The Clique novel by Lisi Harrison
The Secret by Rhonda Byrne
A Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Newton Peck
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
Author's Note: You are about to read an unforgettable and touching story.
Happiness Beware
As the train was approaching and the cold harsh wind began to blow, Isabella was suddenly attacked by a rush of excitement and joy spreading all over her body. Just the thought of her reuniting with her loving twin sister Victoria after being separated at the age of seven. Due to a horrible fire that killed her whole family miraculously excluding her and her sister was still very shocking. How the fire started, and who had saved the two toddlers was still, a mystery.
Now after nine years of absence in each other's lives, Isabella was dying to get to know Victoria. Thanks to the help of her Aunt Camilla who had taken care of Victoria for the past nine years, had finally tracked her down.
"If only Aunt Camilla had found me as quick as she found Victoria, I know my life and my sister's would have been much, much different", Isabella began to think.
These thoughts were soon vanished after she saw Aunt Camilla and Victoria walking towards her.
As soon as the two sisters saw each other, it was as if somebody had pressed a pause button. All they did was stare at each, it seemed as if they were both staring at a mirror, their similarities were impressive. Long thick brown hair, high cheek bones, beautiful hazel eyes with that intriguing look, were one of the many characteristics these twins shared.
"Well, is that all you two are going to do, stare at each other?", Aunt Camilla asked.
The two sisters hugged immediately unable to speak, unable to cry, their emotions took over.
As soon as they got home Victoria and Isabella locked themselves in a room, and before they knew it they were laughing and telling each other everything that came to mind! It appeared as if the years had done nothing to their bond, however as they started talking about their childhood there was something about Victoria now, that didn't seem right. Victoria had a secret. Luckily, Aunt Camilla opened the door, releasing all the tension, and asked for Victoria to come out of the room and help her unpack.
"Oh, Aunt Camilla I would be more than happy to help." Isabella said
"No!" Camilla declared. She bit her tongue. " I mean no thank you, I think Angela could use your help though." Camilla said.
Isabella was now very confused, seeing her Aunt respond to her that way was unreasonable. She couldn't believe what had just happened. But as told she went to see what Angela, the 70 year old woman who had raised Isabella, needed. She started to help Angela prepare dinner. As soon as Victoria and Camilla walked out of the room and towards them, she slowly began to notice Victoria's irritated eyes.
"Were you crying?!" Isabella asked very concerned.
"No, no, I'm just, she began to slowly look at Camilla who gave her a piercing look.
"So happy to have you in my life again", she finished.
"I know that I may not live in the most glamorous house. And that we're not half as wealthy as we use to be, but I promise to be the best sister, the same that I was nine years ago never doubt that"
"Oh Isabella. If only you knew,"Victoria began to think, her heart was now being crushed because she couldn't tell her sister the truth.
Days, weeks, months passed. Every day the sisters spent as if it were their last. One day while Isabella and Victoria were in the park with Angela and Camilla. They were admiring their beautiful surroundings, the trees were looking over them, birds singing their angelic melodies. They were breathing all the perfumes of the flowers, and gazing at all their misty colors. Everything seemed perfect, however as they were climbing a steep hill, Isabella leaned over her shoulder and was frightened by the sight of her beloved Angela laying on the green grass fighting to take a breath. It seemed as if she was imploring to be able to take at least one small breath and say something that would help her relive all this anger and be able to die in peace. But as soon as she was going to say a word her whole body shut down. Grabbing her arm in pain, her face was now calmer, it was obvious Angela had suffered from a heart attack. Angela was dead.
"No, no, no!!"
"Please Angela open your eyes, please I beg you" Isabella and Victoria were bawling while Camilla was frigid. Standing there with her eyes as cold as ice, her face did not have any sympathy or compassion. She was just standing there with an expression of satisfaction.
It was impossible to recover from this tragic loss. Isabella had no idea what the future held for her, without Angela her world had collapsed. Thank god she had her Aunt and Victoria what better company could she have had she thought.
As time passed, Isabella began to slowly get over Angela's death. She would still every day visit her tomb. The only good outcome of all of this was that Victoria and Isabella were inseparable, watching each other's back and defining a perfect example of sisterly love. However like at the beginning each time the two sisters would open up or talk about their past to each other Victoria still gave this impression of shadiness as if she was scared to say too much and give something away. It was as if she would suddenly enter this zone in where an evil spirit would fly away with her soul.
"Victoria.. Are you feeling okay?" Isabella asked.
"Um.. Yes I feel fine" She said sounding very dishonest.
That same night Victoria began to have high fevers and coughing what seemed to be blood!
"Aunt Camilla, tell me what is happening to my sister please I beg you!"
"Why is she doing all of this all of a sudden?"
Camilla just stood there not knowing what to say next but finally came clean saying:
"She has always been acting like this but you were so slow you never noticed."
Camilla reached her ice cold hand and touched Isabella's shoulder. "Victoria has tuberculosis she will die."
This couldn't be happening to her, her whole life was being torn before her eyes. There is no possible way that now that her and Victoria were finally together she has a deadly disease and would die!
