Young Writers Society

Shi Louw:

I'd been sleeping quite contently and peacefully, when a small thump in the room beside me. I lift my head up off of my pillow, listening carefully. Sure enough, another thump echoes the first, and I silently stand up on my cot, slipping out of the door, into Quannie's room, expecting to find him lying on the bed, his long legs hanging over the end.

I'm surprised to find his bed empty, cot tidied up, bed made, even his small napsack was gone. I hurry into my room, and pull on my slippers, and a jacket. I hastily slip down the wooden ladder, and grab an old oil lantern from the cupboard.

I light it, and head out the door, running down the path to the river, figuring I'll start by checking there.

He's nowhere to be found, I round the village twice, and finally realize where he is; the palace. He had to be there for a reason, and I recall hearing him say "why I'm going to the palace is none of your concern." I hadn't thought anything of it, but now that I do, I realize that he probably was going there for a reason.

For what, I have no remote idea. I run as fast as I can on the fine dirt road toward the palace. Up ahead, I can see Quan, he's walking slowly, his napsack swinging slowly on his back. I can't believe him! After all I'd done for him; fed him dinner, provided him a room, I even lent him some of my grandfather's clothes!

And he turns around, and backstabs us! Taking advantage of our kindness to him! I shake my head, my anger fueling my speed as I run up to him. "What is your problem?!" I screech, he freezes, turning around, and curses under his breath. "After all of we did for-" I yell, but he cuts me off, clamping a hand down on my mouth.

I bite at his flesh, but he ignores this, and slams us both into the bushes. "What is it with you?! Do you want to get us both killed?!" He hisses, and I give him a confused look. "The guards will hear us! We'll get caught if you don't shut up!" He snaps. I cringe. I've heard of the people who've gotten caught. I shudder.

He's barely finished saying this, when I hear the shouts of guards, nearing us. Quan pulls me in closer to his chest. My breath is quick and rugged, and I can feel the panic creeping up on me. The voices seem to be growing quieter, more distant. "Are they gone?" I breathe, my voice barely audible.

"I think s-" He begins, but big, cold-looking hands grab at him, pulling him out of the bushes, and I barely manage to stiffle a scream. "Quan! I'm coming!" I yell at the top of my lungs, reaching into my pocket for my knife, but my hands come out empty. Cold terror fills me, and I grimace, as another pair of hands grab at me, roughly throwing me over his shoulder, as he hustles back to palace entrance.

I pound on his back, but it's like trying to shove a brick wall. I can't hear Quan anymore, and can no longer see the dusky light of the early morning. I pound harder on the guard's back, and he pounds on the back of my neck. A sharp pain runs through my nack and collar bone. I squeak, and let unconsciousness greet me like a warm hug.

Quan-Ling Li:

I was pulled out of the bushes and came face to face with the second in charge of the Guard. Ah, crap... I had hoped Shi was okay...but then my hopes died when she started yelling and the other Guard grabbed her as well.

"What are you doing here?" the first guard snapped, glaring at me.

"Er, I'm exploring?" I hedged. She laughed and started dragging me back towards the palace. I gasped. Oh no, I thought.

"Quan!" Shi Louw screamed, pounding on the other Guard's back but soon enough she fell silent.

"No, please," I started begging. "I didn't mean it, I'm sorry!"

"Shut up!" the woman Guard muttered and then she whacked me over the head with the handle of her sword. The blackness started closing in.

Jemsie:

I looked around at the others. The twins were sitting in a corner, talking to the other girl who wasn't paying any attention to them. Cain was busy trying to coax something out of the other boy, Castiel while I was just standing there looking around.

I'm sure I look like an idiot, I thought sourly. Suddenly I noticed the missing panel in the wall. The grumpy guy was watching us. What the hell?

"Hey!" I yelled at him, glaring. "What is this? Who are you people! Where are we?"

He just slammed the panel shut on me. I blinked. What the heck? I sighed and shook my head, turning towards the others.

"Hey," I called. "Does anyone know where we are yet?"

