Young Writers Society

Preface:

I wanted to preface this story with an explanation of some stylistic decisions, since I worry that some reviewers might think that these decisions were products of ineptitude rather than as stylistic choices.

Punctuation

I deliberately disused commas in thoughts (thoughts are marked by apostrophes) and in the sentences. The only place I did use them was in dialogue. This decision however, is still open to criticism, but as a stylistic choice rather than as a grammatical error.

Point of view

This story is told in third person omniscient, and the point of view often switches from sentence to sentence, though I sometimes break the points of view apart with an ‘and’. Again, this may still be criticized, but as a stylistic and storytelling choice rather than as my inability to keep track of who was the main character.

Roman numerals:

This will be shorter, it is mostly because of a comment in a review a little while ago. The story is devided into two parts, I(1) and II(2).

The story begins here:

Last spring

–inspired by ‘the Rite of Spring’ by Igor Stravinsky–

This story is dedicated to Abigail and Stephanie, who helped me edit.

I

It was on a dismally pleasant spring morning that Ayla woke. Looked out her window at the hateful beauty of the blazing coppery dawn. And rose slowly. The blanket around her was an iron net. She stepped out of bed and dressed still slower. Her fire had gone. ‘I’m dying today.’ She trudged across her small circular room to her wardrobe. At least I’m not the only one. She dressed herself in the only garment there. A pearly white dress. ‘Why this? She began putting it on over her head. ‘I can’t even wear my own clothes I have to wear this blasted thing not some lightskirt flicking up her dress for every man to see dropped into a forest what good is my flesh to a god?’ She brought her black hair out of the collar of the dress. The dress was silk. Smooth. It grated on her. It clamped her arms and groped at her. There was gold light spearing the door from the window. She blocked it when she came in front of the door. She opened the door slowly. The creaking. The light. The colors. The sound of her footsteps in the high arched hallway seemed dull. She was simply a mind. trapped In a body moving inexorably down the hallway.

Her body walked down the stairs. Her mind was resigned to the fact of her imminent death. ‘Why me just me but why was I picked I’m not alone here at the table I will have my place some shallow grave somewhere nowhere I know just dead now dead in the forest eaten by some hellbeast why why why!’ Her thoughts rambled on until she found herself in her seat at the halfway point of the long table. Twelve girls sat on each side. Her thoughts died. On her left was a scared little girl no more than thirteen. On her right there was an icy girl perhaps fifteen or sixteen. Across from her was a girl who looked to be fourteen like herself. They all wore white. She looked the girl in the eyes. Shallow blue stared back. How can you not care! This isn’t some game you play on the green! You’re going to die. Don’t you realize that?

“What’s your name?” A kind young voice asked. Ayla looked for the voice. She found her, two down the left on the opposite side. Her dress groped at her frame. She looked to be sixteen or twenty or an age between.

“Does it matter?” Ayla answered. The other nodded. No it doesn’t.

“It does matter! What if something happens and we need to call for each other? My name’s Lavia, you can call me Lav,” she said.

‘Corpses can’t call for help.’ “My name's Ayla.” She paused for more questions but Lav seemed content to let the name roll in her head. “Where’re you from?” she added. Slipping into conversation with a uselessly measured casualness as she asked the question.

“I’ve lived in the rougher spots of town since I was young,” she answered. “Don’t know how I’m not dead.” You will be sooner or later. “Where’re you from?” she asked. “Judging from your voice you’re no poor man's daughter.” Ayla nodded.

“My father’s a lord. His manor isn't too different from this castle, actually,” she said. And if I see him again I’ll kill him I’ll take a knife no my bare hands and I’ll no in broad daylight why does it matter I’ll never see him again oh father! She hadn’t noticed Lav talking until she stopped. Then Ayla felt her eyes on her. “When are we leaving?” she asked.

“After breakfast,” Lav answered.

Breakfast came near noon in silence. The only sounds as they ate were the clatter of metal and ceramics. Ayla ate twice her fill to be safe. A silhouette came in through the towering double doors. He called for them to rise. She rose and struggled to keep her from rising with her. He called again. This time for them to leave the building. As the line lurched forward Lavia kept the slow pace next to Ayla. When they finally slunk into the sunlight it was blazing hot. Ayla was almost thankful for her dress. She felt eyes on her like unwanted hands. Lavia moved up and blocked her on one side. Ayla was comforted being away from prying eyes. A woman came up on her left. Ayla was glad for being shielded from the eyes on either side of the road. Ayla did not care if the eyes were full of pity or unrequited lust. She did not want them on her.

“What’s your name?” The woman asked. Ayla was quiet. She wasn’t sure why she was afraid of being overheard. ‘Why should I care my last words ‘I’ll never forgive you.’

