faith wasn¡¯t fine though. The next day with her dad tipsy she overheard him on a phone call. ¡°Prisoners thriving?¡± he slurred, ¡°Well what does the guard say?¡± he asked. ¡°He says he didn¡¯t feed them too much?¡­ SCHEDULE A TRIAL!¡± he yelled while closing the call. Chuckling he walked to the refrigerator, took a big sip straight from the vodka bottle, then carried it to his rotating chair to fall asleep. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. ¡°His only love,¡± Faith muttered darkly looking at her dad cradling the vodka bottle in his arms, fast asleep. The next day Faith listened for news about the trial. Another tipsy telephone call came. ¡°Innocent¡­you don¡¯t say?¡± Robert said with a curious grin, ¡°No, no, no, I believe you. It has to be someone else in the mansion. Someone who controls the food¡­create trials for all of the cooks and butlers as soon as possible. Make them say any suspicious orders they placed too; they could be part of the crime, not the criminal.¡± The Dictator hung up the phone once more, fancying the whole scenario. In his mind, it was the next best thing besides day drinking. ¡°Feeding outlaws, criminals, villains and it is someone in the castle¡­,¡± Faith¡¯s dad said, ¡°the mystery, who will it be?¡± he asked himself. Little did he know his culprit was right around the corner, pretending to be taking a nap in her bed while eavesdropping on every single word. Little did he know the culprit he was seeking was one of the people he ignored the most. In the Dictator¡¯s mind, he had already tried as a Father, but his daughter wouldn¡¯t cooperate. He was doing the right thing by leaving her alone. It never crossed his drunk mind his drinking had always made her upset, or at school, nobody liked her because of him. Most importantly, it never crossed his mind his daughter knew all of his darkest secrets and the evilness to his terrible plan. He never thought by isolating Faith in his mansion he had given her the information he never wanted her to know. Chapter 12: Innocence Faith continued to feed the prisoners, but after listening to her dad¡¯s calls, she knew to be more careful. She stopped ordering just from Francisco, hoping he wouldn¡¯t say that Faith had been ordering the same thing every day for months now from him. She also ordered different things from the different butlers. The prisoners got pies some days, while others lasagna. ¡°Really it is okay!¡± Willow said one day while stuffing her face with sorbet. ¡°Food is food to us.¡± Faith was now cutting down her time with Willow so she could spend as much time as possible in her dad¡¯s office. Faith wanted to make sure she was there when her dad got an update on the trials of the cooks and butlers. So one day after she had gone to the dungeons to feed the prisoners lemon chicken piccata she found herself relaxed in a fur-coated chair, doing homework, listening to her dad¡¯s call. ¡°The trials?¡± Faith¡¯s dad asked, buzzed. ¡°Let¡¯s hear it,¡± he said a moment later. His hand collapsed lazily as he attempted to write down the information. After a moment he repeated the witnesses alibis, his eyes struggling to focus. ¡°Am I correct it is Chef Anne who claims she didn¡¯t have any suspicious orders? Same thing from Chefs Mark, Amanda, Alex, Ted, Tyler, Bobby, Guy, Giada, Geoffrey, Valerie, Jason, Duff and Butlers York, Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Phoenix, Philly, Antonio, Diego, Dallas, Jose, Austin, and Jackson?¡± Robert asked. Faith let herself calm down, Francisco wasn¡¯t mentioned. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± her dad suddenly asked, ¡°You missed one?¡­ Francisco¡­¡± Faith gulped. Be cool she told herself. Her dad continued to talk, ¡°Got a suspicious order¡­been happening for a couple of months¡­¡± Robert repeated while scribbling down notes shakily. Faith prayed. ¡°Fruit/cheese dish ordered every day from your daughter! My daughter!¡± he yelled furiously. Chugging down a can of beer he glared at Faith, but Faith stared determined at her math sheet. ¡°No,¡± Faith¡¯s dad assured himself, ¡°how would she know how to get there?¡­I¡¯ll talk to her, tell all of the guards to keep an eye out.¡± Faith¡¯s dad stated. Faith waited for her dad to come. Taking a 5-minute drinking break, Robert seemed to be seeing how drunk he could get in a couple of minutes. Eventually, he stumbled into Faith¡¯s room. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Honey¡­¡± Faith¡¯s dad said. Honey! Faith thought, rolling her eyes in her mind. ¡°Yes,¡± Faith answered politely. ¡°Francisco, the butler, told me how you order that cheese/fruit plate every day, just wondering, why?