AWAKEN

45

THE PAST.

Amara was laying in the grass in the backyard of her childhood home. She was staring at the clear blue sky above them. She had finished her studies and was just enjoying the fresh air.

She closed her eyes and inhaled.

"There you are," It was Ben's voice.

The fourteen year old teen opened her eyes and saw her twenty-two year old brother standing above her. He was covered in grease and his hair was a little messy.

A smile broke on Amara's face, "What happened to you?"

She sits up as her brother sat down next to them.

"I was working on my speedster," He says, "The engine went out on it."

Amara groans, "Again?" She asks, "Ben, you should just get another one."

He shrugs his shoulders, "I like my speedster. I've had it since I was your age." He says.

Ben nudges his sister with a small smile on his face. Amara looks up at him and smiled back, before she shoved him. He fell onto the grass and let out a soft laugh.

"Jeez, Mari. You didn't need to shove me that hard." He says.

Amara had a grin on her face, "You have the Force, so this makes it even." She says.

She hears Ben laugh.

Although, Amara's eyes dart to the back porch of their childhood home. Amara spots her mother, Leia. Leia was speaking with her husband and her brother.

Amara looks a bit confused.

The conversation based off their expressions alone looked concerning. Maybe very serious. But Amara wasn't sure.

"Hey, Ben." Amara say while she still stared at the direction of the adults, "Think they're talking about that group- uh the First Order?"

Ben looks over at Amara, "How do you know about them?" He asks.

Amara shrugs, "The walls are thin."

Ben narrows his eyes at her, "You eavesdrop?" He says.

Amara sheepishly grins, "Maybe."

Then Amara hears Ben sighs. Her eyes moved to her brother. She sees the frown on his face and then felt his hand pat the top of her head.

"You shouldn't worry about adult things, Mari." Ben says.

"Ben," Amara says.

Ben looks at her with a smile, "I mean it," He says, "You are my baby sister. You are so pure and innocent. I do not want anything bad to corrupt the light in you."

Amara kept her look on her brother, "Okay, I'm not a baby."

Ben lets out a small laugh, "To me, Mari, you'll always be my baby sister."

Amara blinked.

Back in the tunnels.

She frowned.

She was thinking about him again.

Amara was still in the back and Rey was in the front, leading them. The two lightsabers were the only source of light for them all as they walked down the pathways.

"I don't want to know what made these tunnels," Poe spoke aloud.

Amara watched as her boyfriend flashed his dull flashlight against the cavern wall. His eyes moves from the wall to Amara.