On the once busy streets of a marketplace, there is barely any people left.  The stores that held fresh fruits and clothing to sell, are empty except for furniture and a mark that people have lived there at one time.    The few people remaining are the weak and injured.  They can not move and their is nobody left to help them.  They will die, starving because of no food supplies or because of the bombs that makes everyone tremble and be forced inside their unsupportable homes. 

5 hours before, thousands of people carrying suitcases or backpacks filled the spaces up on the dock, like ants when they find sugar.  No one was smiling, everyone was in a rush.  Boats from rescue teams lined up along side the wooden boards.   As soon as one of the ships were ready for people to enter, they scrambled up the steps and some even fell to the water because of the amount of people trying to get inside.  Everyone was scared and no one wanted to be left behind in the hell of their home. 

She was among one of those thousands of people.   Her name is Ami-Suh and holding on to her hand is her little sister, Tara.  Ami and Tara are both orphans, due to the war.  When bombs were just starting to fall, their parents had been going to check if family members were alright when suddenly, a bomb exploded just around the corner from their location.  Ami's parents were close enough that the building surrounding them, fell, and crushed them to their death.  This happened 3 month ago and the whole time Ami took care of Tara,f alone.   

Tara grasped her Teddy Bear as Ami carried her up the steps and into an enormous ship.  They had stood and kept their spot in line just to get on the ship for more than 16 hours, without eating.  For they knew if they left their spots for even a second, someone would gladly take them.  Inside Ami could see all sorts of machinery.   Throughout the hallways and in each cabin, crowds of people found a spot and hudded together.  One woman shook badly, her head rocked back and forth and her eyes were cloudy as if she was looking at something that wasn't there.  It frightened Ami so she went into another room with not as quite much people and placed Tara on the ground to sit beside her. 

Tara's little hand tugged on Ami's sleeve.  "I'm scared, Ami.  Will something happen to us?  Will they bomb us like they did with Mommy and Daddy?"

"No, they won't.  We're safe here, nothing will happen," Ami answer with a confident tone, even though inside she was wondering the same thing. 

"Okay," Tara replied believing her older sister.  She yawned right after.

"Do you want to take a nap?" Tara nodded so Ami patted her theigh and Tara layed her head down to rest while still holding on to Teddy.

"This war is a foul thing," Ami thought.  "How can anyone be so cruel, taking over countries one by one without thinking about what it will do to effect the nation and it's people.  The war has been going on a couple of years now and neither side is safe.  Land has been taken over, and then taken back all because of greedy humans who want power.  Even my home, the land that I had grown up on, all it's beauty is lost. The green hills have turned into a battlefield,  houses have collapsed or been blown to bits."

After a few minutes, Ami drifted to sleep.  She dreamed of her parents and the war.  She dreamed of peace.  Then suddenly in her mind, she saw a boy, probably not much older than her calling her name, wanting to tell Ami something.  He mouthed some words but Ami couldn't understand.  She didn't get to find what it was he wanted because she was woken up by a man's standing in front of her handing her a bowl of food. 

"Oh, thank you," she said as she took the bowl.

"You two will have to share, there aren't as many bowls we can deliver," he said gestering to Tara.

"Sir, will you tell me where we are and where we're going?"

"We're already into the ocean but not too far in.  In a few hours we'll stop by some island to refuel and gather more supplies," he answered, then he headed towards others in need of a bowl.  

Tara woke up when she smelled the sweet and lovely food.  She hadn't been eating either so both sisters were starving, but they took turns and shared.   Ami told Tara about where the ship as headed but it was clear that Tara wasn't paying any attention.  She was too busy playing with her teddy.   Then Tara looked at Ami with big eyes. 

"I need to go pee!" Tara exclaimed.

"Okay, you don't have to shout."

They both got up and Ami asked for direction to the bathroom.  It was in the middle of the main hall so everyone could use it.  Luckily no one was in so Ami quickly ushered Tara inside and told her to do her business quickly.  It was a dark hallway with candles as lights.  Ami waited outside the door humming to herself to keep from getting bored.  On the far end of the hall, one of the candles burned out.  "That's odd," Ami thought.    But then the next one burned out and the following after that.  In a line, one glow of the candle was out until all the lights were completely gone and it was dark. Ami her finger and held it up to see if there was any breeze.  There was none.

"Hello?  Someone? The candles went out, is anyone there?" Ami yelled across the halls but no one came out to help.  It was completely dark, the ship was  rocking back and forth without a single sound.  Suddenly a chilly air mixed in and Ami shivered.  What was going on?

Ami heart started thumping.  Calm down, she told herself, it was probably something reasonable that made the candles go out.  But what?  She knocked on the door of the bathroom and called to her sister.  No one answered.  Ami called again and knocked louder. 

Silence. She turned the knob. 

The next day she was found lying in front of the restroom, dark bags under each eye, teeth chattering, unable to speak, and in front of her was Tara, with a knife stabbed into her eye.