Branches Book

BRANCHES

The seagulls sang just as the sun was rising, interfering with the calm movement of the sand bag on the beach. I tried. I truly did. When night fell, I crawled out of the room, crossed the oak trees, and silently picked up the sand. My tears mixed with the cool waves of the ocean, and for a second, I lost my focus. I tried. But the footsteps of police officers only exacerbated my dread and desperation. Within a few hours, the growing branches of sycamore trees twisted into shining iron bars, and the dancing clouds transformed into the lights above the inspection table. “Amelia,” the policemen stated calmly, “Why did you run away from home?” “I wanted to know why my sister took me away from my parents. Marie didn’t tell me anything. So I escaped.” The policeman widened his eyes, contemplated the situation, and stated, “Amelia, there are reasons why you moved away. While your sister should have been more attentive to you, running away isn’t the solution.” “What should I do then?” I asked. “What you need is patience. When you are older and your sister becomes herself again, she will explain everything to you. But for now, you need to support each other.” After some silence, the men at the station convinced me to listen to them. They said I was almost ready to leave, but I just needed to answer some questions. “We want you to tell us everything. All the drivers who took you away from your home, all the men who made you work, all the people who passed you and ignored your status as a missing child. We are going to have lots of tasks. Tell us where we should begin.” Throughout my stay at the police station, I wanted to write about my experiences, but there was no diary. It was gone, and all the stories in it turned into illusions. However, I was no longer hesitant. Slowly, I unraveled my secrets, spilling the sand grains of the bag of my life. Upon display, they were much darker than I had imagined. “What do I need to do?” I asked once again. “Nothing more. George, his friends, and the people who helped you travel to Georgia will be punished. You will relocate.” “To a jail or prison?” “No, Amelia.” After a long silence, one of the officers stood up. He walked over to my chair, leaned towards me, and said, “You are going home.”

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