Ani of Awaq

The bombs were off in the distance, but they lit up the sky. On a small island like Awaq any large disturbance could be seen for miles. Ani scrambled up the rough rocky cliff side, determined to get to safety, and to get to her family. She reasoned that this all must be from recent rumors. Maybe the events that had taken place were worse then said.

A few days prior Anis��� best friend Beau told her that the small resort located on the east beach was caught dealing drugs. Ani had been shocked since most of the Awaq people worked there, including Anis��� parents.

Now that the sky was turning red and the occasional red was twinkled the horizon of sea Ani was more shocked and concerned for her parents then ever. She hooked her leg on a rock, and grimaced as dust got into her cut. She shouldn���t have gone down to the beach today, she just had a craving for seaweed and had gone down to harvest some for dinner. Now she was stuck crawling up a crumbling cliff. She could see the jungle greenery right above her, she just had to make it a few more inches...BOOM! The world started blurring and Ani felt herself fall. The cliff crumbling, bringing her down with it. Her ears were ringing but she could tell she was screaming. She tried grabbing hold of anything but everything that close to her just hit her. She landed on the shore, it���s hot sand burning her back and an immense weight forcing the air out of her lungs. The fighting was still going on, and as Ani struggled to free herself she tore a muscle. She lay there, barely catching breaths, as the sky turned dark. Soon the only light left was that of attacks. Ani pondered what was happening. Why was Awaq being attacked when the worst thing Ani knew they did was keep to themselves. The surrounding islands were curious of Awaq, just as Ani was curious of them. But why the sudden violence? She thought about this when suddenly bright lights pierced the area around her. She heard a voice through a megaphone telling her to remain calm, or maybe they were talking to another casualty. Either way Ani closed her eyes and attempted to drop her shoulders. She felt the pressure vanish, at the same time a terrible and immense pain seemed to riddle her. She cried out in pain and attempted at curling into a ball, only to feel more pain. She couldn���t move her right arm or her entire left leg. She could barely turn her head and when she tried to get up it was only met with worse pains. She felt a shadow fall over her but she couldn���t distinguish who it was. A light prick plunged into her aching shoulder and she suddenly felt very sleepy.

Ani woke up in a boat. It was dinky and it was parked just a little away from the island. Her light scratches had been band aided but her more serious injuries seemed untouched.

���Where am I?!��� She demanded, but the people just stared at her and chuckled. They were a group of five, their skin was a few shades lighter then Ani and their noses more protrudent. By the boat and the physical difference Ani guessed they were from a near but different society. It surely wasn���t one of immediate neighboring islands, since they all kept to themselves. A 20 something year old man decided to try to talk. It sounded like garbled gibberish and Ani looked back at her island confused. He then proceeded in pulling out a strange rectangle and hitting it aggressively with his fingers. All at once a strange voice filled the air.

���Are you from the island Awaq?���

Shook Ani tried to pull back, but since her injuries were still there she winced and flopped onto her back like a fish.

���Are you from the island Awaq?���

This time Ani nodded hesitantly. The group immediately grinned and began rapidly typing into the rectangle.

���You were part of a war effort made by the government. Awaq was the last of the islands in the area not controlled. You were one of the last surviving members of the Awaq people. We need to take you to a more developed country to get hospitalize, but we need your permission first. Can we take you to a hospital to get treated?���

Ani took some time. More so to understand what the weird mechanic voice was saying then to think the question through. She obviously needed help, so she obviously should go where she could get it. Ani nodded and then tapped her shoulder. The people looked at her confused so she gave up. Ani wanted the sleep prick again but since it wasn���t happening she decided to silently stare at the wall.

When the ship docked the sun was close to setting. There still was sand, there still was rocks, but the trees were different, the air was different. Lights blinded her upon arrival, and yelling strangers spilled out of white cars and hauled Anis��� limp figure onto a canvas cot and set her inside one of the cars.

Ani drifted between sleep and drowsy blurry awakeness for what felt like forever���.. b but.

