Today we moved. Today I met Adeline at the dock. Today I said goodbye.  Let me start with meeting Adeline at the dock.

It was pretty late when I got to the dock. I was rushing there though. I had to get there before Adeline left. If I didn’t I wouldn’t get to say goodbye. I got there right on time. She was just turning to get in to her carriage. I ran and yelled out her name. She looked back and ran to me. Here is our conversation.

( I start first.)

” Adeline. He–re. This is for you. It’s a pre-s-ent.”

” Nayeli! Thanks so much. It’s beautiful! Sorry, but I must go. My mom is calling for me.”

” Wait! I have to show you something.”

I showed her my bracelet and she started crying. Thats when I started crying too. I didn’t want to leave. I didn’t want her to leave. I didn’t have much choice. I hugged Adeline for a long time. She turned to go. I silently cried. I decided that I should go home. There wasn’t much I could do so I turned to leave.

When I got home I saw the carriage was packed. I ran in to the house to see that it was empty, except for my mother writing a note. I had guessed it was for Father. I asked her what was going on and she said that we were moving. Right now. We had no other choice. The war was to close to home.

That is how I ended up here. In the middle of nowhere and sleeping in a carriage. We are travelling all day. I am throwing out my diary now, I can’t stand to look at it when all of the things that happened, happened. We didn’t get any letter’s from Father since the last one I got. I only told Mother parts of it, since Father didn’t want her to know about some stuff that happened.  But, I guess this is the end of one journey to the next. The sun is almost up so I will throw this diary out the window. Bye.

Yours Truly, Nayeli.

Tomorrow we are leaving at night time because we have to wait for the ship to get here because it’s coming back from France, again. I don’t know if it’s the same on but I’m pretty sure it is.

Tonight me, Naki, Sari and my mother are going for a long ride in the carriage. We never got to see the whole city and we want to see what it’s like. So we are doing that soon.

I think Nayeli wrote a letter to her dad and I think she asked if any one my family was still alive or something. So hopefully I will be hearing from her soon.

My mom is still crying but we will find out soon enough and maybe they will come back. I just think as it of a normal day because he’s usually gone anyways. The only person I ever see in my family anyways is my mom, Sari and Naki. We all have a great time together but I wish I could see the rest of the family.

Tonight after the ride I might be going to see Nayeli for the last time at the dock. Naki’s just coming with me this time. He’s always paranoid that I’m going to get hurt or something so he’s usually with me when he’s not gone. She said she got me something but I don’t know what, I will see when I get there, if her mom lets her out again.

My mom keeps asking me what I want to do but I don’t know what she means. She is really confusing me.

When we get back to France, my mom promised me that she would take me to the art museum. I can’t wait. There are really nice things there. Like paintings, sculptures, knight suits, stain glass and they somehow play music that has just been made. It’s very colourful there. I only saw pictures of the things, but not the sculptures. I only saw pictures of pictures that are in there. But I never saw all them. They are really good. I wish I could so something like that. There are also pictures of dinosaurs and also some skeletons of them. They were really big. It’s amazing. I never thought I would see something like that before. You can buy the pictures but it’s a lot of money and the sculptures are usually outside of the building, they would be attached to them. Lots are just re-makes from other buildings. Also you can go up to the bell tower. That’s where a guy goes up there every day in the morning and night and pulls a rope to ring the warning bells for bed time and work time. Sometimes it gets really annoying. I heard something about it that the guy up there lives up there because his dad used to torture him and he got taken away from him mom. His dad is one of the rich people. He usually has one of his dads people to go up there and feed him and stuff. I don’t know if that’s true but that’s harsh and rude if it is. But one day I want to go up there. That would be cool. There is like 100 bells up there.

But anyways I have to go, I got to get some things together before I leave tomorrow and clean the house.

Au revoir! (Bye!)

Adeline.

Early on, I had sent father a letter. I had asked if Adeline’s father or brothers were injured. I also asked how he was doing, how my brother was doing, if he was coming home soon and lots more. It was a few days ago when I sent it. I finally got a letter back from him. Here is how the day went.

I woke up. I was the only one up. I had guessed that everyone else had a late night. I went to bed really early. I was cooking breakfast for my family when I heard a knock on the door. I suddenly got excited. I thought that it might have been Adeline or Naki to come and have a fun day. Sadly it wasn’t. It was a guy who was holding a supposed to be white envelope. I say supposed to be because it had black ashes covering it. Anyways, when I opened the door the man yelled ” Delivery for Nayeli!” It scared me.

