Zero--00 : April #55

"Don't cry Marie, I'll protect you from everything."
Were the words seven year old April gave to her four year old little sister Marie when they were left at the Little Ones Orphanage. Hand in hand they walked into the orphanage each carrying a tattered backpack full of clothes. Living in an orphanage, April had to grow up fast for the both of them.

Little Ones Orphanage was a small old building swarming with "little ones". The staff were kind but were often distant from the kids. It was usually two or three to a bed when there was overcrowding, which usually there was. However warm the atmosphere was, April and Marie only truly had each other.

April loved her chubby freckle-faced little sister, affectionately calling her "Puppy", for the way she follows her around all the time. In turn Marie would call April "Mommy", she knew better but believed this term suited her most at times. The two were inseparable, where one was you would soon find the other...

However, it wasn't long until Marie was adopted out to a family far away. The two were devastated but April encouraged her leaving, the family was well off and would definitely give her precious eight year old sister a better life than what a scrawny eleven year old ever could. Before Marie's departure the two promised to meet again soon.

It was a few months after until April was adopted as well, she was adopted by a politician hoping to boost his reputation and image of being a caring figure in upcoming elections. April was whisked away in a sleek black car with her adoptive father and for sometime felt that life might actually be looking up. That lasted until they arrived at the man's house in a wealthy neighborhood, a place called Zone 1 it seemed.. Any warmth and attention April might have expected from her new parent was no where to be found in empty rooms and long cold hallways of the house. The man was often out of the house and any time they did spend together was outside with photographers. The man wasn't unkind, but in ten years she barely knew a thing of the man, she knew he likes to get up early, he likes to uphold his image, and he prefers watching sports than playing sports with her in his free time. Although he didn't spend much time with April he always gave her gifts, clothes, dolls, jewelry.. One gift she truly treasures however was the Motorcycle she received on her twenty first birthday. Now it was also April's turn to often desert the house whenever she could.

Finally with vehicle of her own, April often found herself killing time by exploring areas and sightseeing. She especially loved spending her time by the docks or amusement parks. Late one night, April arrived home with a message in her mailbox, a letter had arrived addressed to her, inside was information on her dear sister Marie! Months ago April had contacted the orphanage to help her track down her sister, and all the hours wasted on calls being made had worked. The letter told of Marie's visit to April's house on the fifth of September... Two days from today.

April full of excitement left immediately to go out in a sudden rain episode and buy gifts and party supplies from around town to celebrate the reunion. She bought balloons, streamers and for a gift she purchased a stuffed plush puppy doll.

April could hardly wait for two tomorrows, she unconsciously sped up faster and faster down busy roads. She thought fast of what chubby little Marie might look like now, perhaps a slim and elegant young adult April knew she would grow into. Distracted thoughts lead to carelessness on rain slick roads as April sped head fast into pedestrians crossing. She tried hard to brake but it was simply too late, she skid hard across the blacktop when her body dislodged forcefully from her Motorbike, stiffened hands ripped from the handles. She skid sideways off several feet away, tumbling violently until being stopped by a lamppost. If not for her motor helmet and gear she would have surely snapped her neck or bumped her head hard enough to illicit the grim reaper at once.

With surprising strength and much shock April stood and looked back to where her bike was, it laid on its side looking shockingly fine. It left a strew of three or four people badly injured in its wake however. Immediately feeling a sense of urgency, April picked up her wits, her bike, and sped off without looking back. If anyone recognized her or her vehicle then she would surely ruin her adoptive parents image, not to mention what Marie might think of her if she knew how reckless she had been.

With sweaty, shaky palms April parked the bike and helmet in the garage and covered both with black tarp. Hurrying inside she fell to her bed, adrenaline draining and pain starting the night was filled with scared whimpers of getting in trouble and groans of skid burns, bruises and possible broken bones throughout her body.

Just lay low until you at least get to see Marie again.. Just for two days lay low... For Marie..

Two days came and instead of receiving Marie, April received an email. The orphanage was contacted by Marie's adoptive parents.

Marie was killed in a motorbike accident. Two days ago when she was on her way to meet her older sister April two days earlier than planned, she had been in the way of a possibly drunk motorist. They have yet to identify and obtain the criminal, but are trying their best to find them quickly and bring them to justice. In Marie's last breaths she chose her final words to be, "I need to see April... I just need more time to see her.... I need to... For April."

Words could not describe the horrible guilt and self loathe she felt in that moment.

The morning after, April had made up her mind about what to do next. However heartbroken she were about her sister, she still had some kind of family she didn't want to greatly disappoint as well, her adoptive father. April did not wish to ruin his image in the community and thus calmly wrote and left a letter explaining that it was time she left to support herself and thus thanked him for his kindness. She remodeled her bike, changed her appearance to something more boyish, packed what she could and left with a heavy heart.

April started a new life, kept a low profile living in hotels in zone 3, paid in cash only and never gave a last name...

Unbeknownst to April's mindset and actions not to leave any clue to her identity, no one truly bothered to launch a full scale search for her dead sister. No family of the motorist victim had come forward, their adoptive parents were long since deceased and the orphanage were busy with little ones still in their vicinity to care about one that was long beyond their reach. Marie was a dead nobody, and no one came forward to protect her. Any respect given to the soul was an anonymous person that paid for her casket and to have a stuffed plush pup put beside the body, a spot for her in a quiet cemetery, and a tombstone with the engravings,
"A loved little one."