Everytime Ani tried to get ahold of somebody they brushed her off. Soon they were giving her papers and punching her leg to show her how it���s healed. She would smile and nod but all of it was foreign and she didn���t have a clue what was going on. One day the group from the boat came to visit her and Ani was welcome to the familiar faces. They waved and pulled out the rectangle that talked.

���hello. are You doing well?���

Ani nodded, appreciative of the fact that they were at least trying to talk to her. The girl with poofy hair noticed the papers in Anis��� lap and pointed at them.

���Do you know what these are for?���

Ani shook her head vigorously, hoping they could tell her. The healers kept giving Ani glares and she just wanted to leave the bright white building. The girl picked the papers up and showed the others. They all frowned and began typing into the rectangle.

���you have to pay money for the wounds healing.���

Ani, shocked, shook her head. She didn���t have money and she couldn���t pay these people. The group huddled again. Whether or not they understood Ani it seemed as though something was decided among themselves. They all pulled out wads of money and pooled it together. They counted it up and nodded their heads at one another. Ani watched intently from her hospital bed. They then left the room. Ani could see them down the hall all nodding and giving the money to the doctors. Ani was shooed out onto the street almost immediately. Soon after the group came out and saw Ani sitting on the curb.

���Ani follow us!��� Said a strange computer voice. Ani, seeing nothing better to do, got up and followed. They led her to a small brown building. They led her inside and then started rapidly talking to the person at the desk. Soon Ani was being ushered into an office where a scrawny man was sitting with papers. The girl with lots of eyeliner on took the papers, and started typing words out and filling in papers.

���when were you born?���

confused glance

���April?���

nod nod

���1?���

shake

���4?���

shake

���9?���

nod

���Do you know any English?���

Shake

This went on for a very long time until the entire paper was full. Ani was exhausted but eyeliner girl was more so. She plunked herself in the seat nearby, handed the man the paper and stretched out. Finally the man gave a nod, stamped the paper, and motioned down the hall. There were some people in a class, they were mumbling but it sounded like the words everyone around Ani spoke. She was gently shoved into the class and took a seat at the far corner.

Ani learned words until late into the night. When the classes had ended she curled up on the desk in front of her and started to fall asleep. The teacher, shocked, tapped her shoulder. He said a bunch of words but Ani only caught ���bed���. He then motioned for her to follow him. Ani crept down the hall behind the teacher. He pointed at a door and when she opened it she saw rows of beds, filled with women and girls. She found an open spot and settled down. There was chatter above Ani but she was tired and just wanted sleep.

When Ani woke up she found the room abandoned. She crept down the hall, and found a big room filled with tons of people. They all were eating and talking. She was starving and pushed through the doors. They were serving toast and eggs, and Ani picked up a rectangle plate and filled it. Sitting at the most convenient spot Ani surveyed the room. The people here matched her profile, but cleaner. Most of them had dark skin and dirty clothes, if not dirt on themselves. They seemed to be slightly tidied up though, in certain groups. Ani didn���t want to be here, in the weird place where she had to learn new things. She wanted to be at Awaq. So she set up a plan to get to Awaq. Do, or die. She took a deep breath, walked out of the room and found a nook to complete her thought train. She would have to get out of here, that���s for sure. She needed to find a map, maybe there was one around this building-then Ani would leave.