There was a round of shaking heads and no reply at all from the other girl. I sighed. Great, no one knows anything. I joined Cain and stared at the floor for a while.

Pretty much all of us jumped when the doors were slammed open and two people were dropped just inside the door. That grumpy guy was standing out in the hall. I saw him smirk as the doors were slammed shut again.

Shi Louw:

I am vaguely aware of the cold, slimy texture under my left cheek. The wet clay feels rough and hard under my skin; not much like clay at all. I can hear people talking, echoing off of walls. None of the voices sound familiar. I stir, moaning, as a sharp pain slices through my back and neck.

I can feel a pair of hands on me, and finally one voice sticks out of the few; Quan. "Quan? Is that you?" I murmur, carefully rolling over, so as not to hurt my back again. "Yeah....Yeah, it's me. Are you okay?" Relief floods his voice, and I think I'm relieved, but am to tired to really tell.

"I....I don't know. My back and neck have these sharp pains, and my head hurts, and- oh!" I moan, as a wave of nausea washes over me. I curl my knees into my chest, moaning, as my stomach churns. "What is it? What's wrong?" Quan demands, instantly putting a hand on my arm.

I gag, and dig my elbows into the hard, rough dirt floors, army-crawling my way over to a corner, where I throw up, hot, thick liquid. I can hear the other people in the room back away, obviously squeamish; all except Quan, who remains at my side, his arm still firmly wrapped around my waist.

I lay limply in his arms. He stands up, and I moan, "Don't leave me." I beg. "I'm not." He replied assuringly. Carefully, he bends down, placing one hand under my legs, and the other, under my arms. He stands up, with me in his arms, walking slowly toward a corner, where he slides us both down the wall, resting me in his lap.

It's now that I realize we're not alone. Reluctantly, I lift my head, and turn my body, facing the room of people. They all looked about our age, or at least around it. There were 6 others besides the two of us.

I look at them, and take them all in. "Oh, I'm sorry, I suppose we were being rude. Let us introduce ourselves. I'm Jemsie; I'm 17." She pointed at herself, then motioned for the boy next to her to go, "I'm Cain. I'm nineteen." He mumbles, and looks to the right of him at two boys that look exactly alike.

The one closest to him begins speaking, "Uh, I'm Ace. That's my brother, Xavier. We're 18." He motions to his right, at the boy next to him, who raises one hand in a small wave. A boy next to them speaks up eagerly, "I'm Castiel; I'm 18, too." he smiles at me, and I smile back, weakly.

The last one left, finally raises her head, and mumbles quietly, "I'm Atieno, er, I'm 16." They were all silent, looking at me expectantly. Quan nudges my foot, and I sigh, reluctantly, and speak. "I'm Shi. I'm 16." I reply dully.

Loud, heavy footsteps echo the halls. The others cringe into the wall, flattening themselves like rats. "What's wrong?" I ask, almost afraid to know. "They're here." Castiel whispers quietly, as the single, small candle that was burning in the corner, blew out, as we all stiffle screams.

Thanks for fixing that, Elf. And just to make it clear for everyone--this is in the past, not the present. Like 400 BC. Over a thousand years ago...

Jemsie:

I stared at the new kids. They were clearly Chinese and, well, we were clearly not in 2010. I was startled when the candle blew out. What the heck?

I looked around, watching the others in the dark. Castiel was freaking out and so was Cain. The twins didn't even seem to notice and Atieno was just sitting there.

I shrugged and looked back towards the doors, which had opened a few moments ago. The grumpy guy was back, along with several guards.

Now what was going on?

Quan-Ling Li:

I watched the guards enter the room. We were dead now. I was sure of it. I looked down at Shi, who was still curled up in my arms. She seemed rather pale.

A shadow fell across us and when I looked up, there was a stern looking Guard standing over us.

"Up," he said and grabbed my arms, forcing me to let go of Shi and stand up. Shi stood beside me, silent. "Come."

