There was something in the air, sad, melancholic, gloomy, subdued… It was something that he didn't understand. He looked at the sky, staring at the clouds that formed and returned his gaze to Astus primary school. It wasn't far from the high school. In fact, they all exist in one round building but each with its own door. Everyone attended the same school, the same building, the same tables… Everything was just unchanging and felt eternal.
He looked around and didn't find her anywhere; his young cousin that he saw as his own sister wasn't waiting for him as usual. His eyes gauged some girls chatting and laughing near the main door and listened to their conversation. He didn't want to but was forced because he wanted to ask. He never imagined she wasn't there; he thought she was still on duty or was late because she wanted to do homework early.
"Do you see how she ran away? She must be stupid. I told her to just join us but she refused. Did I do anything wrong?" the young girl with black hair had one of those stupid expressions where arrogance. She clapped and the other two girls did as well.
Elijah eyes the girls almost burning them with his glare. He understood what happened and Margaret wasn't at school. He remembered many bad and wistful memories; he was worried. People suicided easily in a country that doesn't have the most basic of freedom: speech. He ran around staring with the third rank area then climbed the streets looking for any young girl with a desperate look and a nervous stance.
He groped his pocket for the pendant he kept always on him, having two pictures: Margaret and someone else. He looked closely at it for quite some time then asked people about it; he showed the picture and no one saw her. No one wanted to answer. Everyone just glared at him telling him to go away because they had to go home, especially the lower ranks.
"Can't you understand that no one will answer you?" a woman said taken back by the softness of a mother to her child. She didn't stop. He had to follow her to hear the rest. "You know how we can't stay outside. We need to rush inside our homes. For our safety… Keep searching for her, maybe she was lost or maybe she went home."
"But she doesn't know the way back home," he stopped whispering the last words that the woman didn't hear. He crouched in a corner, his hands over his head, thinking. "Where did she go?"
Elijah decided to redo the way back to school; maybe she came back because she didn't find the way home. It wasn't that hard; she would only return after a few turns. He repeated his mantra; whatever you do in life, it will be insignificant but it is important that you do it. He gathered his desperate courage again and quickened his pace way back to school.
It wasn't long until he saw her walking on the wall surrounding the school, she had her arms spread wide in the air to keep her balance and her small bag wasn't anywhere besides her; she never did that. In fact, she was a shy girl and feared doing anything that endangered anyone. He rushed to her side only to find a girl with unruly hair and a wide fake smile on her face.
"What are you doing with my sister?" he yelled, preparing his fist to push it inside her fist. Sierra eyed him for a few seconds before jumping back.
"I never thought that you brother is impolite, Margaret. You kept talking about him so well that I thought he was a gentleman and here he is ready to punch me in the face," Sierra prepared her body to dodge his attacks, bemused. She knew he cared for his cousin and it was amazing. At least, someone cared to search for her.
Elijah saw Margaret's face twist into anger and stopped; he was confused then he got it. Someone went out of his way and helped his cousin and it was rare, especially for someone from the lower ranks. Maybe she wasn't one of them… Maybe she belonged to the fifth rank and they could stay outside until midnight. He bowed his head apologetically and helped Margaret down.
"You are such a bad brother, Elijah. How can you punch a girl?"
"There is no difference; everyone is the same in front of the Etrana. Are you alright? Did someone bully you? I can use my fists to teach them a lesson," he crouched in front of Margaret, fixing her hair and clothes.
"This is nice… You are such good big brother."
"I am sorry. I was really worried. I hope you don't hold a grudge against me. Where did you find her?"
"I would tell you about it like a story before bed," her mouth twisted into a smile. "You know, I just saw a black cat roaming outside and I was sad," she showed a pitiful expression but he didn't buy it. "Anyway, I saw her on a tree. If it wasn't for the cat, I wouldn't see her SO THANK THE CAT."
Elijah took out a cigarette and started smoking. Without saying a word, Margaret snatched it, tossed it on the floor and stepped on it repeatedly. "You promised you would quit. Is smoking this fun for you?" as Elijah didn't answer, she looked at her feet, playing with her fingers. He swept a nervous hand on his hair and averted his eyes, ashamed. He truly promised but he didn't want to tell her it was a fake promise. "My teacher scolded me again."
"Why? Do you want me to punch her?"
"No! Are you stupid? Are fists the only thing that you know?" she sighed. "I was absent-minded today as well. I just can't help thinking about a lot of things."
"For example?"
"The place we live in doesn't have any typical color, so why the sky is blue?" she tilted her head this time, with curiosity lightening in her eyes.
Sierra watched the duo talking and she couldn't help but smile sadly. It was warm and cosy. When she heard her asking about the sky, she froze for a moment. It was as if the question took her back to the first time she asked someone about it. It was her teacher who died unjustly; she saw him holding a book with bright colors and thought of asking him. His expression was hard at first, showing the firm and frowned expression every teacher shows. However, once he heard her question, he couldn't help but smile brightly. He found someone who he might cultivate for his goal.
Sierra was brought back to that moment and stared at the young girl horrified. She darted next to her and pressed her hand against her mouth. "You can't speak like this. You don't want your brother to be worried about you; you don't want your brother to see you dying… Forget about it. Don't ever ask these kinds of questions; bury everything until you die."
After Margaret nodded, she let go of her and stepped back. "I will be leaving. I guess my role for today has already come to an end, I will go back home."
Elijah watched her as she went back engaging in the road of the fifth rank area. He knew she was higher than him and he wouldn't forget it. He lifted Margaret in his arms and put her schoolbag around his shoulder and engaged to the third rank area.
"I don't know what happened to her; she was so sweet for the whole time. You know she took me to her house and cooked for me. She was so nice; she gave me a necklace as well. She said it was a gift she got from someone who died because of her and she had to let go of it, that I would use it better than her. I wonder who died…"
"You don't need to focus on these words. Everyone has their own miseries. We can't forget him, right? He is just everywhere for us"
"Ammm… I don't remember him. I just saw him in the pictures you showed me. I don't know him so I can't really know what you feel."
Elijah didn't answer her; he wanted the conversation to die. The streets in the third rank area were empty. They also had to rush home. The door twisted open and the house was empty as always. It would only be him and her. Margaret picked her schoolbag and went to the room they shared as Elijah went to the kitchen to prepare something to eat. As soon as he got the meat out, he remembered that Margaret had already ate. His hand tossed the meat inside the fridge again and he sat down thinking about something simple to cook.
"Elijah," Margaret appeared eying him, only her head available. "I found this in my bag," there was a lunch box carefully packed. "I think she gave it to us."
He opened it and found a good meal inside. His eyeballs darted from the lunchbox to Margaret in surprise.
"Wow! I don't know what to say. Shall we eat this?"