The Ruin Essay, Research Paper

“Skipping, yelling the sun poured through the trees onto their small happy faces. Eyes twinkling, gleaming with joy. Long brunette shimmery hair bouncing with each step. I remember…”

Each hot summer day seemed endless; picnics, playing house, dolls, applying make-up. Alyssa and Ashley were sisters more than that, they were best friends. They each had a spray of freckles across cute little turnip noses, grins that would light up a room. Everyday they would grab snacks putting them into their favorite blankets, small enough that their little hands could hold. After stuffing their favorite foods into their blankets they journeyed to a beautiful pond about a mile away from the house. There they played and swam for hours on end. Every direction the girls looked flowers of all colors bloomed; mostly black-eyed susans. When the wind blew blew just right, the trees would sway over the pond creating ripples in the water. The beach was covered with pebbles. The sound of laughter was everywhere. One of the neighbors had given the girls a row boat to play with in the water. The girls would jump from side to side rocking the boat until it almost tipped, it was a sight.

One hot afternoon, Ashley felt sick. Her mother made her stay in bed, while Alyssa was to go outside so she wouldn’t become sick too. Not quite sure what to do she ventured down the road. As she walked, she collected an assortment of wild flowers; sprays of yellows, pinks and whites. She ended up at the pond where her sister and she had played so many times before. Noticing the green wooden boat floating in the center she saw her sisters favorite doll. She knew that Ashley would feel better if she held her doll in her own small hands. So Alyssa began to wade out into the pond. The water just barely reaching her cute turnip nose. She reached up to pull the boat down close to her face, but the boat hit her head and knocked her unconcious. Alyssa didn’t come home that night. When they found her she was afloat ontop the water. Her brunette curls had become stringy black. In the hands of this angelic little girl was her sisters doll. Never will I forget her, she was the only sister I ever had.

Now that I sit on the rocky beach I remember the memories I made with Alyssa so long ago. Grass has overgrown the pebbled beach and what once was wild flowers are know weeds. It is almost as if the this joyess place I remember has also became grief stricken. Green alge covers the entire pond never being disturbed. The boat we once played on is know half way submerged, and a sign is hung stating that there should be no trespassing. Sometimes I look into the mirror wondering: if she would have seen the once brunette hair that we each had now more of a red, faded freckles, and our button noses know fitting our faces. I guess I will have to wait until Heaven to see my loving sister. I will always miss her, yet she will always be my best-friend.