I
stand on the edge of the dock. I ignore the crowd of sadistic
watchers and look down into the water; the ocean is only metres away
from me. The chains which bind my body are heavy as I feel his hands
grab onto them. Foxglove," he hisses. "You are charged with
treason and sentenced to death." The crowds of onlookers begin
clapping in anticipation and then he pushes the chains, and my body,
into the water.
The
green waves engulf me as I land awkwardly on my stomach, the splash
causing shouts of victory from those on the dock. Forgetting all
else, I do my best to hold my breath to protect the life that is in
me. Yet the water seeps its way through my lips. I try to move my
body like an eel but the chains restrict me and pull me down towards
to the bottom of the ocean. I have to be brave. I have to survive
until it's time. Even as I feel death reaching out to me, I know that
this is only the beginning.
21
Days Earlier
Domonic
rests his elbow on the counter, leaning towards me as I wait to be
served. "Have you thought about my offer?" he asks, raising
his eyebrows.
I
fold my arms, "I told you. There's no way in hell that I'm ever
marrying you." The register attendant walks into the room and I
clear my throat to get his attention. Sarcastically I say, "I
need to state my existence."
Domonic
sighs and shrugs, "I'll see you next month. You better have
changed your mind by then." He walks away from the counter as the
attendant approaches.
The
man pulls out a log book and begins flicking the pages. "Foxglove
Drenner, right?" the attendant smiles at me. I roll my eyes at
him for using Domonic's last name. "He talks about you all the
time, says he's going to marry you."
"Yeah.
In his dreams." I pull my ID card out of my bag and pass it over
to him. "And it's Foxglove Prince."
"Okay
then, Prince of the foxes, gimme a sec." The attendant turns to
the P page and begins filling out my details.
Every
month I have to make the trip to town so I can register myself and
clarify that I'm actually still alive. Everyone has to do it but I'm
the only one that it's actually necessary for. The whole population
of Eldelvin (except me) lives within five hundred metres of the Town
Square and are unnaturally sociable. They'd be missed in a day if
something happened to them. But me? I live a kilometre away on a hill
beside a forest and I only ever come down once a month. If I didn't
register myself, I could be dead for all they knew.
Five
minutes later he hands back my ID card and says I'm all done for the
month. I reach into my bag and pull out a yellow woven hat. I place
it on my wavy red hair and walk outside into the sun.
One
of the townsfolk who's name I don't know walks past me. "Hello,
Foxglove." she says with disgust. The corner of her mouth rises
into the smallest of grins and she shoves past, pushing me towards
the grocery store. The scene doesn't faze me; I was heading here
anyway. I'm also used to being hated by almost everyone here; it's
because girls are supposed to get married at sixteen. I'm months past
that and still single.
I
push open the grocery store door and enter. When I say grocery store,
I
don't mean a shop. I mean a storeroom. All our food is kept here and
we take what we need.
The
bell on the door jingles and a man looks up from his newspaper.
"Hello," I nod at him. "I've just come for my weekly
rations... times four."
He
nods his head back at me and goes back to reading about the boring
stuff that happens here. I take that as a yes and make my way to the
shelves. I shove a heap of food into my bag: vegetables, flour, milk,
cheese, sugar and a box of homemade brownies. The old ladies who
cooked those brownies would probably be furious if they ever found
out that of all people, I'd
taken
them.
Having
collected enough food for the month, I zip up my bag and haul it over
my shoulder. Ignoring the man reading the newspaper, I hurry out the
door and back onto the street. I can finally go back home now.
I'm
stopped by a burly looking man in a hunting outfit. He looks
surprised to see me. "Foxglove!" He bellows. Everyone
around here knows me, it's something I've gotten used to. Gossip
about the girl who won't marry gets around fast. "You can't go
home tonight; we're hunting in ten minutes."
I
force myself to look angry. And I am angry, very much. Except I'd
rather stay here for a night than be shot by a hunter. "And
where am I meant to stay?"
The
hunter looks towards the town hall where all the council members
live. "I'm sure Domonic will have you." He puts his hands
on his belly, roaring with laughter, then trudges away.
I
clench my fist and walk in the opposite direction of the town hall,
there's no way I am going to Domonic. I would rather commit suicide.
Instead I walk to the graveyard; I'll sleep with my parents tonight.
[/bothering mode]
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