“Fyria.” The woman answered. Ayla was startled when a sobbing little girl barrelled out of the ranks of onlookers. Fyria almost gave a sad smile as her daughter came up and hugged her mother’s knees. “Shh, Maern,” she said, stopping for a moment and running her hand through her daughter’s hair. “Be safe.” Fyria felt prodding eyes on her “I—I have to go.” She said. It took all of her strength not to cry. “I love you—I always will, never forget that.” She said. Her voice quivering breathily. Fyria watched as her daughter left like a teardrop into the crowd.

Ayla was thankful for the end to Fyria’s encounter. She berated herself for her gratitude when she saw Fyria’s shimmering eyes and her twitching mouth.

Lavia tapped Ayla on the shoulder. Lavia was not looking forward to the forest. But she dreaded equally being left alone. She was relieved when they finally caught up to the snaking line of girls. Some of Ayla’s worries were mollified as they tailed the long line of girls out of the gate into the rolling foothills.

The path was dirt from the moment they passed through the walls. Ayla found it kinder on her sandaled feet than the worn stone walks of the town. Fyria turned to glare at the man standing at the gates. ‘My daughter’s alone now dead body in the street what makes you think this is right do you does it matter no only every ten years still hope she’ll live out the age.’ Fyria ended her line of thought with the curt reality. She couldn’t help but hope. ‘Alive no she’ll be drawn this little town will die flies buzzing around corpses.’ Fyria followed the line out of the gate.

As they walked Ayla’s mind wandered to her family. ‘Mother why why why did you let this happen father how could you take me in the carriage with a straight face brother why didn’t you stop them sister I hope you’ll live!’. Lavia’s thoughts wandered too. ‘Better than before men always leering at me now I have clothes dead what’s the worth of clothes to a corpse?’. A girl named Nora also had wandering thoughts. ‘What can I do all these people how can I help keep calm think a plan what can I come up with last plan I had nearly thrown back into my window.’ As did the thoughts of a younger girl named Corra ‘father father father why did you say you loved me never told me did you know you must have known or you would have cared why do you let me die like this!’

Lavia admired the landscape in the silence. Even as the rolling hills and the glimmering river led inevitably to the forest she almost managed to convince herself that her lot wasn’t so despairing. Ayla remained entranced by her footsteps ‘one at a time like ticking clock tick tick ringing out in a dinner chamber why!’ Her thoughts were cut off when she bumped into someone. The girl swore at her. They had reached the edge of the forest and the leader had stopped.

“Everyone! May I please have your attention!” Fyria thought the voice of the girl who had been heading the line far too grand. “While the likelihood of survival may seem low, I believe we can survive—perhaps even thrive if we remain as a group.” Lavia pushed to the front of the semicircle that had formed around the speaker. “And I believe I am the best qualified to lead.”

Fyria clenched her fists. Her eyebrows rose as she let the words ring around her head ‘she’s too young we’ll all be dead I had to leave my daughter why why why!’ Ayla looked over at Fyria and hoped she had kept her own appearance calmer. Lavia was startled by an argument that began and was quickly throbbing over the rambling of the river water. The crowd parted around the two dissenters. Their caterwauls were so filled with vulgarity that Fyria had to resist the urge to slap them. They seemed of an age and the taller of the two seemed to be the antagonist. Fyria was on the brink of shouting ‘someone do something!’. She only looked on in horror as the shorter of the girls shoved the taller one. In their arguing they had turned so the taller girl had her back to the river. She fell in and was drawn screaming downstream. Lavia was surprised when Fyria spoke.

“It’s clear we all don't agree.” Ayla noticed her cadence. Halting as she wove through the crowd. “So I propose we take a vote.” Her suggestion was received in silence. After a moment Toal nodded.

“I agree with this.” She spoke loud enough for the whole crowd to hear. “All in favor of traveling with me?” She asked. Most of the twenty-five girls raised their hands. The rest gathered around Fyria as she strode back to Ayla and Lavia. ‘Fewer people less chance to hunt fewer lives bodies in a clearing somewhere—’ Ayla was startled when Lavia tapped her on the shoulder.

Tolia’s group was filtering into the forest. Fyria stood in front of Ayla with three other girls. The oldest seemed about seventeen. She had gray—blue eyes.

“I’m Nora.” Nora felt no anxiety over introducing herself. She had talked to Fyria on the way over to the others of her group.

The girls on Fyria’s right could have been sisters. Fyria introduced the taller of the two as Arel and the shorter of the two as Corra. Fyria felt motherly concern for the two. ‘Maern may grow up to be like them hopefully not.’

“Where do we go now?” Lavia asked. Her eyes traced the riverbank.

“Perhaps we follow the river?” Nora suggested. Fyria nodded and commenced leading the group up river. Nora made sure to keep a safe distance away from the riverbank. ‘Drowned two people drowned I don’t want to drown ‘I’m sorry I have to do this’ you didn’t have to you did it so you could live you won’t change.’ She almost bumped into Ayla. They had stopped near a lake that reflected the late afternoon sunlight.

