Chapter One

Part one: The Awakening

My name is Peter. At least, that’s what I’m known as. My real name is Petra, but nobody knows this except for my grandmother. I’m a girl. I’m also a boy. I’m really a girl, but times are hard and I wouldn’t be getting anywhere in life if I wasn’t disguised as a boy. You see, I’m living in a dark world, where men are in charge and women are abused, and girls as young as seven are exposed to cruel and harsh things. My life as a boy allows me a certain freedom that I would not have if I lived as Petra.

I am sixteen years old, and I am lucky to still be alive, according to my grandmother. She’s the one who decided I should live as a boy, and had me dressing up as one since I started walking. My hair is cropped short and I wear a tight breast band to keep my chest flat. We are currently living in Salmon village, although we used to live in Parfier.

My grandmother decided that in order to keep my identity as a boy secret to anyone who knew me as a girl in Parfier, we needed to move. So we moved north to Salmon village. Now I work in the fishing boats, catching salmon and the other fish that live in Salmon lake. During harvest, though, I help out in the small fields that surround Salmon village. My grandma and I  live in a little cottage on the outskirts of town, along the mouth of Trail River.

Once a month, my grandmother makes the three day round trip to Parfier. She goes there to get lastice, a plant that takes away your monthly bleedings. But it is expensive, because it only grows on Mount Lastice, a mountain in the Mutle mountain range. Sometimes I go with her, just to look at all the things that are traded there. Parfier is the second biggest town on Blix. The first is Nefloyd, which is down south, and is the largest because of it’s diversity. Parfier is only bigger than Hoven city because it’s the center of trading in Blix.

Royal City used to be biggest. But now it’s Nefloyd, since Hoven destroyed Royal City a long time ago. Hoven is the man who made the Blix a cruel place to live if you are a female. The same year I was born, Hoven took over Blix. My grandmother told me the whole story many times. Hoven wanted men to be in control instead of everyone being equal. So he attacked Royal City and killed the king and queen and everyone else. She says there were no survivors, even though rumors disagree. They say that the princess escaped with the mother of the king. My grandma says that they’re all just a bunch of hooey, but I don’t think so. I think the princess is out there, plotting revenge on Hoven for destroying her life. At least, that’s what I’d be doing if I were her.

“Peter,” my grandma called, startling me. “Could you be a dear and run to the market? We’re out of bread.”

“Sure, Grandma,” I replied, shutting my journal with a snap. I stood up and stretched, and my journal was raised above my head, for the whole street to see.

“Peter, take that thing down out of the air. It’s not suitable for boys to be writing in a diary and if anyone saw they’d be suspicious!”

Sure enough, a group of boys about my age were passing by, and were pointing and laughing in my direction.

“Just go and get the bread, dear,” Grandma huffed.

“Of course, Grandma.” I put down the journal on the chair I had been sitting on. I stretched again, looking at my surroundings: my wicker chair with the patched quilt draped over the back and my journal lying innocently on the seat, the front of our brick house showing off its shades of brown and red, the open front door and the smells of my grandmother’s chili wafting through, and Grandma herself hanging up laundry on the lower branches of our pine tree. Why on the tree, Grandma? Because of the smell dear. I smiled to myself as I pulled on my leather boots and walked along the small path cut into the middle of our small garden.

“Oh, and could you grab some apples from the fruit stand, too? I forgot to pick them up on my way home.”

“Yes, Grandma.” I strolled down the street, thinking about how Grandma only called me Petra when we were completely alone at night. I kept walking, past the other homes, the wood, brick, stone, and mud homes. Some had small children chasing each other in the front, others had elderly couples murmuring to each other in the dimming light. Friends called out to me from their porches, and I half-heartedly waved back. I passed the shops; the toy shops, the wood shops, the butcher shops. I kept heading west, where the rest of the stores were. The gold and red light of the setting sun kept blinding me as I kept walking, and I held my hand up to shield my eyes.

“Hey, Peter,” a girl called, and a soft arm hooked itself through mine. “Um, what in Blix are you wearing?” The arm slipped back out of mine as the girl stopped me and looked me over.

“Sheila,” I sighed, then looked down, too. I was wearing what I usually wore, a white shirt tucked into coarse, green pants. “What do you mean? This is what I always wear!”

“Oh.” She looked me over again. “Well, your shirt is filthy. You probably look better without it.” And she started to pull up my shirt.

“Um, no, I don’t think so,” I said, stepping away and holding my hands out to prevent her from touching me. Sheila liked me, and I have to admit she was pretty, but she was definitely not what I would prefer for a partner, that is, if I was actually a boy.

“Look, Sheila, I was...um, I mean I...I don’t... well, I mean..I think...”

“Yes, Peter?” Her voice was all sweet and full of honey.

“I...” I looked down into her hopeful face. “I... I was just, uh, gardening, so, um, of course I’m all dirty!” I gave her a shrug and a hopeful smile.

“Oh.” Her face fell. “Oh. Okay. Well, see you around, Peter.” She turned and trotted off, her pale silk dress fluttering behind her, her hips swaying back and forth.

I watched her for a moment, then turned and continued on my way.

Author's Note

Okay, a couple of things here:
One. My chapters are kind of short (sorry) but it feels more organized that way (at least to me) and if James Patterson can do it, then so can I.
Two. The story picks up in a few chapters. I've only read a couple of books that haven't started off a little slow.
And, hopefully I can update again soon. Thanks for reading!