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This is a story I have started writing... ENJOY!
Chapter 1
The slight glisten of the sun shone through my curtains. I tossed my quilt off my bed onto the floor and slipped my feet into a pair of socks. I pinned my dark brunette hair back into a braid and looked over at my digital clock. The numbers on the left side had faded a bit, but I could still read it. 5:37am. I walked over to the end of my bed where my mother had laid out black jeans and a grey T-shirt. As I slipped them on, I heard a slight rustle in my back pocket. Coins. My mother had put coins in my back pocket expecting I wouldn’t notice? Typical. I could never trust her with anything. I tell her to stop fighting with dad, and she goes and fights with him. I tell her specifically to not give me any money and what does she do? Sneak it into my back pocket. I’m 16 I don’t need charity.
My door made a slight squeak as I opened it. I knew mum would be up making coffee, but I kept quiet so I wouldn’t wake up my sister or my dad. I walked over to the staircase and my old scrappy converse shoes were sure enough to be sitting there where I left them. They were grey and had holes in them, and the sole of one of them was almost completely gone. I sat down and put them on, laced them up and trotted down the stairs. I heard a scatter as I came down and saw my cat Hermeese. His long black fur sprung out from his skin and he had lost his left eye in a fight with another cat. I stroked his head as I walked past him and he took no notice or interest of me as he jolted up the stairs. Chasing mice probably.
As I walked into the kitchen, the smell of fresh bread hit my nose. A loaf was sitting on the wooden table. My eyes widened. Was it real? Bread around this area of town is pretty expensive nowadays. I walked up to it then felt a sudden shock of pain in my right shoulder as I was nudged back. “Not yet Cotton-Tail.” My mother said. My older brother had given me that pet name 6 years ago. I used to play with toy rabbits and my brother, who doesn’t live here anymore, decided to call me Cotton-Tail. I brushed her hand off of my shoulder and walked over to the fruit basket. Three green apples sat inside the bowl and I grabbed one and placed it into my backpack that was sitting at the door. “Where do you think your going Cotton?” my mother said crossing her eyebrows and grasping her mug. I pushed the door open and looked over my shoulder, “Hunting. And stop calling me that.” I said and slammed the door behind me.
I pulled the strap of my backpack over my shoulder and walked out towards the woods. The rustle of leaves caught my sight for a slight moment, but I kept on walking. Girls my age are normally out getting their nails done or gossiping about all the hot guys in school. Not me. I guess going into the woods relaxes me and takes the stress out of my life. There’s too much of it. Stress I’m talking about. First off, there is hardly any food and all those rich kids get the best of it. I’m talking about cakes. I’ve only ever had a cake once.
About 5 years ago, a girl from the far side of town came down to the bakery. She bought a lovely slice of mud cake. I was young and decided to play a trick on the girl. She had her blonde hair tied back in pigtails and I had a packet of matchsticks and my brother’s old bow and arrows. I curled leaves and twine around the end of my arrow and lit a flame to it. I took a breath and before I had even blinked, the girl’s hair was on fire. Literally. I would have laughed but all I managed was a slight grin. The girl ran straight past me and chucked her head into the water fountain that was only a couple of meters away. The fountain was working back then and it was half clean and decent looking. I noticed she had dropped her bag of mud cake just at arms reach away from me. I snatched it quickly then ran back home to share it with my younger sister. The flavours of it were incredible, but I knew that what I had done to the girl was horrible.
As I reached the edge of the woods, I stopped and took in a breath then took out a small knife and scratched a line into a large rock. This rock was the first rock I marked when I started hunting, 7 years ago, with my brother. I had only just turned eight when he taught me how to set a trap for rabbits. We were friends then. Life was less complicated and he kept it that way. He left Rani and me with mum and dad so he could go to university. He left me to do all the hunting and gathering for myself. I need sleep and he should know that. He left without saying good-bye. That was 3 years ago. He always wanted to be a mechanic. Now he has that wish and he is gone from my life. Good, good for Eric.
I looked at the rock and counted on the extra mark that I had etched in. 363 times I have been here. I rubbed my eyes and walked out towards the thickest part of the woods. Tigners live there. They’re a mutant animal that the president made for his entertainment. Eventually he grew bored of them and told his servants to get rid of them. Though one servant took three of them home and set them free into the forest and soon enough, they had cubs. The servant was found dead within a week with a gun in her hand and a bullet through her head. She had a note, burnt into her forehead saying, ‘Elizabeth Crim; Executed for stealing Tigners from the President himself.’