The guard turned and left the room. I looked around to see the others receiving the same sort of treatment. I sighed and grabbed Shi's arm, following the guard out of the room.

Shi Louw:

I was amazed at how some of the others were taking it; the twins sat calmly against the wall, and Atien just stared up at the ceiling, seemingly unaware of all of the things going on around us.

I can feel the shadows creeping up on us, as the guards quickly unlock the gated door. I cringe into Quan, and he lays a protective hand on my shoulder. I whimper, despite myself, and Quan pulls me into his chest, tighter.

The heavy- booted guards clunk loudly into the small chamber room, "Up." One of the guards snaps, and he yanks Quan to his feet, as I reluctantly stand, too.

"Come." The guard orders, as he leaves the room, obviously expecting us to follow. Quan sighs loudly, and grabs my arm, pulling me along with him, down the dark, damp, hallway.

Jia-li)

Me and the wise woman, after having calmed down the princess, were taken to the Emperor's courts, where most other people were. There had been strangers found, and the Emperor claimed them to have magic. And so all the Palace's wise women were here, including me, the "useless" apprentice.

There were all taken in, each one escorted by a burly looking guard, and made to stand before the Emperor, their heads bowed. Only some of them didn't know that and so got their heads roughly shoved into their chests. The Emperor looked at them all with a curious smile, and then scanned the group of wise women huddled together in the back corner. His eyes stopped on my master. "You there," he called. "Wise woman Fei Yen. Come here." The wise woman smiled her toothless grin and started walking towards him, dragging me along by an iron grip on my wrist.

Shi Louw:

Quan and I were dragged several yards behind the others. The two guards who supervised us, yanked us along, dragging us up the seemingly never-ending stairs, until finally, we stepped onto beautifully tiled floors, which I could only presume was the Emperor's main Throne Room.

Sure enough, when I look up at the throne, the Emperor is perched in it, sitting tall, smugly. I take it all in, his finely-woven robes, braided hair and beard, and the gorgeous throne he sat on.

I feel odd in my old nightgown, as I look down self consciously, at what I expect to be my nightgown. I am quite taken aback when I see strange, yet familiar clothes replacing the nightgown: jean cutoffs that come to my upper thigh, a faded t-shirt, and black converse.

I'm even more surprised when I realize that I recognize them as my own. Converse were made in the 90's, I'm sure of that. "Quan. What's the year?" I breath out of the side of my mouth. He gives me a funny look, but murmurs, "408." That would be BC., and I was born in 1994 AD., so that would make my modern year 2010... I'm more than one and a half centuries in the past!

The Emperor calls up one of the oldest- looking wise-women, and murmurs something I can't hear from where I am. "These are the original six, and the other two are thieves we found sneaking into the palace this morning." One of the guards announced, obviously proud of himself.

I have a sudden rage of disgust for him, especially when the lead guard nods in approval, "Good." The Emperor hands him something, obviously of great honor, because the man smiles, and then looks at the rest of us, smugly. The Emperor says something, but all I hear is "Thieves", "Fate", and "Crimes". And I don't think I like the three of those mixed.

The lead guard makes a dirty face at us. "Stand. Both of you."

Quan-Ling Li:

Why was she asking me about the year? I thought, glancing towards her as I stood up. And now...what was she wearing?

I frowned and looked up when a coin landed on the floor between us.

"You're thieves. Let's see you fight for that which is not yours."

I shot a glance at the guard and backed away from the coin. I was not going to fail into his trap, no matter how desperate I was.

"You keep it," I told him. He looked surprised for a spilt second then drew a sword on me. I gasped and dropped to my knees.

I glanced towards Shi and her weird clothes. She was just standing there, staring at the coin. The Guard put the tip of the blade under my chin and forced my head up. He knew I wanted that coin.

"You are rejecting an offer from a superior?" he asked, glaring down at me. I swallowed, eyeing the sword at my neck.

"No, sir," I muttered and dropped my eyes. My gaze landed on the coin. "I just won't fight a woman for it." My voice was louder this time.