I told the guy that I was Nayeli and he handed me the letter. I said thank you and shut the door. I was nervous for what it was. I barely get any letters so this was odd. I walked towards the kitchen, reading my letter. I had to put it down for a second, so I could put the eggs on a plate. After that I read the letter. This is what it said.

Dear my sweet Nayeli,

Hi. How are you doing? Is the house going good? Is everything okay? I have been wondering about you and your mother a lot. Your mother wrote a letter to me saying that your sister moved out. She moved in with a young man. What a surprise. I have been fighting all day and all night. I am sorry I couldn’t get the letter to you sooner. Well here is to answer your questions. Well some of them anyways.

Adeline’s father got badly injured. I know that because your brother injured him. He should be returning home soon. That is if he is lucky. The war is still going on and he could be captured and tortured. Sadly, I will be the one who has to torture him. Another guy will be capturing him. If you find out, tell me if he got home, safely.

I am doing well. Your brother on the other hand, got shot in the leg. He is at the hospital right now. Please do not tell your mother this, or else she will be worried. She might even go to the hospital to see if he is all right. I don’t want her to do this. If you’re wondering why, it’s because the war is moving more towards the hospital. If she goes there, then she could be shot.

For my last answer, I will not be coming home on time for when you move. It is a shame I know. I had asked your mother in her letter where you are moving to. She still hasn’t answered, but when she does, I will be sure to go there when I am done in the war. I hope that it ends quickly. If not, I have no clue what will happen.

Well, my dear. I better go back out there and protect what once used to be my land. Bye.

Love, Father.

You know, I actually got teary-eyed from that. I wonder if Atohi is okay. But Father said not to go to the hospital. Maybe I could send him a letter there. That would be cool. I hear Mother coming so, I need to hide Father’s letter in my diary. Bye!

Yours Truly, Nayeli.

But I have to go, its supper time.

Adeline.

Adeline. 

I am sad to say this but war has begun. I really dislike it and the worst part is, that Father is in it, but he in not the only one in my family that is in the war. My brother, Atohi, is in the war with them. They left yesterday and Father said that if they weren’t back in a few days that we should move with out him. Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you. I’m moving.

 Father has been saying that war will ruin the land. If war does begin, we have no other choice but to move. War has begun, so that means we are moving. I have not talked to Adeline yet but I really need to because I have to know if she is moving to, and if her family is safe.

Before Father and Atohi left for war, Mother packed them food, clothes and a couple blankets for when they sleep, that is if they get to sleep. Mother told me that war could go on for days, weeks, months and even years. People do all sorts of crazy things. They plan attacks at night, they come and shoot people unexpectedly and they torture people. I almost puked at the thought of Father and Atohi being beaten and tortured. It made me really sick. I decided to go lay down in my bed.

Mother said that if I am a good girl, while we still live here, I might be able to write Father and Atohi letters. I asked if I could write Adeline a letter but Mother’s face got all red and she started yelling at me about the French should not be my friends and I should not make any connection to them. I almost cried. I am about to leave and I won’t even get to say bye? I am sure she wouldn’t be too happy if her mother said she couldn’t say goodbye to her friend. Adults don’t understand us kids.

Last night, I walked past Mother’s bedroom and all I could hear was her sobs of pain. I decided that I should go comfort her. When I walked in, she sat up and asked what I was doing. I didn’t say anything; I just walked over to her and hugged her. I slept with her last night and it feels that we have a better relationship.
Moving. It seems so awful, but what will it be like? I have been living in Quebec for my whole life. We don’t even know where we are going to move. All we know is that if Father and Atohi aren’t home in a few days, we are leaving without them. I wonder how they will find us. Maybe we will leave them a not so if they come back after we leave, they know where we are going. I hope Adeline can go on the computer and read this. If she doesn’t then she might not know that I am moving. That would be terrible.

Mother went to the grocery store and she said she would be back in half an hour. It’s been 28 minutes since she said that so I should go. If she catches me on the writing in my diary (she doesn’t think it is good for me), which might ruin the relationship that we just built yesterday. I wouldn’t want that to happen because Mother said that we would need each other a lot through this time. She said it would be hard if Father and Atohi don’t come back, but we will have to survive. I hope that we can survive, because Father and Atohi always get the meat and things to trade. If we have nothing to trade then we will be poor and we will die fast. But yes, I must go. Bye.

Yours Truly, Nayeli.  

Last night I was up really late writing in my diary. Mother had said that during the day I could only write one hour. So I went on at night for longer. It was about midnight when I heard a noise by the door. I quickly turned shut my diary and went to go see what it was. It was Father with two other men carrying him. I opened the door and the men thanked me. Father talked to them for a while and then they left. So I decided to ask where he was. And this is what happened.