Ani checked every room. About 3 had maps, but they didn���t stretch far enough to her islands. How did the rescue boat even get there if it���s not on the map? Ani was thinking this when a familiar tone set her hairs on end. Ani turned around and locked eyes with the group again. Except this time Ani didn���t feel relieved to see the people who had ���saved��� her. She felt strangely scared. If her island was so far away then why were there people there to rescue her? Why did they bring her here instead of back to Awaq? And why in the world did they keep reappearing. Ani gave the group a generally stern look and got up. Ani knew that her island was an island so that was a starting place. She also knew that islands had water and water had beaches, so all Ani really had to do was find a beach. She could hear footsteps behind her, a weird frantic frenzy caused by Anis��� somewhat eratic behavior. She smiled as she heard them clambering down the hallway after her. She also heard a bus stop outside the building, so casually picking up pace, Ani ran to catch the bus. She didn���t have money so she did the most logical thing for a person of her age and health. She ran. She ran alongside the bus for half an Hour until they neared a beach. Exhausted, relieved, and ready to roll around in the sand, Ani walked toward the beach. Except the beach was crowded. There was no breathing room. There was no nothing. If Ani rolled on the sand she was almost sure to get crushed to death. She decided that silly beach activities were beside the point anyways. She focused more on the water, the goal being to achieve access to a boat and hit the open seas. She would make it to that island. She spotted a man selling motor boats. Ani was sure there was supposed to be some time limit or something, but since she was stealing the boat, why care? She chuckled as she blended in with a family of 7. They were bickering over prices. Finally they bought the boat, and Ani followed them seamlessly across the beach. Once the boat touched water the family sandwiched in. Including Ani. Then Ani took control of the steer. She pressed the power, and jetted through the lovely blue rapids like a dolphin through a hoop. She sped faster and faster. She heard faint screams from her scared passengers, but she kept picturing beautiful Awaq, waiting for her patiently to return. Soon there was nothing around them but ocean. She heard questioning tones from her kidnapped crew. It was as though they were debating the consequences of pushing Ani into the open waters. They must have decided against it because soon the day had passed and they still were cruising in the general south direction. Ani gazed at the stars reflected in the glistening depths of water for only milliseconds at a time, trying to stay on target with her goal of Awaq. She could see it now, her family, the jungle, the open beaches. Just the memories of the island put a grin on her face. Ani was still in this dreamlike state when the boat got caught on something. At first she assumed they���d reached land. Smiling she looked around, but all She saw was blackness. She tried revving the boat engine again but it was a dead end. Now she and 7 other bystanders were stranded. Frowning, Ani tried to picture herself on a map. She tried to think logically, strategically, but the panic was rising in her throat. She was slowly drowning in a ocean blacker then the one surrounding her. She looked up, the only thing grounding her was the sky. Filled with stars and..and...a sun? The sun was rising! Which meant soon Ani would be able to see and access the situation better. This didn���t cure the current situation, but Ani���s stress melted away almost instantly. She sighed, took a deep breath and looked into the lightening waters of the world. She realized that she never tried backwards. Maybe she should have gone backwards. Ani tried it and sure enough soon they were moving along as if nothing had happened. At around afternoon Ani REALLY started hearing the annoyed grumblings of her annoying guests. But what Ani also saw was an island up ahead, that reminded her a lot of Awaq. The boat was sputtering and spattering but Ani knew they would make it. She knew it deep down. She looked forward with a brave sureness and just as the gas hit empty, the boat hit shore. Ani sighed and collapsed upon the sand. She lay there for a couple minutes, then quickly scrambled to her feet and dashed across the shore. There were still rocks scattered from the cliffs collapsing, a dead giveaway that she had hit the right island���.. if

Ani looked hard in the right direction, locking eyes with a neighboring island. This was the place. This was Awaq. Sprinting to the resort Ani was so excited to meet her family it didn���t even occur to her the possibility of death. Until it did occur to her.

Ani was standing in front of the resort sign. There seemed to be no human life around. Ani hadn���t seen anyone on her way over, hadn���t seen anyone here. She ran into the ruins of the resort, only to find piles of decomposing bodies surrounding her. Horrified and scared Ani ran in land. She surrounded herself by the comforting jungle. She cried and whimpered. She was crying and whimpering. Then she heard a footfall, feet away from her. It was Ihz. He was a boy a few years older then herself. Ani barely knew him. Ihz must���ve survived!

���Ihz!��� Ani exclaimed in delight. ���Did any others survive?���

A sad look fell on Ihz���s face. ���The last survivors were picked up by rescue boats. Since I wasn���t badly injured I concealed myself in the jungle until they left.���

���why were they here? Why was there a fight here anyway?���

���I���m not certain, but I think it has something to do with something.���

Ani rolled her eyes. The stupidest answer she had ever heard.

���So what���s the plan?��� Ani asked, desperate to have some guidance of where to go.

���I guess we should start rebuilding the island?���

���sounds good to me!���

and that���s what they did. Nobody knows what happened to the family of 7. It is presumed that they perished, but who knows?