Z2012AdmiralsHouse

It was one of those many summer nights that Admiral Ronald and his wife, Jane, threw an extravagant outdoors soiree. The lawn was lit up with golden paper lanterns scattered carefully throughout the area. Long tables were lined with the most exquisite food: roasted ducks, chocolate cakes beautifully iced, and champagne in crystal glasses that sparkled in the moonlight. The string quartet played upbeat music that the guests danced to. As the night went on, the music grew louder and the dancing began to look like a synchronized battle. Feet were stepped on, dresses torn. Nothing mattered, however, for as the night progressed, the guests’ troubles floated away on the river that the Admiral’s house overlooked.

It was one of those many summer nights that Ana found herself confined to her room for the evening, with nothing to do but spy on the party. Resting her chin on the windowsill, Ana imagined the days when she would be old enough to attend one of the parties. It would probably be years from now, so she made do with watching and imagining. Her favorite thing to pick out of the crowd of happy guests was that shy girl who began the night sitting alone at a round table decorated with fine china. She would be sitting there wearing a dress that she felt was too tight and shoes that were too high. Her gaze would dart around the party; she went unnoticed. Timidly, her left foot would tap to the beat of the music, missing most of the right beats. Finally, the most handsome of the male guests would greet her with open arms. One hand carried a glass of champagne; the other pulled her in for a welcoming hug. Within a half hour, she was the life of the party. Her legs would bend at awkwardly perfect angles and her hair was let out of her tight bun as she danced the night away.

It was one of those many summer nights that Ana fell asleep at the window after hours of observation. Her eyes had worked hard that night; watching intently anything and everything they could find. With great ease, Ana would give in to the weights that she felt on her eyelids, and she fell asleep.

It was the first of those many summer mornings, however, that Ana did not wake up to see a mess in the lawn that remained as evidence of another perfect evening. It was this morning that Ana woke up to nothing. No leftover guests; no leftover food. No clanking from the kitchen as the help began to wash the mountain of dishes. No barking from one of her spaniels as they woke up to the kind morning sun. No Admiral; no wife.

Ana picked up her faceless doll and went downstairs. What she had hoped was false was, indeed, true. There was nothing. In fact, there was not only no humans to be seen, but there was no furniture. It seemed that the entire house, with the exception of her room, had been emptied completely. With a great sob, she began to run.

She ran through the house, stopping only once to kick a wall. She ran to the porch, searching for any sign of life. She ran, and she screamed. She finally ran out of the house, turning at the edge of the lawn to look at her home one last time. There was nothing left for her here. She threw the doll, which wedged itself inside a crack in one of the monumental pillars. She turned once more, and she ran, never to return to the Admiral’s home.

Ana felt betrayed, abandoned. How could her parents leave her like that. She reasoned that it was clearly a planned betrayal as they had rid the house of all of their worldly possessions. Ana ran to the point that she wasn't even thinking. She didn't know to where she would go. She didn't know what she would do once she got tired. All she knew was that she needed to find what she was looking for, whatever that may be.

It had been 2 hours of running, and she had made it to James Island. With a few stumbling steps, she finally stopped running and collapsed to the ground, completely exhausted. She dozed off and awoke several hours later. Night had fallen and she had never been surrounded in such black space. Now suddenly very awake, she began to make her way towards the lights. When she finally made it into town, she went into the first place that she could find. It was into a kitchen with a burly black man who was laughing heartily as he flipped the pancakes that were cooking on the stove that Ana walked. She made her way through the kitchen, past confused waitresses, and into the main part of the diner. She spied a familiar blonde ponytail, still glistening with her treason.

What is my mom doing here? She wondered to herself. She had been struck with the deepest feelings of abandonment all day, but her mom is just hanging out at a diner? She saw her mother's head nodding, and assuming it was from laughter, Ana grew more enraged. She strutted her way over to the table and defiantly stabbed her mother's back with her index finger. "Ehem. Where have you been?" Her mother's eyes made sharp eye contact with Ana, from which Ana released to finally see the rest of the table's occupants. His head slowly lifted, revealing his snarl that had been slapped onto a face. Her stomach dropped to the floor faster than her jaw did, as she breathed in a sharp gasp. She would recognize that snarl anywhere.

It was that face that haunted Ana's dreams. It was that man who had ripped her baby brother from Ana's hands 8 years ago. Her brother, a toddler, was never seen again. Ana had gone through extensive therapy and was able to repress the memories--until now. Until the moment she saw her mother having a casual meal with this monster. She felt herself growing dizzier and dizzier and suddenly everything went black.

When Ana awoke, she was surrounded by bright lights, her dad, her mom, and her brother--all grown up. But mostly, she was surrounded by bright lights. Her head was throbbing and the lights seemed to penetrate her pores. She wiped her eyes and stretched and finally it hit her...her brother was back! She began to scream; she jumped out of bed and hugged him until she thought her arms would fall off.

The celebration ensued, for her family was finally reunited, and it felt oh so good. Her parents finally told her everything--the man who had kidnapped her brother all those years ago had come out of nowhere with a proposition. He said that they would leave their life behind--their house, their friends, and worst of all, Ana. Her parents only agreed to this because they knew that Ana was a strong girl and would find them. Amid all of the joy, Ana did not even realize that she should feel some anger for being left behind, but this anger wouldn't come until many years later.

Her parents were to tell nobody of the plan, so when the monster saw Ana standing behind her mother at the restaurant, he acted on impulse. Unfortunately for him, a mother's impulse is quicker than a kidnapper's, and she forced him into a murderous headlock. He pulled out a gun, so she broke his neck. It was simple, really.

Coming from a respected family, nobody doubted that Ana's mother killed in self-defense. Peace and prosperity were finally restored in Charleston.