Olive ' s Last Branch
Harrow International School Hong Kong , Dedman , Anna -10
After her mom disappeared , Olive had been counting the days of her life and not living them . She longed to share her secret suspicions but dared not reveal them . She had dreams , and even visions that her mother was alive , scared , and thinking of Olive . A faint scent that was scattered onto the dusty wardrobe reminded her of an old memory as Olive tightly clung to it , worried that it might fade away if she held it too loose .
Sally was a beautiful mother . Even at forty-two years old , she still looked like a teenager . Her brown pixie cut and dark blue eyes were a strange fit but almost anything worked well on Sally Case . She was almost too perfect . After spending two years in graduate school , Sally decided to travel the world and become an expert in languages . Four years later , she became a journalist and a perfect mother to Olive and anyone ’ s dream parent . Sally was Olive ’ s idol , her everything . One day , three weeks from Olive ’ s sixteenth birthday , Sally left on a hike into the woods and never came back . Just like that , she disappeared .
Even after nine search teams , sent by the military , returned without any signs of Sally , Olive still refused to believe that her mother was dead . In desperation , she set off , on her own , into the woods . The trees in late Autumn , which were half bare , appeared sorrowful and empty . With so many fallen leaves on the ground , Olive found no way to retrace her steps and could find no path forward . She was lost .
As Olive trudged on towards the unknown , it crossed her mind that this was all just a terrible idea . The last glimmers of light , coming from over the hilltop , caught her eye as she suddenly saw a momentary glint of light among the fallen leaves . She reached down to see what was there and discovered a beautiful Yin necklace , the one that matched her own Yang necklace , a gift from her mother on her tenth birthday . And right next to it was her mother ’ s journal .
Before Olive started to read , she looked around , making sure nobody was there . Although she had no idea what she was about to discover , Olive didn ’ t care at all . This was the key to finding out what really happened to her mom . But was she really ready for what she was about to read ?
She flipped the first page which revealed a familiar cursive font , her mother ’ s handwriting . Hours passed as Olive continued to read and although it was just getting darker and darker , Olive ’ s eyes were getting wider by the second . “ Adopted ! An orphanage sixteen years ago … My mother , an A . I . created by the military ? No , no , no , no !” Olive was in more than just denial . She was in total shock .
Sally Case wasn ’ t always Sally Case . Thirteen years before Olive was born , a Japanese organization built A . I soldiers for the military so that no man would die in a war . As the experiment went wrong for the thirtyeighth time , the former Sally Case was made and escaped the facility with the rest of the failed A . I . s . After a year of hiding , she determined that she would change her name and get a good job . As years went by , Sally longed to be human . Every aspect of it . So she adopted an orphan from a nearby orphanage . They had filthy clothes , dirty beds , and disgusting food . Yet this child was Sally ’ s big break . Someone who looked up to her like a goddess . Someone who praised her every step . Someone named Olive .
Although Olive didn ’ t want to stop reading , the darkness was descending on her . She needed to find shelter . Turning on her trusty flashlight , she ventured toward a rock overhang in the distance . A cave ! Going on all fours , she entered the cave . Before Olive stood up , she noticed a peculiar image created on the cave ’ s dusty floor . Footprints . Just like the army boots she and her mother bought at the army surplus shop except for about triple the size of hers . The army had been here . “ Of Course !” Olive thought sheepishly . Then she noticed something in the corner of her eye . As she moved closer , she realized what it was . A pale hand . Just the hand .