— The Last Memory

The house had fallen silent once again.

Not because everything was peaceful...

But because there was nothing left to say.

Evelyn pulled an old canvas backpack from the wardrobe and placed it on the table.

"We can only take what we need."

Ariel wiped the tears from her cheeks with the back of her sleeve and nodded.

Neither of them argued.

Time was no longer on their side.

One by one...

A loaf of bread.

A small water flask.

A blanket.

Two extra dresses.

A sewing kit.

A tiny kitchen knife.

A box of matches.

Nothing more.

The backpack was already becoming too heavy.

Evelyn glanced around the room.

"So much..."

she whispered.

"...and we can't take any of it."

She opened a wooden drawer.

Inside lay old family photographs.

A music box that hadn't played in years.

Her mother's silver comb.

Her father's worn leather gloves.

For a moment...

Her hand stopped over the gloves.

She closed the drawer.

"If we carry memories..."

she murmured to herself,

"...we won't have room for tomorrow."

Ariel quietly watched her.

Then...

Without saying a word...

She disappeared upstairs.

"Eli?"

No answer.

A minute passed.

Then another.

Evelyn frowned.

"Ari?"

Still nothing.

She hurried up the stairs.

"Ari, we don't have time—"

She stopped.

Ariel was kneeling beside her bed.

Holding a small white rabbit.

Its fur had grown old with time.

One ear leaned slightly to one side.

A button eye had been stitched back on years ago.

Ariel gently brushed the dust from its head.

Evelyn sighed.

"...Ari."

The younger girl looked up.

"I'm taking him."

Evelyn shook her head.

"We're already carrying too much."

"But—"

"No."

"He barely weighs anything."

"Ari."

Her voice became firmer.

"We're trying to survive."

Silence.

Ariel lowered her eyes.

Her fingers tightened around the rabbit.

When she finally spoke...

Her voice was so quiet it almost disappeared.

"...Dad won him for me."

Evelyn froze.

Ariel swallowed hard.

"Remember the spring fair?"

A faint smile trembled across her lips.

"He said the man running the game looked impossible to beat..."

A tear slipped down her cheek.

"...and then Dad won anyway."

Another tear followed.

"He gave him to me..."

She hugged the rabbit against her chest.

"...and Mom laughed because she said I loved the rabbit more than her."

A small laugh escaped...

Only to break into a sob.

Ariel covered her face.

"If we leave him here..."

Her shoulders trembled.

"...the neighbors will take everything."

"They'll sell the furniture..."

"Our books..."

"Mom's piano..."

"Dad's tools..."

Her voice cracked.

"And then..."

She looked at Evelyn through tear-filled eyes.

"There won't be anything left..."

"...to prove they ever existed."

The room fell silent.

Evelyn stared at the old rabbit.

It wasn't cloth.

It wasn't cotton.

It was twenty years of love...

Stitched together by memories.

She slowly walked toward Ariel.

Then...

Without another word...

She picked up the rabbit.

For a heartbeat...

Ariel's face fell.

But Evelyn carefully placed it inside the backpack.

Right on top.

As if it were the most precious thing they owned.

She adjusted the blanket around it so the button eye wouldn't be scratched.

Then zipped the bag halfway.

She looked at Ariel.

"...We make room."

Ariel blinked.

"What?"

Evelyn rested a hand on her shoulder.

"For family..."

A faint smile appeared for the first time that night.

"...we always make room."

Ariel threw her arms around her sister before she could stop herself.

"Thank you..."

Evelyn closed her eyes for a second and gently hugged her back.

"...Come on."

She whispered.

"If we're going to leave..."

"...let's leave before this house becomes someone else's."

Outside...

The wind carried another distant explosion across the sleeping town.

Inside...

Two sisters took one last look at the home where they had laughed...

Cried...

And grown up together.

Neither of them knew...

This would be the last time they ever saw it.

End of Part Three

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