Chapter Text
CHAPTER 1
One never knows when their life might change for the better, is what you have to say to yourself just to not lose the hope needed for getting through the day, or for worse, is what you add to remind yourself not to be swept away by false hope.
I look outside the window to my left just to see the sun has barely even risen, at which I get annoyed when I remember today is Sunday – the only day of the week where everyone, except for royal officials, gets to rest. It’s hard not to fall back into habit when you’ve been doing something for years, in my case waking up early every day of the week.
An aggressive knock on my door startles me just as I’m about to doze back off. Look at that, a sign from the universe to get up…And I do just that. Heading down the creaking wooden staircase makes it visible that no one else, by which I mean my mother, is home, and I wonder who could possibly be at my door. Hesitation kicks in and for a moment I debate where I should even open the door, but as my eyes glance through the window, familiar copper colored hair comes into focus. Even without seeing the person’s face, my mind knows who it is.
Amorette Price, whose unforgettable face is now hidden away by a scarf and a newsboy cap. Immediately I make up my mind – that door has to open. Something must be wrong. She would never come knocking so early in the morning.
My hand turns the knob and my friend closes in on the space the door used to provide. Head down, speaking in a whisper, she says:
“Let me in, now. Please.”
Now I’m positive something’s wrong. “Why? What’s happening?”
“I’ll explain in a bit. Will you let me in or not?” As she is pushing to get past me, pushing past me to get a look into my house.
I snap out of my stupor. Now is clearly not the time to be asking questions. Stepping aside, I usher her in, risking a quick look around outside before shutting and locking the door. Just as I’m turning around to face my always-so-secretive friend and starting to ask my question, I notice she is already gone, not in sight. For safety’s sake closing the curtains is the best decision I could make right now before rushing to catch up with the familiar figure heading up my stairs.
“Will you just tell me what the hell is going on?” leaves my mouth in a moment of agitation. I’m not one for being left in the dark in such an, apparently, high stakes situation. And she doesn’t say a word, neither does she take off her surprisingly good cover, until we are in my room.
I turn the light on, which is necessary now that the blinds are shut closed, and see Amorette pacing back and forth, her usually unreadable face now clearly showing a mixture of panic and frustration. At the sight of this I myself start feeling uneasy and realize I’m probably not going to like whatever comes out of her mouth next.
“Listen. I just need you to listen and not interrupt. I’m going to explain everything.” She says.
That can’t be good. Suddenly my legs feel weak. My first thought is that something has happened to my mom. My mom, who tries her hardest for me. My mom, who would die for me if it came to that. Please, not her.
I’m snapped back to reality by a sharp intake of breath. Now would be a good moment to sit down I think as I follow Amorette’s example, picking a small chair opposite her.
“Alright, what’s going on?” I wish this would just be over, I can’t bear it any longer.
“Basically…” she trails off. “I was just getting ready to go to the market when I looked outside and saw watchmen going around, knocking on everyone’s doors like crazy. I wanted to ask someone what was happening so I went outside, asked some kid. Kiddo told me they were searching houses for rebel activity off of some list and everyone in our area is on it.” A pause. One would think it’d be a good idea to ask a question in the few seconds I know I have before she continues talking, but suddenly, I can’t think straight. Anyone can get accused of anything when you’re some poor kid nobody knows, and when you are said unknown person, such a serious accusation could mean execution.
Execution.
“… I thought I should run, y’know, so they can’t catch me in the house.” I hadn’t even noticed when she had continued her explanation. “And since I’m so smart, I put on something to hide my face, can’t be recognized when they can’t see you, y’know?”
I barely manage a “Yeah, I get it.”
“So I came straight over here, which was the not-so-smart part…” Amorette’s picking at her skin, something that she does only when she’s anxious. Not that I blame her, it’s hard to be anything else right now. “Because you are also on that list, apparently” She says, pointing a finger at my face.
“I figured that much.” I wait for a bit more of an explanation to what is happening, but it never comes. Then, there’s relief. Everything’s okay for the time being, just until the watchmen come to search my house as well, which probably won’t be much later. “Well, it’s nice you are here and all, but what am I supposed to do with this information?”
“What are you supposed to do? Maybe say something encouraging like ‘don’t worry’ or ‘you’re safe here’! I could really use some safety, y’know?”
Great going, Marcus, you’ve really set her off now. “Look, this can’t be easy for either of us but you have to calm do-“
“Calm down? We both have guns in our houses, you remember that? That by itself can put a ‘rebel’ label on us!” She starts pacing again after she pushes back her chair. I guess we’re standing now.
“Okay, I’m sorry. How long ago were they patrolling your area?”
“Around 15 minutes ago? I wasn’t specifically in a hurry to look at the time when I left.”
Usually a walk from her place to mine takes 10 minutes, but at their pace, the watchmen are probably halfway to my house. 15 more to go, at most, I think to myself. I know I have to figure out a plan, but really, what even is there to figure out? It’s either you await your fate here and today, or some other day in the near future. The government officials won’t waste any time breaking down my door to get a look inside if they have to.
I realize I have no idea what to so say when that happens, and they sure are going to have a lot of questions. ‘Why are you hiding a fellow rebel?’ they’d ask and I wouldn’t know. ‘Do you know how much trouble you are in?’ I again wouldn’t know because there is no guessing when it comes to punishments here. I just hope my mother doesn’t have to witness whatever is going to happen to someone she loves again.
My mother.
Without really realizing what I’m doing, I’ve headed over to Amorette and grabbed her by the shoulders to stop her scared pacing. “Do you… know where mom is?” I barely manage, my voice shaking.
She must be startled by this sight because it takes her a few seconds of staring at my face to answer: “Hazel? I haven’t seen her today. I thought you knew where she was?”
My thoughts spiral to the worst case scenario. What if they got her instead of me?
“Marcus… come look at this.”
Before I know it, I’m already at window looking at what looks like an argument between a woman and a few watchmen. But then I realize it isn’t just a woman. I know that woman.
That’s my mom.