“Let’s make camp here.” Fyria said ‘a fire we’ll need a fire no whole forest a bonfire no fire tonight tomorrow we’ll need a fire tomorrow.’

Lavia helped brush the fallen cones and needles out from under the tree. She only winced at the first few pricks on her hands. When she was Finished she knelt by the lake. Lavia submerged her hands in the water and swirls them around. Once they had numbed she took them out. She had remembered how groping her dress was as she stood and returned to the trees. When she turned her back she thought she heard gurgling. By now the sky was dark.

Nora heard Ayla shift from where she lay under the stars closer to the edge of the lake than the others. She looked up at the stars. ‘Mother do you care you let this happen nothing you could do we could run away why not worst thing to lose is life what’s a nice dress to that?’ Her fury only grew. It kept her nailed to the ground ‘brother always so strong why not keep the carriage door closed father father father what have you done nothing no your fault I will die here.’

Fyria sat under a pine tree and watched Ayla. Nora was next to her. ‘Maern do something good with your life please remember me memories are no use to the dead I’m as good as dead we’ll all be dead if I don’t set a watch I need to set a watch.’

“Lav.” Lavia looked up at Fyria from the ground in front of where she leaned against the side of a bare oak. “Could you take first watch?” Fyria asked ‘I should take first watch I’m leader no one told me so who else could be?’

“Sure.” Ayla heard Lavia answer as Fyria lay under the tree next to Ayla and fell asleep almost immediately.

Corra woke from an angry dream in the middle of the night. She saw something. Floating on the star mirrored water. She crept closer to the bank and then screamed. Ayla shot awake and leapt up into the pine before. The splintered branches cut her head. She barely noticed. Her attention was focused on Corra. By then Fyria has woken up and had sprinted over to Corra.

“What happened?” She asked soothingly She was conscious of Ayla. Kneeling down next to her. And Nora following a moment later. She did not take her eyes off Corra. The girl was still trembling.

“Lavia—” the answer came a throaty gasp “th—the water…” she trailed off in shrill gasping sobs punctuated by choking convulsions. Chills ran down Ayla’s spine. And down her arms as chills sparked through her. ‘Dead Lavia’s dead drowned some beast dead either way why!’

“It’s okay,” Fyria did her best to keep her voice measured and calm. “There was nothing you could’ve done, you know that.” She continued “we’re alive, just be grateful for that.”

Corra blubbered incoherently and Nora watched Fyria. ‘So good with the young ones if only I could be the same with my sister.’ As if she had ones of her own. Corra was still crying. “Can you stand?” Fyria whispered.

“Maybe.” Corra answered hoarsely. As she struggled to her feet. Nora instinctively rushed to support Corra. Nearly knocking Ayla to the ground in the process.

They left quickly. Nora still held Corra. Arel held her up on the other side and Ayla trailed behind. Fyria led. They walked through the forest in a huddled white mass until they came to a clearing. Fyria looked around ‘fine place to stop not for heat warm nights already for hunting.’

“Do any of you know how to start a fire?” Fyria asked.

“I know the theory of it.” Nora said ‘spark gold and yellow while house a fire!’. She left Corra’s side and let Ayla take her place. Corra had stopped crying. It eased Fyria’s heart to hear Corra’s wailing diminished to abrupt halts in her breathing.

“Get some sticks.” Fyria nodded.

“Are you going to teach us?” Fyria heard Ayla ask as she paced the edge of clearing and gathered fallen branches. Nora nodded. “These kinds of things are best learned through demonstration,” Fyria said “will you please keep your eyes on Nora.” Ayla nodded with the other girls. “Good.” Fyria said “I’m going to the river to gather.” Arel nodded. Ayla sat. The others followed and Nora watched Fyria leave, wondering how she would manage the younger children without her.

Fyria tread carefully through the woods. The trees were too dark for her to see through. She judged her way by ear. The trickling of water grew louder. She made note of her path as she came upon the bank. A raven watched her in silence from the opposite bank.

It flew off the branch and retraced Fyria’s path to the clearing where Nora had gathered a large pile of sticks. Into the likeness of a bonfire. The raven landed next to Corra.

“Shoo. Shoo! Go away!” Corra said. She swung her arms feebly at the bird. It seemed to glare at her before flying away.

“I never liked crows.” Arel said. Making a halfhearted attempt at conversation. Corra did her best to look unmoved. At her encounter with the bird ‘it was looking at me why do I deserve this flock coming down on me black cloud tearing my flesh away!’ Her breath hitched.

The raven flew out of the clearing and back to his branch and watched the girl piling rocks. As Fyria gathered the stones she tried not to think. She did anyway. ‘My responsibility my daughters oh Maern stay safe!’ A few unnoticed tears traced the way down her cheeks. She began heading back to the clearing.

