Hope

CHAPTER 1

The Robberts

year: 2119

Once upon a time on the border of Dervent lived a family, the Robberts. This is their story.

Jane Robberts is a man of fifty two years old, fifty two years trying to not believe everything they tell him, fifty two years trying to be different so the war and the governmentcan’t corrupt him, two things slightly different but similar at the end. Jane has lived his entire life in a war, he has lived too in a country: grey, sad, miserable and dark.

Better known as: Dervent. Dervent where the dreams are as odd as hope, where faith disappears more and more, where believing is escaping and where love tries to be strong.

There is a word to describe Jane: dreamer. Jane is a dreamer, a foolish dreamer who thinks differently but acts the same. This is not his story, he is some kind of important but he is only a chapter fading away.

This is the story of his children: Emma and James Robberts. A dreamer with the last piece of hope in the world, and a stubborn believer and brave capable of anything for love. This is the story of how the kids of a dreamer decide to make the change that no one has dared to make. Welcome to a sad story about hope.

On the fall of this year, Jane decided to do something ironic for him, go to war. He enlists himself to prove something to himself or to run away, he doesn’t does it to fight the enemy or to honor his country or for an act of patriotism.

It was a cold morning. He packed the few things he could need, on his suitcase he had space to spare. He didn’t think about filling it with stuff for his kids, because he didn’t even have the certain he would come back. His wife Emily had woken up Emma, who only had nine years old. She was aninnocent little girl.

James woke up when accidentally his mother dropped a cup of tea for the cold. None friends came to say goodbye because he didn’t have any.

Emma, Emily and James were outside waiting for him to say goodbye. Emma was cold and James was just waiting.

Finally Jane exits the house with his suitcase that is less heavier than everything he is leaving behind. Before leaving he take his son to talk. They go to the barn.

-James, I need you to make me a promise, before I leave.

-Dad, don´t go.

-I have to. The last patriotism I have is calling me, for the first time in my life I want to the right thing.

-Emma can’t go in your place?

-No, James, She is only a girl. That’s why I need you to take care of her. Promise me, you’ll take care of her. For me.

-But, she is a girl.

-Promise me, son.

-I promise.

-Don´t cry. Be strong and hug me.

James tried to not cry and hugged his father. It looked like they weren’t going to see each other in many winters. Springs, falls and summers. James blamed his sister of his father’s departure, he hated her, thought that since she was born only bad things happened and that everything would be simpler if she left instead of his father. Jane instead adored Emma.

She was his little princess and he loved her with all his heart.

-Daddy, is true that you are leaving?

-Yes, little princess, I have to fight.

-is it necessary.

-Yes, its moment, even if is the only time in my life, be patriotic for my country and if it means to die for it.

-Will you come back?

-In Christmas, I promise.

-With your heart?

-With all my heart Emma?

-I don´t want you to go.

-Me neither but I must. I need you to promise me something.

-Anything.

-Take care of your mother. She looks strong on the outside but inside she needs you more than what you think.

-I promise.

-Here, in a necklace of an ancient civilization. The aztecs, they had this calendar, a little bit bigger. They thought about cycleends. Their ideologies are one of their things I must admire and I try to follow it.

Jane hugged and kissed his daughter with fierce, he didn’t want to leave her but he had. A little tear came from his eye. He looked at her with melancholia. Emma left to the side of his brother, who was very angry with her, he couldn’t even see her.

He was just missing a person to talk with. Emily. She didn’t use any sentimentalism.

Emily told him:

-Idiot, don’t get yourself kill.

-Can´t promise anything.

-Fool.

-Your fool.

They kissed for the last time. The army came and he had to leave. He just looked with tears to his family. James told him “Don´t cry dad, be strong”.

They were still outside, when Emily told them to take the horse and say goodbye to his father for the last time. James and Emma picked the horse and went to the train station. They screamed to Jane, he looked into the window and watched his kids on the horse waving him goodbye telling him “Come home soon”, he said “I will write”. Then the engine of the train started to go on, and the kids saw how their father disappeared with the train for a long time. James wanted to cry but he had to be strong.

The nightmare truly just started. When they came home Emily was drinking on the living room. No one knows what happened to Emily on the hour she was alone in the house but certainly she was not the same anymore. They enteredthe house and she stood up from the couch, she said to the kids.

-Things are going to change around here.

-Mom?

-First of all call me Emily, not mom. You two will have the duty of the house. Don’t call me unless it totally necessary. The sweet days are gone.

-Are you fine?

-My dear I have never been better. I am free.

-Mom…

-Emma you are smarter than that. Learn the new rules.

-Mom, you’re scaring me.

-I´ll give you a more chance.

-Mom?

-I warned you.

Emily put Emma on a bang on the floor and started to hit her. Emma was screaming. James did nothing hechoked. The same day his father left his warm and lovely mother left too. Emma begged for forgiveness but it was too late. After some minutes James reacted and pushed his mother, he took Emma to his bed. She had all her face covered with blood. He cleaned it. Her face was now purple. Emma didn’t say a word for the whole night.

Emily forgave James for pushing her, she only whispered “Oh James” and minded her own business.

I wish I could say life for the Robberts brothers will have a nice face but you know when two brothers live in a war you only can expect the worse. Hopefully they would love each other to get through it.