Category : Stories

Sub Category : Adventure

Today, carnations are growing on Ren's head. They aren't as bright as the daffodils he'd grown accustomed to last week, but they definitely stand out like a sore thumb. They blush profusely and smell of tangy cinnamon, strong enough you can taste it in the air. 

Ren frowns at his reflection on the bathroom mirror as his older sister, Yuuna, tugs loose petals under his beanie. She has baby blue flowers atop of her brown hair, already withering at the ends. 

The flowers are pretty, yes, but it would only raise more suspicion. The two both know well that being a flower-bearer is forbidden in the twin cities, Phobos and Deimos -- but the best thing to do is stay silent and hide yourself. Lan opens her mouth to say something, only to be interrupted by a voice echoing in their ears. "Attention, citizens of the Enyo District..."

Even after seven long hours of school, the announcement made over the PA this morning replays in Ren's head like a broken cassette. He treads back home at the speed of a slug, his bag screaming in agony from the heavy load he carried; a bag full of textbooks and the immenze fear building in his system. 

"Attention, citizens of the Enyo district," The woman's robotic-like voice announces, "the Phobos Government will be visiting the Enyo district this evening for... inspection. I repeat--" Ren tunes the words out. No. He doesn't need repeating. The venomous words are already coursing through his veins. He stands in the bathroom, locked in fear, face gone pale and drained.

The announcement was vague, bur being a flower bearer for fifteen years, he knew all too well. He's gone through this before. He knoes they would take him away like they did with Grandma. They would take Yuuna; they would take his only family.



Muffled screams penetrate through the thick house walls. Ren feels the vibration of the trucks waiting outside, rumbling like an earthquake. He and Yuuna retreat to the basement with silent but heavy footsteps. Once they reached the safe yet dark area, Lan locks the door behind her and crouches next to the younger. She holds his hand tightly, humming a small tune to comfort the shaking mass of body. 

Ren sniffs and rubs his eyes, burying his head into Yuuna's shoulder.
"I'm scared," Ren barely whispers 
Yuuna only smiles softly, but sadly, "Me too."

The siblings sit in painful silence, holding each other tight. All is quiet. All is well. Only for a moment.

BANG, BANG, THUD. The image of a door being broken down is clear to Ren. Footsteps grow louder, and he counts the feet. Two, three, four, five, six... Three people? 

"Do you smell that?" He makes out a faint voice from upstairs. He holds his breath.
"Yeah, cinnamon. It's a flower bearer all right."

Yuuna pushed Ren off her shoulder. "Stay here. Don't scream, dont shout, not a single word. Come out after ten minutes," She orders.

Ren doesn't know what on Earth she wisas doing. He opens his mouth to protest but Yuuna was already off the floor and heading for the door.

"No, no, no! Don't do this to me!" He whisper-cries. Tears prick at the corner of his eyes. "Don't leave."

It was too dark to see anything but Ren knows Yuuna was smiling that stupid smile that he hates and loves so much. "Be good for me, yeah?" And she is gone.

Though devastatingly reluctant, Ren does what he was told and stumbles out of the basement after a good twenty minutes. It takes him some time to adjust back to the new light. 

The house is a mess. Books and decorations were toppled onto the floor carelessly, pillows litter the ground and a few hanging paintings have gone wonky. 

This was the work of Phobos.

With shaky legs, Ren approaches the window and peers through the curtains. The streets are empty, where is everyone? More importantly, where is Yuuna? 

Ren frantically checked every room -- his, Yuuna's, the guest room, the laundry. Nothing! He slams the door open to the bathroom. There, perched near the bathroom sink is a vase of blue flowers,  unusually identical to Yuuna's flowers that were on her head today.

A note with familiar handwriting sits next to the vase. 'They're called forget me not flowers. They mean what they mean. Don't forget me!' Yuuna always had the heart to smile through hard times. He let go of a breath he didnt know he was holding. She's still alive.

Ren runs out of the house.