Ayla was crying. The previous hours had come tumbling down on her. She barely registered that Fyria had returned.

“Nora,” Ayla felt a hand rest on her shoulder. “Could you help me bring the rocks up?” Nora’s feet moved into Ayla’s vision from the right edge of the clearing. Ayla wondered if it was possible for a person to escape themselves.

“I—I can help.” Ayla said. She tried to rise from her knees and collapsed. She tried again but her feet caught the hem and kept her down.

“You need to rest.” Fyria said. She tried to balance her tone. Firm but soft. Ayla wondered if Fyria was what a caring mother looked like. She nodded. For some reason. agreement or gratitude ‘she deserves gratitude more than my mother why did you leave me for dead I hope you like your precious dresses more now’ Ayla laid down on the grass. She closed her eyes.

Ayla woke disoriented. It was dark. ‘asleep I was asleep then I can hope forest on fire no the bonfire!’

“Do you think liking the smell means anything?” Arel asked. Corra shrugged weakly. She was doing her best to embrace the conversation. Nora sat slightly apart from the others with Fyria.

“This wasn’t a good idea,” Nora breathed “we should’ve saved it for when we go hunting—the sticks shouldn’t last more than a few days,” she looked around wearily before continuing “but if I’m being honest, I don’t think we’ll last that long.” She let out the rest of her breath in a rush. Fyria has a somber look on her face. Streaked with moving stripes of firelight.

“I try not to think about that,” she said in a curt voice. Nora could see Fyria’s lower lip quivering in the firelight. “I—I just don’t like thinking about my daughter without me. Nora put an arm around her.

“I understand.” Nora said. Fyria let out a strange. Bitter chuckle Ayla watched Nora. Arel watched Fyria as she began to cry ‘I might cry too from what sadness Hope joy fear?’. They took alternating watches through the night.

Ayla had watched when the sun rose. Fyria woke next to Nora. She sat up and rubbed the crusts out of her eyes as Nora woke.

“We need to go hunting.” Fyria said as Nora sat up and crossed her legs. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes.

“I’ll come,” Nora answered the unspoken question “better to keep the younger ones out of danger.” She added. She tracked Ayla walk a short distance before toppling onto the ground “we can’t just hunt with our hands.” Nora said. Fyria nodded.

Arel woke as Ayla crumbled onto the ground. She stopped at the remains of the fire and took two stones from the ring. Fyria breathed. She walked back to Nora. There were sticks in her hands. From the shallow cuts on her knuckles Fyria guessed she had snapped the branches that lay in her lap off the trees. Fyria sat next to her and took the sticks and Nora watched as she took one of the stones she held and used it to sharpen the stick into the likenesses of spears. The first few hours of the day passed in silence. Broken occasionally by Fyria cursing when she hit her hand. Nora had stood and began wandering and checking in with the other girls.

It was perhaps two hours short of midday When Fyria finished. Hands throbbing dully. She set down the stone. Nora came to sit next to Fyria.

“How’re you?” She asked. Fyria sighed.

“I’m fine,” She lied. “How’s Corra?” Nora shrugged as she sat.

“She’s not trembling or crying anymore. That’s got to mean something.” Fyria nodded ‘my hands they feel like they’ve been smashed by a boulder boulder rolling over my hand crushing the bones to dust!’

“Do you think we’re ready to hunt?” Nora asked. Fyria nodded. She stood. They walked past the rest of the group into the trees.

Ayla was still asleep. Corra and Arel were talking but they stopped as Fyria and Nora walked past. Nora looked at her spear as she walked ‘what good against a bore fine against a doe not a buck horns goring me boar goring me no good against a boar.’ . They reached the edge of the clearing. ‘The shade not something I knew I needed until I had it.’ Nora’s thoughts ran and were stopped when Fyria whispered to her.

“Watch your step.” She cautioned. Nora nodded and copied Fyria’s spear grip as they walked deeper into the forest. Fyria could hear distant snorting ‘a boar charging through brush no brush here sticks though careful not to snap them them our spears could snap.’ Fyria kept the revelation to herself. The snorts grew louder for a moment and the sounds of snapping twigs pierced the air. Nora noticed the boar had a limp as it barrelled into their path.

“It has a limp!” Fyria heard Nora shout as they dove to the side as the boar charged. Nora rolled to her feet and lunged at the boar with abandon. Sinking her spear into the boar’s shoulder until the spear snapped. Fyria was only half to her feet when the boar let out a blood curdling squeal. Fyria was frozen in place and Nora could hear her heart drumming in her ears as she lept backward. Fyria was still frozen ‘no now we’re dead gored by a boar oh Maern don’t forget me I love you we’ll be dead crows in the forest picking at my corpse!’ That thought was enough. Nora was scrambling to her feet and she saw Fyria lunge forward and drive her spear into the side of the boar’s neck. The beast let out a hellish scream.

