Jackie
I stand in front of the mirror in my house. My new golden dress shimmers in the chandelier light. I have never worn a dress so beautiful as this, and it only makes me wish I had more dresses as beautiful as this. The sequins that cover the entire fabric, the diamanté necklace and bracelet, sparkling silver high heels...I feel like a Princess.
My mother smiles at me, then says, "You've never looked more dazzling, Jackie."
I smile back. "Thank you, mother."
She offers her hand to me, as I take it, she kisses my forehead, before we walk downstairs to breakfast. My father will be waiting for me downstairs. He is the most powerful Noble in Mobius. He knows the royal family very well. I've only ever met King Aaron once. When I was 8 years old, we were invited round to a banquet at the castle. The King and Queen are such nice people, they get along so well with my parents. And my sister, Briary, and I met their offspring: Princess Sonia, and the Princes, Manic and Sonic. I got along with Sonia so well, we used to share hairstyle ideas. She was very good at plaits in buns; she once styled my hair in one.
"What do you think?" Sonia said that day.
I smiled at her. "It's beautiful."
"I can teach you, if you want."
I nodded. "That would be wonderful." And so she did. Ever since then, I've styled my hair in a plait bun for special occasions.
Occasions like today.
My 16th birthday.
When I walk downstairs, my father greets me with a smile and a hug. "Happy birthday, gorgeous," he says.
I nod, smiling back. "Thank you, father."
"The chef has prepared an amazing breakfast for you. Do you want to eat it now?"
An amazing breakfast, huh? Our chef likes to prepare a lot of special breakfasts. But every year on my birthday, he knows exactly what to prepare.
"Good morning, birthday girl," the chef says.
"Morning," I reply.
"Your favourite, just like every birthday."
I smile as he serves the breakfast - a buffet of freshly-made bread buns, healthy fruit smoothies, and all sorts of spread for the buns.
+++
When I return to my house, I am left in shock.
My friends and I treated me out to a fancy restaurant for birthday dinner. We then decided to visit a special bar, for under 18's, with special non-alcoholic drinks. I most drank Coca Cola though - even though it was non-alcoholic, I didn't want to drink any beer, or cocktails made with fizzy drinks - "Mocktails" as Chieri would put it. When they drop me off outside my house, we all stare at the blazing flames engulfing the building into nothing.
I see firemen dragging bodies out, then sealing them into bags. Like they do to the dead. And they let me see the faces of the bodies.
And when I do, I burst into tears.
Those faces are my parents, and my sister.
Mother. Father. Briary.
Why? Why them?
Why did they have to die?
I want to curl in a hole.
It's too upsetting.
They died. Helpless. On my birthday.
And I wasn't there to help them.
Why me?
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