Prologue:
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Zaydie here, I’m so thankful to the Creator that your reading this. but I must warn you! If you are reading this, DON’T STOP TILL THE END!!!! It’s extremely vital you don’t! your life could depend on it!!
I can’t emphasize this enough! Savrin, Kylun and I didn’t go through all that we have just so you can just toss this on a shelf and not take it seriously.
And another thing, now that you’ve kept on reading,
when you finish this book, keep it safe! destroy it! Put it in a safe! What ever you do, you can’t let the Scouts find it!! if you do the consequences will be severe! This is not a joke!!
Well, we only have a small door of time, so I had better get on with it.
May the Creator’s hand be on you, and bless you!
++++
A flashback to the days before this all happened ran across my eyelids. Days were all I had to worry about was getting the food to the butchers, and being careful that I didn’t hint to the butcher’s son that I had a tiny crush on him. [ok so it might have been a little bigger then that but not by much!]
It was the day before I got dragged away from my family. I was 12.
And actually it wasn’t just me.
I was walking out of the forest with a sack of dead carcasses, my bow slung over my shoulder, my dagger at my belt.
As I came clear of the forest, Area 2 came into view.
Area 2 isn’t much to look at, we all live in one floor, wood houses with tin roofs that constantly need patching.
we only have dirt roads, the higher Areas have paved ones, seeing as their closer to the main city. Konsor. well technically, all five of the Areas are Konsor, but the main city is what we call Konsor.
Surrounding Area 2, was an electrical fence that was twice as tall as me. and topped with circled barb wire.
As I came to the gate, a Scout stood guard both one on the inside, and one on the outside.
A Scout was the highest position you could get in Helfin. [aka, basic military training]
The Scouts are the President’s hands. They help the Overseer enforce the Law, and keep “peace” and “order.” haha yeah right.
The Scout stood to attention, which I have to say, made me feel important. Even if he was glaring at me. He looked sharp in his dark green shirt, black pants, and army boots.
“Hello Curtis.” I said with a cheerful smile.
“where do you live?” the usual question. I sighed.
“3rd street off Main, 24 house on the left.” I answered in a rehearsed tone.
He nodded and opened the fence for me.
“thank you.” I chirped as I slipped through.
Walking down the hard packed red clay dirt road, I turned down several streets to get to Main avenue.
Area 2 wasn’t the prettiest, but it wasn’t as bad as Area 1...or so I’ve heard.
You see, how it’s worked out is the lower the number, the farther away you are from Konsor. The higher the number, the closer you are.
So number 1, and 2 were quite far.
Passing the shabby storefronts, I made my way to the end of Main till I saw a boar’s head on a rickety sign.
I shrugged my sack to my left shoulder and opened the creaky door.
A small bell chimed as I did and I was greeted by the smell of dead animals, chilly temperatures and the warm smiles of Mr. Dralzon, and his son, Savrin. [the cute, curly dark haired, deep blue eyed butcher’s son. Haha, Sav’s embarrassed and asks me to stop.]
“Why if it isn’t our little Zaydie. How are you today m’dear?” Mr. Dralzon asked. The blood rose to my cheeks and I put the sack on the well worn counter.
“Just fine thanks. How about you sir?”
“Ah, I’m just glad the Creator has granted me one more day with my son.” I smiled and nodded.
“Now what do we have here?” he asked, getting to business.
“I have six gojers, two leps, and one sabien.” He pulled out the kills and had Savrin lay them on the counter in a nice neat row.
The six gojers were these small birds that were flightless and roamed around on the ground. They were dirty brown, or a dirty green.
The leps, were slightly bigger then the gojers. They had big bushy ears and bulging eyes that I didn’t like. Their fur coat was all black and they had no tail.
A sabien is about the size of a house cat. It’s striped body makes it stand out in the forest, and it’s blind. It has no eyes what so ever. It feels it’s way around by it’s massive whiskers.
These were the three most common animals in the forest, but I had a lot, so it would add up.
“Well well, that is quite the catch. I’ll go ring it all up in the back. Savrin prepare them for skinning.” Mr. Dralzon ordered.
Savrin went to work and started to boil a large pot for the six gojers.
“So how old are you now?” Savrin asked. Savrin was a year older then me. We were the same age for approximately, two days.
“I just turned twelve today.” He nodded as he plopped the birds in the pot.
“Well…I hope you get a few more days.” I nodded solemnly.
“Your lucky. It’s been two days for you.” a small smile formed at his lips.
“Yes, the Creator has given me more time to say good-bye.”
An image of my little sister and daddy came to mind.
“Yep. I hope I get spared for two days.” he laughed.
“Don’t count on it.” He turned to me and leaned on the counter. I found my eyes locked in his deep blue gaze. Lots of people had said they were the color of the ocean. But I wouldn’t know, I had never been out of Area 2.
As we looked into each other’s eyes, my gut churned. This could possibly be the last time I’d see those deep, dark blue eyes that always twinkled.
“well, here’s your money. I’ve kept what you owe to Konsor so you don’t have to worry about that.” Mr. Dralzon said kindly. Savrin pushed himself away from the counter. Even though he was only twelve, he was a good two inches taller then me.
His dad handed me the small silver, rectangle coins, that I slipped into my pocket.
“I hear it’s your birthday.” he said with a mischievous grin. Uh-oh, what did he have planned this time? Mr. Dralzon was always playing tricks on me. With the help of Savrin of course. Haha.
“Here. This is a little spending money.” my jaw dropped as he handed me a credit. A gold coin with a diamond hole in the middle, was placed in my hand.
“but-this is…this is too generous Mr. Dralzon. I can’t accept this.” I said as I tried to give it back.
“Oh yes you will missy. You go on and take it. Give you and your sister a treat. Alright?” I smiled as I put it in my pocket, and gave Mr. Dralzon a hug around the neck.
“Thank you!” but then something totally unexpected happened.
I was pulled violently away, and slammed into the floor. I hit my head pretty hard, so the lights were starting to dim. I could see Mr. Dralzon shouting as armed Scouts grabbed his son and hit him with the butt of his gun. I think I screamed. But then a sharp pain went down my spine and I was bound and something was injected in my arm. I was slung over a Scouts shoulder like a sack.
The last thing I remember seeing from Area 2 was Mr. Dralzon watching us go from the door of his butcher shop. With tears flowing freely. I remember that I thought it was odd.
Because I had never seen him cry.
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