Andromeda

Chapter One, The Body

I was excited to finally leave. A war that raged since I was ten, took the lives of those I thought would stay with me forever, is over. I need an escape from this country. It is safer in America, my mother told me this. America applications for international students, my mother my file and they accepted me immediately, she said.

She bought me shoes for America. She told me to wear them every day, so I will always remember her. uncomfortable, but they make me feel like I'm on top of the world, looking down at the disaster the war has left on England.

I'm starting anew.

"Evangeline, are you ready to go?" My mother's soft voice asked. "You'll miss your boat to America, darling."

"I'm done!" I spun around, making my skirt spin to reveal my shoes.

"They look gorgeous, my dear." She smiled. "Come along then."

Mother walked me to the port, gripping my hand tightly despite my mature age. I assume it is for her sake more than mine. British students set to begin schooling in America filled the port. I was about to walk onto the boat when my mother stopped me and grasped my body in a tight hug.

"I will miss you, my love. Please stay safe." Mother began crying, her tears stained my cardigan.

"Mother, please calm down. I'll be back." I smiled at her. "I must leave, the boat is to leave soon." Mother will be fine; we said our proper goodbyes last night with the rest of my family. I ran to the boat, feeling freer and freer with every step.

While boarding, a boy, younger than me kicking and screaming and refusing to get on the boat. Whatever his issue may be, I have no clue. I pushed passed the two guards and the boy and stared up at the boat before entering the structure. It was a yacht to transport all the passengers from England, just to escape the country. There were three visible storeys, the clean white of the boat stood out amongst the filthy water. I felt my heart be at ease with the ground moving in the waves, no gunshots could be heard, just laughter and tears.

A wooden cane dropped before me; the thud was too loud for a cane that size. I saw a young girl behind me, fallen to her knees, leaving her staining the wooden deck with crimson. A harsh fall it was, but not a trace of pain could be seen on her face.

"Are you alright?" I quickly rushed to pick up her cane and reach my hand out for her to grab. "Was there a broken floorboard? Did you hurt yourself? Goodness, you're bleeding! Come with me I'll patch you up as soon as I navigate this boat."

"Christ, you talk too much." She said in a monotone voice as she rose above me. Her height was no less than 3 inches more than mine, although she was leaning on her cane that was far too short for her. I looked at her face. In one eye socket, a beautifully green iris rested while in the other, it was absent of anything.

"Why are you looking at me like that? Oh god, I dropped my eye patch." She slowly bent down to pick up a thin piece of fabric from the ground.

"Your eye is beautiful." I told her. I was met with a confused gaze.

"People typically cower in fear after seeing me without my eye patch. I thought you would've been gone by the time I stood back up." Her voice was soft, her one eye couldn't meet mine as she spoke.

"It's a beautiful, deep green, one resembling a forest at dusk."

"How poetic." She began to limp away, but I caught up with her. She didn't sigh at the sight of me following her or groan and tell me to leave. "What's your name?"