Chapter 1

Faith

It was too much. I couldn't handle it. It was too much grief for my heart to endure. My family lay dead before me, their eyes blank. A man tried pulling me away from them, but I was prepared. I grabbed his arm and twisted it, making him fall face-first into the ground. They know better than to mess with me, I thought. I returned to my seat by my parents and siblings, wiping my tear-streaked face. Then, the horn blew. The dreaded horn blew. They were going to take my family away from me.

"No! Stop, wait! Please! Just a little longer, please!" I begged. No one listened to me. I tried pushing people aside, but it was helpless. "Move aside, foolish girl!" They retorted. So I stood there, all alone, without my family.

Another day in Virginia, 1964, a mere 15-year-old little girl wanders around the city, wishing she were dead, along with her family. I tore up the piece of paper and threw it as far as I could. The diary wasn't helping. It was making it worse. I ran to the blossom tree that my family was buried under. Mother loved blossoms. I laughed sadly thinking about her picking blossoms from the trees and putting them in my hair.

"I miss you. I wish you were here with me, or that I was there with you. I didn't wish for you to be crushed by the carriage. I just…" I trailed off, choking on tears. I laid down next to my parents and suddenly, everything was pure black.

"Should we wake her up?" I heard. I tried opening my eyes, but it was almost impossible. "Why is she dressed like that? She looks like she's that lady in our social studies textbook. You know? The one that lived in the 1900s," Another voice said. The 1900's? What did that mean?

"Uh, James? I think she's waking up," The first voice said. I peeled my eyes open. This wasn't the tree. I sat up in panic, prepared to attack anyone that came near me. There were two boys, about the same age as me. They were wearing odd clothing. Not what a gentleman would wear.

"Hey, it's ok. We're not going to hurt you. I'm Noah, and this is James," Noah said.

James stepped up, "Uhh, girl? Why are you dressed like that?" I was offended. I know I'm not rich, but I wasn't that poor.

"Who are you?" I asked, still prepared to attack at any moment. Noah took my hand about to lead me away from the corner, but I turned around and flipped him over my back. He slammed onto the ground, groaning. James simply stared in shock. He started grinning broadly and started laughing. A lot.

"Oh, man! Noah, she beat your butt!" He laughed, holding his stomach. Noah stood and tried again.

"Ok. Hi," he started, wiping the dust off his pants, "I'm Noah. We're in Virginia. Do you know that place?" He asked cautiously.

I nodded and added, "It's my home place. But…" I began wondering where my parents were. Then the realization hit me. These boys took them. My eyes flooded with anger, and Noah noticed.

"Woah, Woah, Woah. Hold your horses," he began. My anger died down and got replaced with confusion.

"But I don't have any horses. We're indoors, there can't be any horses. And they're too heavy, I can't hold them," I replied. Noah smiled and James started cracking up.

"Hold your horses' means calm down. It's an expression," Noah explained. The word expression got me. I had a quick flashback:

"Express yourself, Faith," she said. I giggled. "Make a funny expression, mommy," I said. She made a fish face, and I squealed and clapped my hands. I tried making the face, and she laughed. She grabbed my cheeks softly. "My little girl," she cooed. I smiled and hugged her. "I love you, mommy," I said. She kissed me.

I gasped and stumbled backward. A sob escaped my lips and a fell on my knees. Noah and James stared at each other and bent down next to me. They kept their distance, for which I was grateful. I stood up again, wiping my cheeks. Then I remembered. They took my family. The anger returned, but more vividly. I wanted to kill them as they killed me.