¡± Robert asked slyly. ¡°It¡¯s my favorite dish, plus I have had a growth spurt lately so I have been hungrier and that dish gives me all the food I need.¡± ¡°Got it,¡± Faith¡¯s dad reacted, ¡°You have gotten taller,¡± he responded awkwardly then trampled out of the room. Faith later went to bed but woke to her dad on the phone again. ¡°My daughter is innocent, I am pretty sure,¡± Robert said, ¡°but keep an eye on her for me. You never know.¡± Faith fell into a sound sleep that night, knowing, for now, she was considered innocent. Chapter 13: Sound the Alarm Faith felt now that she was considered innocent her worries were over. However, this assumption would later cost her. Thinking everything was okay, Faith fed the prisoners after school the next day. Faith ordered the fruit/cheese plate from Francisco per usual and headed towards the dungeon. Faith walked until the flat red carpet ground turned into the hard cobblestone floor. When Faith reached the jail cells she was welcomed by Willow, ¡°Any news on the trials?¡± she asked. Every day since the prisoners had informed Faith the guards were suspicious as to why they were gaining weight Faith had updated them on the drama. ¡°Yes!¡± Faith replied to Willow excitedly. ¡°All of the chefs and butlers said they didn¡¯t know anything, except one. Francisco, the chef I order from every day to get you guys this here cheese/fruit platter,¡± she said while pointing to the dish Faith had set on the floor. ¡°He said that I had been ordering the fruit/cheese plate every day for the past couple of months, which is true, but I had a simple excuse that got me out of a trial and that made me appear innocent. Cause feeding the starving is a crime.¡± Faith paused letting everyone get a laugh in. ¡°I simply said I ordered that plate every day because I was a growing girl and I loved that type of food. So here I am again, like the good old days before anyone suspected you guys were fed extra. I ordered from Francisco and got y''all the cheese/fruit plate.¡± ¡°Faith,¡± Willow said, ¡°you sure you''re innocent? I mean I wouldn¡¯t want you to push your luck for us.¡± ¡°Nah,¡± Faith said as she dished out the food to all of the prisoners, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Willow¡¯s mom cut in, ¡°Faith the last time you said you were fine what happened?¡± ¡°We got ourselves into this mess,¡± she said sharply, ¡°but I promise this time, I am sure everything is okay.¡± The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Better to be safe than sorry,¡± Willow muttered. ¡°I AM FINE!¡± Faith snipped. ¡°Now eat.¡± The prisoners glared at her while Willow said, ¡°Well ok then.¡± Faith heaved a sigh, ¡°Sorry guys; I like to think I can handle things myself. If you don¡¯t need other people than losing them isn¡¯t as hard. Like my mom, I like to think I don¡¯t miss her and don¡¯t need her, but I wish she were here. With my dad I want him to be who my mom married. She must have loved him for some reason¡­anyway if I didn¡¯t want two caring parents maybe I wouldn¡¯t hold myself back so much, so I have been trying not to hold myself back. Anyway, that is why I am determined to keep feeding all of you. No setbacks.¡± Everyone stared at her as the air stood still until Willow commented, ¡°Sorry, Faith I understand. I guess we just forgot you have had a hard past too. We are very grateful for all you have done for us and how determined you are to let nothing stop you. I also as you know don¡¯t have a reliable dad, and at times I feel that limits me too and I hate being restrained.¡± Willow said, letting her hand slide down the hard, cold jail wall. ¡°But, at the same time, it is important, as I have learned by ending up in jail, that you don¡¯t go so extreme that it could hurt yourself. My point is always good to be cautious.¡± Willow ended. ¡°Thank you,¡± Faith said, ¡°I am so happy to have you to keep me on track Willow.¡± Willow smiled as Faith did the same. ¡°Although I am sad about what I have had to go through, without it I wouldn¡¯t have met you.¡± Faith whispered adoringly. Caught in the moment Faith reached through the bars of Willow¡¯s cell. As quick as Willow screamed the alarms went off. Chapter 14: Helpless The prison seemed to echo with two words ¡°Faith no!¡± Since Faith had reached her arm in through the bars, they had closed around her arm. With Faith petrified and her arm stuck in Willow¡¯s cell, Willow could only think of one thing to do. Squeezing Faith¡¯s hand, Willow felt Faith relax. ¡°Don¡¯t worry Faith,¡± Willow said, ¡°you¡¯ll get yourself out of this, I know it.¡± Although Willow said this, in her head she was savoring what she worried would be her last moments with her best friend. ¡°Don¡¯t give in, stand your ground.