A Novel In A Year - Excersize 1

The first prompt from the writing book, "A Novel In A Year" by Louise Daughty. Prompt is to write one sentence or more beginning with... "The day after my eighth birthday, my father told me..."

The day after my eighth birthday, my father told me of mother. He told me the truth - how she had died long ago, back when things were simpler. Simpler was the exact word he used. Like there was a time when things were simple and you didn't have to think - well, that was wrong.
She had died due to something the very opposite of simple. He had yet to go into detail at that time, but later, he made it clear that she had not died due to an accident, nor to old age or something pleasant. Being her was dangerous, he said, and it was not an understatement.
It was years later that he actually told me why. When the war for equality was happening, the change was not welcomed by all. And her, being an activist, was in much more danger than others. Her, being the one she was fighting for the rights of, was in much more danger.
She was dark skinned like you, he said.
People thought that was bad.
Her life was snuffed out like a candle with the cold metal of a bullet in her heart, and the blood inside it crept out through the cracks like a disease spreading. Her legs crumbled. Her eyes went cold. She could not be saved, the doctors had said. That was not true. They did not bother to save her, because she was not worth it.
In the middle of a war, the peace is broken.

Author's Note

Feel free to critique anything and everything - be harsh, if you would like so.
As I am not a person of color, I also welcome anyone to, as harshly as they want, critique this story. Be hard on me. Call me out on mistakes, because I am writing for you, and if I end up hurting you instead, I would like to know so I can fix my mistakes. Thank you.