Jemsie:

I glanced towards Quan and Shi. The grumpy guy was going to make them fight over a coin? I thought, frowning. That's not right.

I met the eyes of the person beside me, Cain.

"Toto," I muttered. "I don't think we're in Kansas anymore."

Cain blinked. "We're not home anymore?" he whispered.

I nodded and stood up. "What's the use in pitting a boy and a girl, who clearly like each other, against each other?" I asked. The guard beside me forced me back to my knees.

"Silence is called for," he snapped. "And silence is expected."

"She is right, though, my lord," said a very shaking voice. I looked towards the guy on the throne and one word came to mind, Emperor. Beside him was an old woman. Clearly she was the one who had spoken.

"Is this true, wise woman?" the Emperor asked and the old woman confirmed it.

Quan-Ling Li:

I shook my head at him and the Guard narrowed his eyes further.

"Do you want to die?" he asked in a low voice.

I glared at him and stayed put. I wasn't going to leave. I looked at the General. I thought I had recognized him earlier. He looked a lot like my late father.

I stepped forward into a formal bow to him.

"Uncle," I announced loudly. Murmurs and gasps fluttered around the room.

The Guard straightened up and looked from me to the General and back. I couldn't see their faces but I could feel their eyes on me. Everyone seemed to be watching the General and the Thief.

Shi Louw:

The high clink of the coin dropping onto the ground sent a tingling through my back, as I was terrified that Quan would give into his trap, and go for the coin. "You are thieves. Let us see how you fight for what is not yours."

The lead guard (who's name we realized was Tau) smirked, as it dawned on me what he was asking us to do: fight for the coin. I glance over nervously at Quan, and watch, as his Jaw twitches; he wants the coin. I can see it in his eyes, the longing, and desire.

i set my gaze on the coin, focusing on it, staring. the conversation swirls around me, as I only hear bits and pieces.

"Ah. An honorable theif you are." I hear Tau taunt Quan, but he just shakes his head, "You keep it." This utterly surprises me, and I glance at him, through the screen of my hair. "You are rejecting an offer from a superior?" Tau questioned him, and a grin played at the corner of Quan's lips, as he caught my glance.

"No, sir." He replied simply, "I just refused to fight a woman." His voice went up an octave, and I look down at the ground, so as to hide my smile.

I stay like this for a moment, waiting for my unexpected moment of happiness pass, when I hear Jemsie's voice drift over the crowd, "What's the use in pitting a boy and a girl -who clearly adore each other- up against each other?" She asked, and I assume she was standing up when she said it, because I could hear a guard push her back to her knees.

"Silence is called for," He barked, "And so silence is expected."

"She is right, though, my lord." A raspy voice speaks up from behind us. I turn my head, where the emperor sits in his chair, beside and old woman- the Wise Woman, I presume. yes, I'd heard of her from others who'd been to the castle, but never actually met her, or even seen her.

The emperor gave her a look, "Is it true, Wise Woman?" He asked incredulously, and she gave a tight nod.

The council begins discussing things in the corner, and Tau goes to retrieve his coin. "Go now, before they overrule my judgement." He murmured, as he was close to Quan.

But, to my utter despair, Quan shook his head. "Do you want to die?" Tau hissed, but Quan just glared at him. I watch the exchange quietly, studying them both. Suddenly, a look of realization flashed Quan's face, "Uncle." He announced, looking at General Li. Tau immediately straightened his back, and looked from Quan to General Li, and back and forth.

Everyone seemed to be watching General and Quan. Quickly, General Li shook his head, and the emperor chuckled under his breath, as he nodded at one of his servants, who then retrieved a small bag of coins, thrusting it toward Quan. "Here are forty coins. Be aware of your squandering," He paused, and chuckled before adding, "Honorable thief Li."

"Leave the seven strangers, and escort my....er..... nephew, from the palace please." the General directed toward Tau, stumbling over "nephew". Tau nodded, and pulled Quan up, dragging him toward the entrance, as he shot a meaningful glance in my direction, a glance in which said, "I love you."