The Wonderfully Long Book Of Short Stories

Till Death Do We Part

Hello, my name is Anastasia Gray. I'm 5 ft 6, have long, curly red hair & my eyes are the colour of emeralds. You are obviously reading my story because you have searched the chest in the attic. This story is about why I moved to live where I am now. In Port Angeles, Washington DC.

September 10th 1940

My family and I had just heard that World War 2 had hit Pupa New Guinea and was heading towards Darwin fast. We had just finished dinner when ma told my sister Ruby and I to go have a bath, whilst ma and pa cleaned the kitchen. We had finished brushing our teeth and ran downstairs to say goodnight to ma and pa – who may I say had been very sick – were lying on the floor. Ruby ran towards them and lay next to them crying and screaming at them; telling to wake up. I walked down to her, picked her up and took her next door. When she was inside with Ms Ber – our lovely elderly neighbour who spoilt us rotten – I went home and called the ambulance and waited. As soon as my parents were taken away, I went back next door thanked Ms Ber and took a sleeping Ruby home.

September 11th 1940.

The next day consisted of Rudy and I just moping around the house. Our family and friends who lived close enough; came around and bought us money and cooked meals for a few days. It took us a little while to explain to Ruby that ma and pa were dead because she sat by the door all day crying and begging them to come home. Finally Grandmamma had gotten Ruby calm enough so that we could explain. I was surprised that her little brain wrapped around that fact; I was still trying to wrap my head around the fact that both of my parents were gone. That night everyone that had come around that day, went home saying they'd back tomorrow or they stayed the night.

September 12th 1940.

Today is my birthday! I awoke to everyone crowded around my bed; holding gifts and my grandmamma was holding scrambled eggs and bacon on a plate.

"Thank you guys so much! This is the best day but I just wish ma and pa were here with me." I told them honestly.

"Ma and pa are with you today sweetie." I remember my aunt Sue telling me.

I looked around looking for Ruby to see her holding two presents.

"What've you got there?" I remember asking her.

"This one's from me and this one is from ma and pa; I found it in their cupboard." She told me innocently.

I laughed as I blew her a kiss and started eating my breakfast. Afterwards we moved down to the lounge room and everyone watched me open my birthday presents. I was given a new sweater and a few other things.

September 13th 1940.

It was the day after my 18th birthday when there was a knock on the door. I asked Ruby to get it because I was making dinner. I heard her scream. I grabbed the butcher's knife I had been using and walked out slowly. I looked around the corner when I saw a man stab her. I heard her scream again as he stabbed her again. After he had stabbed her three times she finally screamed her last scream of pain. I saw the colour leave her face and drop to the ground. The man then started in my direction ready to kill me. As he turned the corner I stabbed him in the stomach and watched the colour leave his face and he dropped to the floor just like Ruby did. It was then when I just realised that World War 2 had just reached us.

I grabbed a small bag and packed a few clothes in it as well as my new sweater. I grabbed a couple more knives; placed them in my jacket on the inside as well as grabbing my pa's small hand gun and bullets. I raced out the front door just as another man attacked me. I grabbed a knife and stabbed him right in the throat. I watched him as he fell to the ground. I raced to the runway that was a few blocks away from my house. By the time I arrived at the runway I had killed a few men and lost all my knives in their bodies, as well as a round of bullets. But that doesn't matter now, I was safe. When I arrived there, there was a boy about my age getting into a plane. I called out to him just before he jumped in. He turned around and ran to me as fast as he could. I introduced myself and he told me his name was Alexander Morgan. We jumped into the plane and headed to Port Angeles. Whilst we were sat in the plane I got a good look at him. He had short black hair with dark brown eyes that looked nearly black. He had nice angled cheekbones and lovely full reddish lips.

2nd of July 1950.

It's been ten years now and Alexander and I are married. We have two beautiful girls named Ruby, after my sister, and Belle, after his sister who was also killed in World War 2. Ruby looks like Alex with her hair and cheekbones but she has my lips and emerald eyes whilst Belle has my hair colour and cheekbones but her dad's lips and dark eye colour. We live in Port Angeles and World War 2 is over. We have made many friends and some of them have moved here because of the war. We have just celebrated the girls 6th birthday. Alexander and I are both 28 and working. We have made sure that the girls are both able to handle anything that happens.

A note from Alexander.

Anastasia died at the age of 80 on the 3rd of July 1992. Ruby, Isabelle and I miss her dearly. Thank you for reading this story because Anastasia really needed someone else to know what had happen to us. I know you have been through the chest that this was found in because we left this in the attic so that someone would know her story. Thank you dearly for reading.

A. Morgan