I quickly set up a trap for a rabbit and walked over to the river. I pushed aside a large rock and inside were my weapons. Spears, bow and arrows, and a few knives I stole from the kitchen. I grabbed my bow and arrows and then moved the rock back over the hide. The leaves crunched ever so slightly as I made my way towards the river. I remember seeing a Tigner a couple times down here. It was about the size a medium sized dog and it had purple all over its fluffy cat like tail. I wondered if it would be there today. The river attracts quiet a few animals. Last summer I caught a deer. I hadn’t caught one of them for about 2 years. My luck had turned today as there where no signs of a Tigner. Not even footprints. They can’t survive for long without water. I decided to wait a bit and see if I could catch one. It shouldn’t be to hard, I mean I caught deer; wild pigs and once I caught a baby bear. Though it was half dead when I found it. It must have been abandoned.
The sunlight grew brighter and I knew it would be time to head back soon. I slowly moved from where I lay behind a bush and stood up to see a Tigner. Right in front of me. It was the largest one I had ever seen. It’s dark brown coat blended into the ground and I couldn’t even see where its feet where. I kept eye contact with it and slowly reached for my arrows on my back. The Tigner howled loudly and I covered my ears from the noise. I turned and ran jumping over logs and rocks. The Tigner chased after me but it must have been hurt because I could see it wasn’t able to keep up. I tripped over my shoelace and rolled down a hill and blacked out just as a pile of dirt fell on me.
It must have been midday when I awoke. I coughed a few times and brushed dirt and leaves from my head and torso. I suddenly felt pain in my right leg as I tried to stand up. I brushed the dirt from my leg then slowly lifted it. Blood stained my hands as I pulled off my shoe and rolled up my jeans. The gash in my leg wasn’t supper bad, I mean, I have seen worse. The pain was shocking though and I could tell my foot was broken. I wanted to cry out for help but nobody comes into the woods. People think it’s too dangerous. I opened up my backpack and pulled out a handkerchief. I pressed it over the wound and clenched my teeth as I hoped the pain would go away. I tried to keep my mind off of it. I looked at the top of the hill. How am I supposed to get out of here? I can’t even walk now, let alone crawl.
I sat at the bottom of the hill for what seemed like an hour. I started to talk to myself, “Someone’s going to come Ciara. Dad may not give No Swearing! but Rani or mum will get worried.” My eyes started to tear up and I closed them thinking that this is where I would die. Suddenly I heard the rustle of leaves and the sound of feet. I looked up from where I lay and shouted out, “Hey! Is anyone there? Help!” There was silence for a moment then I heard a voice. A mumble. I was dreaming for sure. I shouted out once more, “Help me please!” then a head popped up over the top of the hill. The boy smiled and looked down at me, “Need a hand love?” he said. His voice soothed my mind into thinking I would be OK. I smiled back at the boy as he made his way down the hill. He looked about my age but more fit and healthy. “What did you do here missy?” he said crossing his arms over his chest. I raised an eyebrow, “Fell down a hill, what does it look like?” I said. He stretched out his hand and I grasped it with mine and he pulled me up. I felt unbalanced and then fell onto him. “Careful sweetie.” He said as he helped me stand.
“Thanks.” I said to him, holding onto his shoulder for support.
“So what’s a little flower like you doing out here?”
“Little flower?” I said harshly, pushing him away.
“Oh I’m sorry. What’s a BIG flower like you doing out here?” he joked.
“Flattering will get you nowhere.” I teased. I fell back down unable to balance and he grabbed holed of me and helped me up again. His blue shirt had turned a brown colour on the back from the dirt I had mushed into him, and leaves stuck into it. “My names Henry.” He said brushing a leaf from his hair. “Ciara.” I replied. He smiled at me then looked at my foot. “So what were you doing?”
“Hunting. What else would you do here?”
He chuckled and brushed his fingers through his blonde hair. “Well, how about we get you out of here?”
“Oh no this is such a lovely ditch.” I joked.
Henry carefully helped me out from the ditch and we slowly made it to the top. I chucked my bow and arrows in front of me and then my backpack followed. I moved away from the hill and then looked around. “I’ve never been here.” I said.
“Pardon?” he said, climbing up from the hill.
I looked at Henry. Fancy boots, gold watch and expensive looking jeans. Hair that doesn’t go past his shoulders and well… Muscular looking and not scrawny. He was rich. I was on the other side of the woods. Not just that, the other side of town. After a moment he spoke, “What?”
“I uh… I have to go.” I said. If he found out I was a poor hunting on his side of the woods, well, he could have me as dinner if he so pleased. I grabbed my backpack then pulled myself over to my bow and arrows. “Ciara let me help you.” He said with his hand outstretched. I pushed it away and grabbed my bow and arrows. “Ciara let me-”
“No. Just leave me alone Henry.” I shouted at him. I pulled myself up using a log as balance and then tried to walk. Pain grew in my foot again and I started to tremble. Henry grabbed my waste as I fell and I pushed him away. “Ciara what’s wrong?” he said, confused of why I was acting this way.
“Henry just go.” I said pushing away his arms.
“But Cia-”
“GO!” I shouted with my arm outstretched and I pointed towards his side of town. Where I don’t belong. Henry backed up a bit then turned and walked off. I hoped I’d never see him again.
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Subject: Fearless by Jeana 