“ Father, where have you been all of this time? We have been worried.”

“ I have been protecting my land, I only came back because I hurt my leg.”

“ What do you mean by protecting?”

“ I mean that I took my gun and started shooting at the people who try to take it.”

“ You were shooting at Adeline’s dad!?”

“ That is most likely. Why?”

“ Father, you could have killed my best friends father. Is that what you want?”

“ Right now I don’t care about anyone’s father’s. All I care about is my land. Now go to sleep young one.”

And that was pretty much it. I really need to know if Adeline and her father are okay. I will hate my father if they both aren’t. Even if one isn’t I still will hate my father. He has to go to the hospital in the city tomorrow. I will probably go with him, if I am allowed to.

Adeline will most likely move. That depresses me. We have only known each other for a few weeks. I was hoping that we could live to be great friends for a long time, but all of this is happening. My father has falling asleep, and I can hear his deep breathing in the background. I wonder if he is happy with himself. I wouldn’t be.

I saved up some money, so that when we go to the city tomorrow, I will be able to buy Adeline a goodbye present. If I have enough, I think I might buy her a best friends bracelet. It comes with two, so I could keep one and she can keep one. If I don’t have enough money, I can just get her something that she will remember me by.

This will be one of my last diary note. I started writing around when I met Adeline, so I decided to stop writing around when Adeline leaves. I think that it is only fair for her and for me. I guess it would be okay to come back on here once in a while. But this isn’t my very last diary note. It is just one of the ending diary notes. So, I guess I should go and get to bed, before the sun comes up! Mother would kill me if she found out that I was writing in my diary almost all night. Not to mention she will be in a bad mood with the whole father thing. Well I must go for now. Bye.

Yours Truly, Nayeli.

Soon Naki and I are going down to the lake to go fishing, and some how patch up the hole in the canoe. We might just build another one.  Then we are going to go for a horse ride somewhere. I don’t know where though. It’s me, my sister, and Naki going. They said they wanted to show me something. So I guess I’m going to see something tonight. I been bagging them to tell me but its not working.

This morning I got up and remembered to ask my brother that question, so I did. And he was silent. That’s not a good sign.

Well we are going now. I’ll tell you about it tomorrow. Or maybe even tonight!

Adeline.

After all that I went home because my dad came and got me. Then we went home and my brothers and dad left for hunting. When they get back, they said they would bring me for a canoe ride to the fur trade. But we have to take 2 canoes. One of my brothers and me, Naki, go in one and my dad and my other brother, Leslie and Kay go in the other. Naki is funny. He always has jokes about something. Even if it’s rude, people still laugh. He’s always happy and jumping around. Leslie is quiet. But he laughs lots at Naki. Him and my dad are always together. Kay is funny too. Him and Leslie and with my dad all the time, And Naki always helps me with stuff and he always plays with me when he’s here and not working. Same with my sister, Sari, she is a little bit like my brother, Naki. Naki is 17, Kay is 15 and Leslie is 14. Sari is 19. They are all fun to be around.

But I got to go, time to go eat!

Adeline.

Wow. Was this night ever eventful. Let’s start from me leaving.

I had told my sister that I was going to hang out with a few friends, just so she wouldn’t question me. I had to sneak out of the house with my bag of clothes and things. I decided that I would walk first then when I thought I had enough energy, I would start running. At home I had planned where to stop if I got too tired. About half way there I had enough energy to run for a little while. I only ran for twenty minutes until I got tired. I decided to walk from then on.

I got to Adeline’s house by the time my parents would get home. By the time I would have been in bed. By the time they would be looking frantically for me. I shook off all of my bad thoughts and knocked on the door. Adeline answered. She was in her night gown and she looked surprised.

I told her that I had to come, to get away from all of those weird feelings that I wasn’t used to. After she made tea and we talked while eating cookies. Her parents were sleeping, so they had no clue that I was there. After about an hour or two we heard a knock on the door. We were so surprised we forgot that it could be my parents.

As we opened the door together, we saw the angry faces of all my family. I didn’t get to say one word, because all that happened was my father pulling me by the shirt, into our carriage. I waved, silently to Adeline.

Now, I am back at home. I was in a lot of trouble, so I have to do a lot of chores. It really sucks. After last night, my father took his gun and he left. He isn’t back yet. I have a bad feeling about this. My mother said that he loses his temper easily. I hope he doesn’t lose it on the French people. That would be terrifying.

I must go. Goodbye.

Yours Truly, Nayeli.