¡± was the last thing Willow said to Faith as she was pulled away by the guards, the Dictator swaying by their side. As Faith watched the closest friends she had ever had watch her be pulled away with her dad leading the whole thing, she felt only one emotion. She felt helpless.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. Chapter 15: Nothing More Than A Dictator Faith was led, over a bulky guards shoulder, to a room she had never seen before. A courtroom, it was. Where the trials must have been Faith assumed and where mine will be. Faith glanced toward her dad pleadingly from over the guard''s shoulder. Making eye contact, she received a stern look. ¡°Drop her there,¡± the Dictator said gruffly. The guards dropped Faith on a wooden bench, having no care to be gentle. Faith¡¯s dad walked over to her, ¡°I¡¯m ashamed with you, Faith. I thought you were better than this.¡± he sighed. Looking into her dad¡¯s cold eyes, smelling his alcohol reeking breath, she knew she wouldn¡¯t let him mean anything to her. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°You were never anything to me but a Dictator.¡± Faith whispered fiercely. ¡°Good,¡± the Dictator replied, bending over ¡°because in this trial you will be treated by nothing more than the dirty liar you are.¡± Straight-faced the Dictator left to go to the bench, tripping along the way, where he would sit and judge. Faith¡¯s mindset was to do precisely what Willow told her, to stand her ground. Chapter 16: The Trial The trial started with the Dictator slamming the gavel. ¡°Call to order,¡± he said, breathily, ¡°we are presenting the case that Ms. Pollock was accused of illegally feeding the prisoners. First, we will hear from Ms. Pollock, the plaintiff.¡± ¡°Dictator,¡± Faith emphasized, ¡°I plead guilty,¡± she said forcefully. The Dictator cackled, his eyes fluttering, ¡°Well thank you, that makes my job easier!¡± ¡°May I explain my case, sir?¡± Faith asked dangerously. ¡°I suppose so.¡± the Dictator sighed heavily while checking his watch. ¡°First, did it ever occur to you I am more than a dumb child. I can figure out simple puzzles, for example, you killed Mom to save your reputation, your plan to supposedly save everyone from the plague was really to gain power and what you claimed was a harmless jail, you are starving people. I am ashamed to have you as a father, and I hope to live up to Mom. The bad guys never win by the way, and I hope the small time when you are in power is worth it. You are torturing millions, you killed your wife, you are starving children, and you betrayed your daughter, so I hope you are happy with yourself.¡± Faith said triumphantly. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°You are just like your mother,¡± the Dictator said. And just as significant a threat the Dictator thought. A pistol in his back pocket, he fired at Faith. Not ready, Faith fell to the ground. ¡°May she Rest In Peace with her mother,¡± the Dictator said darkly, ¡°and let me live forever in the power I will continue to consume.¡± Chapter 17: The Aftermath Faith lay on the cold marble floor, heaving slow, deep breaths. The bullet had gone through her forehead. As Faith blinked her eyes and let the world fade from her, she prayed, ¡°Whatever happens, don¡¯t let Willow get hurt.¡± At the same time, Willow and her fellow prisoners were stressing over the safety of the girl who had saved their lives. ¡°May God be with her,¡± Willow¡¯s mom whispered. But, as Faith took her last breath, Willow felt a pain in her heart. Kneeling on the floor, the world turned cold and dark. Feeling as though she was being taken from the ground, Willow felt the cobblestone floor for something she could hold on to. Willow was floating from the world, struggling to pull herself down. ¡°Willow!¡± Willow woke up to her mom calling her from the jail cell next to her. ¡°What happened?¡± Willow asked in a dark voice. ¡°You were screaming hun,¡± Willow¡¯s mom said, ¡°are you okay?¡± The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Yeah,¡± Willow said, ¡°I just had a vision, like the one I had when dad died. I was floating from the earth, unable to pull myself down.¡± ¡°Aww, honey,¡± Willow¡¯s mom said, worried what that could mean. It took a minute for Willow to reflect, but soon enough Willow was balled up on the ground, crying to her heart¡¯s content for she knew she had now lost another one of the people she was closest to. ¡°She saved our lives!¡± Willow cried. ¡°We have to do something!¡± With everyone in agreement, the prisoners were going to avenge Faith¡¯s death. That night as Willow fell asleep on the hard cobblestone floor one thought soothed her to sleep. May she Rest In Peace with her mother. The End