"NOO!, what have I done, why me!?" said Isabella while crying her eyes out.
"Ohh, Isabella you are as weak as your mother, no wonder it is so easy to fool you!"
"You will never succeed in life, you are worthless!"
Was she hallucinating? What is happening, what happened to her Aunt that changed her to a devi?.
"My plan is going wonderful!" Camilla proudly said.
"What are you talking about!? What plan?!?"
"Oh, Isabella you seem smart. Have you ever wondered how on earth only YOUR house got burned and how miraculously you and your sister were the only survivors?
Isabella could hear Victoria in the background, hearing her struggle trying to get up and finally say the truth.
"Isabella.." Victoria's voice was almost gone her whole face was so pale, her beautiful hazel eyes had a dull and lost stare. Her stance was becoming very weak.
"Oh.. Victoria please don’t waste your energy trying to prevent what is going to occur" Camilla's gave an expression of cruelty to poor Victoria.
"I was the one who killed your family, I hated my sister, your mother! She was always the favorite one who lived the perfect life with the perfect husband! Now I have the money that you two would have inherited. However since she can die any second, I will need someone to pretend to be Victoria and that will be you my dear. Otherwise the money will not be available for me anymore and Auntie Camilla doesn't want that to happen."
Isabella felt so weak watching Victoria practically fall apart in front of her eyes and hearing all of this all at once was too much for her. She wanted to do something but it seemed as if her whole body was opposing.
"Isabella, oh Isabella your life is going to be living.." before finishing her sentence Camilla and Isabella stopped as they saw Victoria slowly drop down to the floor lean over to Isabella crying out the words
"Isabella, I will never forgive myself for putting you through what you are going to live for the rest of your life, please forgive me" Her eyes began to close, but still she managed to look at Isabella one more time and say, "Please" her soul was free now, her soul was free of evil, her soul was free of Camilla.
The Hard Truth
Each day we wake up to a privileged world in which human knowledge has increased greatly, to such a point where now we're able to discover and solve the unthinkable. However the cold hard truth is that we are still suffering from a horrible syndrome: ignorance. The article titled "Two year old smoker" by Mail Foreign Service has truly touched my heart; narrating the days of a poor child whose parent's ignorance has reached a point, in which now the young boy's life is hanging by a thread.
Though this two year old may appear to be a regular toddler, behind those tender eyes you can unfold his disturbing truth. This child is slowly beginning to rot from the forty cigarettes he smokes a day! However what is even more depressing is that his own father introduced him to the deadly addiction. When I found out about this my heart dropped. It was as if the earth had frozen: freezing me with it. Such irresponsible action shocked me. I wanted to help this child, because like any other human being he deserved the opportunity to enjoy the greatest gift of all: life.
Nowadays, our only priorities are to either become wealthier or to advance the world's technology. Why are we dwelling on the same subjects when a third of the population haven’t even learned two times five? This is ridiculous, we need to take an initial step: unite and expand the world's education. Even though by doing so we would still and probably will always make mistakes. However, we could eliminate those foolish ideas such as giving a two year old cigarettes and thinking that since he looks "normal" is healthy.
Even though ignorance abounds right now, it gives me a really warm feeling to know that people have been noticing these issues and are actually doing something about them. Campaigns such as GCE, global campaign for education extending a hand to the children so that they can get educated; or spokespeople like Michelle Obama not only encouraging education but also discussing the risks of child obesity. These are all very essential to preventing many unfortunate deaths or fatalities. Sometimes we may think that going to school or any other sort of educational facility is so stressful, but personally I would rather go through this than be uninformed of things that could possibly change my life for the better.
"Two year old smoker" is an article that helped me look beyond an issue and to the roots of why this even occurred in the first place. An article that gave me the vision of how the world could transform to if human's ignorance is not taken care of properly. Life is a glorious gift, and such gift should be treated with immense delicacy.
The Two Faces of Happiness
The waves keep crashing the endless shore, Feeding off the vast clear blue sky. What a beautiful creation, both so serene and peaceful complementing each other like diamonds and gold. My soul is absorbing all the harmonies that the birds are signing. All the sounds that earth is creating, repeating them with an endlessly. Worries of the past are now being locked up, with locks of steel. However sooner or later, without any warning. As slow as vicious snake. will creep out.
Dancing
I open the doors of a greeting world. A world in where determination and passion is all there is.
Sweat dripping down our bodies only symbolizes our hard and tiring effort.
Effort which will be rewarded by the satisfaction of knowing you have reached the top.
Getting there was everything but easy, hours and hours of pure dedication.
All of that is slowly fading once you hear the music. Letting it take control over your soul. Dancing you heart out, allowing your feet to communicate with the floor, allowing you arms to caress the air. My body is in complete peace, all I want is for time to stop and be able to dance. forever.
Free
The doors to my imaginations are now opening. Bright lights are flashing the path.
No one.
Nothing.
Could this be real or just a dream?
Lifted by the power of the past, taking me to unknown places.
The future awaits.
While my body is resting: but my soul traveling towards the top.
