Forsaken

My family Lucy, Lee, Mom and Dad packed the car in a rush. Lucy, girl of nine years old had her cat, Coco in her arms. Lee, age eleven, is pulling his dog, Rocky with a leash. "Where are you going?" I asked coco.

"I don't know, family says we need to move. Something about the drought. We are going somewhere up north I think."

"Drought? Wait, i-its that serious? "

"Fraid so. Crops burnt up, lost cattle, the creeks are dry."

"Ohhh, Well, W-What about me?"

"I have no ide-' Coco's words were cut off as the car door shut. Leaving me in fear and wonder.

"Lee" mom said "we must go." She stuffed plump suitcases into the trunk seemingly anxious.

Lee leads Rocky by his leash towards car while laden with his own luggage. "What's happening, Rocky?" I couldn't hide my nervousness.

"We have to leave, nearly everyone is evacuating the town. Taking what they can, leaving their homes to find better living conditions. Everyone has lost all their crops and sold off their cattle or lost due to drought."

" We? Are they taking me too?" I glanced at the ground in front of the porch. "Us? W-What about US!?" Concerned more about myself rather than my inferiors, yet hoping to create a more friendly atmosphere, should I not go with family. They aren't going to leave me, I thought to myself somewhat confidently.

"I don't know, you weren't mentioned."

"Why wouldn't you tell us it was THAT serious and they would possibly relocate?"

"It wouldn't have changed anything to warn you. There would be nothing you could do to prevent it. And I didn't know if you would be included in move, so I said nothing. Rather than get your hopes up in vain." Rocky said while jumping into car. Dad climbed in driver's seat after throwing a couple more suitcases in trunk. Mom sliding into passengers' side with their doors slamming as well; so final, so foreboding.

"Mom, ahh Lucy. Somebody. Anybody." I whispered, hoping someone would look at me and insist upon taking me. Yet no one glances in my direction, as car cranks and rolls away. "Mom! Lucy!" I yelled but knew no one could hear me. Everyone distractedly adjusting things crammed within car to even notice or care that none of us was to journey to new home with them.

"They left me? Mom left me? Us? THEY LEFT US!!" I exclaim to the other flowers in disbelief. The row of orange cosmos, looked up at me perched within my big, beautiful ceramic flowerpot upon the porch, overlooking them from my home. I accepted my Royal position long ago, since their home was much, much lower than mine. Having lived a spoiled life and receiving much better care than those below, caused me to believe I was very special and rare. However, to continue in the belief of being unique and significant is painfully lunacy, as I watch family car disappear over the horizon. I felt so irrelevant as if my whole life with them caring for me was a sham.

"Well look who got left with us." one of the flowers said drawling, sarcasm dripping with each exaggerated word. " Her Royal highness." The others snickered at that; aware I was no more of a priority than them.

Days pass slowly me mostly in silence since I had led a different life, air thick with more than suffocating heat, as I sit less regally upon my throne watching the plant globe. As a patient might watch an IV drip in hospital, I watched the watering globe get less and less with no one to fill it this time. Elements so unforgiving and the realization that I equal to those below, being abandoned, humbled. Where there lingers more ache than the wilting alone, within me.

I speak to the others in a weaker voice, not knowing if I would be recipient of snapping or mocking again. Yet, nothing was funny any longer and nothing else mattered. This was likely the rest of our lives. These few days are very likely the end, so who really cares if someone wants to be a jerk. Who will have the energy? "They will return with lots of fresh yummy water; they are going to get water? "

"Uhhhh, maybe but why do they need luggage if they are just going get us water?"

" Its long journey. Oh, look! It could rain soon."

Black clouds pass over teasing the barren land with hope. Yet, leaving not one drop to quench our thirst.

"Yall we gonna die."

"Don't say that. We are Not going to die.'

'Yeah, we are now stop lying yourself and us."

'What is wrong with hope?"

"Face facts no one is coming to save us, we have been abandoned, we will perish. We have been forsaken by family and the heavens."

"Shut up, don't say that. Just give it more time."

"We HAVE NO MORE TIME!"

"Well, think whatever you want, I choose to have hope," I insisted.

"You are deluded. You think they will return and you believe the rain will, but it won't. That's why they left. Everyone left."

'Okay well let me be deluded then, you have your life and I have mine,"

"Pisshh! You call this a life?" The question, left to hang in the air, with everyone withdrawing into their own emotions, thoughts, and the life they lived. The life that would be no more with these, our final moments and not good moments either.

Rain failed to soak the earth, once again leaving us to thirst.

Pain exploded upon my stem, leaves and bloom, as I look askance heavenward, seeking a drop, just one raindrop. My bloom, exist without a happy yawn. Yawn of a spoiled flower, the elements now cruel; wind, dry wind, unbearable sunlight beating day after day. Thoughts wander to determine if perhaps karma is at work. Yet it's so difficult to hold a thought for long or search through them to determine the reason, so exhausted, so very weak. I would allow a teardrop to fall if I were not so dehydrated, I would probably weep dust. Soon succumbing to the oppressive atmosphere to crumble.

Days pass long and unkindly, as we await death. Those upon the ground succumb to the elements first. Each day another cosmo is claimed, until finally I am left alone. No one to comfort me, knowing expiration is drawing closer for me as well. I wouldn't escape either, though half hoped a miracle would happen and someone would come, come back and say. "Oh no, you are beautiful and worthy, you cannot possibly be left here. Come with me, I will love you back to health." The optimistic scenes I daydream will all desperation to come true, however so far none have happened. I laughed at myself a little, there is probably no one left in the town or if they are, why would they come here?" Yet, I know my fate. Booted off my throne by inhospitable elements and the ones who abandoned me. Crumbling until I am carried away with the wind. Forever forgotten within my lonely world. I used to be as a Queen. But now, I am left alone with my thoughts. Sadness overtakes me as I think my last thoughts....

I remember vaguely rain, if would come and I would happily lap the drops. I long so much for a taste, just once more before I perish. I almost forgotten the taste of living sustaining water. I had not known that would be the last, if I had I would have lain down in it and opened my mouth wide allowing it to soak into my beautiful petals. I would have cherished it, because I would have known it would never return.

I shall perish if you do not bestow life quenching water upon me, I begged of the heavens. Bound within a parched land, knowing I will soon perish. 'One more taste, a mere drop, please.'