Nora had staggered up and barely had time to register that the boar was charging at her before an otherworldly pain blazed through her lower abdomen as the beast smashed into her. She didn’t realize she had fallen. She didn’t hear Fyria’s shouting which Corra heard dimly from the clearing. Soon she did not register anything.

Fyria moved over to the boar in a daze. It had fallen and was dead and matted with blood and Corra wondered what the scream had meant. ‘I’ve got to bury her how I can’t.’ Fyria took the boar over her shoulders. It smelled bad enough to make Fyria’s stomach turn but she hardly noticed. Her stomach was already churning at the sight of Nora’s impaled stomach. Fyria walked back to the clearing. Ayla had woken by the time Fyria arrived and Ayla saw her. Fyria was alone.

“Where’s Nora?” Arel guessed from her tone that Ayla had come to the same conclusion she and Corra had.

They mourned the rest of the day.

Fyria began skinning the Boar in the early morning. Ayla sat next to her and provided idle commentary.

“The clouds have come in.” She remarked. She was leaning away from the boar and swatting away the flies that were buzzing around the corpse. Corra woke and went to sit next to Ayla ‘why’s she talking now not much of a talker before’ Corra stayed silent. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a raven. Her heart stopped. ‘It’s back it’s come back to kill me diving down from a tree pecking out my eyes!’ She tried to push thoughts away. The image lingered.

Ayla tried to regulate her chatter ‘shut up shut up shut up!’ By the time Fyria had finished skinning the boar Ayla’s mouth was dry. Arel had woken up and was looking out at the horizon. Gray clouds threatened storms.

“Ayla,” Fyria’s voice left no room for opposition, “would you help me?” she asked. More ordering than inquiring. “I need help making a spit, could you help me gather some sticks?” Ayla nodded.

Arel jolted at the sound of thunder brought on the swift moving wind ‘no not the rain drowned in a puddle not the lightning!’ It began to rain. Soft and pleasantly chill. It soon grew into a downpour strong and cold enough to be hail. By then the girls had run under the cover of the trees. Ayla was hunched over. Panting next to Corra who thought she heard the flapping of wings. The uncertain sounds planted dark thoughts in the back of her mind. They chilled her more than the rain. The sound of wings rose above the wind. Fyria thought she heard a brassy call ‘thunder’s more important lighting need to get them out of the storm farther out of the trees!’

The sky was black now. Lit gold by flashes of lightning. Arel didn’t know what kept her from screaming her throat raw. A pitiful wail used up what little breath her body still had. Cora saw ravens. Little specks of gray in the ashen sky she could only see when lightning lashed across the sky. She screamed as she could see them come down in a great black wave. Arel was dazed. She drew in a breath. Her back still hurt. Ayla was lying next to Arel. Ayla could hear Arel whimpering.

Corra’s screams had ceased by now and little remained. Something hit Arel in the stomach as she staggered up. She screamed as she was flung into the river. Ayla’s only thought was to run. She sprinted and made it abreast of Fyria. They were both soaked.

Fyria barely noticed Ayla. The thunder deafened her. The rain numbed her shoulders. Ayla could see the end of the forest through her rain matted hair. It was all lightning-shades and ranks of trees. The storm roared on. Thunder cracking ‘out out out out out out out of here!’ Ayla still staggered on next to Fyria. Neither of them looked back at the forest. Fyria tripped on the hem of her dress and fell to the ground. She rose up on trembling legs.

“Go!” Ayla heard Fyria’s strained voice of the screaming wind. Ayla had stumbled out of the forest. She found herself at the edge of a cliff. She turned and found herself gazing at a nightmare.

Three monstrosities shaped vaguely like gigantic birds circled above the forest. They flew with unnatural slowness and their crystalline bodies were electrictrified when the lightning flashed. There was a searing bright flash near Fyria and Ayla’s vision went dark.

Her vision returned gradually with dizzying flashes. She found herself with her back heel off the edge of the cliff. Adrenaline shocked through her and she leapt forward. Windmilling her arms. Fyria was dead. The wind blew Ayla back and she struggled to balance herself on the edge of the cliff. The wind stopped and Ayla regained her balance. Before she could move away from the edge it began again. Stronger this time.

Ayla’s dress acted like a sail and the wind pushed her back. This time both her heels went over the edge. Making her pitch backwards. She screamed as she fell.

II

Toal woke in the early morning. She looked out her window. The thin white curtains bleached the dawn. The skyline was cut by the town wall. She sat up on her bed. Then pivoted so her legs dangled off the side. She stood. Ten moved to her small wardrobe and dressed herself. ‘I’m dead they all say it they think it I’ll prove them wrong a way out we can survive.’ She began to draft a speech in her head. Revising it as she left her room and walked into the hallway.

