The Fuschias
October 3rd 1990. The day the Berlin Wall was destroyed.
"It is definitely a great day for the folks of both sides of Germany. Both East and West Germany are finally reunited forty-five years since the start of the Cold War, and Berlin Wall's destruction signifies the end of communism and Germany's reunion, truly this is a great occasion! Everyone here at West Germany are brimming with excitement as they picked up whatever they can to destroy the wall!"
The Fuschias were in the living room watching Berlin Wall's destruction on TV, rejoicing that both West and East Germany were finally reuniting.
Ria Fuschia, the grandmother of the 4th generation of the Fuschia family, sobbed happily, with her husband embracing her warmly.
Some of the female members of the Fuschias were speechless, jaws dropped as they received the surprisingly ecstatic news.
Undoubtedly, some male members of the Fuschias toasted their glass of quality German Beer, celebrating the joyous occasion.
"A toast, to our reunion!"
"After so many years...I can finally see my beloved Raina back!"
"I was thinking we can't even pull through the Cold War...this is so surreal!"
"Mother, this is great! People are finally returning to their family after years of painful separation. Thinking about that just wants to make me cry; it's hard on them," said a brown hair girl, who had cyan-blue eyes, small nose and lips, and two ponytails.
The family looked at Chris and chuckled happily, some even shed tears of joy.
Chris was one of the Fuschias' precious daughters, in that she had been a prodigy in technological and automotive engineering since the age of four and a half. Interested in how technology worked, she was one of the very few female who were so deep into the wonders of cars, how they work, and the parts that made up a car.
At that time of age where women were only interested at playing hop-scotch, drawing, playing 'House' or even chatting with their friends, Chris would always be either dismantling parts of a mechanical gadget like a watch, a computer, or even a heater to analyse how things worked.
Her curiosity grew so much, that by the age of five, she was into the mechanical components of an automobile.
Able to draw complex parts of what made a car at such a young age stunned many people around her, and at the age of five she created Quattro.
"Our daughter certainly cares for our other part of the family in East Germany in spite of the troubles we have gone through!"
"Certainly, Chris…Casey, Zerta, Aunt Lasser and others from the other side will miss us; It's wonderful!" Chris's mom sobbed happily.
"How many 'Greats' we have again? It's not often that people get to have such a HUGE family sitting by the couch, enjoying the happiness of a full reunion!" Chris's grandfather wondered.
"Why don't we let Chris figure the number of 'Greats' we have in our tree, eh? It's so nice to see her deep in thought! Remember when she's thinking deeply about inventing a new drive train that will revolutionize the motor world? She's SO CUTE!" one of Chris's nieces squealed.
"Ehhhhh...Four? Four, right?" Chris wondered cutely, placing one of her fingers over her mouth while tilting her head over to her left.
"She's right! How're you able to figure it out so quickly?" one of Chris's uncles wondered.
"Eh? Isn't that great-great-great grandfather? One grandfather is a generation, and for each great, that's one generation more, so isn't three 'greats' four generations?" Chris explained calmly.
"Chris certainly knows her way around the family, I'm so touched that she's able to remember our 'greats' so well!" Chris's grandfather smiled.
"Hey, Chris! Do you know the exact date when you invented the drive train that made everyone called you by the nickname, 'Quattro'?" one of Chris's niece, Solaris, asked.
"Eh...10th January 1988? The system that I have created that took automotive racing by storm?" Chris wondered.
"At such a young age of five, the doctors themselves couldn't even believe it! Your inventions make so much impact, that they have to ban that invention of yours in rally racing! Yeah, we showed'em! The power of ze Germans!" Garcia, one of Chris's aunts, grinned.
"Hey, count ourselves lucky that Chris is still able to use her inventions in benefiting everyday automobiles!" Garcia's husband replied, laughing.
Everyone laughed heartily, clearly enjoying the family talk that Chris had inevitably struck up.
Night.
"Mom?" Chris called out.
Chris's mother was just about to go to sleep after telling her daughter a bedtime story.
"Yes, my dear...Are you still excited about the upcoming reunion?" Chris's mother smiled gently.
"Yeah...mum. After eight years, I can finally see our cousins from the other side. It's so surreal...I thought this Cold War, this Berlin Wall nightmare, it's never going to end. What with all this thing about closing into a Third World-War with the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the terrible living conditions near the end of communism in countries that are governed by the Soviet union. Some even did not get to reunite with their family after the wall's collapse. I am scared, mom...scared that our cousin from the other side, they might..." Chris shook her head, trying to hold her tears.
Chris's mother slowly embraced the little girl.
"Believe me you, my dear Chris. Nothing is certain until we find out, but don't let your faith be shifted by this one doubt. I'm sure that your heartfelt thoughts of wanting them to be alive will be heard by our cousins over at East Germany. They will take it to heart, and that love which you showered upon them will be their reason to strive on till our reunion day. Knowing that they meant so much to you will be their number one reason they will persevere till the end." She smiled.
"Mother..." Chris smiled, tears of happiness brimming on her eyes.
"My daughter. My wonderful daughter. It's a short eight years, but since you were born, you have given us joy like never before. Joy that even spreads to the oldest generation of them all. Be proud of who you are, Chris. We are proud of you!" Chris's mother smiled gently.
Both Chris and her mother stared lovingly into each other's eyes, and Chris returned her mother's heartfelt embrace.
"I love you, Mom. And everyone in our family."
"I know, Chris. Blessed is your filial heart."
4th October 1990. The Wall of Berlin.
The Fuschia Family of West Germany assembled at the Berlin Wall, waiting for the first signs of their cousins from the East side of Germany to appear.
"There they are!" one of the nephews shot out.
True to her words, it was.
"MOM, DAD!"
"CASEY, ZERTA!"
The family members of both sides ran to each other past the big hole of the destroyed Berlin Wall; the family tree was finally back in one full family.
"CHRIS, OUR DEAR CHRIS!" The cousins at East Germany proceeded to embrace the cute princess-like girl.
"I miss all of you, every one of you! Please don't ever leave us ever again!" Chris cried heavily, her emotions well felt throughout the plains of the Berlin Wall.
"We promise, Chris, we promise!" One of Chris's East Germany nieces embraced Chris, tears of happiness flowing across her cheeks.
"Whaaa, Chris is lovable! She's so damn cute!" one of Chris's aunts, formerly residing east Berlin, squealed in excitement as she hold Chris close.
"Kaa kaa! Kaa kaa!" Chris cutely responded.
"Is it really? The Quattro system? At the age of five? Unbelievable!" one of Chris's uncle that formerly resided in East Berlin gasped.
"I wouldn't have done it without my parents and cousins too, ehheheheh..." Chris shyly responded.
"Awww...don't be shy, Chris! You contributed towards majority of Quattro's creation! You don't earn that nickname 'Quattro' for nothing!" Chris's great-grandfather smiled gently.
"It's so wonderful to have everyone reunite as one big family! We got ourselves a cute niece too! Things are looking up!" one of Chris's great-aunt grinned.
Chris thought that this promise would go on forever. Not anymore...
In 15th October 1990…an epidemic broke out unexpectedly.
The E-Coli Outbreak.
