Chapter 1

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Chapter 1

I sit on the shingled terracotta colored roof. I take a deep breath and see fog come out of my mouth, almost like I’m creating winter. I wrap my jacket even closer to my chilled body. I huddle myself into a ball, knees tucked to my chest, my head down. I’m having one of my many Ariana-freak-attacks as so many people in my village call it. In my socity you can get put in jail for the simplest things. Being in the village after Lockdown, getting mad at the king, that kind of stuff. After America fell and the world evolved, this is what we have to deal with. A horrid king and harsh officals if you ask me. Emma just came out of prision she looked horrible. I’m not gonna get into it. I take another deep breath and clear my mind. I’m not supposed to be up here. But I am anyways. Ever science my dad died things have been hard for me and my older brother Alex.

“What is a 14 year old orphan doing out here? Your gonna get caught Alexis.” A voice says behind me.

“Yeah so?” I say. The person is sliding towards me. I turn my head slightly seeing its Emma cheers me up a little. The dark clouds start letting out droplets of water I put up my fur hood up on my head. Emma sits beside me, and puts her parka hood on.

“I’m just looking after you. With Alex out working for the king.”

“Thanks Emma but I need my dad. Now I’m an Orphan. So It’s too late for me.” The knights will aresset any orphans in the village. I spend my nights in an abandoned barn with 4 other orphans. I keep my cover and Emma supplies me with my needs. I slide off the roof. “See you Emma I have to see Holly.”

“Oh ok. Can I come with you?” She askes

“Sure.” I say. I jump down onto other platforms with Emma close behind.. We hide behind buildings as knights pass. I run to the next street, Emma whispers something but I’m too far away to hear her.

I run into a buff man with a big chest. I get knocked down on the cobbled streets. I wipe my nose on my sleeve. I run away before he can grab my hair. I don’t wait for Emma, I just run as fast as I can to the barn, I slam the door behind me.

“Whoa! Alexis what happened? Is- Is that blood?” A kid named Hunter says. “Sit down.” I sit on a hay square and Hunter probes my nose. I wince. The pain is intense and my wrist isn’t doing so good either. I breath deep as Hunter says I brusied my nose. He gives me the last of the pain pills and I drift off into sleep. I dream of the night my dad died. The king had him shot. I run towards him to take the bullet myself but he keeps getting farther and farther away. I relive this moment for the rest of my nightmare.

“Alexis? Alexis! Wake up Alexis!!!” Someone is shaking me vilontly. My blue eyes are opened, wide and scared. “Nightmares again?” I turn my shaking head and see Holly, the ten year old orphan. Her green eyes filled with concern.

“Yeah nightmare, Holly that’s it.” I say. I wince when I prop my elbow up. It’s two o’clock in the afternoon, and all the orphans are here except my brother, Alex..

“The supplies are getting low again.” Holly points out for a twelve year old she’s pretty smart. “One of us is gonna have to go back out there you know.”

“Well It can’t be you or Max or Dora.” I say. “Your too little your gonna get caught.” I finish.

“Yeah I know.” Holly says, disappointed.

She’s been an Orphan ever since she was three. I found her and had taken her in to my father. In a way she’s like my little sister and I love her like one too. I’m all she’s known. In a way she could be Alex’s and mines sister. She has the same color of hair we have, dark Auburn. She has the same tan skin. The only thing that divides her up from me and Alex is her green eyes. So yes I do feel like I have to protect her. I know she’s scared for what lies ahead, another night of Alex, Hunter, and me going out into the city and stealing food, clothing, soap, and pure clean water. I look into Holly’s pure, green, innocent eyes. So helpless and unknowing about the world around her. For us, the older ones, it’s like war. We hide and steal, hide and steal. Holly sits on my lap, I hug her and she does the same. Snow is falling outside and I start to worry about Alex. Holly is thinking the same too.

“What if Alex dosen’t come home in time?” Holly askes.

“He will baby, he will.” I croon. I’m worried about how we are going to get our supplies tonight. If we don’t get out there, Dora and Max could starve. Dora is 4 with blond hair and blue eyes. Max is 2 with a tuft of orange hair and brown eyes. My eyes well up with tears, but its all I can do to not let them come out of my eyes, for Holly’s sake.

“Alexis?”

“Yes holly?”

“Are you sure you want to go out there, in this weather with your bruised nose?”

“Yes I’m sure” I say monotone. She knows I have too. I pull her off my lap and get my leather boots on. Worn out but warm. I get on my winter coat. If I’m taking anyone with me tonight, it’s Alex. He’s the only one who knows secret passages in the castle. Hunter can come too I guess.

“Alexis, Holly! I’m home!” Alex’s voice booms across the barn. I look up and wince once more. There stands Alex, my 16 year old brother, in my dad’s old hunthing cloths. His blue eyes bright with either mischief or excitement, I can’t tell. His nose and cheeks are a bright red.

“Alex!” Holly runs up and grabs him by the waist. He grabs her, picks her up and twirls her. Holly laughs and I smile, seeing Holly laugh is a rare thing nowadays. Alex looks up with a worried look on his face and looks at me.

“Alexis, everything ok?” He askes, puzzled. I usally run up to him and give him a big hug and a sigh of relive.

“I ran into a knight today!” I sob. Alex comes over, a stern look on his face. I brusied my nose!” I weep.

“Alexis! Don’t you look where your going?” Alex yells. Holly climbs up the ladder to play with Dora and Max, knowing this is a bad time to play with her big brother.

“Alex I tried ok! It’s not that easy!” I yell.

“I don’t work for the king just so you can blow our cover!” He yells. “You can never do anything right Alexis! Nothing! You always have to go on rooftops WHERE THE KNIGHTS CAN SEE YOU!!! If you went to jail where would Holly be?” He screams.

I’m going into one of my freak attacks again. I grab my hair and hypervenilate. If Alex yells at me I do this. I run out of the barn, with no protection on. I can hear Alex yelling for me to come back, that he’s sorry. But I keep willing my legs to run. Where too? I ask myself. The rooftop. I answer. I look back and see Alex and Hunter running after me, but I’m faster. I jump on top of trashcans and boxes and sit on the roof. I take deep ragged breaths. I scream. My ears and fingers are numb. My nose burns. The tears come out then. Hunter reaches me first, sits beside me and warps me up in a plaid wool blanket. Alex comes two minets later and whispers stuff in my ear. I don’t listen, hold my breath, and eventullay pass out.

I awake in Hunter’s arms, truding through the snow with Alex close behind. I’m still groggy and push lightly on Hunter’s chest. I don’t want to go back to the barn. I’ll just get chewed out by Alex and Hunter now. I look up at the sky and know it’s past lockdown. So I stay in Hunter’s arms. He drops me gently in my stable. I lay down on my mattress that We stole from home.

“I’m sorry Alexis. I shouldn’t have yelled at you.”

“It- It’s ok Alex.” My voice harsh from screaming. “Can I just sleep?”

“Yeah sure.” Alex exits the room. And flicks the switch that plunges me into darkness.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Author's Note

ignore grammar problems, what do you think of the dialogue I'm sorry for it being so long gys