There was a girl farther down the hallway. She was shorter and perhaps younger than Toal. Her hair was a difference too. Blonde and braided down her back to Toal’s loose waves of shimmering black. Toal tried to catch up as the younger girl neared the spiral staircase that led down to the first floor. There was a staircase in each of the four stone towers that marked out the corners of the castle.

Their footsteps rang out dizzyingly and Ievla looked out from the corner of her eye. She wasn’t surprised to see the white dress. She judged the girl to be taller than herself and perhaps her elder. Ievla resolved to get a better look at the girl behind her. When she reached the bottom of the stairs she turned and watched the taller girl descend the stairs. She seemed older or at least more graceful.

When the taller girl reached the bottom of the stairs Ievla saw her more clearly. She was thin. Ievla met her eyes. They were green. Toal was glad the short girl prompted her to speak.

“Hello,” Ievla said awkwardly. Her words echoed. “I’m Ievla.”

“I’m Toal.” Ievla was surprised by the high pitch of her voice. It rang through the tower.

“I’m Ievla.” Ievla said. She held out her hand. Toal took it and they shook.

They walked into the hall together and searched for a spot where they could sit side by side. They found one near the large double doors that loomed over the long table from the other side of the room. They sat. Ievla noticed the boy guarding the door. He was in his early teens and doing his best to subtly eye some of the more buxom girls. Ievla heard Toal growl. Ievla guessed she had seen him leering at some of the other girls too ‘Disgusting why did they give us these dresses nearly transparent some perverted fantasy.’. Toal looked at the girl to her other side. She was brown haired and looked at her food dejectedly.

“Eat,” Talin looked at the high voiced girl sitting next to her. “You’ll need your strength if you want to survive..

“What’s the point?” Toal resisted the urge to grab the girl by the shoulders and shake her.

“We can survive—it’s only a forest and I think we’re smarter than a few trees.” The high voiced girl was offering Talin a hand out of the pit she had dug herself. She took it. Toal watched as the girl smiled at her before turning back to her plate and began to eat ferociously. As she watched Toal was reminded of her own hunger. Following the other girl’s example she packed herself near vomiting by the time she was called to stand. She had trouble standing up straight. She hobbled along as the line began to move. Toal had to squint as she trudged into the sun. Beaming bright and blinding gold from its peak in the sky.

Talin was surprised at how few people stopped along the road to watch the procession. ‘I should shout nothing to lose I’ll swear at them so loudly I’ll make them blush don’t they care?’. She stayed quiet. The procession stayed in a roughly straight line as it snaked down the mainstreet. Toal pivoted her head around in vain as she looked for something to anchor her mind against the heat. First she tried the ground in front of her. Then the buildings. Then the girl in front of her. Finally she focused on the sky. A great miscalculation. Her mind became untethered from all of these and inevitably it returned to the glaring sun overhead. With little else to do she continued her efforts.

To Ievla it seemed they had been walking for an eternity when they finally stopped at the gate. Toal watched the boy who had been leading them as he ambled over to the gate. He stood on the side opposite to the guard who had already been standing at the gates. They pushed the gate open. The creaking hinges relent after a moment and screamed open. Revealing green rolling foothills.

The line resumed its march. Slithering down the hill. Toal resolved to make it to the front of the line. She began formulating her speech in her head as she wove forward. Rivi noticed a dark haired girl coming towards her out of the corner of her eye. She eagerly deferred her position at the front of the line. Toal had grown used to being in the lead by the time they reached the edge of the forest and stopped. It took Toal a moment to gather herself and her words. She drew in a deep breath and shouted.

“Everyone! May I please have your attention!” The line was dissolved and the girls found themselves gathering in a semicircle around the shrill voiced girl. Toal took another deep breath and continued. “While the likelihood of survival may seem low, I believe we can manage to survive—perhaps even thrive, if we remain together,” she took a steady breath “and I believe I am the best qualified to lead.” ‘A lie a lie a lie keep saying it maybe you’ll believe it maybe it’ll be true.’

“Why her? She’s probably just some hussy peasant’s daughter.” Talin heard the girl in front of her mutter.

“And you could do any better?” Talin shot back. Vesi turned around and glared ‘I’m a high lord’s daughter I know how to lead better than some uppity bitch from a farm her accent not a lord I can lead better I know how to lead’

“Watch your mouth,” Vesi snarled.

“What’re you going to do about it?” Talin couldn’t help but taunt the pompous girl.

Vesi shoved the younger girl then noticed the river. Talin shoved back. Vesi stumbled back towards the riverbank. She neared the river and Vesi felt cold terror shock through her as one of her feet plunged in the river. She lost balance and was drawn away. She drowned. Talin was frozen still in horror ‘not my fault I didn’t start it nothing to stop it too far down down the river!’ She backed away from the river unconsciously.

Toal looked on. Her mind raced as she devised a way to salvage the situation. She opened her mouth to speak the ringing of another voice stopped her.

