Ethiopia

I ran from Sudan long ago. It was a quiet night. We were all frightened as usual, but we had not heard gunshots for hours, which meant we were far enough away from any danger to rest. We had chosen a secluded place hidden between trees, and miles away from any main roads. We knew we were lucky to have survived this long. That luck ran dry quickly just like our water supply. My Father and Mother had volunteered to search for food. Maybe in an abandoned town or a farm nearby. Nights passed as my sister and I huddled for warmth. We tricked ourselves into thinking they were still out there. Still alive. We waited for days and I finally told my sister that we had to continue. Gunshots were becoming a form of music. We weren't safe anymore and we wouldn't stay safe forever.

We walked between trees. We never ran. We had learned that saving our stamina was important. So we walked slowly and took sips every 2 hours. Once we ran out of forest to disguise ourselves in, I knew we'd have to hope no one was nearby. We were only hours away from Ethiopia. We were so close. We could've made it that night, but little did I know at the time the only person you would be stepping over that boundary line was me.

My sister was reckless, unretentive, and I would've left her in our shot up village when this journey started. If only I didn't love her so much.

She seemed to not noticed to trees slowly fading and walked right out into the open. I wanted to call out for her, to stop her, but the eyes had already seen her. In one second I hid and she fell. It was a cowards move. I put my hand over mouth and closed my eyes so tightly you'd think that was what I normally breathed out of. The footsteps surrounded my area. There were so many that I was convinced one person could see me, hear me, but they all faded away.

I stayed at the edge of the forest that night and when it was time to leave I never once eyed my sister's corpse. I didn't want to. I almost wished they would've made her into a child soldier, then just shoot her, but I know she would've shot herself anyway. I made it to Ethiopia that night, but it always saddened me that the only person in my family to make it to Ethiopia was me. I feel like I never deserved it.

(I'm not sure how factual this story it, but it takes place in Africa).