CAMP
1017 Words
AURORA
Diane and I exchanged glances at the mention of my name. I felt the air being knocked out of my lungs, I felt my chest tightening and tightening until it was becoming harder and harder to breathe and I simply wanted to close my eyes and pretend that I was imagining things, pretend that I was imagining this from happening. There was no way, no possibly way that I could have been recruited into the calling. I wasn't fit, I had no fighting skills and I could barely even defend myself. I've had Diane do that for almost half of my life.
"Calm down. It's going to be okay" Diane placed a hand on my shoulder in an attempt to calm my racing nerves. It didn't work. There had to be some mistake somewhere. I caught sight of my mum standing on the door porch. She looked as frightened as I felt.
A court official approached half of my vision.
"I'm going to need you to step to the other side while we arrange the carriages to pick up" he said. The thudding in my ears became louder.
"There had to be a mistake" I whispered brokenly. The court official gave me a strange look.
"I'm going to need you to step to the other side. You've been recruited amongst few others. You should see it as an honor to serve in the calling" he said and yet, I backed away from him, feeling my hands trembling, feeling my knees almost crumple to the ground. I didn't want any of it, I had never wanted to serve in the calling, so recruiting me is wasn't even going to be beneficial to them, wasn't going to be beneficial to me. I didn't want this. I look at Diane in a silent plea for help. I could feel the panic expanding in my chest. I could feel the panic spreading. No.
I glance at my mother but she didn't move from where she stood, my father joined her. I could see the resignation in their eyes. They've accepted. Apparently the only person who hasn't accepted it is me. Please. Don't let them take me. And yet I was very aware of the strong grip on each of my arm, was very aware of Diane watching me helplessly, of the others looking at me.
"I'm not going. I won't go. There had to be a mistake somewhere" I said, feeling desperation clog on my lungs.
"Sorry sweetheart but no can't do. Your name's in the box and nothing can change that" I felt myself being dragged away to where the other set of people were gathered.
"Dont let them take me" I called out to my parents, tears beginning to sting my vision. Any moment from now, my legs would give way to the ground. I caught sight of my mother, trying to step forward in some weak attempt to at least try and do something. My father held her by the arm and whispered something. The agony was both evident in their faces as they watched me. I can feel resignation slowly creeping in. There was a possibility that I could die, a possibility that I wouldn't even be able to survive a whole day at camp. They'd prey on me, they'd kill me.
"Rora" I feel Diane holding my arm softly, I feel the comfort of her grip as she looks up at me sadly.
"We're going to be okay" she whispered, leaning closer to me and yet I didn't believe them. I didn't believe that I would be fine.
"I don't want any of this. I never did" I whispered brokenly, the lump in my throat refusing to away.
"I know" she said and we remained in silence. I stare brokenly into the empty space. I could hear the background noise, hear the court officials announcing more names of people that they'd be recruiting, I could hear the sound of the carriages approaching. People began to line up to go in, Diane included. I remained where I was. I find myself unable to resign to this fate.
"Move" one of the official said, not so gently and yet I remained where I was. I struggled when I felt myself being shoved towards the direction of the carriage, the strength of the hands that held me in place as I struggled was almost overwhelming. At some point, in the back of my head, I knew struggling was useless. I felt myself being roughly shoved into the carriage.
"Remain there, don't move an inch or I'd have to resort to other means of making you comply" the glimmer in his eyes was enough for me to know he intended to carry on with his threats, should I make the mistake of disobeying him.
I remained still, feeling the warm tears against my cheeks.
"Weakling" I heard him murmur under his breath as he walked away. I looked around for Diane but it seems, she was in one of the other cages. Finally when every one was fitted into the carriage. I felt the carriage begin to move and yet for some reason, still unknown to me, my eyes remained fixed on the window, fixed on the sight of my mother crying in my dads arms, fixed on the sight of my father looking like he wanted to rip his heart out. My eyes were as empty as my heart. There was no point crying now. It wouldn't really solve anything. It wouldn't make the officials take me back. Slowly, I found myself coming to the accept the terms of what was happening. I leaned back into the carriage seat and wiped my sweaty palms against my dress. I didn't even get to change. You're going to survive Aurora. Somehow, even if you don't know it yet, you're going to make it out alive. You always have. I felt myself drifting into sleep and by the time I awoke. I caught sight of camp, looming ahead of us. I felt the dread clinging to the walls of my stomach.
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