“It’s clear we don’t all agree.” Toal watched as a taller girl wove her way through the crowd to stand in the clearing. “I propose a vote, all who want to leave will come with me.” Toal snatched up the chance at a peaceful resolution.

“I agree with this,” she said. “All wishing to leave?” She asked. She made sure to speak loudly and clearly. Her voice rang out above the crowd. Five hands rose. Toal kept her face even. ‘Too few they’ll die too many for me can’t keep track I have to no choice they’ll die without a leader die anyway we all die sometime.’ When the group led by the older girl had left Toal led her own group onto the forest with careful steps. Talin did her best to disappear into the crowd.

Ievla brought up the rear of the line. As she walked through the forest she felt trees staring at her. Toal felt the same and did her beat to herself occupy her mind with plans of the future. To Ievla the girls seemed reluctant to reform themselves into a line. When they finally stopped in the clearing Toal barely kept herself from collapsing onto the ground. She directed the girls into small groups. When she pointed to each group she asked their names and gave hers.

The twenty-four girls were arranged in groups of six around Toal. ‘Where are those six who left lost dead in a forest alive I can only hope hope doesn’t keep hearts beating.’

“Valin!” She was surprised at how clearly her voice rang out. Valin looked up at the girl as Toal continued “gather some sticks and rocks. Take Sayn, Vey, and Dava with you.” She paused and watched as the girls did as they were directed. “Does anyone know how to make weapons?” Toal asked. One of the older girls stepped forward. “Could you teach us?” Baila nodded. She calmed herself as best as she could and followed Toal when she gestured. Toal didn’t need to turn to know that the girl was following her. At Toal’s orders the other girls began gathering sticks. Most of them simply snapped limbs off the trees.

Ievla joined the other girls in the semicircle that was molding itself around Toal and the broad-shouldered girl. They learned how to build makeshift spears. They dispersed an hour or two before dusk and by then they all had cuts on their hands. Toal was clasping and unclasping the fabric of her dress to lessen the pain. It did little. Her fingers still ached as day wore into night. When night finally came Ievla was fixing her tired eyes on the pile of scrap wood Toal ordered to be gathered. Toal came up and gave her first watch.

Ievla spent her watch drifting around the edges of the clearing. Her eyes refused to stay completely open. As the clear night wore on she began to feel eyes on her back. Her heart nearly stopped when she saw shadows moving between the trees.

Soon enough her watch ended and she went to the center of the clearing and slept. It was midday when she woke. The girls around her seemed asleep at first. Strewn about in various reposes. Then she noticed the crimson stripes across the necks of some of the girls. There was a shadow of movement out of the corner of her eye and she turned and found herself staring into a pair of gleaming golden eyes. By now she had stood up and she screamed as she stumbled back. Bleary eyes opened and stared up at Toal. Toal brought her hand down. She had taken the final watch. From perhaps two hours after midnight until dawn. Ievla stood up and they walked together. Ievla’s ears caught whispered conversation.

“I saw something strange last night,” Ievla heard a girl with a piping voice say. Ievla chilled in anticipation of the continuation of the remark ‘please let it be a dream illusion sleepless images from my mind please please please!’ “I saw these glowing orbs floating in midair.” Ievla barely kept from shuddering. Most of the other girl’s reply was lost. Her voice seemed naturally soft and quivered. As whisper it was easily carried away by the cool morning wind. She caught enough to indicate that the other girl had seen the same golden orbs.

“So where’re you from?” Ievla asked. Trying to put the overheard conversation out of her head. As she kept next to Toal. “A small village, nowhere of note—not even sure it has a name.” Toal answered “You?” she asked

“I come from Dronma; it’s a small town—a lot smaller than the one we just left.” Ievla answered “my father was a lord.” Anger flashed inside her, ‘and if I see him again I’ll kill him.’ She growled under her breath.

They wandered in tense silence after that. The other girls began to rise. Toal and Ievla ambled from one side of the clearing to the other. Once all the girls had woken up Toal began organizing groups. Toal paid special attention to who would be going out on hunting parties. Ievla had gone somewhere to sit.

“Ievla!” Toal shouted. Ievla looked up from between her legs. Toal’s ringing voice demanded attention. “You will be on the hunting party!”.

Ievla met with the two other girls who Toal called to go hunting. They felt vulnerable as they marched into the forest with only their makeshift spears for weapons and their silk dresses for armor. Tyne felt the fear sharpest but she was a hunter’s daughter and felt the need to portray a leader’s courage.

They were careful of their footsteps and of the wind. A thing Dirn. A hunter’s daughter. Had warned them of. She was the youngest of the group at twelve years. Despite her age her experience tempered her fear and eased her movements.

