Taken (temporary)

June 12, 2119

Anna sat under a tree, one of the only trees that weren't dying. Her mother was in childbirth and Anna was nervous, she had heard about how some women died while having children but she didn't think it could happen to her mother. As she was lost in her own thoughts the sound brought her back to the world she now lived in. Anna dashed across the front yard as she heard the small bell going off to signal the successful birth. She made it to the small two roomed cottage and looked into her mothers room. She looked to her mother but the view was blocked by the towns nurses and midwife. She looked over to her brother and she could see him holding the small delicate child in his arms, tears streaming down his face as he looked towards the bed her mother laid in. The midwife left and put her hand on Anna's shoulder as she walked by. Anna squeezed into the small room and walked to the bed, her mother deathly pale as she reached out towards Anna. Her mother grabbed Anna's hand and gave a light squeeze to the girls palm, her own sweaty against her daughters. Her small voice broke as she began to speak, "Anna, I need you to help your brother take care of Lizzy." Anna looked at her mother with confusion before reality hit her, she quickly shook her head as she felt the tears sting her eyes.

"No I can't, you're not going anywhere.." Anna's mother looked at her daughter, sadness filling her eyes. Her eyes fluttered closed as she smiled, getting to see her daughter was the last thing she had wanted before she passed. Anna felt her mothers hand slip from her grasp and the tears spilled from her eyes, a sob breaking the silence of the room. She threw herself onto her mother and just cried into her unmoving chest. After a moment of crying she turned her cheek to look at her mother and the color had drained from her warm face. Anna moved to place her hand on the still cheek and brushed her thumb across the woman's cheekbone. She loved her mother dearly, after loosing her father just a few months before she was left orphaned. She felt a hand pull her arm and she turned to look at her older brother. His sandy blonde hair hung in his face to hide his blue eyes. Anna knew he had been crying and he no longer held Lizzy. "Where..." Anna couldn't get the words out before she was pulled into an embrace. She could feel her throat tighten and she began to cry into her brothers shirt. His strong arms held her tightly as he laid his head on her shoulder, tears slipping from his own eyes. They had just lost the most caring and loving person that they held dear. For a while they stood there as a man came in to move her mothers body outside. Her brother soon let go and kissed her forehead before walking outside. Anna turned to look at the midwife as she held the baby out towards her. Anna took the girl and rocked her as she slept. She moved to sit in her mothers rocking chair and held her baby sister close to her chest. She looked to the midwife and frowned. "How will we feed her?"

The midwife looked at Anna and smiled softly. "There will be a wet nurse to come and live with you for the next year." Anna just nodded and looked out the window. She could see her brother digging in the dry dirt to make a grave next to their father's. She quickly looked away and went to place Lizzy in the crib that was used for her and her brother when they were infants. She looked at her sister before slowly walking to the second room she shared with her brother. She slowly laid down and pulled her pillow into her chest and cried herself to sleep.