After perhaps an hour of stalking they came across an unremarkable doe. At Tyne’s disconnected instructions Dirn and Ievla moved to kneel in the bracken at either side of the doee. At Tyne’s stuttered signal Ievla lept forward and the doe bolted in the planned direction. Dirn stabbed the doe in the leg and the others ran forward to finish it off. After this they dragged the doe back to camp. Ievla and Tyne took the front legs and Dirn put the back legs over her shoulders.

When they made it back to camp Ievla saw other girls skinning similar kills. Tyne almost vomited. She was glad there were no bloodied corpses when she looked straight ahead. Toal saw Ievla and walked over to her. ‘Too much might go to waste never too much might be dead otherwise.’.

“Do we have to skin it?” Tyne asked. She was still nauseous. Toal nodded.

“I‘ll do it.” Dirn said. Ievla had to stop herself from sighing and watched as Tyne’s posture relaxed. Ievla cast her eyes down guiltily. Tyne only felt relieved.

Ievla followed Toal around the clearing. After perhaps thirty minutes she laid down near the center of the clearing. By the time Dirn had finished skinning the doe she had several small cuts on her hands and the sky had been canopied over by stoney storm clouds.

Night came and Ievla took first watch. She wandered from one side of the clearing to the other wondering when the rain would start. She was at the edge of the clearing when she saw glowing gold orbs floating between the trees. Her heart jumped and her breath caught. The orbs floated at the edge of the forest they blinked out and Ievla walked away from the edge of the clearing wearily. She watched the forest from the center of the clearing until her shift was over. The gold circles haunted her dreams. She woke and pinched herself. She sighed as pain sparked through her.

She blinked sleep from her eyes and watched Toal pace from one side of the clearing to the other. Toal was worried at the clouds. As she strode from one side of the forest to the other she noted areas that would be particularly good for cover when the storm came. ‘Storm lightning all dead we can survive not forever no children after this we’ll die all forgotten.’ Toal shuddered at her thoughts.

The camp was in a morning stupor. Slower to wake and slower to action. Toal began to grow frustrated at the inaction. The gray sky brightened into midday and the air heated into afternoon. Ievla looked up at the sky. ‘An eye staring unblinking uncaring please don’t blink please no black the gold comes with black the gold eyes come at night better to think about than some gray god in the sky.’ Ievla stood up and moved into the shade of the trees.

The sky darkened further as the brooded and night came and Ievla again took first watch. Ievla dreaded the gleaming eyes. She jolted when she felt a raindrop. She saw the golden eyes out of the corner of her vision. She turned. The rain had grown harder. Ievla screamed at the lumbering silhouette allowed by a flash of lightning. Monstrous forms began lumbering into the clearing. The girls had begun to wake. Some echoed Ievla’s scream. Toal awoke and shot to her feet. Adrenaline had shocked awake as well as a bolt of lightning would have. She began shouting orders.

Ievla ran away. ‘Coward coward coward go back go fight go do something!’ She only ran faster. There was thumping like great hammers trying to break ground. One of the monstrosities was after her. She was sprinting now. She saw a cave between trees and dived in blindly. She skidded across the floor and stumbled up. She ran farther into the cave. Her footsteps echoed off the stone walls as she ran farther in. She stopped for a moment and turned around as she gasped. The entrance to the cave was small now and swallowed in darkness save for two blazing gold eyes.

She began to feel a prickling at the back of her mind that she was being watched. Abruptly she stopped walking. Another pair of footsteps stopped a moment after. If her heart wasn’t racing before it was now. She began walking faster. She was pivoting her head from side to side so she didn’t notice the pit gaping below her until her foot fell in. She screamed as she pitched forward.

Vines broke her fall. She struggled out of their grip and found herself looking at the wall of the cave. She turned and found her gaze looking straight down a paved street. Massive natural stone pillars towered up into darkness. Ievla could see a moonbeam at the end of the avenue in front of her. She walked forward slowly. Breathing heavily as she stumbled towards the light. The building she staggered past were doorless and dark and empty. She marched unrelentingly towards the moonbeam.

When she reached the end of the road she was relieved to see that the rock face below the gap where the moon speared down was rough. There were outcroppings pronounced enough to climb on. She breathed deeply. As she moved her arms up to the outcroppings she hesitated. ‘My dress a weight going naked would be easier what if someone finds my not going naked I’ll make the climb.’ She took another deep breath and gripped the rock and began the ascent. Her legs burned. She looked up once and decided to keep her eyes in front of her.

It seemed an eternity later when she managed to grip the grass. The gap was a tight fit and she felt pain as the jagged edges of the opening tore her dress and scraped her back. When she finally dragged her numb legs through the gap she was barely conscious and half blinded by exhaustion. It was raining heavily and she was shivering when she fainted.

Ievla was standing in blackness and she saw a woman and the woman was darkness outlined by black light and she was moving towards Ievla and Ievla screamed as she shot up in bed and the first thing was the hellish pain burning from her shoulders and arms and the she noticed the man standing at the door.

To be continued in First Winter.